Attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past

(Jpn.: kuon jitsujo)

Shakyamuni's original attainment of enlightenment in the inconceivably remote past as related in the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching (latter fourteen chapters) of the Lotus Sutra. In this chapter, Shakyamuni discloses that he actually attained enlightenment in the distant past. He then illustrates in rather awe-inspiring detail the cosmic proportions of the time that has elapsed since then, the magnitude of which is abbreviated as "numberless major world system dust particle kalpas." Nothing Shakyamuni had taught until this point challenged people's basic assumption that he had attained enlightenment in his present lifetime after sitting in meditation under the bodhi tree near Gaya, India.

This is the assumption upheld in the theoretical teaching (first fourteen chapters) of the Lotus Sutra and in the other sutras. Through this revelation in the "Life Span" chapter, however, Shakyamuni demolishes the belief that he attained enlightenment for the first time in his present lifetime. The "Life Span" chapter says: "In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of meditation not far from the city of Gaya and there attained supreme perfect enlightenment. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood."

(See also: Attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Knowledge: In Eastern traditions, knowledge is equated with intuition, not just information.

 (See also: Knowledge , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

A dictionary of parapsychology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

Religion: Derived from the Latin word religio, meaning to bind or bring together. Religion is that which brings people together.

 (See also: Religion , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Delusion (Ignorance)

"Delusion refers to belief in something that contradicts reality. In Buddhism, delusion is ... a lack of awareness of the true nature or Buddha nature of things, or of the true meaning of existence. "

According to the Buddhist outlook, we are deluded by our senses-- among which intellect (discriminating, discursive thought) is included as a sixth sense.

Consciousness, attached to the senses, leads us into error by causing us to take the world of appearances for the world of reality, whereas in fact it is only a limited and fleeting aspect of reality." (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)

 (See also: Delusion (Ignorance) , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Greatly Enlightened World-Honored One

(Jpn.: Daikakuseson)

See: World-Honored One of Great Enlightenment

(See also: Greatly Enlightened World-Honored One , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

BUDDHISM: The religion based on the doctrine of Gautama Buddha that asserts suffering is inseparable from existence and that enlightenment is achieved by the inward extinction of the self and of the senses. Buddhism is the predominant religion of eastern and central Asia, and is represented by many different sects.

(See also: BUDDHISM , Magickal Traditions, Magickal Paths, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Treatise on the Discipline for Attaining Enlightenment, The

(Chin.: P'u-t'i-tzu-liang-lun; Jpn.: Bodai-shiryo-ron)

A Chinese translation by Dharmagupta (d. 619), a monk from southern India, of a treatise consisting of original verses attributed to Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) and a prose commentary added later. It sets forth the six paramitas and other practices for bodhisattvas that are conducive to enlightenment.

(See also: Treatise on the Discipline for Attaining Enlightenment , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Cause-awakened one

(Jpn.: engaku; Skt.: pratyekabuddha)

Also, self-awakened one. One who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation, or the truth of causal relationship. Cause-awakened one also means those who, in an age when there is no Buddha, realize on their own the truth of impermanence by observing natural phenomena. Because their awakening is self-gained, cause-awakened ones are also called self-awakened ones. Together with voice-hearers, they constitute the persons of the two vehicles. Unlike bodhisattvas, they seek their own emancipation without thought of preaching for and instructing others.

The Sanskrit term pratyekabuddha means "independently enlightened one" or "individually enlightened one." In the early Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures, it was rendered cause-awakened one, which implies one enlightened through perceiving causal relation ship. The Treatise on the Meaning of the Mahayana, written by Hui-yŸan (523-592), describes pratyekabuddha as one who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation or who awakens to the truth by observing natural phenomena such as the scattering of blossoms or the falling of leaves. Later the term was rendered as self-awakened one.

In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) distinguishes these two types of pratyekabud-dha-cause-awakened ones and self-awakened ones. Mahayana, which upholds practice to benefit others, referred to the vehicle of pratyekabuddha, or the teaching that leads one to the state of pratyekabuddha, as Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle), because it concerns only one's own salvation. The realm of cause-awakened ones is also viewed as a condition of life, in which one perceives the transience of life in the six paths and strives to free oneself from the six paths by seeking eternal truth through one's own effort. This realm or state constitutes the eighth of the Ten Worlds.

(See also: Cause-awakened one , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Vipasyana

Discernment; also, insight, correct perception or view.

