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Six Realms
The Six Paths in Buddhist cosmology are the six worlds where sentient beings are reincarnated based on their karma, which is linked to their actions in previous lives. These paths are depicted in the '' Bhavacakra'' ("wheel of existence"). The six paths are: # the world of gods or celestial beings ( ''deva'') # the world of human beings ( ''manushya'') # the world of warlike demigods ('' asura'') # the world of animals ('' tiryagyoni'') # the world of hungry ghosts ('' preta'') # the world of Hell ('' naraka'') The first three paths are known as "the three benevolent destinies" (''kuśalagati''), where beings experience varying degrees of virtue, pleasure, and pain. The last three paths are referred to as the three unbenevolent destinies (''akuśalagati''), where beings lack virtue and suffer predominantly. Typically, we as human beings only perceive the animals around us. The first Buddhist texts mention only five paths without distinguishing between the paths of ''deva'' and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhavachakra
The bhavachakra (Sanskrit: भवचक्र; Pāli: ''bhavacakka''; Tibetan: སྲིད་པའི་འཁོར་ལོ, Wylie: ''srid pa'i 'khor lo'') or wheel of life is a visual teaching aid and meditation tool symbolically representing saṃsāra (or cyclic existence). It is found on the walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region, to help both Buddhists and non Buddhists understand the core Buddhist teachings. The image consists of four concentric circles, held by Yama, the lord of Death, with an image of the Buddha pointing to the moon metaphorically representing the possibility for liberation from the suffering of reincarnation. Etymology ''Bhavachakra'', "wheel of life," consists of the words ''bhava'' and ''chakra''. ''bhava'' () means "being, worldly existence, becoming, birth, being, production, origin".Monier Monier-Williams (1899), Sanskrit English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Archiveभव bhava In Buddhism, ''bh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genshin
, also known as , was a prominent Japanese monk of the Tendai school, recognized for his significant contributions to both Tendai and Pure Land Buddhism. Genshin studied under Ryōgen, a key reformer of the Tendai tradition, and became well known for his intellectual prowess, particularly after his success in a major debate at Mount Hiei in 974. Genshin spent much of his later life at the secluded Eshin-in monastery in Yokawa on Mount Hiei, where he focused on scholarly pursuits and meditation. He is credited with founding the Eshin school of Tendai, which emphasized the idea of inherent awakening (Original enlightenment, hongaku). Although deeply rooted in Tendai teachings, Genshin became a leading figure in the early development of Pure Land Buddhism. His most influential work, ''Ōjōyōshū'' (往生要集, ''Collection of the Essentials for Birth''), outlined a comprehensive approach to attaining Rebirth (Buddhism), rebirth in Amitābha, Amitabha's Pure Land, integrating ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanskrit Words And Phrases
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion, diffused there from the northwest in the late Bronze Age#South Asia, Bronze Age. Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism, the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and of historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It was a lingua franca, link language in ancient and medieval South Asia, and upon transmission of Hindu and Buddhist culture to Southeast Asia, East Asia and Central Asia in the early medieval era, it became a language of religion and high culture, and of the political elites in some of these regions. As a result, Sanskrit had a lasting effect on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, especially in their formal and learned vocabularies. Sanskrit generally connotes several Indo-Aryan languages# ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karma In Buddhism
Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म, Pāli: ''kamma'') is a Sanskrit term that literally means "action" or "doing". In the Buddhist tradition, ''karma'' refers to action driven by intention ('' cetanā'') which leads to future consequences. Those intentions are considered to be the determining factor in the kind of rebirth in '' samsara'', the cycle of rebirth. Etymology ''Karma'' (Sanskrit, also ''karman'', Pāli: ''kamma'', Tib. ''las'') is a Sanskrit term that literally means "action" or "doing". The word ''karma'' derives from the verbal root ''kṛ'', which means "do, make, perform, accomplish." ''Karmaphala'' (Tib. ''rgyu 'bras'') is the "fruit", "effect" or "result" of ''karma''. A similar term is ''karmavipaka'', the "maturation" or "cooking" of ''karma'': The metaphor is derived from agriculture: Buddhist understanding of ''karma'' ''Karma'' and ''karmaphala'' are fundamental concepts in Buddhism. The concepts of ''karma'' and ''karmaphala'' explain how intentional a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saṃsāra
''Saṃsāra'' (Devanagari: संसार) is a Sanskrit word that means "wandering" as well as "world," wherein the term connotes "cyclic change" or, less formally, "running around in circles." ''Saṃsāra'' is referred to with terms or phrases such as transmigration/reincarnation, karmic cycle, or Punarjanman, and "cycle of aimless drifting, wandering or mundane existence". When related to the theory of karma, it is the cycle of death and rebirth. The "cyclicity of all life, matter, and existence" is a fundamental belief of most Indian religions. The concept of ''saṃsāra'' has roots in the post-Vedic literature; the theory is not discussed in the Vedas themselves. It appears in developed form, but without mechanistic details, in the early Upanishads. The full exposition of the ''saṃsāra'' doctrine is found in early Buddhism and Jainism, as well as in various schools of Hindu philosophy. The ''saṃsāra'' doctrine is tied to the karma theory of Hinduism, and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anattā
