Glossology Page Masthead


[Home]  [Sutta Indexes]  [Glossology]  [Site Sub-Sections]


 

Pīti

Passion, Enthusiasm, Excitement

References:

The Seventh Lesson
[MN 118]
PTS: Majjhima Nikaya III #118: Mindfulness When Breathing, Horner trans., pp127
WP: The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, #118: Mindfulness of Breathing, Nanamoli/Bodhi, trans., pp946
[DN 22]
PTS, Dialogues of the Buddha II: #22: Setting-Up of Mindfulness, Rhys Davids, trans, pp336
WP: The Long Discourses of the Buddha 22: The Greater Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness;
[DN 1] 1 n.81.
[AN 4.]
PTS: The Book of the Gradual Sayings II: The Book of the Fours, II: Deportment iv: Restraint, Woodward, trans, pp16
ATI: Wings to Awakening
Puremind Publishers, Bhante Madawela Punnaji, Awakening Meditation, pp4-7

 


 

Pāḷi MO Hare Horner Punnaji Bodhi Nanamoli Rhys Davids (Mrs)Rhys Davids Thanissaro Walshe Woodward
Pīti Enthusiasm, passion, excitement zest for joy rapture and joy, rapture Rapture, mental happiness rapture rapture, rapture and pleasure joy Entheusiasm (KS I, pp23 n.), Rapture Rapture delight zest

 

Pāḷi Text Society
Pāḷi English Dictionary
Edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede
[EDITED ENTRY]

 

Pīti: [cp. Class. Sk. prīti & Vedic prīta pp. of p.rī...] emotion of joy, delight, zest, exuberance. -Classed under saṅkhārakkhandha, not vedanā-. - D I.37, 75; III.241, 265, 288; M I.37; S II.30; IV.236; A III.26, 285 sq.; IV.411, 450; V.1 sq., 135, 311 sq., 333 sq.;...In series pīti passaddhi samādhi upekkhā under sambojjhanga (with eleven means of cultivation: see Vism 132...). -- Phrase pītiyā sarīraṅ pharati "to pervade or thrill the body with joy" (aor. phari), at J I.33; V.494;...; all passages refer to pīti as the fivefold pīti, pañcavaṇṇā pīti, or joy of the 5 grades..., viz. khuddikā (slight sense of interest), khaṇikā (momentary joy), okkantikā (oscillating interest, flood of joy), ubbegā (ecstasy, thrilling emotion), and pharaṇā pīti (interest amounting to rapture, suffusing joy)....-- pīti as nirāmisa (pure) and sāmisa (material)[1] at M III.85; S IV.235.

-pāmojja joy and gladness A III.181. 307 (*pamujja);...
-pharaṇatā state of being pervaded with joy, joyous rapture, ecstasy D III.277;...
-bhakkha feeding on joy (Ep. of the Abhassara Devas) D I.17; III.28, 84, 90; A V.60;...A I.110;...
-mana joyful-hearted, exhilarated, glad of heart or mind M I.37; III.86; S I.181; A III.21; V.3;...
-rasa taste or emotion of joy...
-sambojjhanga the joy-constituent of enlightenment M III.86; D III.106, 226, 252, 282....
-sukha zest and happiness, intrinsic joy...S I.203; D III.131, 222;...

 


[1] "Nirāmisa and sāmisa" "without-meat, with-meat" or with or without carnality. This, it is my contention, is the clue to the translation of this term, that is to say that Piti, whatever it is, has a carnal side, and that must be accounted for in the translated term. I believe the best term is probably "excitement". I usually use "enthusiasm" to avoid having to explain that this is a good kind of excitement, not a distracted sort.

Walshe [The Long Discourses of the Buddha, 1, n.81]: "Pīti: a difficult word to translate. Renderings vary from 'interest' through 'zest' to 'rapture'. It is classified not as a feeling (vedanā) but as part of the group of mental formations (sankhārā), i.e. as a mental reaction. BDic says: 'It may be described psychologically as "joyful interest"' — for which the simplest term would seem to be 'delight'.

 


 [Glossology Table of Contents]  [Satta Sambojjhanga]


Contact:
E-mail
Copyright Statement