Editing Meditation (section)

=====Samatha and vipassana=====
The Buddha identified two paramount mental qualities that arise from wholesome meditative practice or ''bhavana'', namely ''[[samatha]]'' ("calm," "serenity"  "tranquility") and ''[[vipassana]]'' (insight). As the developing tradition started to emphasize the value of liberating insight, and ''dhyana'' came to be understood as concentration,{{sfn|Bronkhorst|1993|p=131}}{{sfn|Vetter|1988|pp=xxi–xxxvii}} ''[[Samatha-vipassana|samatha]]'' and ''[[vipassana]]'' were understood as two distinct meditative techniques. In this understanding, ''[[Samatha-vipassana|samatha]]'' steadies, composes, unifies and concentrates the mind, while ''[[Samatha-vipassana|vipassana]]'' enables one to see, explore and discern "formations" (conditioned phenomena based on the five [[Skandha|aggregates]]).{{refn|group=note|These definitions of ''samatha'' and ''vipassana'' are based on the "Four Kinds of Persons Sutta" ([[Anguttara Nikaya|AN]] 4.94). This article's text is primarily based on {{harvtxt|Bodhi|2005|loc=pp. 269–70, 440 ''n''. 13}}. See also {{cite web |url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.094.than.html |title=Samadhi Sutta: Concentration (Tranquillity and Insight) (AN 4.94) |author=Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu |author-link=Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu |year=1998d |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-date=13 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013172229/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.094.than.html |url-status=live }}.}}

According to this understanding, which is central to Theravada orthodoxy but also plays a role in [[Tibetan Buddhism]], through the meditative development of serenity, one is able to weaken the obscuring [[Five Hindrances|hindrances]] and bring the mind to a collected, pliant, and still state (''[[samadhi]]''). This quality of mind then supports the development of insight and wisdom ([[prajñā (Buddhism)|Prajñā]]) which is the quality of mind that can "clearly see" (''vi-passana'') the nature of phenomena. What exactly is to be seen varies within the Buddhist traditions. In Theravada, all phenomena are to be seen as [[anicca|impermanent]], [[dukkha|suffering]], [[anatta|not-self]] and [[shunyata|empty]]. When this happens, one develops [[Nonattachment (philosophy)|dispassion]] (''viraga'') for all phenomena, including all negative qualities and hindrances and lets them go. It is through the release of the hindrances and ending of craving through the meditative development of insight that one gains liberation.<ref>See, for instance, AN 2.30 in {{harvtxt|Bodhi|2005|pp=267–68}}, and {{cite web |url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.030.than.html |title=Vijja-bhagiya Sutta: A Share in Clear Knowing (AN 2.30) |author=Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu |author-link=Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu |year=1998e |access-date=2011-02-16 |archive-date=2013-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619063012/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an02/an02.030.than.html |url-status=live }}</ref>