Samatha

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Samatha (Skt., Pāli śamatha, ‘tranquillity’, ‘calming-down’). The form of Buddhist meditation whose purpose is mind-development (citta-bhāvanā) and which is defined in terms of the end that it achieves—mental tranquillity. It is to be distinguished from the other form of Buddhist meditation, vipassanā, whose purpose is insight into Buddhist doctrinal truth. It is thus an alternative designation for samādhi.