Ānāpānasati (Pali; Sanskrit: ānāpānasmṛti; Chinese: 安那般那; Pīnyīn: ānnàbānnà; Sinhala: ආනා පානා සති) is a form of Buddhist meditation now common in Tibetan, Zen, Tiantai, and other Buddhist traditions. The Pali word sati (smriti in Sanskrit) is commonly translated as “mindfulness”, which in English usually means simply to be aware. Mindfulness is both a mental state and a practice, and it is considered a spiritual or psychological faculty (indriya) that is of great importance in the path to enlightenment.
The Pali word for “mindfulness” is sati (in Sanskrit, smriti), which can also mean “retention”, “recollection”, or “alertness”. The Sanskrit word for mindfulness, smṛti, literally means “that which is remembered”, and refers both to “mindfulness” in Buddhism and “a category of metrical texts” in Hinduism. It is considered second in authority to the Śruti scriptures.
In this article, two Pali/Sanskrit words translated as mindfulness, namely Sati (Smriti) and Vipassana (Vipaśyanā), are taken into consideration. Mindfulness is a spiritual or psychological faculty (indriya) that is considered of great importance in the path to enlightenment. The term mindfulness has been translated from the Pali root, sati, meaning “that which is”. The Buddhist term translated into English as “mindfulness” originates from the Pali term sati and its Sanskrit counterpart smṛti.
In summary, Ānāpānasati is a form of Buddhist meditation that is now common in various Buddhist traditions, including Tibetan, Zen, Tiantai, and other Buddhist traditions.
📹 Words in Meditation: Sanskrit | A Kids Mindful Moment
Words in Meditation: Sanskrit | A Kids Mindful Moment Today, we’re learning about sanskrit. Some of the words we commonly say …
What is the root word of mindfulness?
Mindfulness, a term often associated with wellbeing, originated from the Pali language of ancient India, where sati, or awareness, was used to describe a state of present-moment awareness. In its original context, sati denoted’remembrance and recollection’ but when used in a meditative context, it refers to a mental state where one recollects or remembers the activity being engaged in in the present moment.
The term’mindfulness’ was first coined by T. W. Rhys Davids at the dawn of the 20th Century, who had previously rendered sati as’mental activity’ and ‘thought’. It was only with his 1910 work that he settled on the term mindfulness. Jon Kabat-Zinn later adopted the term when he created the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, which was influential in bringing mindfulness to the West.
In his influential definition of mindfulness, Kabat-Zinn captured the ‘flavour’ of sati, stating that it is the awareness that arises through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment. This understanding of mindfulness has been instrumental in promoting mindfulness in various settings, including hospitals, schools, and high-brow news outlets.
What is the Vedic word for meditation?
Dhyana, a Sanskrit term meaning contemplation, reflection, profoundness, or meditation, is a mental activity of the mind in Hindu philosophy. The manas (mind) is viewed as a receptacle (dhi) where thoughts pour back and forth from the universal pool of thought forms. According to Hindu tradition, the human mind has the creative potency of God, and meditation involves observing the inward and outward movement of thoughts with silence (maunam), stability (dhiram), and detachment (vairagyam).
The term Dhyana appears in the Aranyaka and Brahmana layers of the Vedas but has unclear meaning. In the early Upanishads, it appears as “contemplation, meditation” and an important part of self-knowledge process. This paper discusses the practice of dhyana in Hinduism from a historical perspective, based on Hindu scriptures and Buddhism. The study suggests that the various concepts of dhyana and its practice originated in the Vedic era of Hinduism, where the practice has been influential within diverse traditions. In Hinduism, self-directed awareness and unifying Yoga processes require a relationship with other living beings, which is described through certain characteristic terms.
What is mindfulness in Sanskrit?
Sati, a Buddhist term, is a spiritual or psychological faculty that is essential to Buddhist practice and is the first factor of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. It is the seventh element of the Noble Eightfold Path and is translated into English as “mindfulness”. The term originates from the Pali term sati and its Sanskrit counterpart smṛti, which originally meant “to remember”, “to recollect”, and “to bear in mind”. In the Satipațțhāna-sutta, sati means to maintain awareness of reality, where the true nature of phenomena can be seen.
The Milindapanha, which refers to the wholesome dhammas such as the four establishments of mindfulness, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening-factors, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the attainment of insight, explains that the arisement of sati calls to mind the wholesome dhammas. According to Rupert Gethin, sati allows awareness of the full range and extent of dhammas, allowing practitioners of yoga to “remember” that any feeling they may experience exists in relation to a whole variety of feelings, whether skillful or unskillful, with faults or faultless, relatively inferior or refined, dark or pure.
What is mindfulness in Buddhism?
Mindfulness in Buddhism, originating from the Pali Canon, is a key element of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment. It involves remembering and keeping in mind the dharma, the Buddhist studies about the nature of existence. Practicing mindfulness involves living life more fully, one moment at a time, regardless of age, location, or beliefs. It can help individuals navigate through the good, bad, and everything in between.
What is the Tibetan word for mindful?
