Samatha (Pāli), (Sanskrit: शमथ, śamatha; also romanized to shamatha, Tib. ཞི་གནས་, shyiné; Wylie: zhi gnas; English: "calm" or "tranquility") refers to that dimension of Buddhist spiritual cultivation (bhavana) concerned with the calming of the mind (citta) and its 'formations' (sankhara). When calm the mind is capable of stillness (samadhi) and is put into a suitable frame for the arising of insight (vipassana) and thus wisdom (pañña). In Buddhism, right view (Śīla) is understood to be a stable foundation upon which to attain tranquility and stillness of mind. With right view as the foundation, mental and emotional quiescence (samatha) and the arising of insight (vipassana) tend to arise without resistance.
In Sri Lanka samatha includes all the meditations directed at static objects. In Burma, samatha comprises all concentration practices, aimed at calming the mind. The Thai Forest tradition deriving from Ajahn Mun and popularized by Ajahn Chah stresses the inseparability of samatha and vipassana.
Samatha is commonly used in Theravada Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and various branches of the Pure Land tradition.
Read more about Samatha: Etymology, Overview, Application, Origins, Contemporary Theravāda Interpretations, Similar Practices in Other Religions, See Also