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Understanding Nama-Rupa

January 28, 2005

By the contemplative recluse monk Sotapanna Jhanananda (Jeffrey S, Brooks)

(copyright 2005 all rights reserved)

When we examine the literature of Buddhism in English translation we often find the interpretation of Nama-rupa as "mental materiality."  This I believe is a most unfortunate choice of translation for a number of reasons.  First of all, there is no compound word in common use in the English language 'mental materiality.'  I believe if we want to get at the psycho-somatic aspect of "Nama-Rupa" that the compound 'mental materiality' is attempting to reveal then I believe a much better use of the English language would be to at least translate "nama-rupa" in this case as psychophysiology, or neurophysiology or psychosomatic.  This would at least represent a better use of the English language and not serve to confuse a simple concept, such as nama-rupa.

However, if one reads the Vedas one will find the concept of nama-rupa is much broader than what the term "psychophysiology" reveals, although I think The Buddha's use of the word to refer to the psychophysiology was rather genius.  But, this choice of interpretation unnecessarily restricts the translation of nama-rupa to purely a reference to the psyche and the body, when it was clearly originally intended in the Vedas for a much broader concept that embraces the entire universe, both physically and subjectively.

Concepts, ideas and beliefs are "nama" both in Buddhism and its foundational religion Hinduism through the Vedas.  Nama pertains to the abstract and non-tangible.  Where as rupa pertains to the tangible, so it refers to material forms, our body, and possessions, as well as ritual objects and practices, such as the meditation object kasina.  However, because ritual objects also have a conceptual aspect, then they also have a nama component.

The purpose of all spiritual philosophies is to introduce to the mind a series of concepts (nama) that help to elucidate the philosophy and thus guide an individual to liberation.  All ritual objects, such as the kasina meditation object, are rupa, because they are simply objects or tools.  However, since ritual objects have the purpose of directing an individual to the spiritual endeavor, like concepts (dhammas) do, and as such they contain a context for the philosophy, thus they are "containers" as such for the nama, or philosophy of the religion.

Using nama-rupa in one's practice path (dhamma) could be seen as invoking vitakka and viccra as an aide in one"s endeavor. If you recall vitakka and viccra are the means of access or vehicle for attaining the first stage of absorption, and as such they are the idea of directing and redirecting the mind and body (nama-rupa) toward the spiritual endeavor.  Thus nama-rupa is not only the perceptual and conceptual universe that holds us, as it were, in delusion, but we can use nama-rupa in the form of the ritual object as a means of liberation.

May you become enlightened in this very lifetime,

Jhanananda (Jeffrey S. Brooks)

Originally posted to the DSG Wed, 12 May 2004 07:43:00 -0700 (PDT).  Updated 01-28-05

This article may be retrieved at this URL:

http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/namarupa.htm

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