View source for Namarupa

{{morefootnotes|date=September 2021}}{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]}}
{{short description|Used in Buddhism to refer to constituent processes of the human being}}
{{Buddhist term
|sa=Nāmarūpa
|pa=Nāmarūpa
|en=
|zh=名色
|zh-Latn=míngsè
|ja=名色
|ja-Latn=myōshiki
|kh=
|ko=명색
|ko-Latn=myeongsaek
|mnw=
|mnw-Latn=
|my=နာမရူပ
|my-Latn=nàma̰jùpa̰
|si=[[:si:නාමරූප|නාමරූප]]
|si-Latn=
|tl=namalupa
|bo= ཎམརུཔ་ ming.gzugs
|th= นามรูป <br>({{RTGS|nammarup}})
|vi=danh sắc
}}
'''Nāmarūpa''' ({{langx|sa|नामरूप}}) is used in Buddhism to refer to the constituents of a living being: ''nāma'' is typically considered to refer to the mental component of the person, while ''rūpa'' refers to the physical. Most often found as a single compound word understood literally as name-and-form or named form.

''Nāmarūpa'' is a [[dvandva]] compound in [[Sanskrit]] and [[Pāli|Pali]] meaning "name ('''nāma''')  and form ('''rūpa''')".

''Nama'' (name) and ''Rupa'' (form) is the simple worldly identity of any form by a name both of which are considered temporal and not true identity with the nameless and formless ‘reality’ or ‘Absolute’ in Hinduism that has manifested as maya. In Buddhism the loss of all names and forms (conception of distinct concepts) leads to the realization of the Ultimate reality of ‘Shunyatha’ or ‘Emptiness’ or Nirvana “Naked Truth” removed of Maya.

== In Buddhism ==
{{Nidanas|float=right}}
{{main|Skandha}}
This term is used in Buddhism to refer to the constituents of a living being: ''nāma'' refers to the mental, while ''[[rūpa]]'' refers to the physical. The Buddhist ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'' are mutually dependent, and not separable; as ''nāmarūpa'', they designate an individual being (or distinct things).{{efn|name=Davids&Stede}} Namarupa are also referred to as the [[Skandha|five skandhas]], "the psycho-physical organism", “mind-and-matter,” and “mentality-and-materiality”.

=== Psycho-physical constituents ===
In the [[Pali Canon]], the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] describes ''nāmarūpa'' in this manner (English on left, [[Pali]] on right):
{| cellpadding=10
|"And what [monks] is name-&-form? [[Vedana|Feeling]], [[Samjna|perception]], [[Cetana|intention]], [[Phassa|contact]], & [[Manasikara|attention]]: This is called name. The four [[Mahābhūta|great elements]], and the form dependent on the four great elements: This is called [[Rūpa|form]]. This name & this form are, [monks], called name-&-form."<ref>From [[Samyutta Nikaya|SN]] 12.2 [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html (Thanissaro, 1997)].</ref>
||
''{{IAST|Katamañca [[Bhikkhu|bhikkhave]] nāmarūpaṃ? [[Vedana|Vedanā]] [[Samjna|saññā]] [[Cetana|cetanā]] [[Phassa|phasso]] [[Manasikara|manasikāro]], idaṃ vuccati nāmaṃ. Cattāro ca [[Mahābhūta|mahābhūtā]], catunnaṃ ca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāyarūpaṃ, idaṃ vuccati [[rūpa]]ṃ. Iti idañca nāmaṃ, idañca rūpaṃ, idaṃ vuccati bhikkhave, nāmarūpaṃ.}}''<ref>SLTP (n.d.), 1.1.2, ''{{IAST|Vibhańgasuttaṃ}}''.</ref>
|}
Elsewhere in the [[Pali Canon]], ''nāmarūpa'' is used synonymously with the five [[skandha|aggregates]].<ref>Rhys Davids & Stede, ''op cit''</ref> or as the process of perception <ref>Ven. Dr. Punnaji, 2017</ref> in modern interpretation.

=== Empty of self ===
In keeping with the doctrine of [[anatman|anātman]]/[[anatta]], "the absence of an (enduring, essential) self", ''nāma'' and ''rūpa'' are held to be constantly in a state of flux, with only the continuity of experience (itself a product of [[Pratītyasamutpāda|dependent origination]]) providing an experience of any sort of conventional 'self'.

=== Part of the cycle of suffering ===
Nāmarūpa is the fourth of the [[Twelve Nidanas|Twelve Nidānas]], preceded by consciousness (Pali: ''[[Vijnana|viññāna]]''; Skt.: ''vijñana'') and followed by the six sense bases (Pali: ''[[Sadayatana|{{IAST|saḷāyatana}}]]''; Skt: ''{{IAST|ṣaḍāyatana}}'').  Thus, in the [[Sutta Nipata]], the Buddha explains to the Ven. Ajita how [[samsara|samsaric]] [[Rebirth (Buddhism)|rebirth]] ceases:
{{poem quote|
[Ven. Ajita:]
:...name & form, dear sir:
:Tell me, when asked this,
::where are they brought to a halt?

