Dhyana
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| Dhyana | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Chán |
| Wade-Giles | Ch'an2 |
| Cantonese IPA | sɪm4 |
| Cantonese Jyutping | sim4 |
| Hanzi | 禪 |
| Jiantizi | 禅 |
| Korean Name | |
| Revised Romanization | Seon |
| McCune-Reischauer | Sŏn |
| Hangul | 선 |
| Hanja | 禪 |
| Japanese Name | |
| Romaji | Zen |
| Kanji | 禅 |
| Sanskrit Name | |
| Sanskrit | ध्यान dhyāna |
Dhyāna is a term in Sanskrit which refers to a type or aspect of meditation. It is a key concept in Hinduism and Buddhism. Equivalent terms are jhāna in Pāli, chán in Chinese, and zen in Japanese.
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Dhyāna in Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism generally recognizes four progressive states of dhyāna, although the Pali Canon contains a scripture in which the Buddha mentions eight states. The reason for this discrepancy is not known. In East Asia, several schools of Buddhism were founded that focused on dhyana, under the names Chan, Zen, and Seon. According to tradition, Bodhidharma brought Dhyana to the Shaolin temple in China, through Tibet, where it came to be known first as chan, and then zen.
Jhanas can be described by the way of "factors", mental processes. First appear Vitakka, attention, then Vicara, then Piti, then Sukkha, both leading to the first Jhana.
Jhanic factors :
As the mediator reaches this first Jhana, he can mediate without beeing disturbed by any thought, desire,..
Any intellectual process cease. There is only rapture, hapiness, and the object. The mediator perceive no Self looking at the object.
Joy disapear.
Even happiness disappears, leading to a state with no pleasure nor suffering. The Buddha described the Jhanas as "small nirvanas".
Traditionnaly, this fourth Jhana is seen as the beginning of attaining magic powers.
These four are rupajhanas, material ones. Further, four arupajhanas, which can be thought as part of the fourth rupajhana, still consist in the two factors of Upekkha and Ekkagata.
Arupajhanas are non material ones, which seem clear about the object of the first arupajhana. Indeed, arupajhanas can be described considering their object :
- Fifth Jhana : infinite space
- Sixth Jhana : infinite consciousness
- Seventh Jhana : nothingness
- Eigth Jhana : neither perception nor non-perception
Usualy Jhanas are exposed as part of Samatha's practice, opposed to Vipassana. But Vipassana jhanas are mentionned.
Dhyāna in Hinduism
According to the Hindu Yoga Sutra dhyana is one of the eight methods of Yoga, (the other seven methods are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, and Samadhi).
In the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, the stage of meditation preceding dhyāna is called dharana. In Dhyana, the meditator is not conscious of the act of meditation (i.e. is not aware that s/he is meditating) but is only aware that s/he exists (consciousness of being), and aware of the object of meditation. Dhyana is distinct from Dharana in that the meditator becomes one with the object of meditation and is able to maintain this oneness for 144 inhalations and expirations.
See also
External links
- Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (http://www.acmuller.net/cgi-bin/search-ddb4.pl?Terms=禪) (log in with userID "guest")
- The Buddha's descriptions of the first four states of dhyana (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/jhana.html) in the Pali Canon (Anguttara Nikaya V.28)
- Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi, and Meditation (http://www.atmajyoti.org/dharana_dhyana_etc.asp) by Swami Nirmalananda Giri