Dear Nina,

thanks for the explanation. It never occur to me jhana encompasses
vipassana (developing insight). I hope to study this aspect when time
permits. Thanks again.

metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Nina van Gorkom wrote:

There are two meanings of jhaana:
Papa~ncasuudanii, Atthk to the Sallekhasutta (M.N. I,8):
Jhaayathaa ti. aaramma.nuupanijjhaanena a.t.thati.msaaramma.naahi
(thirtyeight objects of samatha), lakkha.nuupanijjhaanena ca
aniccaadito (beginning with aniccaa) khandhaayatanaadiini
upanijjhaayatha. Samatha~n ca vipassana~ca va.d.dhetaa(develop) ti
vutta.m hoti. Maa pamaadatthaati maapamajjittha.
-----
In the sutta the Buddha said: jhaayathaa, meditate, but it refers to
samatha and vipassana (the three lakkhana).Thus contemplate is also a
good translation.
Another stem associated with jhaana; to burn, burn away the hindrances.

> The PTS translates 'jhaana' as 'musing', which is probably the
influence of Zen?