Tendai (Japanese: 天台宗, Tendai-shū) is a Japanese school of Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school. Tendai - History. The Tiantai teaching was first brought to Japan by the Chinese monk Jianshen (鑑眞 Jp: Gishin) in the middle of the 8th century, but it was not widely accepted. In 805, the Japanese monk Saichō (最澄; also called Dengyō Daishi 伝教大師) returned from China with new Tiantai texts and made the temple that he had built on Mt. Hiei (比叡山), ...

Including:

• Tendai - History
• Tendai - Tendai Doctrine

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Tathāgata (Sanskrit; Pali "The one thus-come" or "The one thus-gone"; Chinese: 如來; Pinyin: Rú lái; Japanese: nyorai; Korean: yeo-rae) This is traditionally interpreted as "one who comes and goes in the same way (as the previous Buddhas)". Tathāgata is the name which the historical Buddha Sakyamuni (Siddhattha Gotama) used when referring to himself as recorded in the tipitaka of the Pali Canon. It highlights the unique (and ambiguous) ontological status of a fully enlightened being since such a one is beyond the categories of existence and ...

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Shinran Shonin (親鸞聖人) (1173-1262) was a pupil of Honen and the founder of the Jodo Shinshu (or True Pure Land) sect in Japan. He was born at the close of the Heian period, when political power was passing from the imperial court into the hands of warrior clans. It was during this era when the old order was crumbling, however, that Japanese Buddhism, which had been declining into formalism for several centuries, underwent intense renewal, giving birth to new paths to enlighte ...

Including:

• Shinran - Doctrine
• Shinran - Reference

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The Shōbōgenzō (正法眼蔵), lit. "Treasury of the True Dharma Eye", is Dōgen Zenji's collection of Zen Buddhist fascicles, written between 1231 and 1253 -- the year of Dogen's death (Dōgen, 2002, p. xi). Unlike earlier Zen writings originating in Japan, the Kana Shōbōgenzō was written in Japanese -- not Chinese. Other works by Dōgen, notably the Eihei Koroku and the Shobogenzo Sanbyakusoku, are written in Chinese. Shobogenzo Sanbyakusoku consists of over 300 Koan (open cases), and is distinct from the Kana Shōbōgenzō discussed herein. See: H ...

Including:

• Shobogenzo - External link

Read more here: » Shobogenzo: Encyclopedia - Shobogenzo

The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning 'discipline') is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline. Generally speaking the former is concerned with theory, and the latter with practice, although there is actually considerable cross-over between the two. Anot ...

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In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर्, yudhishthir) was the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, king of Hastinapura and Indraprastha, and World Emperor. He was the principal protagonist of the Kurukshetra War, and for his unblemished piety, known as Dharmaraja (Most pious one). Yudhisthira - Birth and Upbringing. Pandu, the king of Hastinapura and father of the Pandavas could not sire children as he was cursed to die by a ...

Including:

• Yudhisthira - Birth and Upbringing
• Yudhisthira - son of Dharma
• Yudhisthira - King of Indraprastha
• Yudhisthira - Rajasuya
• Yudhisthira - Exile of 14 years
• Yudhisthira - The War at Kurukshetra
• Yudhisthira - Drona's death
• Yudhisthira - Emperor of the World
• Yudhisthira - Ashwamedha
• Yudhisthira - Retirement and Ascent to Heaven

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Zanskar is a region in the Kargil district, part of the north-west Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum. Zanskar, together with the neighbouring region of Ladakh, formerly belonged to Guge or Western Tibet. Zanskar - Geography. Zanskar covers an area of some 7,000 square kilometres (2,700 square miles), at a height of between 3,500 and 7,000 metres (11,500–23,000 feet). It consists of the country lying along the two main branches of the Zanskar river. T ...

Including:

• Zanskar - Geography
• Zanskar - Flora and fauna
• Zanskar - Climate
• Zanskar - Population
• Zanskar - Livestock
• Zanskar - History
• Zanskar - Etymology
• Zanskar - Tourism

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Venerable Master Yin Shun (印順導師, Yin Shun Dao Shi) (March 12th, 1906–June 4, 2005) was an important figure in modern Mahayana Buddhism. Known as a contemporary master, he was notably known as the mentor of Venerable Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu-Chi Buddhist Foundation, a charity association that has gained a worldwide presence. Master Yin Shun also helped bring forth the ideal of Humanistic Buddhism, a ...

