Ordination
See also Bodhisattva Precepts Pratimoksa Sacerdotal Age. W Ordinations in Buddhism especially in Theravada are not considered life-long commitments. At any time, a monk or nun may voluntarily elect to leave the monastic community and return to lay life. Ordination, in Buddhism, is initiation into the Buddhist Order Sangha in the presence of witnesses i.e., members of Sangha , and self-dedication to monastic life. It is not necessarily life-long or unrepeatable. There are two kinds of Buddhist...
Birth By Transformation
W 'Birth by transformation' This refers to metamorphic births, such as those of devas gods , asuras, hungry ghosts, and inhabitants of hell, the bardo, and the Pure Lands. Chan 475 When a being is suddenly born with all the sense-organs and limbs of a complete body, without depending on anything such as an egg or a womb, he is said to be born by transformation, or born ethereally. All hell-dwellers, devas, and beings in the Bardo and the Pure Lands some dragons, garudas, and hungry ghosts and...
Ten Stagesbhumi
See also Dasabumika Sutra Fifty-two Levels of Bodhisattva Practice. W Ten Stages or Ten Bhumi through which the practitioner advances in Buddhist practice. In the system of the fifty-two or fifty-three levels of Bodhisattva practice, they are viewed as the forty-first through fiftieth levels. There are several 'ten stages' of varying content listed in different scriptures. The Avatamsaka Sutra divides Buddhist practice into ten Stages, as follows 1 the stage of joy Skt. Paramudita , in which...
Fiftytwo Levels Of Bodhisattva Practice
Syn Stages of Bodhisattva Practice Bodhisattva Stages. See also Ten Stages Three Worthy Positions. W Progressive levels through which a practitioner is said to advance, from the time of his first resolve until he finally attains Buddhahood. They are enumerated inter alia in the Avatamsaka Sutra and consist of ten levels of Faith Ten Faiths , ten levels of Dwellings Abodes , ten levels of Practices Conducts , ten levels of Dedication transferences , ten Stages or Grounds Bhumi , a level of...
Four Kalpas
W The four periods of time, each consisting of twenty small kalpas, during which worlds go through formation, destruction, and annihilation 1 the Kalpa of Existence vivarta-siddha kalpa , during which the sun and moon rise, sexes are differentiated, and social life evolves 2 the Kalpa of Destruction samvarta kalpa , during which fire, water, and wind destroy everything except the Fourth Dhyana Heaven 3 the Kalpa of Annihilation samvarta-diddha kalpa , during which nothing exists and 4 the Kalpa...
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P'u T'o Mountain 546 P'u T'o Shan 546 Padmasambhava 547 Pai-Chang 712-784 547 Pala Dynasty 549 Pali 550 Pali Canon 550 Pali Text Society 551 Panacea 551 Panchen Lama 551 Pao-Lin Temple 551 Parable Birth and Death 552 Parable Bodhisattva 552 Parable Boiling Pot 553 Parable Burning House 554 Parable Child Licking Honey 554 Parable Demon and Verse 555 Parable Dukkha 555 Parable Elephant and Blind Men 555 Parable Gem in the Robe Lotus Sutra 556 Parable Goddess of Wealth and Goddess of Poverty 556...
Potalaka Mountain India
W The name of a mountain located on the southern coast of India. It is believed that Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva manifested herself there. This belief is based on the Avatamsaka Sutra which refers to a mythical island of Avalokitesvara named Potalaka. Dait 65-66 Potalaka is a mountain where many small white flowers grow this represents the modesty and compassionate behavior of the Bodhisattva Note The popularity of Kuan-yin is such that two famous mountains with similar names, Potalaka in India...
Ippen
See also Ji School Pure Land Buddhism Summary . W 1239-89 . Known in Japan as the itinerant sage, because of his method of propagating Buddhism. An outstanding preacher and missionary of faith in Amitabha Buddha, his missionary journeys covered nearly the whole of Japan. Ippen combined relief work with his preaching he propagated the practice of repeating the Buddha name, with which he linked the idea that the believer is thus prepared for death at any moment. His followers formed a school,...
