Re: Jhana translation in context of samma samadhi

Dear Dieter,

Your remarks are right. Most teachers today would use "absorption" or
"mental absorption."

Personally, I have used "dhyana" whichis an accepted anglicized term (found
in major dictionaries).

I have also discussed Gunaratana's views about dhyana as against
Brahmavamso's views. Basically the former thinks we still "think" during
dhyana, while the latter does not. Personally I am more comfortable with the
latter's view.

If anyone wants the paper (SD 33.2, "The Buddha Discovers Dhyana"), please
contact me off line.

With metta,

Piya

On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 4:30 PM, Dieter <moellerdieter@...> wrote:

>
>
> Dear Dhamma friends,
> I like to ask for you help to clarify a point of discussion which developed
> out of following:
>
> X:The literal meaning is "burning," not "absorption". (I presume the
> "burning" pertains to attacking the hindrances.)
>
> D:Ven. Henepola Gunaratana , Nyanatiloka, Nyanaponika , P.A.Payutto chose '
> absorption '
> Curious to learn about your evidence..
> -------------------------------------------------------
> X: Look up 'jhana' and 'jhayati' on PTS dictionary, for example. In
> particular, there is the following:
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Jhāna1 (nt.) [from jhāyati,1 BSk. dhyāna. The (popular
> etym--) expln of jhāna is given by Bdhgh at Vism 150 as follows:
> "ārammaṇ'�panijjhānato paccanīka--jhāpanato
> vā jhānaŋ," i.e. called jh. from meditation on objects & from
> burning up
> anything adverse] literally meditation. But it never means vaguely
> meditation. It is the technical term for a special religious
> experience, reached in a certain order of mental states.
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> You might also consider on
> http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Jhayati_to_jhayitva, the
> following:
> jhāyati : [jhā + ya] burns; to be on fire. || jhāyati (jhe +
> a), meditates or contemplates.
> jhāyana : [nt.] 1. burning; 2. meditation.
> jhāyanta : [pr.p. of jhāyati] meditating or contemplating.
> jhāyi : [aor. of jhāyati] meditated or contemplated. ||
> jhāyī (m.) one who meditates.
> jhāyitvā : [abs. of jhāyati] having meditated or
> contemplated.
> Also, please consider
> http://www.dhammatalks.org/Archive/Writings/CrossIndexed/Published/Meditations2/040717%20M2%20Go,%20Do%20Jhana.pdf,where Ven Thanissaro writes the following:
> The word he uses for going to meditate is "to go do jhana"�jhayati is the
> verb in Pali. It's a homonym with a verb for burning, as when a flame burns
> steadily. They have lots of different words for burning in Pali�words for
> raging fires, words for smoldering fires�but the verb for a steady burn, as
> in the flame of an oil lamp, is jhayati. And the same verb is used for doing
> jhana. As you practice concentration, you try to make the mind burn
> steadily, with a clean, clear flame. Flames that flicker up and down are
> hard to read by, but a steady flame is one you can read by clearly. That's
> the quality you're trying to develop so that you can read the mind.
> unquote
> I am aware that any (English) translation can only be an approach,
> but still believe ,' burning' does not fit and 'absorption' is fitting
> best.
> Thanks for your comment.
>
> With Metta Dieter
>
>
>



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