There are 19 total results for your The Meaning of Life search.
| Characters | Pronunciation Romanization |
Simple Dictionary Definition |
四諦 四谛 see styles |
sì dì si4 di4 ssu ti shitai したい |
More info & calligraphy: Four Noble Truths (Buddhism){Buddh} (See 苦集滅道) The Four Noble Truths catvāri-ārya-satyāni; 四聖諦; 四眞諦. The four dogmas, or noble truths, the primary and fundamental doctrines of Śākyamuni, said to approximate to the form of medical diagnosis. They are pain or 'suffering, its cause, its ending, the way thereto; that existence is suffering, that human passion (taṇhā, 欲 desire) is the cause of continued suffering, that by the destruction of human passion existence may be brought to an end; that by a life of holiness the destruction of human passion may be attained'. Childers. The four are 苦, 聚 (or 集), 滅, and 道諦, i. e. duḥkha 豆佉, samudaya 三牟提耶, nirodha 尼棲陀, and mārga 末加. Eitel interprets them (1) 'that 'misery' is a necessary attribute of sentient existence'; (2) that 'the 'accumulation' of misery is caused by the passions'; (3) that 'the 'extinction' of passion is possible; (4) mārga is 'the doctrine of the 'path' that leads to the extinction of passion'. (1) 苦 suffering is the lot of the 六趣 six states of existence; (2) 集 is the aggregation (or exacerbation) of suffering by reason of the passions; (3) 滅 is nirvana, the extinction of desire and its consequences, and the leaving of the sufferings of mortality as void and extinct; (4) 道 is the way of such extinction, i. e. the 八正道 eightfold correct way. The first two are considered to be related to this life, the last two to 出世間 a life outside or apart from the world. The four are described as the fundamental doctrines first preached to his five former ascetic companions. Those who accepted these truths were in the stage of śrāvaka. There is much dispute as to the meaning of 滅 'extinction' as to whether it means extinction of suffering, of passion, or of existence. The Nirvana Sutra 18 says that whoever accepts the four dogmas will put an end to births and deaths 若能見四諦則得斷生死 which does not of necessity mean the termination of existence but that of continued transmigration. v. 滅. |
如來 如来 see styles |
rú lái ru2 lai2 ju lai nyorai にょらい |
More info & calligraphy: Tathagata(out-dated kanji) Tathagata; perfected one (suffix of high-ranking Buddhist deities) tathāgata, 多陀阿伽陀 q. v.; 怛他揭多 defined as he who comes as do all other Buddhas; or as he who took the 眞如 zhenru or absolute way of cause and effect, and attained to perfect wisdom; or as the absolute come; one of the highest titles of a Buddha. It is the Buddha in his nirmāṇakāya, i. e. his 'transformation' or corporeal manifestation descended on earth. The two kinds of Tathāgata are (1) 在纏 the Tathāgata in bonds, i. e. limited and subject to the delusions and sufferings of life, and (2) 出纏 unlimited and free from them. There are numerous sutras and śāstras bearing this title of 如來 rulai. |
觀世音 观世音 see styles |
guān shì yīn guan1 shi4 yin1 kuan shih yin Kanzeon かんぜおん |
More info & calligraphy: Guan Shi Yin: Protector Of Life(out-dated kanji) Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva); Avalokitesvara; Kannon; Kwannon; Guanyin; Buddhist deity of compassion Regarder of the world's sounds, or cries, the so-called Goddess of Mercy; also known as 觀音; 觀世音善薩; 觀自在 (觀世自在); 觀尹; 光世音 (the last being the older form). Avalokiteśvara, v. 阿 8. Originally represented as a male, the images are now generally those of a female figure. The meaning of the term is in doubt; it is intp. as above, but the term 觀自在 (觀世自在) accords with the idea of Sovereign Regarder and is not associated with sounds or cries. Guanyin is one of the triad of Amida, is represented on his left, and is also represented as crowned with Amida; but there are as many as thirty-three different forms of Guanyin, sometimes with a bird, a vase, a willow wand, a pearl, a 'thousand' eyes and hands, etc., and, when as bestower of children, carrying a child. The island of Putuo (Potala) is the chief centre of Guanyin worship, where she is the protector of all in distress, especially of those who go to sea. There are many sūtras, etc., devoted to the cult, but its provenance and the date of its introduction to China are still in doubt. Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sūtra is devoted to Guanyin, and is the principal scripture of the cult; its date is uncertain. Guanyin is sometimes confounded with Amitābha and Maitreya. She is said to be the daughter of king Śubhavyūha 妙莊王, who had her killed by 'stifling because the sword of the executioner broke without hurting her. Her spirit went to hell; but hell changed into paradise. Yama sent her back to life to save his hell, when she was miraculously transported on a Lotus flower to the island of Poo-too'. Eitel. |
二教 see styles |
èr jiào er4 jiao4 erh chiao nikyō |
Dual division of the Buddha's teaching. There are various definitions: (1) Tiantai has (a) 顯教 exoteric or public teaching to the visible audience, and (b) 密教 at the same time esoteric teaching to an audience invisible to the other assembly. (2) The 眞言 Shingon School by "exoteric" means all the Buddha's preaching, save that of the 大日經 which it counts esoteric. (3) (a) 漸教 and (b) 頓教 graduated and immediate teaching, terms with various uses, e.g. salvation by works Hīnayāna, and by faith, Mahāyāna, etc.; they are applied to the Buddha's method, to the receptivity of hearers and to the teaching itself. (4) Tiantai has (a) 界内教 and (b) 界外教 teachings relating to the 三界 or realms of mortality and teachings relating to immortal realms. (5) (a) 半字教 and (b) 滿字教 Terms used in the Nirvāṇa sūtra, meaning incomplete word, or letter, teaching and complete word teaching, i.e. partial and complete, likened to Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna. (6) (a) 捃收教 and (b) 扶律談常教 of the Nirvāṇa sūtra, (a) completing those who failed to hear the Lotus; (b) "supporting the law, while discoursing on immortality," i.e. that the keeping of the law is also necessary to salvation. (7) Tiantai's division of (a) 偏教 and (b) 圓教 the partial teaching of the 藏, 通, and schools as contrasted with the perfect teaching of the 圓 school. (8) Tiantai's division of (a) 構教 and (6) 實教 temporary and permanent, similar to the last two. (9) (a) 世間教 The ordinary teaching of a moral life here; (b) 出世間教 the teaching of Buddha-truth of other-worldly happiness in escape from mortality. (10) (a) 了義教 the Mahāyāna perfect or complete teaching, and (b) 不了義教 Hīnayāna incompleteness. (11) The Huayan division of (a) 屈曲教 indirect or uneven teaching as in the Lotus and Nirvāṇa sūtras, and (b) 平道教 direct or levelled up teaching as in the Huayan sūtra. (12) The Huayan division of (a) 化教 all the Buddha's teaching for conversion and general instruction, and (b) 制教 his rules and commandments for the control and development of his order. |
利人 see styles |
lì rén li4 ren2 li jen rihito りひと |
(given name) Rihito To benefit or profit men, idem利他 parahita; the bodhisattva-mind is 自利利他 to improve oneself for the purpose of improving or benefiting others; the Buddha-mind is 利他一心 with single mind to help others, pure altruism; 利生 is the extension of this idea to 衆生 all the living, which of course is not limited to men or this earthly life; 利物 is also used with the same meaning, 物 being the living. |
四法 see styles |
sì fǎ si4 fa3 ssu fa shihō |
