Vedanā (Sanskrit; Pali) is a Buddhist term traditionally translated as either "feeling"^[1] or "sensation."^[2] 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.

In Buddhism, craving for and attachment to vedanā leads to suffering; reciprocally, concentrated awareness and clear comprehension of vedanā can lead to Enlightenment and the extinction of the causes of suffering.

Attributes[link]

In general, the Pali canon describes vedanā in terms of three "modes" and six "classes." Some discourses discuss alternate enumerations including up to 108 kinds.

Three modes, six classes[link]

Throughout canonical discourses (Sutta Pitaka), the Buddha teaches that there are three modes of vedanā:

• pleasant (sukhā)
• unpleasant (dukkhā)
• neither pleasant nor unpleasant (adukkham-asukhā, sometimes referred to as "neutral")^[3]

Elsewhere in the Pali canon it is stated that there are six classes of vedanā, corresponding to sensations arising from contact (Skt: sparśa; Pali: phassa) between an internal sense organ (āyatana; that is, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind), an external sense object and the associated consciousness (Skt.: vijnana; Pali: viññāna). (See Figure 1.) In other words:

• feeling arising from the contact of eye, visible form and eye-consciousness
• feeling arising from the contact of ear, sound and ear-consciousness
• feeling arising from the contact of nose, smell and nose-consciousness
• feeling arising from the contact of tongue, taste and tongue-consciousness
• feeling arising from the contact of body, touch and body-consciousness
• feeling arising from the contact of mind (mano), thoughts (dhamma) and mind-consciousness^[4]

Two, three, five, six, 18, 36, 108 kinds[link]

In a few discourses, a multitude of kinds of vedana are alluded to ranging from two to 108, as follows:

• two kinds of feeling: physical and mental
• three kinds: pleasant, painful, neutral
• five kinds: physical pleasant, physical painful, mental pleasant, mental painful, equanimous
• six kinds: one for each sense faculty (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind)
• 18 kinds: explorations of the aforementioned three mental kinds of feelings (mental pleasant, mental painful, equanimous) each in terms of each of the aforementioned six sense faculties
• 36 kinds: the aforementioned 18 kinds of feeling for the householder and the aforementioned 18 kinds for the renunciate
• 108 kinds: the aforementioned 36 kinds for the past, for the present and for the future^[5]

In the wider Pali literature, of the above enumerations, the post-canonial Visuddhimagga highlights the five types of vedanā: physical pleasure (sukha); physical displeasure (dukkha); mental happiness (somanassa); mental unhappiness (domanassa); and, equanimity (upekkhā).^[6]

Within the mental factors[link]

Vedanā 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

Canonical frameworks[link]

Vedanā is a pivotal phenomenon in the following frequently identified frameworks of the Pali canon:

• the "five aggregates"
• the twelve conditions of "dependent origination"
• the four "foundations of mindfulness"

Mental aggregate[link]

Vedanā is one of the five aggregates (Skt.: skandha; Pali: khandha) of clinging (Skt., Pali: upādāna; see Figure 2 to the right). In the canon, as indicated above, feeling arises from the contact of a sense organ, sense object and consciousness.

Central condition[link]

In the Chain of Conditioned Arising (Skt: pratītyasamutpāda; Pali: paṭiccasamuppāda), the Buddha explains that:

• vedanā arises with contact (phassa) as its condition
• vedanā acts as a condition for craving (Pali: taṇhā; Skt.: tṛṣṇā).^[7]

In the post-canonical 5th c. Visuddhimagga, feeling (vedana) is identified as simultaneously and inseparably arising from consciousness (vinnana) and the mind-and-body (namarupa).^[8] On the other hand, while this text identifies feeling as decisive to craving and its mental sequelae leading to suffering, the conditional relationship between feeling and craving is not identified as simultaneous nor as being karmically necessary.^[9]

Mindfulness base[link]

Throughout the canon, there are references to the four "foundations of mindfulness" (satipatthana): the body (kaya), feelings (vedana), mind states (citta) and mental experiences (dhamma). These four foundations are recognized among the seven sets of qualities conducive to enlightenment (bodhipakkhiyādhammā). The use of vedana and the other satipatthana in Buddhist meditation practices can be found in the Satipatthana Sutta and the Anapanasati Sutta.

Wisdom practices[link]

Each mode of vedanā is accompanied by its corresponding underlying tendency or obsession (anusaya). The underlying tendency for pleasant vedanā is the tendency toward lust, for unpleasant, the tendency toward aversion, and for neither pleasant nor unpleasant, the tendency toward ignorance.^[10]

In the Canon it is stated that meditating with concentration (samadhi) on vedanā can lead to deep mindfulness (sati) and clear comprehension (sampajañña) (see Table to the right).^[11] With this development, one can experience directly within oneself the reality of impermanence (anicca) and the nature of attachment (upadana). This in turn can ultimately lead to liberation of the mind (nibbana).

