Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

Home | Library | Dictionary index-Bbahula-kamma:'habitual karma': s. karma.BUDDHIST DICTIONARYbala: 'powers'. Among various groups of powers the following five are most frequently met with in the texts:(1) faith (saddhá, q.v.), (2) energy (viriya, q.v.), (3) mindfulness (sati, q.v.), (4) concentration (samádhi,q.v.), (5) wisdom (paññá, q.v.).Their particular aspect, distinguishing them from the corresponding 5 spiritual faculties (indriya, q.v.), is thatthey are unshakable by their opposites: (1) the power of faith is unshakable by faithlessness (unbelief); (2)energy, by laziness; (3) mindfulness, by forgetfulness; (4) concentration, by distractedness; (5) wisdom, byignorance (see Pts.M., Ñána Kathá). They represent, therefore, the aspect of firmness in the spiritualfaculties.According to A.V. 15, the power (1) becomes manifest in the 4 qualities of the Stream-winner (sotápannassaangáni, q.v.), (2) in the 4 right efforts (s. padhána), (3) in the 4 foundations of mindfulness (satipatthána,q.v.), (4) in the 4 absorptions (jhána, q.v.), (5) in the (full comprehension of the) 4 Noble Truths (sacca, q.v.).Cf. S. XLVIII, 43; S. L. (Bala Samyutta).In A. VII, 3, the powers of moral shame (hiri, q.v.) and moral dread (ottappa) are added to theaforementioned five Several other groups of 2 (s. patisankhána-bala), 4, 5 and more powers are mentioned inthe texts. - About the 10 powers of a Buddha, s. dasa-bala.balance of mental faculties: indriya samatta (q.v.).bases: The 12 of the perceptual process: áyatana (q.v.).beautiful: sobhana (q.v.).beauty, deliverance through the perception of: cf. vimokkha (II. 3) To hold for beautiful or pure (subha) whatis impure (asubha), is one of the 4 perversions (s. vipallása).behaviour, morality consisting in good: abhisamácárikasíla (q.v.) .being, living: satta (q.v.); further s. puggala. - Belief in eternal personality: bhava-ditthi (s. ditthi),sassata-ditthi (q.v.).beings, The 9 worlds of: sattávása (q.v.).belief, blind: s. indriya-samatta.bhangánupassaná-ñána: 'knowledge consisting in contemplation of dissolution' (of all forms of existence),is one kind of insight: s. visuddhi (VI, 2).bhava: 'becoming', 'process of existence', consists of 3 planes: sensuous existence (káma-bhava),fine-material existence (rúpa-bhava), immaterial existence (arúpa-bhava). Cf. loka.The whole process of existence may be divided into two aspects: