#bodhisattva vow

[plateauofmemories]

What I'm absorbing from NHK playing on the TV on the other side of the room: ...and they clean these statues of the bodhisattva Jeezo, a protector of children, and one who tries to alleviate the suffering of people by taking it in himself.

Me, culturally Christian, lying in agony and unable to move closer/look at the screen to get a better handle on what's being shown: ...you've got to be kidding me. You're making this up.

[buddhismnow]

Part 4 Zazenshin: Acupuncture Needle of Zazen, by Shohaku Okumura

Formless Samadhi in the Diamond Sutra. Part 4 Zazenshin: Acupuncture Needle of Zazen, by Shohaku Okumura https://wp.me/pFy3u-2rj

Formless Samadhi in the Diamond Sutra This idea of formless samadhi came, I think, out of the Diamond Sutra. The Diamond Sutra is one of the Prajnaparamita Sutras. The Prajnaparamita is a collection; it is not just one sutra, and the Diamond Sutra, or Kongo Hannya Kyo, is one of the oldest from India in Mahayana Buddhism. This translation is by Red Pine. Because The Diamond Sutra is a very…

[yimingpurelandacademycenter]

Practice is to get rid of habitual patterns Practice is actually to eradicate karma, so patriarchs and great masters put it simple: Practice is nothing but eradicating habitual patterns and karma. Habitual pattern is karma. If your habitual patterns diminish, you succeed. Without habitual pattern, you are a great master. The Bodhisattva vows are endless and completely selfless, and therefore are not karma - just benefit sentient beings without greed, hatred, ignorance, doubt and arrogance. This is where we should work hard.

[humanfist]

Master, until now I have lived an unexamined life. Going to temple every day, meditating, taking the drugs, doing the dances. But I longed for something more. In an old library, I found a book which claimed the ancients knew of a state known as samsara, and of a mystery called the Self. That those who master these mysteries gain strange powers. Using the technique of Greed, they can attain such perfect willpower that they can work eighty hour weeks for abusive bosses without quitting. Using the technique of Lust, they can reach such perfect focus that all their thoughts for months revolve around the same person.

Samsara

[megyulmi]

Why Yuuji’s domain is a manifestation of his desire to save Megumi:

The hand symbol he used to open his domain is similar to the Mudra associated with Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, who is known as Bodhisattva Jizō (地蔵) in Japanese Buddhism.

In the common Japanese tradition, Bodhisattva Jizō is portrayed as the protector of the souls of children, who are condemned to stack piles of stones vainly on the banks of the Sanzu River (a mythological river in Japanese Buddhist tradition that one must cross to reach the afterlife), as these towers are repeatedly toppled. The legend has various versions. In one of the versions, the oni (demons) wreck the stone piles and torment the children, and the children seek haven with Bodhisattva Jizō who hides them inside his garment and comforts them. In another version, when the children pile stones at the 'Children’s Riverbed Hell', winds and flames are the agents knocking down the stone tower, and the flames reduce the children into cremated bones, to be revived back to whole by Bodhisattva Jizō.

It would not be an exaggeration to draw a comparison between the legend and the dynamic between Yuuji, Megumi and Sukuna: Megumi is one of those children at the riverbank, subjected to endless torment; Sukuna is the demon, the source of his torment; and Yuuji is the Bodhisattva, who has vowed to free those children from their torment, even at the cost of his own liberation (i.e. achieving Buddhahood).

We know that Domain Expansion is achieved by expanding one’s innate domain with cursed energy while using a barrier to construct it inside a separate space and that innate domain reflects one’s mind and soul. Saving Megumi has been Yuuji’s sole driving force, therefore it would not be an exaggeration either to assume that how he manifested his domain (i.e. the hand symbol for expanding it) is a reflection of his desire to save Megumi.

[quitealotofsodapop]

So technically, buddhist monks are not supposed to marry or have romantic or sexual relationships. Normally, the fact Wukong has a mate and is traveling with him while he is acting as a pilgrim under the tutelage of a buddhist monk would automatically disqualify him from enlightenment and break his oaths...

Luckily for him, Macaque is a master at loopholes, and Wukong never actually swore to become Buddhist, merely that he'd protect and learn from one. It also helps that his Master fully supported the relationship, Tripitaka had never thought he'd see his mot troubling pilgrim so happy and affectionate even after all those years and meeting his family on FFM

Tbf the Gautama Buddha was married (Yaśodharā) and had son (Rahula). He straight up abandoned them shortly after his son was born in his quest for enlightenment. His wife became a female arhat but never forgave him for abandoning her and their child.

Wukong having his Egg, and having a partner who abandoned him, accidentally makes him a mirror to the Buddha's wife. Except unlike the Enlightened One; Macaque came back and stayed.

Wukong technically not promising to be a monk is hilarious to me, since while he might not be a "true" buddha - he'd be considered a Bodhisattva/Demi-God like dear mama Guanyin. The "Victorious Fighting Bodhisattva" if you will.

Also him, Bajie, Wujing, and Ao Lie frequently break Buddhist no-nos throughout the book. There's a scene during the Dr Sun Wukong chapter where the Tripitaka straight up tells his diciples to get drunk in his place.

Also dont tell me that Bajie wouldn't put up a fight over the rules about not eating onions or garlic (apparently monks arent allowed cus it "produces hormones" aka makes you flirty). He'd pout harder over onions more than meat.

Macaque would straight up refuse any buddhist titles if offered at the end of the Journey. Get that out of his face. He's just Macaque. He learned his lesson back when he tried calling himself "Great Sage Informing Wind". I love the thought of him pulling out reciepts in case anyone tries arguing that Wukong is breaking buddhist vows.

Tripitaka is a poor celibate monk/divine-bug dealing with a pair of diciples in permanent honeymoon-mode for the next 14-17 years. And he thought dealing with Bajie's lustful nature was bad enough, now he has to deal with the Pig's drunken, envious wails for his own spouse to come smooch him.

But the Great Monk ultimately approves of Wukong's relationship with Macaque. Not only because it keeps the monkey calm and gives him and extra bodyguard, but because Wukong is genuinely happy with his mate. The Wukong of now - cuddling and feeding his mate fruits - is a far cry from the tiger-crushing beast that greated Tripitaka at the mountain.

Now if Tripitaka could find a polite way of telling the monkeys to please stop kissing while the monk tries to meditate?

[crazyfox-archives]

"Portrait of Empress Kōmyō" (光明皇后像) by Kobori Tomoto (小堀鞆音), 1920's, illustrating the scene in which the Empress (701-760) administers a medicinal bath to a leper (actually a divine bodhisattva in disguise) according to her vow at the temple bathhouse she established.

"Retrato de la emperatriz Kōmyō" (光明皇后像) de Kobori Tomoto (小堀鞆音), años 20, que ilustra la escena en la que la emperatriz (701-760) administra un baño medicinal a un leproso (en realidad un bodhisattva divino disfrazado) según su voto en la casa de baños del templo que ella estableció

Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk from the collection of Hokkeji Temple (法華寺) in Nara

Image from "Amamonzeki: A Hidden Heritage: Treasures of the Japanese Imperial Convents" published by the Sankei Shimbun, 2009, page 52

[talonabraxas]

The Thousand-Armed Avalokiteśvara Talon Abraxas

Oṃ Mani Padme Hūṃ / Om Mani Padme Hum

Avalokiteshvara (or Avalokiteśvara) is a Bodhisattva who represents compassion, and his mantra also symbolizes that quality. Avalokiteshvara means “The Lord Who Looks Down (in compassion)”.

There are various forms of Avalokiteśvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan). The four-armed form is shown here. There is also a 1000-armed form — the many arms symbolizing compassion in action. And in the far east, Avalokiteshvara turned into the female Bodhisattva, Kuan Yin.

Avalokiteśvara Mantra Meaning

Oṃ, as I’ve explained elsewhere, has only a mystical meaning — suggesting primordial reality, or the potential for enlightenment that pervades the universe.

Mani means jewel.

adma means lotus (why the form in the mantra is “padme” is explained below).

Huṃ, like Oṃ, has no conceptual meaning.

Both jewels and lotuses are important symbolic elements in Buddhism.

Jewels represent what is most precious, so that Buddhists worship not just the Buddha, but the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, or the teachings, and Sangha, or spiritual community). and jewels were considered indestructible, which made them an excellent symbol for eternal truths.

The lotus represents purity, in terms of how the enlightened mind is untouched by the negativity of the world. Just as the lotus can exist in muddy water without being soiled, so an enlightened being can exist in an impure world without becoming contaminated by its greed, hatred, or delusion.

The mantra is often “translated” as “Hail to the jewel in the lotus” but the Sanskrit simply can’t mean that.

The central element, manipadme, seems to be a name, Manipadma (“The Jewel Lotus One”) with the -e ending signifying the vocative case, meaning that Manipadma — is being invoked (“O Jewel Lotus One”).

But if this is the case, then according to the rules of classical Sanskrit, then Manipadma would have to be a feminine figure. And Avalokiteśvara is male.

However, if the mantra was originally in a non-Sanskrit language with different grammatical rules, and the vocative -e ending was applicable in that language to a masculine figure, then Manipadma would simply be another name for Avalokiteshvara.

The mantra of Avalokitesvara would then mean “Oṃ, O Jewel Lotus One, Hūṃ” — the “Jewel Lotus One” being an alternative name for Avalokitesvara himself.

The Thousand-Armed Avalokiteśvara

This multi-limbed approach was taken to another level in the thousand-armed and eleven-headed form of Avalokiteshvara. According to legend, Avalokiteshvara made a vow, in the presence of the Buddha Amitabha, to manifest in all the realms of existence in order to save all sentient beings. He also vowed that if he were to lose his compassion for even a moment, that he would shatter into a thousand pieces.

At one time, having worked tirelessly for the welfare of beings, Avalokiteshvara, at Amitabha’s prompting, looked back and saw that there were still uncountable beings suffering in samsara. At that point he became discourage, fainted, and shattered into a thousand pieces. Amitabha gathered up the pieces and reassembled them into a form with thousand arms and eleven heads.

The eleven heads symbolize the eleven directions of space, suggesting that Avalokiteshvara’s compassionate gaze is infinite in scope. Each of the thousand hands, which are arrayed like an aura around the standing figure of Avalokiteshvara, has an eye in the center of the palm, suggesting that his beneficial activities are informed by transcendental wisdom. Many of the hands bear implements, suggesting the skilful means that Avalokiteshvara employs in saving sentient beings from the sufferings of samsara.

Although he is associated with compassion, Avalokiteshvara is, like all Bodhisattvas, symbolic of wisdom as well. He is connected with the Heart Sutra in particular, and that text is in fact a teaching he gave on the topic of emptiness (shunyata) to Shariputra. He is also associated with the Lotus Sutra.

Avalokiteshvara is the spiritual father of Tara, who is said to have been born from a lotus that grew in a lake formed by the tears he shed as he gazed in compassion at the infinite sufferings of the world.

[yells-of-the-not-so-danged]

Does anyone want to talk about loki's end in Defenders Beyond?

So, Loki's end goal, other than setting up pieces for the Defenders to figure out in their story, was walking out of the story; to (presumably) slip out of the writer's hand and pen her own narrative (if possible). But the other Defenders were all," No! Don't leave!"

(and honestly i don't blame em' bc the first read through it did kinda feel suicide-y, but i was also high on "YOOOO AOA GOD OF STORIES LOKI IS STILL AROUND!!" endorphins, so i wasn't paying enough attention to the text.)

And Blue Marvel is all," Why not go the bodhisattva vow route, where you refuse to reach this higher plane until all can." and Loki's like," Nah.... ok Yah." and so that's the loki plot line now.

SO. How on EARTH do you think that's gonna happen???!? How is loki going to help everyone, and I quote:

"Leave the story forever-- make [their] own way."

My best guess is Loki's going to end the real life business known as Marvel Comics.

[ryin-silverfish]

What are monks and what do they do?

are they religious leaders like priest or are they schoolers or something else?

How did someone become a monk in ancient times? Was it a boys only position? Could just anybody become a monk or did you have to do something or be something to qualify?

By monk, I assume you mean "Buddhist monks"?

Well, they are members of the Sangha, one of the "Three Jewels" (三宝) of Buddhism, which consists of the Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist Teachings), and the Monastic Community.

(Once again, I can only talk about Mahayana Buddhist monks in imperial China. If you want more info, I recommend talking to an actual Buddhist.)

Usually, when we say "monk" (僧/和尚), we don't just mean "adherents of the Buddhist religion", since you can offer incense at a temple, copy sutras, or have a statue of Bodhisattva Guan Yin on your private altar without becoming a monk.

These are people who 1) have gone through the relevant ordination rites and swear to abide by a set of religious vows, and 2) are part of a monastic community.

In other words, they are "cloistered" (出家人), leaving their home to learn and practice their religion in a temple, as opposed to lay practitioners (在家人) who carry out their religious activities in daily life.

And no, it's not a boy-only position——there are plenty of Buddhist nuns (比丘尼/尼姑) too.

Officially, to become a monk, you need to leave your worldly life behind. Which means, if your parents are still alive, you need to get their permission, if you are a court official, you need to quit your job, and if you are married, well, you cannot remain married.

Also, living in a monastic community means you were no longer considered viable for conscripted labor or taxation, and temples owned private lands, the increase of which could, well, depriving the imperial court of available land.

(This is one main motivation for historical prosecutions of Buddhism by certain emperors: the seizing of temple property + returning the monks and nuns back into the taxable population.)

As such, the imperial court tended to keep a firm control on the number of monks and the size of the temple. Basically, you need an official permit (度牒) from the state too, given out to each temple by the officials, and the monks didn't have the authority to make you one of their own in private.

Those who have committed one of the five grave crimes——killing their father, killing their mother, killing an arhat, destroying the unity of the monastic community, and "wounding the Buddha"——cannot become a monk either.

The most visible change one must make is shaving their head, like, entirely bald.

Those above the age of 7 but under 20 can become monks-in-training, called 沙弥/沙弥尼, but not formal member of the clergy because they are still considered too young to endure the physical and mental hardships.

(Similarly, adults who seek to become a formal monk must also pass through this training stage first.)

An aspiring monk, after receiving his permit, must first find a respectable monk, answer a series of questions that assess his fitness for monastic life, pay his respect to the Buddha and the monks of the temple he's joining, then becomes the disciple of one of those monks.

One monk will shave his head and bath him, while his master clothes him in his monk robes. Then, on the next day, he will receive his ordinations inside a temple hall, in front of the entire community, where he recites the monastic percepts (read: rules a monk must follow) and agrees to abide by them.

At this point, he has become a monk-in-training, which is a prerequiste stage for formal monk ordination, 比丘戒.

Usually, the latter ceremony is carried out at an actual altar, and the candidate must have already bought the "six necessasities" of monkhood ——three sets of robes, almsbowl, sitting cushion, and water container.

In Chinese Buddhism post-Yuan dynasty, the ordination rites may also include using burning incense sticks to leave a bunch of little marks (usually 12) onto one's head.

(Source: 《中国古代僧人生活》)

[rastronomicals]

3:15 PM EDT October 5, 2023:

Beastie Boys - "Bodhisattva Vow" From the album Ill Communication (May 31, 1994)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under: live instrument hip hop

[radical-revolution]

The bodhisattva vow acknowledges confusion and chaos — aggression, passion, frustration, frivolousness — as part of the path. The path is like a busy, broad highway, complete with roadblocks, accidents, construction work, and police. It is quite terrifying. Nevertheless it is majestic, it is the great path.

“From today onward until the attainment of enlightenment I am willing to live with my chaos and confusion as well as with that of all other sentient beings. I am willing to share our mutual confusion.”

So no one is playing a one-upmanship game. The bodhisattva is a very humble pilgrim who works in the soil of samsara to dig out the jewel embedded in it.

~ Chögyam Trungpa

[journeytothewestresearch]

Is the White Dragon Horse Buddhist?

I was recently contacted by a reader on my main external blog. Part of their question asked:

I heard on the Fifth Monkey [@jttwaudiodrama] production notes for Part 8 that the White Dragon Horse wasn’t really converted to Buddhism and thus never “left his family” and obligations. Would this make him eligible for marriage...?

My answer:

There is some inconsistency in the White Dragon Horse’s story. I can’t recall him officially taking vows during the journey, but the Buddha states in chapter 100 that he had (at some point):

Then he [the Buddha] said to the white horse, “You were originally the prince of Dragon King Guangjin of the Western Ocean. Because you disobeyed your father’s command and committed the crime of unfiliality, you were to be executed. Fortunately you made submission to the Law and accepted our vows ... (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 382). 又叫那白馬：「汝本是西洋大海廣晉龍王之子，因汝違逆父命，犯了不孝之罪。幸得皈身皈法，皈我沙門 ...

He is then elevated in rank to become an Aṣṭasenā, a group of eight celestial beings said to be "in attendance when the Buddha speaks the Mahayana sutras" (Buswell & Lopez, 2014, p. 74). The Buddha continues:

... Because you carried the sage monk daily on your back during his journey to the West and because you also took the holy scriptures back to the East, you too have made merit. I hereby grant you promotion and appoint you one of the dragon[ horses] belonging to the Eight Classes of Supernatural Beings (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 382). ... 每日家虧你馱負聖僧來西，又虧你馱負聖經去東，亦有功者，加陞汝職正果，為八部天龍馬。」

After transforming back into a dragon, he takes his place atop a Huabiao pillar in paradise:

The elder, his three disciples, and the horse all kowtowed to thank the Buddha, who ordered some of the guardians to take the horse to the Dragon-Transforming Pool at the back of the Spirit Mountain. After being pushed into the pool, the horse stretched himself, and in a little while he shed his coat, horns began to grow on his head, golden scales appeared all over his body, and silver whiskers emerged on his cheeks. His whole body shrouded in auspicious air and his four paws wrapped in hallowed clouds, he soared out of the pool and circled inside the monastery gate, on top of one of the Pillars that Support Heaven (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 382). 長老四眾，俱各叩頭謝恩。馬亦謝恩訖。仍命揭諦引了馬，下靈山後崖化龍池邊，將馬推入池中。須臾間，那馬打個展身，即退了毛皮，換了頭角，渾身上長起金鱗，腮頷下生出銀鬚，一身瑞氣，四爪祥雲，飛出化龍池，盤繞在山門裡擎天華表柱上。

A huabiao pillar in Xinghai Square, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China. Via Wikipedia.

A detail of the huabiao dragon finial. Via Wikipedia.

And lastly, JTTW refers to him as a bodhisattva:

I submit to the Bodhisattva of Vast Strength, the Heavenly Dragon of Eight Divisions of Supernatural Beings (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 4, p. 385). 南無八部天龍廣力菩薩。

So given this info, I don’t think he would be involved in a relationship.

Sources:

Buswell, R. E. , & Lopez, D. S. (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press.

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

[vren-diagram]

I consider certain high quality bloggers who still roam and ramble around tumblr.gov to have taken a sort of bodhisattva vow

[oroniel]

Galadriel's green dress and Green Tara imagery

I've always been struck by the strong resemblance between Galadriel's season 1 green dress and the iconography of Green Tara in the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism. I would be surprised if this wasn't an actual inspiration for this costume. I've seen many posts looking at Western art as a source for costumes in Rings of Power, and in many of those instances, the link is direct - the costume is clearly lifted from a particular painting. But I haven't seen any that identify an origin for this dress. Both the color of the dress and the arrangement of the jewels - including the beading at the neck and cuffs and the diagonal swath of beads across the torso - strongly evoke the imagery of Green Tara.

