Upaya

Translations of
Upaya
Translations of; Upaya
Sanskrit	उपाय
Chinese	方便 ; (Pinyin: fāngbiàn)
Japanese	方便 ; (Rōmaji: hōben)
Tibetan	ཐབས ; (thabs)
	Glossary of Buddhism

In Buddhism, upaya (Sanskrit: उपाय, upāya, expedient means, pedagogy) is an aspect of guidance along the Buddhist paths to liberation where a conscious, voluntary action "is driven by an incomplete reasoning" about its direction. Upaya is often used with kaushalya (कौशल्य, "cleverness"), upaya-kaushalya meaning "skill in means".

Upaya-kaushalya is a concept emphasizing that practitioners may use their own specific methods or techniques that fit the situation in order to gain enlightenment. The implication is that even if a technique, view, etc., is not ultimately "true" in the highest sense, it may still be an expedient practice to perform or view to hold; i.e., it may bring the practitioner closer to the true realization in a similar way. The exercise of skill to which it refers, the ability to adapt one's message to the audience, is of enormous importance in the Pali Canon.^[1]

The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism notes that rendering the Chinese term fāngbiàn into English as 'skillful' or as 'expedient' is often difficult, because the connotations shift according to the context as (1) the teaching being something to marvel at — the fact that the Buddha can present these difficult truths in everyday language (thus, skillful), yet that (2) they are teachings of a lower order as compared to the ultimate truth, and are far removed from reflecting reality, and are a kind of 'stopgap' measure (thus, expedient).^[2]

^ "It is true that the term translated 'skill in means', upaya-kausalya , is post-canonical, but the exercise of skill to which it refers, the ability to adapt one's message to the audience, is of enormous importance in the Pali Canon." How Buddhism Began, Richard F. Gombrich, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997, p. 17.
^ In colloquial usage, fangbian can also mean "go to the toilet" (e.g., literal "large" and "small" conveniences are dabian 大便 "defecation" and xiaobian 小便 "urination"). See Victor Mair's "Linguistic Advice in the Lavatory".

[1] "It is true that the term translated 'skill in means', upaya-kausalya , is post-canonical, but the exercise of skill to which it refers, the ability to adapt one's message to the audience, is of enormous importance in the Pali Canon." How Buddhism Began, Richard F. Gombrich, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1997, p. 17.

[2] In colloquial usage, fangbian can also mean "go to the toilet" (e.g., literal "large" and "small" conveniences are dabian 大便 "defecation" and xiaobian 小便 "urination"). See Victor Mair's "Linguistic Advice in the Lavatory".

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