Vedanā

Vedana (faded) is generally translated by feeling , but the Buddhist concept that this word recovers necessarily does not correspond to the Western comprehension of what is a feeling.

Vedana in Buddhist teaching

The practice of the Buddhist Méditation often refers to the feelings. In particular, the Satipatthana sutta proposes a technique of contemplation of the feelings: vedananupassana .
" When one meditating, practitioner ardently, do not neglect the faculty of major comprehension, this wise then includes/understands fully the feelings. Having fully included/understood, it is released from all the impurities in this life même" (SXXXVI, II, Pathama-akasa sutta )

Vedana and other aggregates

Vedana is one of the five " aggregates " ; it is thus about the one of the five elements which Buddhism proposes - rather than to speak about a anybody , since there is not no one Oneself nor some element which either eternal. " agrégats" recover the physical and psychic phenomena, and vedana belongs to the four psychic aggregates, with perception, the reaction and the conscience.

Where " Feeling " indicate a form of perception rather, like the feeling of cold or of heat, Vedana rather seems to correspond to a characteristic of perceptions. It is in the sense that Christian Maës proposes to translate vedana by method-of-felt, this corresponding to the pleasant, unpleasant character or neutral of a perception.

However, the teaching of S. NR. Goenka proposes a form of meditation basing themselves on the mental activity to observe feelings, such as tingling, heat, contraction, etc, giving to Vedana a direction much nearer to the Western meaning of feeling.

Vedana in the conditioned Coproduction

In teaching on the wheel of the life which is the conditioned coproduction, the feeling is conditioned by the contact and conditions in its turn thirst (faded Tanha).

Analyzes feelings

Among the Buddhist Canon, the book which is the Paṭṭhāna proposes an analysis of the feelings aiming at giving an account of the whole of them. Vedana is seen then divided in three types: the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feelings - and these feelings are respectively associated with the state of consciousnesses (faded Vijñāna) beneficial, pernicious and neutral.

But Vedana can apply so much to the physique than with the psychic one, which leads to the distinction of five types of feelings: on the one hand pleasure and pain, and on the other hand satisfaction, dissatisfaction or indifference.

Pleasure and pain

The pleasure is associated with the beneficial body conscience; it is included/understood then like experiment of a desirable touch.
The pain is associated with the pernicious body conscience.

Satisfaction

Satisfaction is associated in sixty two state of consciousnesses, and appears by the experiment of a desirable object and takes support on peace .

Dissatisfaction

The dissatisfaction is associated in two pernicious state of consciousnesses.

Indifference

The indifference is associated in five state of consciousnesses.

References

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