Vedanā (Pāli word) meaning feeling or sensation.One of the five aggregates (khandha). Described by the Buddha as having both mental and physical aspects; therefore vedanā offers a means to examine the totality of the mental-physical phenomenon. In the Chain of Conditioned Arising (paţicca samuppada), the Buddha explained that tanhā, the cause of suffering, arises as a reaction to vedanā. By learning to observe vedanā objectively one can avoid any new reactions, and can experience directly within oneself the reality of impermanence (anicca). This experience is essential for the development of d ...

Read more here: » Vedana: Encyclopedia - Vedana

vedana:

vedana - feelings

(See also: vedana, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

vedana (vedanaa): Feeling - pleasure (ease), pain (stress), or neither pleasure nor pain. See khandha.

 (See also: Vedana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India. The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. In these traditions, beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards moksha, nirvana, or personal liberation. Dharma also refers to the teachings and doctrines of t ...

Including:

• Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma
• Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism
• Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas
• Dharma - Developing conceptions
• Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha
• Dharma - Kane's view
• Dharma - In Jainism
• Dharma - The two Dharmas
• Dharma - In Buddhism
• Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha
• Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma
• Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology
• Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

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Rupa is the Buddhist concept of form, or body, the first of the five khandas or aggregates. It is traditionally analysed in two ways. Rupa - Four elements. Existing rupa consists in the four elements: earth or solidity fire or heat water or cohesion air or movement Buddharupa, Namarupa for the main concept, Skandhas: vedana, sanna, sankhata,vijnana, Body, sensations, perceptions, and consciousness, Three marks of existence ...

Including:

• Rupa - Four elements
• Rupa - Twenty-four aspects

Read more here: » Rupa: Encyclopedia - Rupa

Vipassanā (Sanskrit: vipasyanā) is the practice of Insight Meditation. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has a universal application. It does not require conversion to Buddhism. While the meditation practices themselves vary from school to school, the underlying principle is the investigation of phenomena (Sanskrit: dharmas) as they manifest in the five aggregates (Skandha) namely, matter or form (Rupa), sensation or feelings (Vedana), perception (Samjna), mental formations (Saṃskāra) & consciousness (Vijnana). This process lead ...

Including:

• Vipassana - Etymology
• Vipassana - Practice of vipassanā
• Vipassana - Vipassanā today
• Vipassana - Vipassana in the Theravada Mahayana and Vajrayana
• Vipassana - In the Theravada
• Vipassana - In the Mahayana
• Vipassana - In the Vajrayana
• Vipassana - Famous masters

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Vijñāna is Sanskrit for consciousness. This page considers the Buddhist concept. Specifically, a vijnana is a single moment of conceptual consciousness. It has two components: the awareness itself, and the object of that awareness (which might be a perception, a feeling etc.). Normal mental activity is considered to consist of a continual succession of vijnanas. Vijnana is contrasted with jnana, or pure awareness free of conceptual constructs. Vijnana - Vijnana in buddhist teachings. Including:

• Vijnana - Vijnana in buddhist teachings
• Vijnana - vijnana as an aggregate
• Vijnana - vijnana in the pratitya samutpada
• Vijnana - Different vijnanas
• Vijnana - Alayavijnana
• Vijnana - Amalavijnana

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The Twelve Nidanas (Pali: nidana- foundation, source or origin) are the application of the Buddhist concept of Pratitya-samutpada (dependent origination). The Twelve Nidanas are employed in the analysis of phenomena according to the principle of Pratitya-samutpada. The aim of the Twelve Nidanas analysis is to reveal the origins of phenomena, and the feedback loop of conditioning and causation that leads to suffering in current and future lives. Twelve Nidanas - Summary. The basic principle of pratitya-samut ...

Including:

• Twelve Nidanas - Summary
• Twelve Nidanas - The Twelve Nidana
• Twelve Nidanas - Notes
• Twelve Nidanas - Twenty four types of conditions
• Twelve Nidanas - The whole description

Read more here: » Twelve Nidanas: Encyclopedia - Twelve Nidanas

Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. Beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards moksha, nirvana, or personal liberation. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India. The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. For the followers of these traditions, Dharma also refers to the teachings ...

Including:

• Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma
• Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism
• Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism
• Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas
• Dharma - Developing conceptions
• Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha
• Dharma - Kane's view
• Dharma - In Jainism
• Dharma - The two Dharmas
• Dharma - In Buddhism
• Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha
• Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma
• Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology
• Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia - Dharma

Vedana (Sanskrit). The second of the five Shandhas (perceptions, senses). The sixth Nidana.

