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Mahāmegha Sūtra
The ''Mahāmegha Sūtra'' (''Great Cloud Sutra,'' Chinese: ''Dayun jing'' 大雲經, Tibetan: ''Sprin chen po'i mdo'') is a Mahayana sutra of the tathāgatagarbha type.Radich, Michael. "Tathāgatagarbha Scriptures." In Vol. 1, ''Brill's Encyclopedia of Buddhism: Literature and Languages'', edited by Jonathan A. Silk, Oskar von Hinüber, and Vincent Eltschinger, 266-67. Leiden: Brill, 2015 The sutra shares similarities with the ''Nirvana sutra'', and teaches that the Buddha is eternal and does not really pass into parinirvāṇa. Overview The ''Mahāmegha Sūtra'' was translated into Chinese in the fifth century by Dharmakṣema (385–433) as ''Great Vaipulya Great Cloud Sutra'' (Chinese: 大方等大雲 經, T. 387, ''*Mahāvaipulyamahāmeghasūtra''). Certain Chinese sources attribute a translation of the sutra to another figure, Zhu Fonian.Forte, Antonino. ''Political Propaganda and Ideology in China at the End of the Seventh Century: Inquiry into the Nature, Authors and Fu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahayana Sutras
The Mahayana sutras are Buddhist texts that are accepted as wikt:canon, canonical and authentic Buddhist texts, ''buddhavacana'' in Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist sanghas. These include three types of sutras: Those spoken by the Buddha; those spoken through the Buddha's blessings; and those spoken through mandate. They are largely preserved in Sanskrit manuscripts, and in translations such as the Tibetan Buddhist canon, and Chinese Buddhist canon. Several hundred Mahāyāna sutras survive in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese translations. The Buddhist scholar Asanga classified the Mahāyāna sūtras as part of the ''Bodhisattva Tripiṭaka'', a collection of texts meant for bodhisattvas.Boin-Webb, Sara (tr). Rahula, Walpola (tr). Asanga. ''Abhidharma Samuccaya: The Compendium of Higher Teaching.'' 2001. pp. 199–200 Buddhists consider the most important Mahayana sutras to be the spoken teachings of Gautama Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha. These were quickly recorded one year following his Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dharmabhāṇaka
A dharmabhāṇaka (Pali: dhammabhāṇaka; Ch; 說法師, shuofashi; J. seppōshi; T. chos smra ba) is a "Dharma teacher", "preacher" or "reciter of Dharma" in Buddhism.Buswell, Robert E; Lopez, Donald S. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 243. Princeton University Press, Nov 24, 2013.Williams, Paul, ''Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations'', p. 37. Routledge, 2008. Early Buddhism In early Buddhism, when the early Buddhist texts were transmitter orally, the term bhāṇaka referred to a monastic vocation that certain Buddhist monks would undertake. The main job of these monks was to memorize, transmit and teach the sutras and other Buddhist scriptures. Due to the size of the Buddhist canons, dharmabhāṇakas generally specialized in a sub-category of Buddhist texts. For example, Majjhimabhāṇakas memorized Majjhima Nikāya sutras, while Jātakabhāṇakas focused on Jātakas.Nance, Richard F., 'Models of Instruction: Preachers Perfect and Imperfect', ''S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ātman (Buddhism)
Ātman (), attā or attan in Buddhism is the concept of self, and is found in Buddhist literature's discussion of the concept of non-self ('' Anatta''). Most Buddhist traditions and texts reject the premise of a permanent, unchanging ''atman'' (self, soul). 'Anatta, Encyclopædia Britannica (2013), Quote: "Anatta in Buddhism, the doctrine that there is in humans no permanent, underlying soul. The concept of anatta, or anatman, is a departure from the Hindu belief in atman (“the self”)."; '' Steven Collins (1994), Religion and Practical Reason (Editors: Frank Reynolds, David Tracy), State Univ of New York Press, , p. 64; Quote: "Central to Buddhist soteriology is the doctrine of not-self (Pali: anattā, Sanskrit: anātman, the opposed doctrine of ātman is central to Brahmanical thought). Put very briefly, this is the uddhistdoctrine that human beings have no soul, no self, no unchanging essence."; '' Dae-Sook Suh (1994), Korean Studies: New Pacific Currents, University of Ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Historians generally regard the Tang as a high point in Chinese civilisation, and a Golden age (metaphor), golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Tang territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, rivalled that of the Han dynasty. The House of Li, Li family founded the dynasty after taking advantage of a period of Sui decline and precipitating their final collapse, in turn inaugurating a period of progress and stability in the first half of the dynasty's rule. The dynasty was formally interrupted during 690–705 when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, proclaiming the Wu Zhou dynasty and becoming the only legitimate Chinese empress regnant. The An Lushan rebellion (755 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian (624 – 16 December 705), personal name Wu Zhao, was List of rulers of China#Tang dynasty, Empress of China from 660 to 705, ruling first through others and later in her own right. She ruled as queen consort , empress consort through her husband Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Emperor Gaozong and later as empress dowager through her sons Emperors Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong of Tang, Ruizong, from 660 to 690. She subsequently founded and ruled as Empress Regnant of the Wu Zhou dynasty of China from 16 October 690 to 21 February 705. She was the only female sovereign in the history of China who is widely Mandate of Heaven, regarded as legitimate. Under her 45-year reign, China grew larger, becoming one of the great powers of the world, its culture and economy were revitalized, and corruption in the court was reduced. She was eventually removed from power during a coup () and died a few months later. In early life, Wu was the concubine of Emper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buddha-field