Green Tara is one 21 manifestations of the Bodhisattva Tara, who is associated with compassion. These manifestations range from fully peaceful to fully wrathful. All of the Taras, regardless of aspect, are benevolent, even when their wrathful aspects may initially appear frightening.

Green Tara is towards the more peaceful end of the spectrum, but her color and her half-extended leg indicate that she is isn't fully settled into a peaceful persona. Her third eye of wisdom is not yet open. This is symbolically fitting for Galadriel, who demonstrates both peaceful and wrathful aspects across the course of Tolkien's writings and the show, but who is obviously still in a more wrathful state when we meet her in Rings of Power. We know that she will eventually project those more peaceful aspects most strongly after she founds Lothlorien. White Tara is the final and fully peaceful emanation of Tara, with not only an open third eye, but also eyes on her palms and soles. This corresponds to Galadriel's traditional Third Age representation as a being clad in white, but it also evokes her mirror and her mastery of Nenya as a means of seeing beyond the capabilities of an ordinary being. The Taras are often also depicted with a mirror, as in this image.

It's fitting that this is the dress that Galadriel was wearing when she confronted Halbrand and finally saw the truth of his identity. Much of Buddhist practice is concerned with perceiving and dispelling ignorance and illusion, and recognizing the negative effects of attachment. It is while wearing this dress, too, that Galadriel finally relinquishes her brother's dagger - an item that represents her attachment to a quest that ultimately further entangled her in fear, delusion, and suffering.

Given Galadriel's refusal to return to Valinor and her second season references to sticking around Middle Earth to try to prevent suffering, her bodhisattva undertones are even more striking. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who vow to remain within Samsara (the Wheel of Rebirth, the imperfect and illusion-filled world), despite the option to enter nirvana, in order to prevent suffering and assist others in reaching enlightenment. Her conversation with Elrond in S2.04, in which she talks about defending the weak as the duty of all elves, is a strong evocation of bodhicitta, the state of infinite compassion for all suffering beings. Her statement that she must fight Sauron to prevent further suffering is a clear statement of this conviction.

Obviously there are substantial differences between Buddhist and Tolkienien conceptualizations of suffering, and I'm not suggesting that any of this correlation has roots in Tolkien (although it may be present for the people involved in the show), but Galadriel is in many ways on a journey to overcome illusion, fear, ignorance, and attachment, and reach some state of enlightenment, so that she can better achieve her goal of preventing further suffering for the beings of Middle Earth.

There are some additional striking similarities between some of the other Eregion costuming and Vajrayana Buddhist iconography, which I may elaborate on later. But I just really enjoy thinking about Galadriel's journey as a bodhisattva's journey - and the more so because in Buddhism this is a path that is open to any being who seeks it, no matter where they start (Sauron, take note!)

[mahayanapilgrim]

Thirty-five Confession Buddhas are a common subject depicted in Himalayan Buddhist paintings. There are different iconographic systems for depicting the Thirty-five buddhas. The thangka is system of Shakya Pandita where the 35 Buddhas are depicted with hand gestures only.

The thirty-five buddhas are special confession buddhas.

While they were still bodhisattvas, that made special vows to assist other beings to overcome their negativities. The practice of 35 Confessional Buddhas is one of the best methods to purify our negative karma and can lead to attainments on the path towards enlightenment. Thirty-five Confession Buddhas are a representation of the purification of Bodhisattva aspiration and moral code of Mahayana Buddhism. These Buddha are the source of purification and we must completely believe in them and take refuge in them to develop Bodhichitta. Everything can be overcome by sincerely reciting the confession prayer and imagining that the Thirty-five Buddhas and all the buddhas of ten directions are really there. It should be done with total faith, devotion, remorse, humility and conviction in wanting to overcome.