Glossary

Anapanasati Sutta

One of the Buddha’s discourses on meditation. The text is broken into four tetrads to teach meditation: the breath and body interaction, calming of feeling (vedana), insight into the mind-heart (citta) and contemplation of the truth of our existence (Dhamma).

anatta

Not self; synonymous on a certain level with sunyata.

anicca

Impermanence, the ever-changing nature of existence.

citta

The mind, consciousness; as an experiencer of reality, there is not only citta which sees but also citta that hears, citta which smells, citta which tastes or citta which experiences tangible object, there is also citta which thinks about many diverse subjects. Citta constantly changes. The world of each person is ruled by his citta (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/citta#theravada).

Dhamma

Truth, nature, law; the knowledge of nature which must be understood to bring life the highest possible purpose and benefit. Has 4 associated meanings: thing as they are (nature), the law of nature, actions that must be done in accordance with the truth of nature, and the benefits that rise from actions done in accordance with that truth.

dukkha

Unsatisfactoriness, difficulties, stresses that are hard to endure.

ekaggata

One-pointedness of mind; the gathering of mind, like the focusing of the sun rays through a magnifying glass indicating the mind has reached the first level of jhana.

• one-pointedness.
• continuing focus on the object of meditation (i.e., both experiencing and noticing it).
• a sense of satisfaction or contentment.

first jhana

Absorption, e.g., the first level of jhana has 5 qualities: vitakka, vicara, piti, sukha and ekaggata.

metta

Loving-kindness

piti

An excited happiness at having completed or accomplished something.

nimitta

A mental image, which arises of its own accord depending on your mind's own inclinations.

panna

Wisdom, insight intuitive wisdom; correct understanding of truth that relieves suffering.

samadhi

Concentration, collectedness.

samahita

One who is concentrated.

sati

Reflective awareness; without sati, wisdom (panna) cannot be developed or applied.

sukkha

Soothing, pleasant, or tranquil happiness.

sunyata

Emptiness.

upaya

Skillful means; skillful means have increasing levels of subtlety, starting with following the breath, guarding the breath at a certain point, imagining an image, manipulating the images in certain ways and, finally, choosing one image and concentrating fully on it.

vedana

Feeling.