The Sanskrit term Dharmasmṛtyupasthāna can be transliterated into English as Dharmasmrtyupasthana or Dharmasmrityupasthana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Dharmasmṛtyupasthāna (धर्मस्मृत्युपस्थान) refers to “foundation of mindfulness on dharmas” and represents one of the four “foundations of mindfulness” (smṛtyupasthāna), forming part of the thirty-seven auxiliaries to enlightenment (bodhipākṣika), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XXXI.—Accordingly, “in order to destroy these four mistakes, the Buddha preached the four foundations of mindfulness:... to destroy the mistake on the self (ātmaviparyāsa), he preaches the foundation of mindfulness on dharmas (dharma-smṛtyupasthāna)”.

Also, “without knowing if the ātman exists or does not exist, you are asking why one does not produce the idea of the ātman in regard to another. The distinctions between one’s own body (ātmakāya) and another’s body (parakāya) exist as a function of the ātman. But the ātman is non-existent. The characteristics attributed to it: having form (rūpin) or formless (arūpin), permanent (nitya) or impermanent (anitya), finite (antavat) or infinite (ananta), moveable (gantṛ) or motionless (agantṛ), cognizant (jñātṛ) or ignorant (ajñātṛ), active (kāraka) or inactive (akāraka), autonomous (svatantra) or non-autonomous (asvatantra): all these characteristics of the ātman do not exist, as we have said above in the chapter on the ātman. For many reasons of this kind, the Yogin considers that dharmas come from complexes of causes and conditions, that there are no real dharmas endowed with ātman. That is what is called mindfulness of dharmas (dharma-smṛtyupasthāna)”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Smrityupasthana, Tarma, Dharma.

Full-text: Khandaroha, Atmaviparyasa, Smrityupasthana, Viparyasa.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Dharmasmrityupasthana, Dharma-smrityupasthana, Dharma-smṛtyupasthāna, Dharma-smrtyupasthana, Dharmasmṛtyupasthāna, Dharmasmrtyupasthana; (plurals include: Dharmasmrityupasthanas, smrityupasthanas, smṛtyupasthānas, smrtyupasthanas, Dharmasmṛtyupasthānas, Dharmasmrtyupasthanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

E.1: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna) < [Abhidharma auxiliaries (E): Detailed study of the auxiliaries]

Mahāyāna auxiliaries (A): The four foundations of mindfulness < [Part 3 - The auxiliaries according to the Mahāyāna]

Emptiness 1-3: Inner, Outer and both Inner and Outer < [Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses]

show preview