Niyama: 規律; 法則; 定律.
- Utuniyama(時節規律): 自然界的物理規律. 如季節冷熱更替;花開花落;冰點沸點的表現.
- Bijaniyama(種子規律): 種瓜得瓜;種豆得豆.基因規律等.
- Kammaniyama(業的規律): 善行有善果; 惡行有惡果.
- Cittaniyama(心的規律): 依據阿毗達摩中的記載. 遇到所緣又有依處而產生了心, 而有了心路過程. 如理作意產生善行, 不如理作意產生不善行等等.
- Dhammaniyama(法的規律): 屬於聖者的範圍.
(Below is quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyama#In_Buddhism)
- kammaniyāma “the constraint of kamma”, i.e. good actions produce good results and bad actions produce bad results. This constraint is said to be epitomised by [Dhammapada] verse 127 which explains that the consequences of actions are inescapable;
- utu-niyāma “the constraint of the seasons”, i.e. in certain regions of the earth at certain periods the flowering and fruiting of trees all at one time (ekappahāreneva), the blowing or ceasing of wind, the degree of the heat of the sun, the amount of rain-fall, some flowers like the lotuses opening during the day and closing at night and so on;
- bīja-niyāma “the constraint of seeds or germs”, i.e. a seed producing its own kind as barley seed produces barley;
- citta-niyāma “the constraint of mind”, i.e. the order of the process of mind-activities as the preceding thought-moment causing and conditioning the succeeding one in a cause and effect relation;
- dhamma-niyāma “the constraint of dhammas”, i.e. such events like the quaking of the ten thousand world-systems at the Bodhisatta’s conception in his mother’s womb and at his birth. At the end of the discussion Sumaṅgalavilāsinīpassage the Commentary says that dhammaniyāma explains the term dhammatā in the text of the Mahāpadāna Sutta(D ii.12) (Cf. S 12.20 for a discussion of the use of the word dhammaniyamatā in the suttas)