Contemporary teachings[link]

Contemporary teachers often try to clarify preconceptions that Westerners might have when attempting to grasp millennia-old non-Western concepts. Below, for instance, Bhikkhu Bodhi and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche attempt to address the question of what the relationship between vedanā (often translated as "feelings") and Western notions of "emotion."

"Feeling," not "emotion"[link]

Regarding the relationship between vedanā and "emotions," American-born Theravada teacher Bhikkhu Bodhi has written:

"The Pali word vedanā does not signify emotion (which appears to be a complex phenomenon involving a variety of concomitant mental factors), but the bare affective quality of an experience, which may be either pleasant, painful or neutral."^[12]

Similarly, Oxford-trained Vajrayana teacher Trungpa Rinpoche has written:

"In this case 'feeling' is not quite our ordinary notion of feeling. It is not the feeling we take so seriously as, for instance, when we say, 'He hurt my feelings.' This kind of feeling that we take so seriously belongs to the fourth and fifth skandhas of concept and consciousness."^[13]

See also[link]

• Ṣaḍāyatana (Skt.; Pali: saḷāyatana) - six sense bases
• Satipaṭṭhāna (Pali; Skt.: smṛtyupasthāna) - foundations of mindfulness
• Skandha (Skt.; Pali: khandha) - aggregates

Notes[link]

1. ^ Generally, vedanā is considered to not include full-blown "emotions." See the section "Feeling," not "emotion" below.
2. ^ See, for instance, Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 648, entry for "Vedanā" (retrieved 2008-01-09 from the "University of Chicago" at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.3:1:2277.pali), which initially defines this Pali word simply as "feeling, sensation."
3. ^ See, for instance, SN 36.5, Datthabba Sutta (Nyanaponika, 1983). In the Visuddhimagga 460, there is a similar but different threefold enumeration: wholesome (kusalā), unwholesome (akusalā) and indefinite (avyākatā) (Rhys Davids & Stede, 1921-25, ibid).
4. ^ See, for example, the Chachakka Sutta (MN 148) which ascribes to the Buddha the following words:

   "'The six classes of feeling should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition there is feeling. 'The six classes of feeling should be known.' Thus was it said...." (Thanissaro, 1998.)

   For other references to the "six classes of feeling/sensation," see the Sattatthana Sutta (SN 22.57) (Thanissaro, 1997b), and the Vedana Sutta (SN 25.5) (Thanissaro, 2004).
5. ^ Two virtually identical discourses that simply allude to the various number of vedana are MN 59 (Thanissaro, 2005b) and SN 26.19 (Thanissaro, 2005c). These different kinds of vedana are spelled out in SN 26.22 (Thanissaro, 2005a). See also Hamilton (2001), pp. 43-6.
6. ^ Vism. 461 (Rhys Davids & Stede, 1921-25, p. 648, entry for "Vedanā."; see this entry also regarding the distinction between "modes" and "types."
7. ^ See, e.g., SN 12.1 ff.
8. ^ Explicitly, in terms of the language of the Abhidhamma, the Visuddimagga (XVII, 201-228) identifies that the conditions (nidana) of consciousness, mind-body, the six senses, contact and feeling are related (paccaya) by conascence, mutuality, support, kamma-result, nutriment, association and presence. (Note that feeling is not related by dissociation to its precursors.)
9. ^ In particular, Vsm XVI, 238 identifies the sole relationship between feeling and craving to be "decisive support."
10. ^ Chachakka Sutta ("Six Sets of Six," MN 148). See for instance, the following statement attributed to the Buddha (trans. Thanissaro, 1998):

    'Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. With contact as a requisite condition, there arises what is felt either as pleasure, pain, or neither pleasure nor pain. If, when touched by a feeling of pleasure, one relishes it, welcomes it, or remains fastened to it, then one's passion-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of pain, one sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats one's breast, becomes distraught, then one's resistance-obsession gets obsessed. If, when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one does not discern, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure, drawback, or escape from that feeling, then one's ignorance-obsession gets obsessed....'

11. ^ AN 4.41: for Pali, see SLTP (n.d); for English translations, see Nyanaponika & Bodhi (1999), pp. 88-89, Thanissaro (1997a), Upalavanna (n.d.).
12. ^ Bodhi (2000), p. 80.
13. ^ Trungpa (2001), p. 32.

Sources[link]

• Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (2000). A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma: The Abhidhammattha Sangaha of Ācariya Anuruddha. Seattle, WA: BPS Pariyatti Editions. ISBN 1-928706-02-9.

• Hamilton, Sue (2001). Identity and Experience: The Constitution of the Human Being according to Early Buddhism. Oxford: Luzac Oriental. ISBN 1-898942-23-4.

• Nyanaponika Thera (trans.) (1983). Datthabba Sutta: To Be Known (SN 36.5). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.005.nypo.html.