Including:

• Yin Shun - Biography
• Yin Shun - Early years
• Yin Shun - Quest for the Truth
• Yin Shun - Discovering Buddhism
• Yin Shun - Becoming a monastic
• Yin Shun - Searching for the Dharma
• Yin Shun - Decline of Buddhism in China
• Yin Shun - Seeing the Buddha
• Yin Shun - The Buddha in the World
• Yin Shun - Achievements
• Yin Shun - Encounter with Master Cheng Yen
• Yin Shun - Signs of waning health
• Yin Shun - Death and Funeral

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Venerable Master Cheng Yen (證嚴上人) is a Chinese Buddhist teacher and philanthropist. She was born in 1937 in Chingshui Village in Taichung County in Taiwan. Her uncle was childless, so she was given to be raised by her aunt and uncle. At the age of twelve, her father died suddenly from a stroke; it was searching for a burial place for him that Cheng Yen first came into contact with the Buddhist Dharma. In 1963, she became the disciple of her mentor, the late Venerable Master Yin Shun, who gave her the dharma name of Cheng Yen a ...

Including:

• Cheng Yen - Reaction to nursing shortage

Read more here: » Cheng Yen: Encyclopedia - Cheng Yen

Yama (Sanskrit: यम) is the lord of death, whose first recorded appearance is in the Vedas. He is one of the most ancient beings in the world and parallel forms of one sort or another have been found all over Eurasia. He is known as Yima by Zoroastrians, and is considered to be cognate with Ymir of Norse legend and has become known as Enma, or Emma-o, in Japanese legend. Some even claim that he also ...

Including:

• Yama - Characteristics of Yama
• Yama - Subordination to Shiva and Vishnu
• Yama - Yamas as codes of conduct
• Yama - Yama in popular culture

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In Hindu philosophy the cycle of evolution of life is divided into four yugas (epochs or eras): Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga Treta Yuga Dwapara Yuga Kali Yuga Yuga - The spiritual states of civilization in each yuga. In Hindu tradition, the world goes through a continuous cycle of these epochs. Each ascending phase of the cycle from Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga is followed by a descending phase back to Kali Yuga, then another ascending phase and so on. Alt ...

Including:

• Yuga - The spiritual states of civilization in each yuga
• Yuga - References
• Yuga - Sri Yukteswar's teachings on the yugas
• Yuga - Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet's teachings on the yugas
• Yuga - Yugas in Ayyavazhi
• Yuga - References

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The Zen Mountain Monastery is a Zen Buddhist monastery and training center on a 250 acre forested property in the Catskill Mountains in Mount Tremper, New York. It was founded in 1980 by John Daido Loori, Roshi, and serves as the flagship of the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism, also founded by Daido Roshi in 1980. It combines the Rinzai and Soto Zen traditions, in both of which Daido Roshi received Dharma transmission. Besides Daido Roshi, the Zen Mountain Monastery also has two Sensei teachers, Bonnie Myotai Treace and Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, who received Dharma ...

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Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Græco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between the culture of Classical Greece and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 800 years in Central Asia in the area corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE. Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic (and, possibly, conceptual) development of Buddhism, and in particular Mahayana Buddhism, before it was adopted by Central and Northeastern Asia from the 1st century CE, ultima ...

Including:

• Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions
• Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325
• Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE
• Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences
• Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha
• Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana
• Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism
• Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West
• Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Notes

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The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising today's northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion into northern India established the Indo-Greek Kingdom, which was to last until around 10 CE. Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE. The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom was founded by the Seleucid military governor of Bactria Diodotus around ...

Including:

• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

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The usefulness of dividing philosophy into Western philosophy and other philosophies is open to challenge, not the least for speaking down to those other philosophies. To say this is not to deny that there are important traditions in philosophy that are intimately bound up with historical and geographical circumstances. The term Eastern philosophy refers very broadly to the various philosophies of Iran, India, China, and Japan. When one uses the term "philosophy" in an academic context, it typically refers to the philoso ...

