Cultivating the Meditative Mind: The Philosophical Integration of Śamatha and Vipaśyanā in Early Yogācāra Thought
Feifei Yan, Zhanguo Peng
Religions February 6, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/rel17020200 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Metacognition Categorization Framing construction Philosophical methodology Epistemology Dialectic |
| Key points | Argues that the Śrāvakabhūmi presents śamatha as a rigorous psychological system with nine stages of mental abiding, and that the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra synthesizes these practices within a Consciousness-Only framework to finalize the meaning of training in higher mind. |
Abstract
This study examines the systematic development and philosophical “finalization” of śamatha (止 tranquility) and vipaśyanā (觀 insight) within the foundational texts of the Yogācāra tradition. Central to the transmission of Buddhism to East Asia was the categorization of practice (修行 caryā) through the lenses of concentration (三摩地 samādhi) and wisdom (般若 prajñā). This paper focuses on two pivotal canons: the Śrāvakabhūmi 聲聞地 section of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra 瑜伽師地論 and the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra 解深密經. In the Śrāvakabhūmi, Śamatha is presented as a rigorous, self-contained psychological system. The text outlines a cognitive progression from “worldly common paths”—including impurities meditation (不淨觀 aśubhabhāvanā) and the eight liberations (八解脫 aṣṭau vimokṣāḥ)—to the sophisticated “nine stages of mental abiding” (九住心 navākārā citta-sthitiḥ). This research analyzes the psychological mechanisms of these stages, illustrating how they facilitate a metacognitive transition from distraction (散亂 vikṣepa) to absorption (禪那 dhyāna), culminating in the eradication of afflictions (煩惱 kleśa). Furthermore, the paper explores how the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra provides the ultimate philosophical synthesis of these practices. By framing śamatha and vipaśyanā within the Consciousness-Only (唯識 vijñaptimātratā) framework, the sūtra finalizes the meaning of Adhicitta-śikṣā (增上心學 training in higher mind). By bridging the technical rigor of the Śrāvakabhūmi with the Mahāyāna ontological depth of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, this study clarifies the evolution of buddhist bhāvanā.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Neurobiological Changes Induced by Mindfulness and Meditation: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines November 15, 2024
- Nondual Awareness and Minimal Phenomenal Experience. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
- Long-term mindfulness meditation increases occurrence of sensory and attention brain states. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 6, 2025
- Liangkang Ni on Husserl and Buddhism: a comparative phenomenological analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
and 1 more in the library