Hedonic Hotspots, Hedonic Potholes: Vedanā Revisited
For the last 100 years vedanā - a key Buddhist term referring to a process instrumental in the arising of desire (tanhā), grasping and identification (upādāna) - has been mostly translated as feeling' or as sensation'. But is it really either? Informed by a review of the concept's u...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Routledge
[2018]
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| In: |
Contemporary buddhism
Year: 2018, Volume: 19, Issue: 1, Pages: 7-30 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | For the last 100 years vedanā - a key Buddhist term referring to a process instrumental in the arising of desire (tanhā), grasping and identification (upādāna) - has been mostly translated as feeling' or as sensation'. But is it really either? Informed by a review of the concept's use in the Pali Suttas, the paper attempts to re-trace the term's meaning in early Buddhist Psychology. The established renditions of sensation' or feeling' for vedanā are deemed misleading; it is suggested that they be replaced by the unwieldy but more appropriate notion of hedonic tone'. After a brief appraisal of occidental attempts to chart hedonic territory, beginning with the Greeks, the work of early psychologists up to recent neuropsychological research, the insights of an ancient contemplative tradition are found to look remarkably fresh and to be particularly pertinent for a deeper understanding of aspects as different as attentional governance, mindfulness training, addiction and ultimately a vision of happiness beyond gratification or avoidance. |
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| ISSN: | 1476-7953 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Contemporary buddhism
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/14639947.2018.1443417 |