There are several groups of four dharma: (1) 教法 the teaching of the Buddha); 理法 its principles, or meaning; 行法 its practice; 果法 its fruits or rewards. (2) Another group relates to bodhisattvas, their never losing the bodhi-mind, or the wisdom attained, or perseverance in progress, or the monastic forest life (āraṇyaka). (3) Also 信解行證 faith, discernment, performance, and assurance. (4) The Pure-land 'True' sect of Japan has a division: 教法, i. e. the 大無量壽經; 行法 the practice of the seventeenth of Amitābha's vows; 信法 faith in the eighteenth; and 證法 proof of the eleventh. The most important work of Shinran, the founder of the sect, is these four, i. e. 教行信證. (5) A 'Lotus ' division of 四法 is the answer to a question of Puxian (Samantabhadra) how the Lotus is to be possessed after the Buddha's demise, i. e. by thought (or protection) of the Buddhas; the cultivation of virtue; entry into correct dhyāna; and having a mind to save all creatures. |
境地 see styles |
jìng dì jing4 di4 ching ti sakaichi さかいち |
circumstances (1) state (of mind); mental state; emotional condition; (2) field (of activity); (3) one's lot; circumstance; situation in life; (4) (orig. meaning) place; region; area; land; (surname) Sakaichi condition |
涅槃 see styles |
niè pán nie4 pan2 nieh p`an nieh pan nehan ねはん |
(Buddhism) to achieve nirvana (extinction of desire and pain); to die (loanword from Sanskrit, abbr. for 涅槃那[nie4pan2na4]) (1) {Buddh} nirvana; supreme enlightenment; (2) {Buddh} death; death of Buddha nirvāṇa, 'blown out, gone out, put out, extinguished'; 'liberated-from existence'; 'dead, deceased, defunct.' 'Liberation, eternal bliss'; '(with Buddhists and Jainas) absolute extinction or annihilation, complete extinction of individual existence.' M.W. Other forms are 涅槃那; 泥日; 泥洹; 泥畔 Originally translated 滅 to extinguish, extinction, put out (as a lamp or fire), it was also described as 解脫 release, 寂滅 tranquil extinction; 無爲 inaction, without effort, passiveness; 不生 no (re)birth; 安樂 calm joy; 滅度transmigration to 'extinction'. The meaning given to 'extinction' varies, e.g. individual extinction; cessation of rebirth; annihilation of passion; extinction of all misery and entry into bliss. While the meaning of individual extinction is not without advocates, the general acceptation is the extinction or end of all return to reincarnation with its concomitant suffering, and the entry into bliss. Nirvāṇa may be enjoyed in the present life as an attainable state, with entry into parinirvāṇa, or perfect bliss to follow. It may be (a) with a 'remainder', i.e. the cause but not all the effect (karma), of reincarnation having been destroyed; (b) without 'remainder', both cause and effect having been extinguished. The answer of the Buddha as to the continued personal existence of the Tathāgata in nirvāṇa is, in the Hīnayāna canon, relegated 'to the sphere of the indeterminates' (Keith), as one of the questions which are not essential to salvation. One argument is that flame when blown out does not perish but returns to the totality of Fire. The Nirvāṇa Sutra claims for nirvāṇa the ancient ideas of 常樂我淨 permanence, bliss, personality purity in the transcendental realm. Mahāyāna declares that Hīnayāna by denying personality in the transcendental realm denies the existence of the Buddha. In Mahāyāna final nirvāṇa is transcendental, and is also used as a term for the absolute. The place where the Buddha entered his earthly nirvāṇa is given as Kuśinagara, cf. 拘. |
緣覺 缘觉 see styles |
yuán jué yuan2 jue2 yüan chüeh engaku |
pratyekabuddha 辟支佛; 辟支迦佛; 鉢剌翳伽陀 (鉢剌翳伽佛陀) In the early translations it was rendered 緣覺, i.e. enlightened through reasoning on the riddle of life, especially as defined in the twelve nidānas. Later it was rendered 獨覺 or individual enlightenment, i.e. one who lives apart from others and attains enlightenment alone, or for himself, in contrast with the altruism of the bodhisattva principle. The term pratyekabuddha is not limited to Buddhists, but is also general for recluses pondering alone over the meaning of life, an illustration being the rhinoceros, which lives in isolation. The non-Buddhist enlightenment is illusion, e.g. from observing the 'flying flowers and falling leaves'; the Buddhist enlightenment arises from pondering over the twelve nidānas. As a degree of saintship it is undefined by early Buddhism, receiving its definition at a later period. |