Including:

• Eastern philosophy - Philosophical and religious traditions
• Eastern philosophy - Hinduism
• Eastern philosophy - Sufism & Islamic philosophy
• Eastern philosophy - Confucianism
• Eastern philosophy - Taoism
• Eastern philosophy - Legalism
• Eastern philosophy - Buddhism
• Eastern philosophy - Jainism
• Eastern philosophy - Maoism
• Eastern philosophy - Shinto
• Eastern philosophy - Arguments against the Eastern philosophy designation
• Eastern philosophy - The perception of God and the gods
• Eastern philosophy - Gods' relationship with the universe
• Eastern philosophy - The role and nature of the individual
• Eastern philosophy - Syntheses of Eastern and Western philosophy

Read more here: » Eastern philosophy: Encyclopedia - Eastern philosophy

Hinduism (हिन्दू धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma - सनातन धर्म, and Vaidika-Dharma - वैदिक धर्म) is a worldwide religious tradition that is based on the Vedas and is the direct descendant of the Vedic religion. It encompasses many religious traditions that widely vary in practice, as well as many diverse sects and philosophies. An array of deities, all manifestations of the one supreme monistic Ishvara, are venerated. Beliefs, codes and principles vary fr ...

Including:

• Hinduism - Core Concepts
• Hinduism - The Eternal Way
• Hinduism - Basic beliefs
• Hinduism - Practice Yoga Dharma
• Hinduism - The four objectives Of Life
• Hinduism - The four stages of Life
• Hinduism - The four classes of the society
• Hinduism - Nature of God
• Hinduism - Denominations
• Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts
• Hinduism - Shruti
• Hinduism - Bhagavad Gītā
• Hinduism - Smriti
• Hinduism - Origins and society
• Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism
• Hinduism - Etymology
• Hinduism - Vedic religion
• Hinduism - Hindu nationalism
• Hinduism - Temples
• Hinduism - Current geographic distribution
• Hinduism - Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought
• Hinduism - Pūrva Mīmāmsā
• Hinduism - Yoga
• Hinduism - Uttara Mimāmsā: Vedānta and its three main schools
• Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship
• Hinduism - The Bhakti schools
• Hinduism - Tantra
• Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism
• Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows
• Hinduism - Ahimsa non-violence vegetarian diet and the cow
• Hinduism - Hindu symbolism
• Hinduism - Murtis icons
• Hinduism - Sanskrit
• Hinduism - Mantra
• Hinduism - Criticism
• Hinduism - Hinduism
• Hinduism - Related systems and religions

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia - Hinduism

The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddharta Gautama. This makes it one of the oldest religions practiced today. Throughout this period, the religion evolved as it encountered various countries and cultures, adding to its original Indian foundation Hellenistic as well as Central Asian, East Asian, and Southeast Asian cultural elements. In the process, its geographical extent became considerable so as to affect at one time or another most of the Asian continent. ...

Including:

• History of Buddhism - Life of the Buddha
• History of Buddhism - Early Buddhism
• History of Buddhism - 1st Buddhist council 5th c. BCE
• History of Buddhism - 2nd Buddhist council 383 BCE
• History of Buddhism - Ashokan proselytism c. 260 BCE
• History of Buddhism - 3rd Buddhist council c.250 BCE
• History of Buddhism - Hellenistic world
• History of Buddhism - Asian expansion
• History of Buddhism - Sunga persecutions 2nd–1st c.BCE
• History of Buddhism - Greco-Buddhist interaction 2nd c. BCE–1st c. CE
• History of Buddhism - Rise of Mahayana 1st c.BCE–2nd c.CE
• History of Buddhism - Mahayana expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE
• History of Buddhism - India
• History of Buddhism - Central and Northern Asia
• History of Buddhism - South-East Asia
• History of Buddhism - Emergence of the Vajrayana 5th century
• History of Buddhism - Theravada Renaissance 11th century CE—
• History of Buddhism - Expansion of Buddhism to the West
• History of Buddhism - Notes

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Isha Upanishad (IAST īśopaniṣad), also known as the Ishavasya (īśāvāsya) Upanishad, is one of the smaller Upanishads but is probably the most often quoted Upanishad. Ishopanishad - About the Upanishad. Ishopani ...

Including:

• Ishopanishad - About the Upanishad
• Ishopanishad - A Difficult Upanishad
• Ishopanishad - Operational plan for how to live
• Ishopanishad - Two most beautiful verses descriptive of Atman
• Ishopanishad - Stepwise Formula for identification with the Ultimate
• Ishopanishad - A most powerful profile of the Self in all of Upanishads
• Ishopanishad - Verses #s. 9 10 and 11
• Ishopanishad - Seven interpretations as a sample
• Ishopanishad - Practical implications
• Ishopanishad - More Technicalities
• Ishopanishad - Winding up with a universal prayer
• Ishopanishad - Allegory of the Golden Container
• Ishopanishad - The final utterance
• Ishopanishad - Sources

Read more here: » Ishopanishad: Encyclopedia - Ishopanishad

The Indo-Greeks (or sometimes Greco-Indians) designate a series of Greek kings, who invaded and controlled parts of northwest and northern India from 180 BCE to around 10 CE. They were the successors in India of the Greco-Bactrian dynasty of Greek kings (the Euthydemids) founded by the military governor Diodotus around 250 BCE when he established the independence of his Bactrian territory from the Seleucid Empire. During the two centuries of their rule, the Indo-Greek kings combined the Greek and Indian languages and sym ...