 (See also: Vipasyana , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Buddhist:

Buddhist. Follower of Buddhism.

(See also: Buddhist , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Chakra: (Cakra) The centers of force that are within specific organs of the body. These organs "collect, transform, and distribute the forces flowing through them" (Kapleau, p.15).

 (See also: Chakra , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Consciousness: In Buddhism there are eight classes of consciousness. The first five are the senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing), the sixth is thought, the seventh is manas, and the eighth is alaya-vinana.

 (See also: Consciousness , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Sanskrit

Learned language of India. Canonical texts of Mahayana Buddhism in its Indian stage were written in Sanskrit.

 (See also: Sanskrit , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Faith: A belief; in the religious sense, faith is a belief in the supernatural or whatever other force brings the believers together. Faith has nothing to do with fact.

 (See also: Faith , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Enlightened One

(Jpn.: kakusha)

Also, Awakened One. A Buddha. One who is enlightened to the ultimate truth or principle of life and the universe.

(See also: Enlightened One , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Dharma

a)    The teachings of the Buddhas (generally capitalized in English);

b)    duty, law, doctrine;

c)    things, events, phenomena, everything.

 (See also: Dharma , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

BUDDHISM

Since we waste our youth suffering from boundless ignorance and unfulfilled desire and since age is mostly a time of physical hardship and blunted hopes, it seems clear that life, for all its promises, is more a burden than a joy. Since, however, to die is to be instantly reborn into life, death is apparently an even more absolute cheat. Considering also that all things have arisen in the Mind, in the midst of the Void, and since we are ourselves our own creators and gods (in a multiplicity of aspects and a simultaneous gallimaufry of forms), there is no escaping from the inevitability of either the existing or the potential cosmos. Indeed, it is this very weariness which Reality seeks to assuage by confusing itself as to its own identity.

The Buddha, sensing the horror and outrage of life on earth, wants to lead us to the perfection of the Absolute.

He teaches that birth and death (the wheel of Samsara), together with the Karmic burden, can be dropped in enlightenment and we can enter into Nirvana directly. In an even deeper understanding we are shown that Samsara and Nirvana are already one so there is not even any need for enlightenment! (But of course you have to be enlightened before you can understand that you are already enlightened!)

To the average westerner this seems fairly tame stuff and much too intellectual for his taste. He doesnt want contemplation, he wants action. But he should understand that Buddhism is a discipline of conscious mind and is meant to accompany action, not to take its place. It is serenity of the mind which enables creative work to be done and acceptance of life to take place. The other thing the westerner sometimes fails to recognize is that death and reincarnation are as much a part of his belief system as they are that of a Hindu philosopher. What, after all, is Heaven but the prospect of rebirth on a higher plane? What is Hell but the karma of past lives?

(See also: BUDDHISM , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

ugghatitannu (uggha.tita~n~nu): Of swift understanding. After the Buddha attained Awakening and was considering whether or not to teach the Dhamma, he perceived that there were four categories of beings: those of swift understanding, who would gain Awakening after a short explanation of the Dhamma, those who would gain Awakening only after a lengthy explanation (vipacitannu); those who would gain Awakening only after being led through the practice (neyya); and those who, instead of gaining Awakening, would at best gain only a verbal understanding of the Dhamma (padaparama).

 (See also: Ugghatitannu , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Demons

Evil influences which hinder cultivation. These can take an infinite number of forms, including evil beings or hallucinations. Disease and death, as well as the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are also equated to demons, as they disturb the mind.

The Nirvana Sutra lists four types of demon:

i)               greed, anger and delusion;

ii)             ii) the five skandas, or obstructions caused by physical and mental functions;

iii)            iii) death;

iv)            iv) the demon of the Sixth Heaven (Realm of Desire).

The Self-Nature has been described in Mahayana sutras as a house full of gold and jewelry. To preserve the riches, i.e., to keep the mind calm, empty and still, we should shut the doors to the three thieves of greed, anger and delusion.

Letting the mind wander opens the house to "demons," that is, hallucinations and harm. Thus, Zen practitioners are taught that, while in meditation, "Encountering demons, kill the demons, encountering Buddhas, kill the Buddhas." Both demons and Buddhas are mind-made, Mind-Only.

For a detailed discussion of demons, see Master Thich Thien Tam, Buddhism of Wisdom and' Faith, sect. 51.

 (See also: Demons , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Truth: That which is believed to be, not necessarily what really is (fact).

 (See also: Truth , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)