• Nyanaponika Thera & Bhikkhu Bodhi (trans.) (1999). Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: An Anthology of Suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. ISBN 0-7425-0405-0.

• Rhys Davids, T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary. Chipstead: Pali Text Society. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.

• Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tipitaka Series (SLTP) (n.d.). Samādhibhāvanāsuttaṃ (AN AN 4.1.5.1, in Pali). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "MettaNet-Lanka" at: http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/005-rohitassavaggo-p.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997a). Samadhi Sutta: Concentration (AN 4.41). Retrieved on 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997b). Sattatthana Sutta: Seven Bases (SN 22.57). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.057.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1998). Chachakka Sutta: The Six Sextets (MN 148). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2004). Vedana Sutta: Feeling (SN 25.5). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.005.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2005a). Atthasata Sutta: The One-hundred-and-eight Exposition (SN 36.22). Retrieved 2008-03-31 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.022.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2005b). Bahuvedaniya Sutta: Many Things to be Experienced (MN 59). Retrieved 2008-03-31 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.059.than.html.

• Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (2005c). Pañcakanga Sutta: With Pañcakanga (SN 36.19). Retrieved 2008-03-31 from "Access to Insight" at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.019.than.html.

• Trungpa, Chögyam (2001). Glimpses of Abhidharma. Boston: Shambhala. ISBN 1-57062-764-9.

• Upalavanna, Sister (n.d.). Samādhibhāvanāsuttaṃ – Developments of concentration (AN AN 4.5.1). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "MettaNet-Lanka" at: http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara2/4-catukkanipata/005-rohitassavaggo-e.html.

External links[link]

• Nyanaponika Thera (ed., trans.) (1983). Contemplation of Feeling: The Discourse-Grouping on the Feelings (Vedana-Samyutta) (The Wheel, No. 303/304). Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. Transcribed by Joe Crea (1995). Retrieved 2007-06-08 from "Access to Insight" at: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel303.html.

Rahul Vaidya
Vaidya at the launch of Sonu Nigam's album Classically Mild
Background information
Born	(1987-09-23) 23 September 1987 (age 24)
Origin	Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Genres	Indian pop, playback singing
Occupations	singer
Years active	2005–present
Website	rahulvaidya.in

Rahul Vaidya (Marathi: राहुल वैद्य) (born September 23, 1987, in Nagpur, India) is an Indian singer.

Life before fame[link]

The son of an engineer with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board, Vaidya grew up in Mumbai, where he studied music under Suresh Wadkar^[1] and entered various child talent competitions. While he was a Second Year Junior College student in Mithibai College, he participated in Indian Idol. He also participated in "aao jhoomein gaayein" in his boyhood. A very talented singer who has been a part of many shows since his childhood.

Career[link]

He finished third on the first season of Indian Idol.^[1] Although he was hotly tipped to win,^[2] Rahul faced his defeat in the penultimate round, on February 18, 2005. Eight months later, he released his debut album Tera Intezar.^[1][3] Sajid-Wajid composed the music for his debut album. He also sang a duet, "Hello Madam, I am your Adam", with fellow Indian Idol runner-up Prajakta Shukre, and "God Promise Dil Dola" with Shreya Ghoshal in the Bollywood film Shaadi No. 1. He has also sang the title song of drama "Ek Ladki Anjaani Si" which airs on Sony Entertainment Television. Other than that Rahul has performed in live shows and concerts in the United States, Bangladesh and The Maldives.

Rahul was the male anchor of the popular show "Jhoom India" on Sahara and was a playback for several films, such as Shaadi No. 1, Jigyaasa, Hot Money, and Krazzy 4.

Rahul won the title of Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar,^[4] a reality singing show on Star Plus.

Rahul has performed for the famous sankalp group,mumbai in 2010 for navratri replacing Falguni pathak.

Aajaa Mahi Vay[link]

He is the host of the dance show "Aajaa Mahi Vay" with his co-host Vinit Singh who was his good friend during the show Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar which was won by Rahul.

Music Ka Maha Muqqabla[link]

Rahul Vaidya is a successful contestant of the singing show Music Ka Maha Muqqabla on STAR Plus on the Team Shankar's Rockstars and his team has won the Music Ka Maha Muqqabla contest, beating Shaan's Strikers in the Finale.

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

• Hello Madam (Shaadi No. 1)
• God Promise (Shaadi No. 1)
• aabhas ha (marathi)
• Saanse Meri Saanse (Jigyaasa)
• Kabool Kar Le (Jaan-E-Mann)
• Aafno Mann (Aafno Mann)
• Aik Rupaiya (Krazy 4)
• olavu mudida a kshana (kannada)
• Evvariki (Josh)(Telugu)
• Chunar Chunar (Kisse Pyaar Karoon)

Albums[link]

He has two new albums coming out titled Mere Maula and Mere Sun. He has sung for a song kero mama in the album 'Burn d dance floor'.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website