The Gospel of Buddha Part 49

Bo'dhi, _p._ and _skt._, knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment.

Bodhi-a'nga or Bojjha'nga, or Sa'tta Bojjha'nga, meditation on the seven kinds of wisdom, which are:--energy, recollection, contemplation, investigation of scripture, joy, repose, and serenity.

Bodhisa'tta, _p._, Bodhisa'ttva, _skt._, he whose essence (_sattva_) is becoming enlightenment (_bodhi_). The term denotes (1) one who is about to become a Buddha, but has not as yet attained Nirvana; (2) a cla.s.s of saints who have only once more to be born again to enter into Nirvana; (3) in later Buddhism any preacher or religious teacher; appearance of; Bodhisattas.

Bodhi-tree, the tree at Buddha-Gaya, species _ficus religiosa_.

Bra'hma, Anglicised form of _skt._ stem-form _Brahman_ (nom. s.

_Brahma_). The chief G.o.d of Brahmanism, the world-soul. See also _Sahampati_; Brahma, a union with; Brahma, face to face; Brahma's mind.

Brahmada'tta, _p._ and _skt._, (etym. given by Brahma) name of a mythical king of Kas.h.i.+, _skt._, or Kasi.

Bra'hman, the priestly caste of the Indians. Anglicised form of _Brahmana_ (_p._ and _skt._). Priests were selected from the Brahman caste, but Brahmans were not necessarily priests; they were farmers, merchants, and often high officials in the service of kings. Brahmans, the two.

Buddha, _p._ and _skt._, the Awakened One, the Enlightened One--. Buddha is also called Sakyamuni (the Sakya sage), Sakyasimha (the Sakya Lion), Sugata (the Happy One), Satthar, nom. Sattha, _p._; Shastar, _skt._, (the Teacher), Jina (the Conqueror), Bhagavat (the Blessed One), Lokanatha (the Lord of the World), Sarvajna (the Omniscient One), Dharmaraja (the King of Truth), Tathagata, etc. [See Rh. Davids's B. p.

28.] B., faith in the; B., I am not the first; B. not Gotama; B., refuge in the; B. remains, Gotama is gone; B. replies to the deva; B., the sower; B., the teacher; B., the three personalities of; B., the truth; B., truly thou art; B. will arise, another; B.'s birth; B.'s death; B.'s farewell address; consolidation of B.'s religion; Buddhas, the praise of all the; Buddhas, the religion of all the; Buddhas, the words of immutable.

Cha'nna, _p._ and _skt._, prince Siddhattha's driver. Chu'nda, _p._ and _skt._, the smith of Pava.

Dago'ba, modernised form of _skt._ Dhatu-ga'rbha, "relic shrine," (also called Stupa in Northern Buddhism) a mausoleum, tower containing relics, a kenotaph.

Da'namati, and _skt._, name of a village. The word means "having a mind to give."

De'va, _p._ and _skt._, any celestial spirit, a G.o.d especially of intermediate rank, angel.--Deva, questions of the; Buddha replies to the deva; Devas.

Devada'tta (etym. G.o.d-given) brother of Yasodhara and Buddha's brother-in-law. He tried to found a sect of his own with severer rules than those prescribed by Buddha. He is described undoubtedly with great injustice in the Buddhist canon and treated as a traitor. [About his sect see Rh. Davids's B. p. 181--182.]

Devapu'tta, _p._, Devapu'tra, _skt._, (etym. Son of a G.o.d) one of Buddha's disciples.

Dhammapa'da, _p._, Dharmapa'da, _skt._

Dha'rma, _skt._, Dha'mma, _p._, originally the natural condition of things or beings, the law of their existence, truth, then religious truth, the law, the ethical code of righteousness, the whole body of religious doctrines as a system, religion; let a man take pleasure in the dharma; the goodness of the dharma.

Dharmaka'ya, _skt._, the body of the law.

Dharmara'ja, _skt._, Dhammara'ja, _p._, the king of truth.

Digha'vu, Dirgha'yu, _skt._, the etymology of the word is "livelong."

Name of a mythical prince, son of king Dighiti.

Dighi'ti, _p._, Dirghe'ti, _skt._, literally "suffer-long," Name of a mythical king, father of prince Digha'vu.

Ganges, the well known river of India.

Gava'mpati, _p._, Gava'mpati, _skt._, literally "lord of cows," a friend of Yasa.

Ga'ya Ka.s.sapa, brother of the great Ka.s.sapa of Uruvela.

Go'tama, _p._, Gau'tama, _skt._, Buddha's family name; Gotama denies the existence of the soul; Gotama is gone, Buddha remains; Buddha not Gotama; Gotama the samana; Gotama Siddhattha.