Mindfulness is a concept that has its roots in Buddhist contemplative practices, which involve a systematic form of training the mind through meditation. The term meditation is translated from the Sanskrit term bhävana and its Tibetan equivalent, sgoms, which mean cultivation or “causing to become” and development of familiarity. Contemplative practice, in general, refers to a particular form of observation where there is a total devotion to revealing, clarifying, and making manifest the nature of reality.
The concept of mindfulness has its roots in the classical Buddhist Abhidhamma and is described at length in various Buddhist texts, including “The Heart of Buddhist Meditation”, “Visuddhimagga”, and the Satipatthāna sutta. Views on the concept of mindfulness vary considerably, but most agree that the Satipatthāna is one of the most influential texts that describes the foundation of mindfulness as a direct path for “cessation of suffering”, “awakening”, or “realization”.
Mental factors in Buddhism include mindfulness, balanced application of effort, an equanimous state of concentration free of desire and discontent, and a form of wisdom or discriminating alertness. The state of mindfulness is also thought to have the critical quality of monitoring the development and balance of the other three faculties. The Buddhist definition of right mindfulness is ethically discerning, noting the distinction between wholesome and unwholesome states of mind and then cultivating the former while rejecting the latter.
Thus, mindfulness is described as a skill from the Buddhist framework that functions to maintain a continuous state of non-conceptual awareness and meta-awareness with discernment – rooted in an ethical framework.
In summary, mindfulness is a concept that has its roots in Buddhist contemplative practices, specifically meditation, which is a systematic form of training the mind through meditation. It is a skill that functions to maintain a continuous state of non-conceptual awareness and meta-awareness with discernment, rooted in an ethical framework.
What is a mantra in mindfulness?
A mantra is defined as a repeated sound, word, or phrase utilized during meditation as a focal point, with the objective of focusing the mind on the present moment and reducing thoughts.
What is the Buddhist word for mindfulness?
The Pali word sati, translated as “mindfulness”, is often used to describe being aware of something, such as being mindful of a specific day or situation. This sense of awareness is familiar to social researchers, who observe that much of our actions are habitual and without much conscious awareness. Studies show that doing things mindfully is more effective than mindlessly.
The Buddhist practice of mindfulness as a meditation practice includes both meanings, but also emphasizes the importance of conscious awareness and an attitude of equanimity. This means that one does not favor or oppose the object of awareness, such as a bodily sensation. This means that one is simply aware of the sensation, with heightened awareness, without any trace of positive or negative desire. This approach to mindfulness is more effective than mindlessly doing things, as it promotes a more balanced and effective life.
What is the Indian word for mindfulness?
The Sanskrit word smṛti स्मृति, also transliterated as smriti, smRti, or sm’Rti, means “that which is remembered” and refers to mindfulness in Buddhism and a category of metrical texts in Hinduism. It is considered second in authority to the Śruti scriptures. Monier Monier-Williams’s Sanskrit-English Dictionary differentiates eight meanings of smṛti स्मृति, which means “remembrance, reminiscence, thinking of or upon, calling to mind, memory”.
These meanings include memory as one of the Vyabhicāri-bhāvas, memory (personified as the daughter of Daksha and wife of Aṅgiras or as the daughter of Dharma and Medhā), the whole body of sacred tradition or what is remembered by human teachers, the whole body of codes of law as handed down memoriter or by tradition, a symbolical name for the number 18, a kind of meter, the name of the letter g- ग्, and desire or wish.
What is mindfulness rooted in?
Mindfulness is a philosophical concept in Buddhism that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, rooted in teachings like Vipassana and Zen meditation. It emphasizes awareness of the present moment and ethical living, reflecting the interconnected nature of existence. The English term mindfulness existed before its use in a western Buddhist context, with earlier terms including mindful, mindfully, and mindiness.
It may also refer to “a state of being aware”, which can be spelled wakefulness, attention, alertness, prudence, conscientiousness, awareness, consciousness, and observation. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary also lists synonyms for this state of being aware, such as wakefulness, attention, alertness, prudence, conscientiousness, awareness, consciousness, and observation.
What is the Sanskrit word for meditation?
Dhyāna, a term in Hinduism, refers to contemplation and meditation, which is a key aspect of Yoga practices. Originating from the Sramanic movement in ancient India, Dhyana has been influential within various Hindu traditions. It is a part of a self-directed awareness and unifying Yoga process, where the yogi realizes their Self, relationship with other living beings, and Ultimate Reality. Dhyana is also found in other Indian religions like Buddhism and Jainism, each introducing unique aspects and context to it.
Similar traditions developed within Zoroastrianism in Persia under the label daena. Dhyana has been influenced by various traditions, including Buddhism and Jainism, and has been incorporated into Yoga practices to promote self-knowledge and self-awareness.
What is the Indian name for mindfulness meditation?
Vipassana meditation, an ancient Buddhist practice, involves observing thoughts and emotions as they are, without judgment or dwelling on them. It differs from mindfulness meditation, which focuses on a task or image, and involves actively training the mind and body to perform a specific action. Vipassana meditation is often used interchangeably with mindfulness meditation, but is more specific.
📹 Sanskrit Word of the Month: Vimarśa
With so much talk about meditation and mindfulness, it is important we remember its ancient Hindu roots, and we see the value …
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