Vedanā

Article summary

Vedanā (Pāli and Sanskrit: वेदना) is an ancient term traditionally translated as either "feeling" or "sensation." 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. Vedanā is identified as valence or "hedonic tone" in psychology. Vedanā is identified within the Buddhist teaching as follows: * One of the seven universal mental factors in the Theravāda Abhidharma. * One of the five universal mental factors in the Mahāyāna Abhidharma. * One of the twelve links of dependent origination (in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions). * One of the five skandas (in both Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions). * One of the objects of focus within the four foundations of mindfulness practice. In the context of the twelve links, 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.

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