Chiko
See also Pure Land Mandalas Raigo Taima Mandala. W Name of an eighth-century Japanese monk from Gango-ji temple . The word is also applied to one of the three Japanese Pure Land mandalas stylized paintings , which this monk traditionally envisioned. Okaz 183 0636 The Chiko Mandala. Often called 'the first Pure Land mandala' because it is the oldest of the three Jodo mandalas the Chiko mandala can be traced to a legend from the eighth century . The earliest reference to this mandala as a Chiko...
Dasabhumika Sutra
Syn Ten Stages Chapter Avatamsaka Sutra . See also Avatamsaka Sutra Fifty-two Levels of Bodhisattva Practice W Mahayana text, the title of which translates to the 'Sutra on the Ten Stages.' It is the 26th chapter of a longer work known as the Avatamsaka Sutra, each circulating in its own right as an independent text. It is highly important in Mahayana practice because it clearly and thoroughly establishes the Ten Stages, or the last 10 of a total of 52 levels of cultivation, that the...
Ananda
See also Buddhist Councils Sunaksatra Tripitaka. W A cousin of the Buddha, the brother of Devadatta q.v. . One of the ten great disciples of the Buddha. Ananda accompanied the Buddha for more than twenty years and was the Master's favorite disciple. He attained enlightenment after the demise of the Buddha under the guidance of Mahakasyapa. He was famed for his excellent memory and recited the Sutra-Pitaka the sermons contained in the Tripitaka, q.v. at the First Buddhist Council. Dait 8 Ananda...
Jodo Shinshu School
See also Buddhist Churches of America Hoben Hosshin Son'ei Hongan-ji Jodo School Pure Land Buddhism Summary Shinran. W Japanese for 'True Pure Land school.' A school of Pure Land founded by Shinran Honen's best known disciple , based on the belief that exclusive reliance on the power of Amida, rather than one's own power, is the determining factor in achieving salvation. Jodo Shin rejects the monastic rules of traditional Jodo, permitting its priests to eat meat, live as laymen, marry, etc....
Amitabha Sutra
Syn Smaller Sukhavati-Vyuha Sutra Shorter Amitabha Sutra Sutra of Amida. See also Exclusion Clause Longer Amitabha Sutra Pure Land Buddhism Summary Three Pure Land Sutras. W Amitabha Sutra or Shorter Amitabha Sutra one of the three sutras that form the doctrinal basis for the Pure Land school in East Asia China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc . This sutra, also known as the short Sukhavati-vyuha, describes the simplest form of the practice of this school - recitation of Buddha Amitabha's name. Sham...
France Buddhism In
See also Europe Buddhism Huyen-Vi, Thich Lounsbery W 'Les Amis du Bouddhisme' was a Buddhist society founded in Paris in 1929 by Ms Constant Lounsbery. The Society was established under the inspiration of the late Master Tai Hsu q.v. of China, while the latter was on a visit to Europe. Famous French Buddhist scholars include Bigandet, Poussin, Sylvain Levi, Grousset, David-Neel, Demieville, Guenon, Benoit. Hump 80 Les Amis du Bouddhisme declined and ceased to function effectively by the end of...
Anagarika Dharmapala
See also World Parliament of Religions. W Name used by D. H. Hewavitarne, the famous Buddhist propagandist. Born in Ceylon in 1865, he joined the Theosophical Society in 1884. Inspired by H. P. Blavatsky he studied Pali, and in 1891 founded the Maha Bodhi Society. He then proclaimed himself as an Anagarika, a homeless wanderer, and worked hard for the main object of the Society, the restoration of Buddha Gaya into Buddhist hands, which was only achieved in 1949. In 1925 he founded the British...
Anathapindika
See also Golden-Colored King Jeta Grove. W Another name for Sudatta who lived at Sravasti, India, during the time of Sakyamuni Buddha. He was wealthy and often donated food and clothing to orphans and old people. Hence he was called Anathapindika or 'one who takes care of widows and orphans.' He presented Sakyamuni with the Jetavana-vihara Jeta grove or garden . Dait 84 The chief supporter of the Buddha was Anathapindika, the millionaire. Amongst lay followers he was regarded as the foremost...