Attention, Awareness, Insight, Knowing: Some Distinctions
Sanskrit terms are followed by (Tibetan terms).
Shamatha (shinay):
Evenly Abiding in what arises. Aware, nonreactive, flexible.
Samadhi (ting nge 'dzin)
To bring together or unite subject and object ((awareness and experience). Often translated as concentration, but unified attention is better.
Ekagatta (rtse gcig ~ tsechik):
One-pointedness. Unified attention or concentration.
Jhana or Dhyana (samten):
One of eight levels of concentration or absorption.
Vitarka (rtok-pa) and Vicara (dpyod-pa):
Placing (directing) attention upon, and investigating, an object. A traditional metaphor is to pick up an object, and then to rub it or feel it to discern its qualities.
Sati (drenpa):
Mindfulness. But sati is not just bare attention; it includes: (1) remembering one's chosen object of attention; Sati (drenpa) = literally, remembering, recollecting, (2) sampajañña (sheshin): being alert and clearly comprehending; continuity, clear comprehension, clear knowing, constant thorough understanding of impermanence, fully alert, full awareness, attention, consideration, discrimination, comprehension, circumspection, or introspection, and (3) yoniso manasikara (yi-je): knowing what is appropriate; appropriate attention, wise reflection. (Sabbasava Sutta, MN 2).
Vipassana (lhatong):
Clearer Superior Seeing: directly seeing (discerns) the actual nature of the object being seen.
Prajna (sherab):
Wisdom: the non-conceptual knowing of the actual nature of things (not permanent, not independent, not satisfactory).
Jnana (yeshe):
Primal or primordial (ye nas) awareness (shes pa). "It is a direct intuition, non-dual in nature, it is that awareness which exists before the perception process comes into operation that makes the distinction between subject and object and that identifies and labels an object as being this thing or that. (Guenther, The Creative Vision, p.53, n.13)
Vidya (rigpa):
Knowing (or reality), as opposed to ignorance (avidya). Also known translated as pristine awareness. A rigdzin is a knowledge-holder (vidya-dhara).