起居 see styles |
qǐ jū qi3 ju1 ch`i chü chi chü kikyo ききょ |
everyday life; regular pattern of life (n,vs,vi) (1) one's daily life; (2) condition; well-being; state of one's health; (3) (orig. meaning) standing and sitting; movements |
退居 see styles |
taikyo たいきょ |
(noun/participle) (1) retirement from active life; (noun/participle) (2) (recent meaning) moving out of accommodation; finding a new residence |
鶯遷 see styles |
ousen / osen おうせん |
(1) (orig. meaning) (See 鶯谷・おうこく・1) warbler flying from a valley to a tree; (2) (See 鶯谷・おうこく・3) finding success in life; (3) (See 進士・しんし・1) passing the palace examination |
般涅槃 see styles |
bān niè pán ban1 nie4 pan2 pan nieh p`an pan nieh pan hatsunehan はつねはん |
{Buddh} parinirvana; final release from the cycle of karma and rebirth (般涅槃那) parinirvāṇa; 'quite extinguished, quite brought to an end; the final extinction of the individual.' M. W. The death of the Buddha. Nirvana may be attained in this life, parinirvāṇa after it; for the meaning of 'extinction' v. 涅槃. It may also correspond to the suppression of all mental activity. It is also the second of the three grades of nirvana, parinirvāṇa, and mahānirvāṇa, which are later developments and have association with the ideas of Hīnayāna, Madhyamayāna, and Mahāyāna, or the small, middle, and great vehicles; also with the three grades of bodhi which these three vehicles represent; and the three classes of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas. Other forms are:般利涅槃那; 波利涅槃那; 般尼洹. |
那羅延 那罗延 see styles |
nà luó yán na4 luo2 yan2 na lo yen Naraen |
(那羅延那); 那羅野拏 Nārāyaṇa, 'son of Nara or the original man, patronymic of the personified Purusha or first living being, author of the Purusha hymn,' M. W. He is also identified with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa; intp. by 人生本 the originator of human life; 堅固 firm and stable; 力士 or 天界力士 hero of divine power; and 金剛 vajra; the term is used adjectivally with the meaning of manly and strong. Nārāyaṇa is represented with three faces, of greenish-yellow colour, right hand with a wheel, riding a garuḍa-bird. |
二種涅槃 二种涅槃 see styles |
èr zhǒng niè pán er4 zhong3 nie4 pan2 erh chung nieh p`an erh chung nieh pan nishu nehan |
Two nirvanas: (1) 有餘涅槃 also 有餘依 That with a remnant; the cause 因 has been annihilated, but the remnant of the effect 果 still remains, so that a saint may enter this nirvana during life, but have to continue to live in this mortal realm till the death of his body. (2) 無餘涅槃 or 無餘依 Remnantless nirvāṇa, without cause and effect, the connection with the chain of mortal life being ended, so that the saint enters upon perfect nirvāṇa on the death of the body; cf. 智度論 31. Another definition is that Hīnayāna has further transmigration, while Mahāyāna maintains final nirvana. "Nothing remnaining" is differently interpreted in different schools, by some literally, but in Mahāyāna generally, as meaning no further mortal suffering, i.e. final nirvāṇa. |
阿賴耶識 阿赖耶识 see styles |
ā lài yé shì a1 lai4 ye2 shi4 a lai yeh shih araya shiki |
ālaya-vijñāna. 'The receptacle intellect or consciousness;' 'the orginating or receptacle intelligence;' 'basic consciousness' (Keith). It is the store or totality of consciousness, both absolute and relative, impersonal in the whole, temporally personal or individual in its separated parts, always reproductive. It is described as 有情根本之心識 the fundamental mind-consciousness of conscious beings, which lays hold of all the experiences of the individual life: and which as storehouse holds the germs 種子 of all affairs; it is at the root of all experience, of the skandhas, and of all things on which sentient beings depend for existence. Mind is another term for it, as it both stores and gives rise to all seeds of phenomena and knowledge. It is called 本識 original mind, because it is the root of all things; 無沒識 inexhaustible mind, because none of its seeds (or products) is lost; 現識 