Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

Home | Library | Dictionary index-Jjanaka-kamma:'regenerative karma'; s. karma.BUDDHIST DICTIONARYjará: 'old age, decay', is one of the 3 divine messengers (s. deva-dúta, q.v.). For its conditioning by birth, s.paticcasamuppáda (11).játi: 'birth', comprises the entire embryonic process beginning with conception and ending with parturition."The birth of beings belonging to this or that order of beings, their being born, their conception (okkanti) andspringing into existence, the manifestation of the groups (corporeality, feeling, perception, mentalformations, consciousness; s. khandha), the acquiring of their sensitive organs: this is called birth" (D. 22).For its conditioning by the prenatal karma-process (kamma-bhava; s. bhava), s. paticcasamuppáda (9, 10),patisandhi.javana (fr. javati, to impel): 'impulsion', is the phase of full cognition in the cognitive series, or perceptualprocess (citta-víthi; s. viññána-kicca) occurring at its climax, if the respective object is large or distinct. It isat this phase that karma is produced, i.e. wholesome or unwholesome volition concerning the perception thatwas the object of the previous stages of the respective process of consciousness. There are normally 7impulsive moments. In mundane consciousness (lokiya, q.v.), any of the 17 karmically wholesome classes ofconsciousness (Tab. I, 1-17) or of the 12 unwholesome ones (Tab. I, 22-23) may arise at the phase ofimpulsion. For the Arahat, however, impulsion has no longer a karmic, i.e. rebirth-producing character, but isa karmically independent function (kiriya, q.v.; Tab. I, 72-89). There are further 8 supermundane classes ofimpulsion (Tab. I, 18-21, 66-69).The 4 impulsive moments immediately before entering an absorption (jhána, q.v.) or one of thesupermundane paths (magga; s. ariyapuggala) are: the preparatory (parikamma), approach (upacára),adaptation (anuloma), and maturity-moment (gotrabhú, q.v.) In connection with entering the earth-kasinaabsorption (s. kasina), they are explained as follows, in Vis.M. IV: "After the breaking off of thesubconscious stream of being (bhavanga-sota, q.v.), there arises the 'advertence at the mind-door'(manodvárávajjana, s. viññánakicca), taking as object the earthkasina (whilst thinking), 'Earth! Earth!'Thereupon, 4 or 5 impulsive moments flash forth, amongst which the last one (maturity-moment) belongs tothe fine-material sphere (rúpávacara), whereas the rest belong to the sense-sphere (kámávacara; s. avacara),though the last one is more powerful in thought conception, discursive thinking, interest (rapture), joy andconcentration (cf. jhána) than the states of consciousness belonging to the sense-sphere. They are called'preparatory' (parikamma-samádhi), as they are preparing for the attainment-concentration(appaná-samádhi); 'approaching' (upacára-samádhi), as they are close to the attainment-concentration andare moving in its neighbourhood; 'adaptive' (anuloma), as they adapt themselves to the preceding preparatorystates and to the succeeding attainment concentration. The last one of the four is called 'matured' (gotrabhú).In a similar way, the impulsive moments before reaching the divine ear are described in Vis.M. XIII, 1. - Cf.Karma - (App.).jewels. The 3: ti-ratana (q.v.).jhána: 'absorption' (meditation) refers chiefly to the four meditative absorptions of the fine-material sphere(rúpa-jjhána or rúpávacara-jjhána; s. avacara). They are achieved through the attainment of full (orattainment -, or ecstatic) concentration (appaná, s. samádhi), during which there is a complete, thoughtemporary, suspension of fivefold sense-activity and of the 5 hindrances (s. nívarana). The state ofconsciousness, however, is one of full alertness and lucidity. This high degree of concentration is generallydeveloped by the practice of one of the 40 subjects of tranquillity meditation (samatha-kammatthána; s.