(
Pāli
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhi ...
; sa, Anusmriti, italic=yes; ; ) means "recollection," "contemplation," "remembrance," "meditation", and "
mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention to the present-moment experience without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. Mindfulness derives from ''sati'', a significant element of Hind ...
". It refers to specific
Buddhist meditational or
devotional practices, such as recollecting the sublime qualities of
the Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
, which lead to
mental tranquillity and
abiding joy. In various contexts, the
Pali literature
Pali literature is concerned mainly with Theravada Buddhism, of which Pali is the traditional language. The earliest and most important Pali literature constitutes the Pāli Canon, the authoritative scriptures of Theravada school.
Pali literat ...
and Sanskrit
Mahayana sutras
The Mahāyāna sūtras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (''sūtra'') that are accepted as canonical and as ''buddhavacana'' ("Buddha word") in Mahāyāna Buddhism. They are largely preserved in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the Tibet ...
emphasise and identify different enumerations of recollections.
may also refer to meditative attainments, such as the ability to recollect
past lives
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
(), also called causal memory.
Grouping
Three recollections
The three recollections:
:* Recollection of
the Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
( pi,
buddhānussati, italic=yes; sa, buddhanusmrti, italic=yes; )
:* Recollection of the
Dhamma
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for ' ...
(Pi. ; Skt. ; Tib. )
:* Recollection of the
Sangha
Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context t ...
(Pi. ; Skt. ; Tib. )
The ''
Dhammapada
The Dhammapada ( Pāli; sa, धर्मपद, Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddak ...
'' (Verse 296, 297 & 298) declares that the
Buddha's disciples who constantly practice recollection of the
Triple Gem "ever
awaken happily". According to the
Theragatha, such a practice will lead to "the height of continual joy".
Unlike other subjects of meditative recollection mentioned in this article, the Triple Gem are considered "devotional contemplations". The Triple Gem are listed as the first three subjects of recollection for each of the following lists as well.
Five recollections
On days, in addition to practicing the
Eight Precepts, the Buddha enjoined a disciple to engage in one or more of five recollections:
:* Recollection of the Buddha
:* Recollection of the Dhamma
:* Recollection of the Sangha
:* Recollection of
virtue
Virtue ( la, virtus) is morality, moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is Value (ethics), valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. In other words, it is a behavior that sh ...
s (Pi. ; Tib. )
:* Recollection of the
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
s (Pi. ; Tib. )
According to the Buddha, for one who practices such recollections: "his mind is calmed, and joy arises; the
defilements of his mind are abandoned".
Six recollections
The six recollections are:
:* Recollection of the Buddha
:* Recollection of the Dhamma
:* Recollection of the Sangha
:* Recollection of
generosity
Generosity (also called largess) is the virtue of being liberal in giving, often as gifts. Generosity is regarded as a virtue by various world religions and philosophies, and is often celebrated in cultural and religious ceremonies. Scientific ...
(Pi. ; Tib. )
:* Recollection of
virtue
Virtue ( la, virtus) is morality, moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is Value (ethics), valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. In other words, it is a behavior that sh ...
s
:* Recollection of the
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
s
The Buddha tells a disciple that the mind of one who practices these recollections "is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, ... gains joy connected with the Dhamma..., rapture arises..., the body grows calm ... experiences ease..., the mind becomes concentrated".
In
Mahayana
''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing br ...
Buddhist practices, the first six recollections were commonly taught and the Buddha was particularly emphasised in many popular
sutra
''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an ap ...
s such as the
Medicine Buddha sutra.
Ten recollections
As ten recollections, the following are added to the previous six recollections:
:* Recollection of death () or mindfulness of death ()
:* Mindfulness of the breath ()
:* Mindfulness of the body ()
:* Recollection of peace ()
In the Pali canon's ''
Aṅguttara Nikāya
The Anguttara Nikaya ('; , also translated "Gradual Collection" or "Numerical Discourses") is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Pali ...
'', it is stated that the practice of any one of these ten recollections leads to ( sa,
nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...
, italic=yes). The Ten Recollections are listed among the , forty classic meditation subjects listed in the ''
Visuddhimagga'' useful for developing
concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Several types of mathematical description can be distinguished: '' mass concentration'', '' molar concentration'', ''number concentration'', ...
needed to suppress and destroy the
five hindrances
In the Buddhist tradition, the five hindrances ( Sinhala: ''පඤ්ච නීවරණ pañca nīvaraṇa''; Pali: ') are identified as mental factors that hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. In the Theravada tradition, the ...
during ones pursuit of . Although the Pali canon refers to mindfulness of death (), the ''Visuddhimagga'' refers to the recollection of death ().
In terms of the development of meditative absorption, mindfulness of the breath can lead to all four s, mindfulness of the body can lead only to the first , while the eight other recollections culminate in pre-''jhanic'' "access concentration" ().