Gotami, name of any woman belonging to the Gotama family. Kisa Gotami.

Hinaya'na, _skt._, the small vehicle, viz., of salvation. A name invented by Northern Buddhists, in contradistinction to Mahayana, to designate the spirit of Southern Buddhism. The term is not used among Southern Buddhists.

Hira'nnavati, _p._, Hiran'yavati, _skt._, a river.

I'ddhi, _p._, Ri'ddhi, _skt._, defined by Eitel as "the dominion of spirit over matter." It is the adjusting power to one's purpose and the adaptation to conditions. In popular belief it implies exemption from the law of gravitation and the power of a.s.suming any shape at will. (See Iddhipada.)

Iddhipa'da, _p._, Riddhipa'da, _skt._, the mode of attaining the power of mind over matter, four steps being needed: (1) the will to acquire it, (2) the necessary exertion, (3) the indispensable preparation of the heart, and (4) a diligent investigation of the truth.

Indra, one of the princ.i.p.al Brahman G.o.ds.

Indriya'ni or panc'-indriyani, the five organs of the spiritual sense.

(See Balani.)

I'si, _p._, Ri's.h.i.+, _skt._, a prophet or seer, an inspired poet, a hermit having acquired wisdom in saintly retirement, a recluse or anchorite.

Is'vara, _skt._, I'ssara, (lit. independent existence) Lord, Creator, personal G.o.d, a t.i.tle given to s.h.i.+va and other great deities. In Buddhistic scriptures as well as in Brahman the _skt._ Is'vara (not the _p._ Issara) means always a transcendent or extramundane G.o.d, a personal G.o.d, a deity distinct from, and independent of nature, who is supposed to have created the world out of nothing.

Jain, modernised form of _skt._ Jaina; an adherent of the Jain-sect which reveres Vardhamana (Nataputta) as Buddha. (See _Jainism_.)--48.

Jainism, a sect, founded by Vardhamana, older than Buddhism and still extant in India. It is in many respects similar to Buddhism. Buddha's main objection to the Jains was the habit of their ascetics of going naked. The Jains lay great stress upon ascetic exercises and self-mortification which the Buddhists declare to be injurious.

Ja'mbu, _p._ and _skt._, a tree.

Jambu'nada, _p._, Jambu'nada, _skt._, a town of unknown site. (Also the name of a mountain and of a lake.)

Ja'tila, _p._, "wearing matted hair." The Jatilas were Brahman ascetics.

Buddha converted a tribe of them, and Ka.s.sapa, their chief, became one of his most prominent disciples.

Je'ta, the heir apparent to the kingdom of Savatthi.

Je'tavana, a vihara.

Jha'na, _p._, Dhya'na, _skt._, intuition, beatic vision, ecstasy, rapture, the result of samadhi. Buddha did not recommend trances as means of religious devotion, urging that deliverance can be obtained only by the recognition of the four n.o.ble truths and walking on the n.o.ble eightfold path, but he did not disturb those who took delight in ecstasies and beatific visions. Buddha's interpretation of the Dhyana is not losing consciousness but a self-possessed and purposive eradication of egotism. There are four Dhyanas, the first being a state of joy and gladness born of seclusion full of investigation and reflexion; the second one, born of deep tranquillity without reflexion or investigation, the third one brings the destruction of pa.s.sion, while the fourth one consists in pure equanimity, making an end of sorrow.

[See Rhys Davids's B. pp. 175--176.] In the Fo-Sho-hing-tsang-king, the Dhyana is mentioned twice only: first, III, 12, vv. 960--978, where Arada sets forth the doctrine of the four Dhyanas which is not approved of by Buddha, and secondly, at Buddha's death; when his mind is said to have pa.s.sed through all the Dhyanas.

Ji'na, _p._ and _skt._, the Conqueror, an honorary t.i.tle of Buddha. The Jains use the term with preference as an appellative of Vardhamana whom they revere as their Buddha.

Ji'vaka, _p._ and _skt._, physician to king Bimbisara. According to tradition he was the son of king Bimbisara and the courtesan Salavati.

We read in Mahavagga VIII that after his birth he was exposed but saved; then he became a most famous physician and cured Buddha of a troublesome disease contracted by wearing cast off rags. He was an ardent disciple of Buddha and prevailed upon him to allow the Bhikkhus to wear lay robes.

Jo'tikkha, _p._, name of a householder, son of Subhadda.

Kala'ma, _p._ and _skt._, (see Alara).

Ka'nthaka, prince Siddhattha's horse.

Kapilava'tthu, _p._, Kapilava'stu, _skt._, the capital of the Sakyas, the birthplace of Buddha.