Mental factors in Buddhism

According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations, thoughts, or images evoking them". The term feeling is closely related to, but not the same as, emotion. Feeling may, for instance, refer to the conscious subjective experience of emotions. The study of subjective experiences is called phenomenology. Psychotherapy generally involves a therapist helping a client understand, articulate, and learn to effectively regulate the client's own feelings, and ultimately to take resp

thumb|An image of the Buddha in samadhi from Gal Vihara, [[Sri Lanka]] thumb|Statue of a meditating Shiva, [[Rishikesh]]

Vedanā (Pāli and Sanskrit: वेदना) is an ancient term traditionally translated as either "feeling" or "sensation." In general, vedanā refers to the pleasant, unpleasant and neutral sensations that occur when our internal sense organs come into contact with external sense objects and the associated consciousness. Vedanā is identified as valence or "hedonic tone" in psychology.

'''''' (Sanskrit; ) is a Buddhist term commonly translated as "energy", "diligence", "enthusiasm", "effort", "heroism", or "help". It can be defined as an attitude of gladly engaging in wholesome activities, and it functions to cause one to accomplish wholesome or virtuous actions.

aspects of the mind that apprehend the quality of an object, and that have the ability to color the mind

Sparśa (Sanskrit: स्पर्श; Pali: phassa) is a Sanskrit term that is translated as "contact", "touching", "sensation", "sense impression", etc. It is defined as the coming together of three factors: the sense organ, the sense object, and sense consciousness (vijnana). For example, contact (sparsha) is said to occur at the coming together of the eye organ, a visual object, and the visual sense consciousness.

Sukha (Pali and ) means happiness, pleasure, ease, joy or bliss. Among the early scriptures, 'sukha' is set up as a contrast to 'preya' (प्रेय) meaning a transient pleasure, whereas the pleasure of 'sukha' has an authentic state of happiness within a being that is lasting. In the Pāli Canon, the term is used in the context of describing laic pursuits and meditation.

Buddhist term (Sanskrit dṛṣṭi, Pali diṭṭhi)

Saṃjñā (Sanskrit; Pali: sañña) is a Buddhist term that is typically translated as "perception" or "cognition." It can be defined as grasping at distinguishing features or characteristics. Samjñā has multiple meanings depending on religions. Although Samjñā means the five aggregates in Buddhism, in Hinduism, it refers to art traditions and in Jainism, it points to recognition distinct from cognition.

Cetanā (Sanskrit, Pali; Tibetan Wylie: sems pa) is a Buddhist term commonly translated as "volition", "intention", "directionality", etc. It can be defined as a mental factor that moves or urges the mind in a particular direction, toward a specific object or goal. Cetanā is identified within the Buddhist teachings as follows: One of the seven universal mental factors in the Theravada Abhidharma. One of the Ten mahā-bhūmika in Sarvastivada Abhidharma. One of the five universal mental factors in the Mahayana Abhidharma The most significant mental factor involved in the creation of karma.

Pīti in Pali (Sanskrit: Prīti) is a mental factor (Pali: cetasika, Sanskrit: caitasika) associated with the development of jhāna (Sanskrit: dhyāna) in Buddhist meditation. According to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, piti is a stimulating, exciting and energizing and dry quality, as opposed to the calmness of sukha.

concept in Buddhism; attempt to possess a certain object; an interest or desire that supports the application of exertion

In Buddhism, vitarka (; ; ), "applied thought,"(initial) inquiry," and vicāra ( and ; ), "investigating what has been focused on by vitakka, are qualities or elements of the first dhyāna or jhāna.

Manasikara (Sanskrit and Pali, also manasikāra; Tibetan Wylie: yid la byed pa or yid byed) is a Buddhist term that is translated as "attention" or "mental advertence". It is defined as the process of the mind fixating upon an object. Manasikara is identified within the Buddhist Abhidharma teachings as follows: One of the seven universal mental factors in the Theravada Abhidharma. One of the five universal mental factors in the Mahayana Abhidharma

Adhimoksha (Sanskrit, also adhimokṣa; Pali: adhimokkha; Tibetan Wylie: mos pa) is a Buddhist term that is translated as "interest", "intensified interest", or "decision". It is defined as holding onto a certain form object; its function is not to lose the object.

Ekaggatā (Pali; Sanskrit: ekāgratā, एकाग्रता, "one-pointedness") is a Pali Buddhist term, meaning tranquility of mind or one-pointedness, but also "unification of mind."