Nimitta

Nimitta : mark, sign; image; target, object; cause, condition. These meanings are used in, and adapted to, many contexts of which only the doctrinal ones are mentioned here.

1. 'Mental (reflex-) image', obtained in meditation. In full clarity, it will appear in the mind by successful practice of certain concentration-exercises and will then appear as vividly as if seen by the eye. The object perceived at the very beginning of concentration is called the preparatory image (parikamma-nimitta). The still unsteady and unclear image, which arises when the mind has reached a weak degree of concentration, is called the acquired image (uggaha-nimitta). An entirely clear and immovable image arising at a higher degree of concentration is the counter-image (pa ṭ ibhāga-nimitta '').  As soon as this image arises, the stage of neighbourhood (or access) concentration (upacāra-samādhi)'' is reached.

2. 'Sign of (previous) kamma' (kamma-nimitta) and 'sign of (the future) destiny' (gati-nimitta); these arise as mental objects of the last karmic consciousness before death (mara ṇ āsanna  kamma .

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">Usages (1) and (2) are commentarial (s. App.). In Sutta usage, the term occurs, e.g. as:

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">3. 'Outward appearance': of one who has sense-control it is said- that "he does not seize upon the general appearance' of an object (na nimittaggāhī; M. 38, D. 2; expl. Vis I, 54f;

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">4. 'Object': the six objects, i.e. visual, etc. (rūpa-nimitta; S. XXII, 3). Also, when in explanation of animitta -cetovimutti, signless deliverance of mind (s. cetovimutti, vimokkha), it is said, 'sabbanimittāna <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:"VU Times","serif"">ṃ <span style="font-size:13.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times""> amanasikārā <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times"">', <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times""> it refers to the 6 sense-objects (Com. to M. 43 [Sa <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family: "VU Times","serif"">ḷ '<span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">āyatanavagga-a '<span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family: "VU Times","serif"">ṭṭ <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">hakathā <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times"">]), and has therefore to be rendered "by paying no attention to any object (or object-ideas)." - A pleasant or beautiful object (subha-nimitta, q.v.) is a condition to the arising of the hindrance of sense-desire; a 'repellent object' (pa <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:"VU Times","serif"">ṭ <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times"">igha-nimitta <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times"">) <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times""> for the hindrance of ill-will; contemplation on the impurity of an object (asubha-nimitta; s. asubha) is an antidote to sense-desire.

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: "VU Times"">5. In Pts.M. II, in a repetitive series of terms, nimitta appears together with uppādo  (origin of existence), pavatta <span style="font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:"VU Times","serif"">ṃ <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"VU Times""> (continuity of existence), and may then be rendered by 'condition of existence' (s. Path, 194f.).

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