Featured Word

[Ngawang Drolma]

Hi all,

I thought I would start a thread in which I can regularly feature a word. I'll make some basic and some more complex. I'll start with Sangha. If anyone else wants to join in, please feel free

Best,
Drolma

Sangha
Lit., harmonious community. In the Buddhadharma, Sangha means the order of Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, Sramaneras and Sramanerikas. Another meaning is the Arya Sangha, made up of those individuals, lay or monastic, who have attained one of the four stages of sanctity. Also, the Bodhisattva Sangha.

[Ngawang Drolma]

Five Dhyani Buddhas

The Five Dhyani Buddhas, or Great Buddhas of Wisdom, are a central feature of Tibetan Buddhist belief and art. They are often found in Tibetan mandalas and thangkas. Each Buddha is believed to be capable of overcoming a particular evil with a particular good, and each has a complete system of iconographic symbolism.

Sorry this is laid out sort of poorly, but you'll find that the qualities listed below corresponds to each Buddha listed in the first group in the same sequential order.

Here's a nice picture of the Buddhas.



Vairocana
Akshobhya
Ratnasambhava
Amitabha
Amogasiddha

Name
Buddha Supreme and Eternal; The Radiant One
Immovable or Unshakable Buddha
Source of Precious Things or Jewel-Born One
Buddha of Infinite Light
Almighty Conquerer or Lord of Karma

Direction
Center
East
South
West
North

Color
white
blue
yellow
red
green

Mudra
dharmachakra (wheel-turning)
bhumisparsa (witness)
varada (charity)
dhyana
abhaya (fearlessness)

Vija (Syllable)
Om
Hum
Trah
Hrih
Ah

Symbol
wheel
thunderbolt
jewel (ratna) or Three Jewels (triratna)
lotus
double thunderbolt

Embodies
sovereignty
steadfastness
compassion
light
dauntlessness

Type of wisdom
integration of the wisdom of all the Buddhas
mirrorlike
wisdom of equality
discriminating
all-accomplishing

Cosmic element (skandha)
rupa (form)
vijnana (consciousness)
vendana (sensation)
sanjna (name or perception)
samsakara (volition)

Earthly element
ether
water
earth
fire
air

Antidote to
ignorance and delusion
anger and hatred
desire and pride
malignity
envy and jealousy

Sense
sight
sound
smell
taste
touch

Vehicle
lion
elephant
horse
peacock (because of eyes on its plumes)
garuda (half-man, half-bird)

Spiritual son
Manjushree
Vajrapani
Ratnapani
Avalokiteshvara
Vajrapani

Consort
White Tara
Locana
Mamaki
Pandara
Green Tara

[Ngawang Drolma]

Two basic principles in the innermost Dzogchen teachings are space and awareness, in Tibetan ying and rigpa.

Ying is defined as unconstructed space devoid of concepts, while rigpa means the 'knowing of that basic space.

[Ngawang Drolma]

Bhutatathata
The true character of reality. The real as thus, always or eternally so. True Suchness.