Pure Land is a Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places without the sufferings of samsara and to be beyond the three planes of existence. Many Mahayana Buddhists aspire to be reborn in a Buddha's pure land after death. The term "Pure Land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism (). In Sanskrit Buddhist sources, the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field () or more technically a pure buddha-field (). It is also known by the Sanskrit term (Buddha land).Keenan, John P. ''The Interpretation of the Buddha Land'', p. xiii. BDK America Inc. 2002. In Tibetan Buddhism meanwhile, the term "pure realms" ( Wylie: ) is also used as a synonym for buddhafield. The various traditions that focus on attaining rebirth in a Pure Land are often called Pure Land Buddhism. The English term is ambiguous. It can refer to a way of practice whic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devī
''Devī'' (; ) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The concept and reverence for goddesses appears in the Vedas, which were composed around the 2nd millennium BCE. However, they did not play a vital role in that era. Goddesses such as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Parvati, Radha, Saraswati and Sita have continued to be revered in the modern era. The medieval era Puranas witness a major expansion in mythology and literature associated with Devi, with texts such as the ''Devi Mahatmya'', wherein she manifests as the ultimate truth and supreme power. She has inspired the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Further, Devi is viewed as central in the Hindu traditions of Shaktism and Shaivism. Etymology ''Devi'' and ''deva'' are Sanskrit terms found in Vedic literature around the 3rd millennium BCE. ''Deva'' is masculine, and the rela ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Three Ages Of Buddhism
The Decline of the Dharma or Ages of the Dharma, refers to traditional Buddhist accounts of how the Buddhist religion and the Buddha's teaching (Dharma) is believed to decline throughout history. It constitutes a key aspect of Buddhist eschatology and provides a cyclical model of history, beginning with a virtuous age where spiritual practice is very fruitful and ending with an age of strife, in which Buddhism is eventually totally forgotten. Buddhist accounts of this process culminate in the eventual arrival of a new Buddha, Maitreya. There are various accounts of this process of Dharma decline, which begins with Shakyamuni Buddha's death and continues throughout the generations as society and its knowledge of the Buddha's teachings decline over the centuries. Ages of the Dharma There are different accounts of the decline of the Buddha's teaching (Buddha Dharma), i.e. Buddhism. These Buddhist accounts of longue durée history and temporal cosmology always assume a cyclic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devadatta
Devadatta was by tradition a Buddhist monk, cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddhārtha. The accounts of his life vary greatly, but he is generally seen as an evil and divisive figure in Buddhism, who led a breakaway group in the earliest days of the religion. Etymology The name ''Devadatta'' means ''god-given'' in Palī and Sanskrit. It is composed from the stem form of ''deva'' ("god") and the past participle ''datta'' of the verb ''da'' ("to give"), composed as a tatpuruṣa compound. In the '' Bhagavad Gītā'', the conch shell used by Arjuna on the battle-field of Kurukshetra was named ''Devadatta''. The name Devadatta is still used today. Scholarship Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya research According to Andrew Skilton, modern scholarship generally agrees that the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya is the oldest extant Buddhist Vinaya.Skilton, Andrew. ''A Concise History of Buddhism.'' 2004. p. 48 According to Reginald Ray, the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya mentions the fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upaya
In Buddhism, upaya (Sanskrit: उपाय, , ''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. The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism notes that rendering the Chine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dharani
Dharanis (IAST: ), also known as (Skt.) ''vidyās'' and ''paritas'' or (Pal.) ''parittas'', are lengthier Buddhist mantras functioning as mnemonic codes, incantations, or recitations, and almost exclusively written originally in Sanskrit while Pali dharanis also exist. Believed to generate protection and the power to generate merit for the Buddhist practitioner, they constitute a major part of historic Buddhist literature. Most dharanis are in Sanskrit written in scripts such as Siddhaṃ as can be transliterated into Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Sinhala, Thai and other regional scripts. They are similar to and reflect a continuity of the Vedic chants and mantras. Dharanis are found in the ancient texts of all major traditions of Buddhism. They are a major part of the Pali canon preserved by the Theravada tradition. Mahayana sutras such as the Lotus Sutra and the Heart Sutra include or conclude with dharani. Some Buddhist texts, such as ''Pancarakṣa'' found in the h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