The recollection of death is connected with the Buddhist concept of
non-self: devotees recollect on the inevitability of their own demise, and in that way learn to understand that their physical body is not a permanent self. To often reflect in such a way, is believed to strongly affect the devotee's motivations and priorities in life, and to help the devotee become more realistic.
Recollections
Recollection of the Buddha (''Buddhanussati'')
The ''
Aṅguttara Nikāya
The Anguttara Nikaya ('; , also translated "Gradual Collection" or "Numerical Discourses") is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Pali ...
'' provides the following verse () for the recollection the Buddha:
It has been suggested that the recollection of the Buddha identified in the
Theravādin's
Pāli Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school.
During ...
might have been the basis for the more elaborately visual contemplations typical of
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
.
Recollection of the Dhamma (''Dhammanusati'')
The ''Aṅguttara Nikāya'' provides the following verse for the recollection of the :
The Teaching of the Buddha has six supreme qualities:
# ( sa, Svākhyāta, italic=yes; "well-expounded, well-proclaimed, or self-announced"). The Buddha's teaching is not a speculative philosophy but an exposition of the Universal Law of Nature based on a causal analysis of natural phenomena. It is taught, therefore, as a science rather than a sectarian belief system. Full comprehension (
enlightenment) of the teaching may take varying lengths of time but Buddhists traditionally say that the course of study is 'excellent in the beginning (; sa, śīla, italic=yes; "moral principles"), excellent in the middle ( sa,
samādhi
''Samadhi'' ( Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yo ...
, italic=yes; "concentration") and excellent in the end' (; sa,
prajñā, italic=yes; "wisdom").
# ( sa, Sāṃdṛṣṭika, italic=yes; "able to be examined"). The is open to scientific and other types of scrutiny and is not based on faith. It can be tested by personal practice and one who follows it will see the result for oneself by means of one's own experience. comes from the word which means "visible in this world" and is derived from the word . Since the is visible, it can be "seen": known and be experienced within one's life.
# ( sa, Akālika, italic=yes; "timeless, immediate"). The is able to bestow timeless and immediate results here and now. There is no need to wait for the future or a next existence. The does not change over time and it is not relative to time.
# ( sa, Ehipaśyika, italic=yes; "which you can come and see" — from the phrase , "come, see!"). The ''Dhamma'' invites all beings to put it to the test and come see for themselves.
# ( sa, Avapraṇayika, italic=yes; "leading one close to"). Followed as a part of one's life the ''dhamma'' leads one to
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
. In the "Vishuddhimagga" this is also referred to as "
Upanayanam
''Upanayana'' ( sa, उपनयनम्, lit=initiation, translit=Upanāyanam) is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' ...
." means "to be brought inside oneself". This can be understood with an analogy as follows. If one says a ripe mango tastes delicious, and if several people listen and come to believe it, they would imagine the taste of the mango according to their previous experiences of other delicious mangoes. Yet, they will still not really know exactly how this mango tastes. Also, if there is a person who has never tasted a ripe mango before, that person has no way of knowing exactly for himself how it tastes. So, the only way to know the exact taste is to experience it. In the same way, is said to be which means that a person needs to experience it within to see exactly what it is.
# ( sa, Pratyātmaṃ veditavyo vijñaiḥ, italic=yes; "to be meant to perceive directly"). The is "to be realised by the wise for themselves". It can be perfectly realised only by the noble disciples () who have matured in
supreme wisdom. No one can "enlighten" another person. Each intelligent person has to attain and experience for themselves. As an analogy, no one can simply make another know how to swim. Each person individually has to learn how to swim. In the same way, dhamma cannot be transferred or bestowed upon someone. Each one has to know for themselves.
Knowing these attributes, Buddhists believe that they will attain the greatest peace and happiness through the practice of the . Therefore, each person is fully responsible for his or her self to put it into practice for real.
Here the Buddha is compared to an experienced and skillful doctor, and the to proper medicine. However efficient the doctor or wonderful the medicine may be, the patients cannot be cured unless they take the medicine properly. So the practice of the is the only way to attain the final deliverance of .
These teachings ranged from understanding ( sa,
karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...
, italic=yes; ) and developing good impressions in one's mind, to reach full enlightenment by recognising the nature of mind.
Recollection of the Sangha (''Sanghanusati'')
The ''Aṅguttara Nikāya'' provides the following verses for the recollection of the Sangha:
Practicing masterfully, or practicing with integrity, means sharing what they have learned with others.
Recollection of virtues (''Silanussati'')
The ''Aṅguttara Nikāya'' provides the following verse for the recollection of virtues:
Recollection of generosity (''Caganussati'')
The ''Aṅguttara Nikāya'' provides the following verse for the recollection of generosity:
Recollection of devas (''Devatanussati'')
The ''Aṅguttara Nikāya'' provides the following verses for the recollection of the
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
s:
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
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* Available online at .
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* A general online search engine for this dictionary is available at .
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* Available online at .
External links
The Ten Recollections: A Study Guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999).
{{Meditation
Buddhist meditation
Mindfulness (Buddhism)
Pali words and phrases