Samadhi (best English translation?)

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retrofuturist
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Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Samadhi, particularly in the context of Samma Samadhi is often translated as "concentration".

Personally, I find that "clarity" is probably a more suitable translation.

Does anyone have any thoughts on either of those translations, or wish to offer up another?

:meditate:

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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tiltbillings
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by tiltbillings »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

Samadhi, particularly in the context of Samma Samadhi is often translated as "concentration".

Personally, I find that "clarity" is probably a more suitable translation.

Does anyone have any thoughts on either of those translations, or wish to offer up another?

:meditate:

Metta,
Retro. :)
Best to start by breaking the word down into components.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
David2
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by David2 »

This video could be of interest:

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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by DNS »

I have seen it also translated as 'tranquility' and also 'one-pointedness of mind'.
daverupa
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by daverupa »

tiltbillings wrote:Best to start by breaking the word down into components.
"the state of being firmly fixed" ?

My comprehension of Pali is very, very rudimentary...
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by Viscid »

At what point can someone be considered to have Samma-Samadhi? Our personal translations of the word will likely reflect what we believe the state to be..
"What holds attention determines action." - William James
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by daverupa »

Viscid wrote:At what point can someone be considered to have Samma-Samadhi? Our personal translations of the word will likely reflect what we believe the state to be..
I think Tilt's suggestion will get around the inherent subjectivity in that approach, to great benefit.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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tiltbillings
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by tiltbillings »

David2 wrote:This video could be of interest:

"The Buddha made up the word samadhi." I'd would like to see basis from he makes this statement. It is possible, I suppose; however, given this crappy handling of other historical issues, I would never take his word at face value. Some of the talk was actual very good and some it was, well, not so much.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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tiltbillings
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by tiltbillings »

>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by Viscid »

tiltbillings wrote: "The Buddha made up the word samadhi." I'd would like to see basis from he makes this statement. It is possible, I suppose; however, given this crappy handling of other historical issues, I would never take his word at face value.
Yeah. I guess he believes that The Buddha made up the word 'Samadhi' because it's a word which we first see appearing in the Pitakas. I see his assertion also being reflective of his faith in The Buddha as a brilliant, supernormal teacher who will go to such great lengths as to create new terminology in order to accurately express The Dhamma.
And the date for the Maitri Upanishad I've found is 200-300 BC..
Last edited by Viscid on Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by DNS »

From that link:

The term's etymology involves "sam" (together or integrated), "ā" (towards), and "dhā" (to get, to hold). Thus the result might be seen to be "to acquire integration or wholeness, or truth" (samāpatti). Another possible etymological analysis of "samādhi" is "samā" (even) and "dhi" (intellect), a state of total equilibrium ("samā") of a detached intellect ("dhi").

Rhys Davis holds that the first attested usage of the term samādhi in Sanskrit literature was in the Maitri Upanishad.
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by DNS »

Samatha is a synonym of samadhi and its definition is usually put as 'tranquility' or 'serenity'.
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by tiltbillings »

And here is the entry from Monier-Williams' dictionary:

http://lexica.indica-et-buddhica.org/dict/lexica

m. setting to rights , adjustment , settlement MBh [Mahabhatra]. 1159

samādhi in it most basic meaning: putting together, joining, combing with MW 1159

The fact that it had a non-meditative usage points to the likelihood that it is a far older word than the Buddha's time, but like a lot of words current at the time, Buddha used it to his own purposes.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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cooran
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by cooran »

Hello Paul,

Huge number of multiple meanings depending on context, as per:

Samādhi
'concentration'
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philol ... li.1819593" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Samādhi
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Bud ... _s.htm#sam" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;ādhi
(will need to scroll down - link not forming properly)

with metta
Chris
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Mr Man
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Re: Samadhi (best English translation?)

Post by Mr Man »

Idealy I don't think that we should translate the word we should introduce "samadhi" in to English. I think "concentration" is okay.
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