Cetanā and the Dynamics of Volition in Theravāda BuddhismWhat do the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism have to say about the most basic psychological processes through which alternatives are assessed, purposes are developed, and goal-oriented acts are initiated? How can Theravada make volitional endeavour central to Buddhist practice, while denying the existence of a self who wills? How can the text emphasize ethical striving, and yet uphold the principle that all physical and mental acts arise through causes and conditions? This book adds another perspective to Theravada scholarship by exploring various subtle Pali terms that seek to display the nuances of human motivation. Cetana is shown to be the purposive impetus that links ethically good and bad attitudes of mind with corresponding acts of body, speech, and mind. The argument is made that Theravada does not posit a controlling will, but seek to establish the possibility of changing attitudes, purposes, and acts through holistic methods of training. Theravada maintains that changes in attitude are possible because the mind has the capacity to observe its own processes of conditioning, and is able to greatly diversify its responses to its own concepts and to factors in its environment. |
Contents
Concept of Volition in the Upanisads | 41 |
X | 68 |
Conditioned Origination and Cetanā | 102 |
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Abhidhamma Abhidhamma system According acts of body Anguttara-nikāya anusayas arise āsavas Atthasālinī Atthasālinī Asl attitude of mind becomes behaviour Bhikkhu Bodhi Buddha Buddhaghosa Buddhist C.A.F. Rhys Davids capacity to initiate causal conditions cause cetana ceteti chanda cognitive processes commentary concept conditioned origination constitute continuum of consciousness cultivation defined definition delusion dhammas Dhammasangani dynamic Early Buddhism Eightfold Path emotions energy ethically function goal goal-oriented greed impetus impulse cetana initiate action interpretation Jaina javana kāma kamma karmic consequences kratu kusala manifest meditation mental factors mental kamma Milindapañha mind citta mind's motivating Niganthas object Pāli paññā passage perception person pīti produce Psychology purposive acts purposive impulse purposive impulses cetanās purposive thought rebirth regarded roots sañcetanā sankappa sankhāras saññā sensory signifies sorrow specific speech Suttas term texts Theravāda unwholesome acts unwholesome mental unwholesome purposive Upanisad upekkhā vedanā viññāṇa viriya Visuddhimagga Visuddhimagga Vsm vitakka volition wholesome and unwholesome wholesome cittas wholesome or unwholesome