[The Buddha:]
:This question you've asked, Ajita,
:I'll answer it for you — 
:where name & form
::are brought to a halt
::without trace:
:With the cessation of consciousness
::they're brought
::to a halt.<ref>Specific location of these verses: Sn V.1, [[Atthakavagga and Parayanavagga|Parayanavagga]], "The Questions of Ajita," verses 1036-1037</ref>{{efn|name=Thanissaro}}
}}

== In Hinduism ==
{{see|Hiranyagarbha|Namarupa-vyakarana}}
The term ''nāmarūpa'' is used in [[Hindu]] thought, ''nāma'' describing the spiritual or essential properties of an object or being, and ''rūpa'' the physical presence that it manifests. These terms are used similarly to the way that '[[essence]]' and '[[Accident (philosophy)|accident]]' are used in [[Catholic]] [[theology]] to describe [[transubstantiation]]. The distinction between nāma and rūpa in Hindu thought explains the ability of spiritual powers to manifest through inadequate or inanimate vessels - as observed in possession and oracular phenomena, as well as in the presence of the divine in images that are worshiped through [[Puja (Hinduism)|pūja]].

Nāma Rupatmak Vishva is the Vedanta (a school of [[Sanatana Dharma]]/[[Hinduism]]) term for the manifest Universe, viz. The World as we know it. Since every object in this World has a Nāma and Rupa, the World is called Nāma Rupatmak Vishva. The Paramātma (or Creator) is not manifest in this Nāma Rupatmak Vishva but is realized by a Sādhaka(student) by means of [[Bhakti yoga|Bhakti]] (devotion), [[Karma yoga|Karma]] (action), [[Jnana yoga|Jnana]] (knowledge), [[Yoga]] (Union, a Hindu school), or a [[Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha|combination]] of all of these methodologies.

== See also ==
* [[Bodymind (in meditation traditions)|Bodymind]]
* [[Pratitya-samutpada]] ([[Sanskrit]]; [[Pali]]: ''paticca-samuppāda''; English: dependent arising)
* [[Skandha]] ([[Sanskrit]]; [[Pali]]: ''khandha''; English: aggregates)

== Notes ==
{{notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=Davids&Stede|For example, Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 350, [https://archive.today/20121210115319/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.1:1:2860.pali entry for "Nāma"] (retrieved 2007-06-20), states:
:"nāma as metaphysical term is opposed to rūpa, & comprises the 4 immaterial factors of an individual ({{IAST|arūpino khandhā, viz. vedanā saññā sankhāra viññāṇa}}...). These as the noëtic principle comb[ine]d with the material principle make up the individual as it is distinguished by 'name & body' from other individuals. Thus nāmarūpa{{=}} individuality, individual being. These two are inseparable...."}}
{{efn|name=Thanissaro|[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.than.html Thanissaro (1994).] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226013717/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.than.html |date=2014-12-26 }} In explaining this specific exchange between Ven. Ajita and the Buddha, [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.irel.html#n-2 Ireland (1983, 1994), ''n''. 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812121236/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.irel.html#n-2 |date=2014-08-12 }} states:
:This question and answer refers to the doctrine of dependent-arising (''[[paticca-samuppada]]''). Where rebirth-consciousness (''pati-sandhi-[[vijnana|vinnana]]'') does not arise there is no establishment of an individual (mind-and-body, ''namarupa'') in a realm of existence, nor the consequent appearance of [[Jaramarana|old age and death]] and the other [[dukkha|sufferings]] inherent in life.}}
}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin|2}}
* Ireland, John D. (trans.) (1983). ''Ajita-manava-puccha: Ajita's Questions'' ([[Suttanipata|Sn]] 5.1), from ''The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipata'' (WH 82). Kandy: [[Buddhist Publication Society]].  Retrieved 2007-06-20 from "Access to Insight" (1994) at https://web.archive.org/web/20140812121236/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.irel.html.
* [[T. W. Rhys Davids|Rhys Davids]], T.W. & William Stede (eds.) (1921-5). ''The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary''. Chipstead: Pali Text Society. A general on-line search engine for the PED is available at http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/pali/.
* Sri Lanka Buddha Jayanti Tipitaka Series (SLTP) (n.d.). ''Buddhavaggo'' ([[Samyutta Nikaya|SN]] 12.1). Retrieved 2007-06-20 from "METTANET - LANKA" at http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta2/12-Abhisamaya-Samyutta/01-Buddhavaggo-p.html.
* [[Thanissaro Bhikkhu]] (trans.) (1994). ''Ajita-manava-puccha: Ajita's Questions'' ([[Suttanipata|Sn]] 5.1). Retrieved 2007-06-20 from "Access to Insight" at https://web.archive.org/web/20141226013717/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.5.01.than.html.
* Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997). ''Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of Dependent Co-arising'' ([[Samyutta Nikaya|SN]] 12.2). Retrieved 2007-06-20 from "Access to Insight" at https://web.archive.org/web/20060512063953/http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn-12-002-tb0.html.
{{refend}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
  before=[[Vijnana|Vijñāna]] |
  title=[[Twelve Nidanas|Twelve Nidānas]] |
  years='''Nāmarūpa'''|
  after=[[Sadayatana|{{IAST|Ṣaḍāyatana}}]]|
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Twelve nidānas]]
[[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]