manifested mind, because all things are revealed in or by it; 種子識 seeds mind, because from it spring all individualities, or particulars; 所知依識 because it is the basis of all knowledge; 異熟識 because it produces the rounds of morality, good and evil karma, etc.; 執持識 or 阿陀那 q.v., that which holds together, or is the seed of another rebirh, or phenomena, the causal nexus; 第一識 the prime or supreme mind or consciousness; 宅識 abode (of) consciousness; 無垢識 unsullied consciousness when considered in the absolute, i.e. the Tathāgata; and 第八識, as the last of the eight vijñānas. There has been much discussion as to the meaning and implications of the ālaya-vijñāna. It may also be termed the unconscious, or unconscious absolute, out of whose ignorance or unconsciousness rises all consciousness. |
Variations: |
chimata ちまた |
(1) the public; the street (e.g. "word on the street"); (2) street; district; quarters; (3) location (e.g. of a battle); scene (e.g. of carnage); (4) divide (e.g. between life and death); (5) (orig. meaning) fork (in a road); crossroads |
Variations: |
haran はらん |
(1) disturbance; trouble; commotion; uproar; turmoil; (2) ups and downs (e.g. in life); vicissitudes; (3) (obsolete) (orig. meaning) small and large waves |
Variations: |
chimata ちまた |
(1) the public; the street (e.g. "word on the street"); (2) street; district; quarters; (3) location (e.g. of a battle); scene (e.g. of carnage); (4) divide (e.g. between life and death); (5) (orig. meaning) fork (in a road); crossroads |
Entries with 2nd row of characters: The 2nd row is Simplified Chinese.
This page contains 19 results for "The Meaning of Life" in Chinese and/or Japanese.Information about this dictionary:
Apparently, we were the first ones who were crazy enough to think that western people might want a combined Chinese, Japanese, and Buddhist dictionary.
A lot of westerners can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese - and there is a reason for that. Chinese characters and even whole words were borrowed by Japan from the Chinese language in the 5th century. Much of the time, if a word or character is used in both languages, it will have the same or a similar meaning. However, this is not always true. Language evolves, and meanings independently change in each language.
Example: The Chinese character 湯 for soup (hot water) has come to mean bath (hot water) in Japanese. They have the same root meaning of "hot water", but a 湯屋 sign on a bathhouse in Japan would lead a Chinese person to think it was a "soup house" or a place to get a bowl of soup. See this: Japanese Bath House
This dictionary uses the EDICT and CC-CEDICT dictionary files.
EDICT data is the property of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, and is used in conformance with the Group's
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Chinese Buddhist terms come from Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms by William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous. This is commonly referred to as "Soothill's'". It was first published in 1937 (and is now off copyright so we can use it here). Some of these definitions may be misleading, incomplete, or dated, but 95% of it is good information. Every professor who teaches Buddhism or Eastern Religion has a copy of this on their bookshelf. We incorporated these 16,850 entries into our dictionary database ourselves (it was lot of work).
Combined, these cover 1,007,753 Japanese, Chinese, and Buddhist characters, words, idioms, names, placenames, and short phrases.
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No warranty as to the correctness, potential vulgarity, or clarity is expressed or implied. We did not write any of these definitions (though we occasionally act as a contributor/editor to the CC-CEDICT project). You are using this dictionary for free, and you get what you pay for.
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