(See also: Vedana, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Vedana (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root vid to know]

Perception or knowledge conveyed by the senses, sensation. The sixth nidana and the second skandha.

(See also: Vedana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

 Vedana:

feelings

(See also:  Vedana, Body Mind and Soul)

Svasam Vedana (Sanskrit). Lit., "the reflection which analyses itself "; a synonym of Paramartha.

(See also: Svasam Vedana, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

cetasika (cetasika): Mental concomitant (see vedana, sanna, and sankhara).

 (See also: Cetasika, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

khandha (khandha): Heap; group; aggregate. Physical and mental components of the personality and of sensory experience in general.

The five bases of clinging (see upadana). See:

nama (mental phenomenon),

rupa (physical phenomenon),

vedana (feeling),

sanna (perception),

sankhara (mental fashionings), and

vinnana (consciousness).

 (See also: Khandha, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

nama (naama): Mental phenomena. This term refers to the mental components of the five khandhas, and includes: vedana (feeling), sanna (perception), sankhara (mental fashionings), and vinnana (consciousness). Compare rupa.

 (See also: Nama, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Nidana (Sanskrit) [from ni down, into + the verbal root da to bind]

That which binds, to earth or to existence, philosophically speaking. Originally meaning bond, rope, halter -- that which binds. From this arose the implication of binding cause, or bonds of causation, and hence in Buddhist philosophy it signifies cause of existence, the concatenation of cause and effect.

The twelve nidanas given as the chief causes are:

1)    jati (birth) according to one of the chatur-yoni, the four modes of entering incarnation, each mode placing the being in one of the six gatis;

2)    jara-marana (decrepitude) and death, following the maturity of the skandhas;

3)    bhava, which leads every sentient being to be born in this or another mode of existence in the trailokya and gatis;

4)    upadana, the creative cause of bhava which thus becomes the cause of jati, and this creative cause is the clinging to life;

5)    trishna (thirst for life, love, attachment);

6)    vedana (sensation) perception by the senses, the fifth skandha;

7)    sparsa (the sense of touch) contact of any kind, whether mental or physical;

8)    shadayatana (the organs of sensation) the inner or mental astral seats of the organs of sense;

9)    nama-rupa (name-form, personality, a form with a name to it) the symbol of the unreality of material phenomenal appearances;

10)  vijnana, the perfect knowledge of every perceptible thing and of all objects in their concatenation and unity;

11)  samskara, action on the plane of illusion; and

12) avidya (nescience, ignorance) lack of true perception.

Nidana is also a title of Brahma, considered as the first cause, being the kosmic living aggregate of vital bonds forming the universe into an organic whole; reproduced through its own internal energies from the preceding manvantara.

(See also: Nidana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

siddhi: (Sanskrit) "Power, accomplishment; perfection."

Extraordinary powers of the soul, developed through consistent meditation and deliberate, grueling, often uncomfortable tapas, or awakened naturally through spiritual maturity and yogic sadhana.

Through the repeated experience of Self Realization, siddhis naturally unfold according to the needs of the individual. Before Self Realization, the use or development of siddhis is among the greatest obstacles on the path because it cultivates ahamkara, I-ness, and militates against the attainment of prapatti, complete submission to the will of God, Gods and guru. Six siddhis in particular are considered primary obstacles to samadhi:

-       clairvoyance (adarsha siddhi or divya siddhi),

-       clairaudience (shravana siddhi or divyashravana),

-       divination (pratibha siddhi),

-       super-feeling (vedana siddhi) and

-       super-taste (asvadana siddhi),

-       supersmell (varta siddhi).

The eight classical siddhis are:

1)    anima: to be as small as an atom;

2)    mahima: to become infinitely large;

3)    laghima: super-lightness, levitation;

4)    prapti: pervasiveness, extension, to be anywhere at will;

5)    prakamya: fulfillment of desires;

6)    vashitva: control of natural forces;

7)    ishititva: supremacy over nature;

8)    kama-avasayitva: complete satisfaction.

The supreme siddhi (parasiddhi) is realization of the Self, Parasiva.

See: ahamkara, prapatti, siddha yoga, psychic ability.

(See also: Siddhi, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Skandha: The five elements that comprise an individual. These are: form (rupam), perception through the senses (vedana), thought (samjna), conformation (samskara), and consciousness (vijnana).

 (See also: Skandha, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Duhkha (Sanskrit) (from dus + kha; or from duhstha standing badly, unsteady, unhappy)

Painful, difficult; as a noun, pain, affliction, trouble, personified as the son of Naraka and Vedana.

(See also: Duhkha, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)