止

To stop, halt, cease; one of the seven definitions of 禪定 (sa) dhyāna described as 奢摩他 (sa) śamatha or 三摩地 (sa) samādhi; it is defined as 靜息動心 silencing, or putting to rest the active mind, or auto-hypnosis; also 心定止於一處 the mind centred, lit. the mind steadily fixed on one place, or in one position. It differs from 觀 which observes, examines, sifts evidence; 止 has to do with 拂妄 getting rid of distraction for moral ends; it is abstraction, rather than contemplation; see 止觀 In practice there are three methods of attaining such abstraction: (a) by fixing the mind on the nose, navel, etc.; (b) by stopping every thought as it arises; (c) by dwelling on the thought that nothing exists of itself, but from a preceding cause.