ལྷག་མཐོང་། | Glossary of Terms

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being tranquility.

One of the two primary forms of meditation in Buddhism, the other being tranquility.

One of the two primary forms of meditation in Buddhism, the other being calm abiding.

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being tranquility.

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

One of the basic forms of Buddhist meditation, aimed at developing insight into the nature of reality. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

The second of the two main branches of Buddhist meditation, aiming at developing insight into the nature of reality.

Refers to insight into the nature of reality or the practice of developing such insight. One of the two basic forms of Buddhist meditation, the other being calm abiding (śamatha, zhi gnas).

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as one of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “calm abiding.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as one of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “calm abiding.”

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility” (śamatha).

One of the two primary forms of meditation in Buddhism, the other being tranquility.

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility” (śamatha).

Refers to insight into the nature of reality or the practice of developing such insight. One of the two basic forms of Buddhist meditation, the other being meditative calm (Skt. śamatha; Tib. zhi gnas).

Insight meditation.

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being śamatha.

Insight meditation.

Discernment of the true nature of things, somewhat like prajñā, and also a term for a general style of Buddhist meditation practice that involves the application of insight to one’s experience, often as a rehearsal of insights or concepts from the Dharma, while resting in a state of basic meditative concentration. Often translated as “insight” or “analytical meditation.”

Refers to liberating insight into the nature of reality and the meditative practice leading to such insight. One of the two basic forms of Buddhist meditation, the other being calm abiding (Skt. śamatha).

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “calm abiding.”

The mental factor or power that discerns phenomena and ascertains the true nature of things.

The second of the two main branches of Buddhist meditation (along with “peaceful meditation”) aiming at developing insight into the nature of reality.

An important form of Buddhist meditation focusing on developing insight into the nature of phenomena. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, the other being “tranquility.”

Often translated as “insight meditation,” referring to the liberating insight into the nature of reality or the meditative practice of developing insight into the nature of reality. One of the two basic forms of Buddhist meditation, the other being calm abiding (śamatha).

This is paired with “mental quiescence” (see entry). In general “meditation” is too often understood as only the types of practices categorized as “quietistic”‍—which eschew objects, learning, analysis, discrimination, etc., and lead only to the attainment of temporary peace and one-pointedness. However, in order to reach any high realization, such as the absence of a personal self, the absence of a self in phenomena, or voidness, “transcendental analysis,” with its analytical penetration to the nature of ultimate reality, is indispensable. The analysis is called “transcendental” because it does not accept anything it sees as it appears. Instead, through analytic examination, it penetrates to its deeper reality, going ever deeper in infinite penetration until tolerance is reached. All apparently self-sufficient objects are seen through and their truth-status is rejected‍—first conceptually and finally perceptually, at buddhahood. Thus “meditation,” to be efficacious, must include both mental quiescence (śamatha), and transcendental analysis (vipaśyana) in integrated combination.