Including:

• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Historical outline
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Occupation of Northern India
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Consolidation
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Eastern territories
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Western territories
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - The Indo-Greeks and Indian culture
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - The Indo-Greeks and Buddhism
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - The conversion of Menander
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Buddhist proselytism
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Buddhist symbolism
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Representation of the Buddha
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Incipient Greco-Buddhist art
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - The Indo-Greeks and other faiths
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Hinduism
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Zoroastrianism
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Indo-Greeks in the art of Gandhara
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Scythian and Kushan invasions
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Aftermaths
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Art and religion
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Astronomy
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Military role
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Linguistic legacy
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Influence of Indo-Greek coinage
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Genetic contribution
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Greco-Roman exchanges with India
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Main Indo-Greek kings timeline and territories
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Eastern territories
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Western territories
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Indo-Greek princelets Gandhara
• Indo-Greek Kingdom - Notes

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Gautama Buddha was a spiritual teacher who was born in Lumbini, a place situated in modern Nepal. He spent most of his time in Northern India, approximately 563 BCE to 483 BCE, preaching his knowledge. Born as Siddhartha Gautama (Sanskrit: "descendant of Gautama whose aims are achieved / who achieves aims effectively") he became "the Buddha" after embarking on a quest for spiritual meaning. He is universally recognised by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha (literally Enlightened One or Awakened One) of our age. He is also commonly known as Shakyamuni or Śakyamuni ("sage of the Shakya ...

Including:

• Gautama Buddha - Buddha's life
• Gautama Buddha - Conception and birth
• Gautama Buddha - Marriage
• Gautama Buddha - The Great Departure
• Gautama Buddha - Enlightenment
• Gautama Buddha - The Great Passing
• Gautama Buddha - Personality and character
• Gautama Buddha - Physical characteristics
• Gautama Buddha - Teachings
• Gautama Buddha - The Buddha in other religions
• Gautama Buddha - Hinduism
• Gautama Buddha - Islam
• Gautama Buddha - Christianity

Read more here: » Gautama Buddha: Encyclopedia - Gautama Buddha

Bodhidharma (Sanskrit: बोधिधर्म Chinese 菩提達摩, pinyin Pútídámó or simply Dámó; Wade-Giles Tamo; Japanese ダルマ, Daruma, Vietnamese: Bồ-đề-đạt-ma, Korean: 보리달마, bo-ri-dal-ma), also known as the Tripitaka Dharma Master, was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk. Bodhidharma is traditionally held in Shaolin mythology to be the founder of the Chan school of Buddhism (known in Japan and the West as Zen), and the Shaolin school of Chinese martial arts ...

Including:

• Bodhidharma - Biography
• Bodhidharma - Biographical details from the Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang 547 by Yang Xuanzhi
• Bodhidharma - Biographical details from the Biography of Bodhidharma by Tanlin
• Bodhidharma - Biographical details from the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks 645 by Daoxuan
• Bodhidharma - Biographical details from the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall 952
• Bodhidharma - Spiritual approach
• Bodhidharma - Portrayals of Bodhidharma
• Bodhidharma - Legends
• Bodhidharma - Encounter with Emperor Liang
• Bodhidharma - Nine years of gazing at a wall
• Bodhidharma - Bringing tea to China
• Bodhidharma - Daruma dolls
• Bodhidharma - Bodhidharma and Huike
• Bodhidharma - The lineage of Bodhidharma and his disciples
• Bodhidharma - Works attributed to Bodhidharma

Read more here: » Bodhidharma: Encyclopedia - Bodhidharma

Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: Aśoka) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as Mysore. An early supporter of Buddhism, Ashoka established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, and according to Buddhist tradition was closely involved in t ...

Including:

• Ashoka - Historical sources
• Ashoka - Early life
• Ashoka - Rise to power
• Ashoka - Conversion to Buddhism
• Ashoka - Death and legacy
• Ashoka - Ashoka and Buddhist Kingship
• Ashoka - Ashoka in popular culture
• Ashoka - Sources

Read more here: » Ashoka: Encyclopedia - Ashoka