In Buddhism, the term ''anattā'' () or ''anātman'' () is the doctrine of "no-self" – that no unchanging, permanent self or essence can be found in any phenomenon. While often interpreted as a doctrine denying the existence of a self, ''anatman'' is more accurately described as a strategy to attain non-attachment by recognizing everything as impermanent, while staying silent on the ultimate existence of an unchanging essence. In contrast, dominant schools of Hinduism assert the existence of Ātman as pure awareness or witness-consciousness, "reify ngconsciousness as an eternal self". Etymology and nomenclature ''Anattā'' is a composite Pali word consisting of ''an'' (not) and ''attā'' (self-existent essence). The term refers to the central Buddhist concept that there is no phenomenon that has a permanent, unchanging "self" or essence. It is one of the three characteristics of all existence, together with '' dukkha'' (suffering, dissatisfaction) and '' anicca'' (imperm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahayana
Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main existing branches of Buddhism, the others being Theravāda and Vajrayāna.Harvey (2013), p. 189. Mahāyāna accepts the main scriptures and teachings of Early Buddhist schools, early Buddhism but also recognizes various doctrines and texts that are not accepted by Theravada Buddhism as original. These include the Mahāyāna sūtras and their emphasis on the ''bodhisattva'' path and Prajnaparamita, ''Prajñāpāramitā''. Vajrayāna or Mantra traditions are a subset of Mahāyāna which makes use of numerous Tantra, tantric methods Vajrayānists consider to help achieve Buddhahood. Mahāyāna also refers to the path of the bodhisattva striving to become a fully awakened Buddha for the benefit of all sentience, sentient beings, and is thus also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hinayana
Hīnayāna is a Sanskrit term that was at one time applied collectively to the '' Śrāvakayāna'' and '' Pratyekabuddhayāna'' paths of Buddhism. This term appeared around the first or second century. The Hīnayāna is considered as the preliminary or small (''hina'') vehicle (''yana'') of the Buddha's teachings. It is often contrasted with Mahāyāna, the second vehicle of the Buddha's teachings, or the great (''maha'') vehicle (''yana''). The third vehicle of the Buddha's teachings is the Vajrayana, the indestructible (''vajra'') vehicle (''yana''). Western scholars used the term ''Hīnayāna'' to describe the early teachings of Buddhism, as the ''Mahāyāna'' teachings were generally given later. Modern Buddhist scholarship has deprecated the term as pejorative, and instead uses the term ''Nikaya Buddhism'' to refer to early Buddhist schools. ''Hinayana'' has also been inappropriately used as a synonym for Theravada, which is the main tradition of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duḥkha
''Duḥkha'' (; , ) "suffering", "pain", "unease", or "unsatisfactoriness", is an important concept in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Its meaning depends on the context, and may refer more specifically to the "unsatisfactoriness" or "unease" of craving for and grasping after transient 'things' (sense objects, including thoughts), expecting pleasure from them while ignorant of this transientness. In Buddhism, dukkha is part of the first of the Four Noble Truths and one of the three marks of existence. The term also appears in scriptures of Hinduism, such as the Upanishads, in discussions of moksha (spiritual liberation). While the term ''dukkha'' has often been derived from the prefix ''du-'' ("bad" or "difficult") and the root ''kha'' ("empty," "hole"), meaning a badly fitting axle-hole of a cart or chariot giving "a very bumpy ride," it may actually be derived from ''duḥ-stha'', a "dis-/ bad- + stand-", that is, "standing badly, unsteady," "unstable." Etymology and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avidyā (Buddhism)
''Avidyā'' (Sanskrit: अविद्या; ; Tibetan phonetic: ''ma rigpa'') in Buddhist literature is commonly translated as "ignorance". The concept refers to ignorance or misconceptions about the nature of metaphysical reality, in particular about the impermanence and '' anatta'' doctrines about reality. It is the root cause of '' Dukkha'' (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness), and asserted as the first link, in Buddhist phenomenology, of a process that leads to repeated birth. Avidyā is mentioned within the Buddhist teachings as ignorance or misunderstanding in various contexts: * Four Noble Truths * The first link in the twelve links of dependent origination * One of the three poisons within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition * One of the six root kleshas within the Mahayana Abhidharma teachings * One of the ten fetters in the Theravada tradition * Equivalent to moha within the Theravada Abhidharma teachings Within the context of the twelve links of dependent orig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Three Poisons
The three poisons (Sanskrit: ''triviṣa''; Tibetan: ''dug gsum'') in the Mahayana tradition or the three unwholesome roots (Sanskrit: ''akuśala-mūla''; Pāli: ''akusala-mūla'') in the Theravada tradition are a Buddhist term that refers to the three root Kleshas (Buddhism), kleshas that lead to all negative states. These three states are Moha (Buddhism), delusion, also known as Avidyā (Buddhism), ignorance; Raga (Buddhism), greed or sensual attachment; and Dvesha (Buddhism), hatred or aversion. These three poisons are considered to be three afflictions or character flaws that are innate in beings and the root of ''Taṇhā, craving'', and so causing Dukkha, suffering and Rebirth (Buddhism), rebirth. The three poisons are symbolically shown at the center of the Buddhist ''Bhavachakra'' artwork, with the rooster, snake, and pig, representing greed, ill-will and delusion respectively. Brief description In the Buddhist teachings, the three poisons (of ignorance, attachment, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naraka (Buddhism)
''Naraka'' (; zh, t=地獄／奈落, p=Dìyù/Nàiluò; ) is a term in Buddhist cosmology usually referred to in English as "hell" (or "hell realm") or "purgatory". Another term used for the concept of hell in earlier writings is ''niraya''. In Cambodia, Naraka was part of Buddhist cosmology and indeed also a Khmer word (នរក; norok) for hell. The Narakas of Buddhism are closely related to ''Diyu'', the hell in Chinese mythology. A ''naraka'' differs from the concept of hell in Christianity in two respects: firstly, beings are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment or punishment; secondly, the length of a being's stay in a ''naraka'' is not eternal, though it is usually incomprehensibly long. A being is born into ''naraka'' as a direct result of its accumulated actions (karma) and resides there for a finite period of time until that karma has achieved its full result. After its karma is used up, it will be reborn in one of the higher worlds as the result o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
