Bhāvanā (Pali; Sanskrit: भावना, also bhāvanā) literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" It is an important concept in Buddhist practice (Patipatti). The word bhavana normally appears in conjunction with another word forming a compound phrase such as citta-bhavana (the development or cultivation of the heart/mind) or metta-bhavana (the development/cultivation of loving-kindness). When used on its own, bhavana signifies contemplation and 'spiritual cultivation' generally.
Etymology
Bhavana derives from the word Bhava meaning becoming or the subjective process of arousing mental states.
To explain the cultural context of the historical Buddha's employment of the term, Glenn Wallis emphasizes bhavanas sense of cultivation. He writes that a farmer performs bhavana when he or she prepares soil and plants a seed. Wallis infers the Buddha's intention with this term by emphasizing the terrain and focus on farming in northern India at the time in the following passage:
Hinduism
In Hindu literature, bhavana is a concept that is often attributed to deities, such as Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita:
Buddhism
In the Pali Canon bhāvanā is often found in a compound phrase indicating personal, intentional effort over time with respect to the development of that particular faculty. For instance, in the Pali Canon and post-canonical literature one can find the following compounds:
:* citta-bhāvanā, translated as "development of mind" or "development of consciousness."
:* kāya-bhāvanā, translated as "development of body." or "development of benevolence."
:* paññā-bhāvanā, translated as "development of wisdom" or "development of understanding."
:* samādhi-bhāvanā, translated as "development of concentration."
In addition, in the Canon, the development (bhāvanā) of samatha-vipassana is lauded. Subsequently, Theravada teachers have made use of the following compounds:
:* samatha-bhāvanā, meaning the development of tranquility.