Womb Realm

Womb Realm

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Womb Realm (Skt. "garbhakosa-dhatu", Jp. 胎蔵界 "taizōkai") is the metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Kings. The Womb Realm is based on the Mahavairocana Sutra. The name of the mandala derives from chapter 2 of the sutra, where it is said that Mahavairocana Buddha revealed the mandala's secret teachings to his disciple Vajrasattva from his "womb of compassion". [cite book | last = Abe | first = Ryuichi | title = The Weaving of Mantra: Kukai and the Construction of Esoteric Buddhist Discourse | publisher = Columbia University Press | year = 1999 | isbn = 0231112866] In other translations, the term "matrix realm" or Matrix Mandala are used. [cite book | last = Hakeda | first = Yoshito S. | title = Kūkai and His Major Works | publisher = Columbia University Press | year = 1972 | isbn = 0231059337 | pages=26]

The Womb Realm is a very popular subject for mandalas, and along with the Diamond Realm ("vajradhatu") Mandala forms the Mandala of the Two Realms. This mandala, along with the Diamond Realm, form the core of Japanese esoteric, or Shingon Buddhist, rituals, including the initiation or "abhiseka" ritual. In this ritual, new initiates are blindfolded, and are asked to toss a flower upon a mandala. Where the flower lands helps decide which Buddhist figure the student should devote themselves to. [Ibid., pg. 44]

In traditional Shingon Buddhist halls, the Womb Realm Mandala is hung on the east wall, symbolizing the young stage of Mahāvairocana Buddha. [Ibid., pg. 87] In this setting, the Diamond Realm Mandala is hung on the west wall symbolizing the final realization of Mahāvairocana Buddha.

See also

*Garbha - Dhatu - Vajradhatu

References

External links

* [http://www2.bremen.de/info/nepal/Gallery-3/Cosmos/9-6/antique.htm Mandala of the Womb World Japan, Kamakura period, 13th - 14th century] Dharmapala Thangka Centre
* [http://www2.bremen.de/info/nepal/Gallery-3/Cosmos/9-6/garbhadatu-0.htm The Diamond and Womb World Mandalas] Dharmapala Thangka Centre


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Diamond Realm — Mandala In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Diamond Realm (Skt. वज्धातु vajradhātu, Jp. 金剛界 kongōkai) is a metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Buddhas. The Diamond Realm Mandala is based on an esoteric Buddhist sutra called the Vajrasekhara… …   Wikipedia

  • Mandala of the Two Realms — Part of a series on Buddhism Outline · Portal History Timeline · Councils …   Wikipedia

  • Mandala — For other uses, see Mandala (disambiguation). Thangka painting of Vajradhatu Mandala Maṇḍala (मण्डल) is a Sanskrit word that means circle . In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form …   Wikipedia

  • Amitābha — This article is about the buddha. For the actor, see Amitabh Bachchan. For other uses, see Amitabha (disambiguation). Amitabha Amitabha Buddha pictured in the …   Wikipedia

  • Vajrayana — Part of a series on Tibetan Buddhism …   Wikipedia

  • Acala — Buddha Infobox name = Ācala img size = 200px img capt = Acala at Mount Koya, Japan landscape = sanskrit name = Acala pali name = chinese name = 不動明王 Budongmingwang japanese name = 不動明王 Fudō Myōō tibetan name = korean name = thai name = vietnamese …   Wikipedia

  • Wisdom King — The Wisdom king Gundari. In Vajrayana Buddhism, a Wisdom King (Sanskrit विद्याराज vidyarāja, Chinese Míngwáng 明王, Japanese 明王 myō ō) is the third type of deity after Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The Sanskrit name literally king of knowledge , thus… …   Wikipedia

  • Kūkai — ( ja. 空海) or also known posthumously as Kōbō Daishi ( ja. 弘法大師), 774 ndash;835 CE was a Japanese monk, scholar, poet, and artist, founder of the Shingon or True Word school of Buddhism. Kūkai is famous as a calligrapher (see Shodo ), engineer,… …   Wikipedia

  • Buddhism in China — Chinese Buddhism (zh ts|t=漢傳佛教|s=汉传佛教; Pinyin: fójiào) refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times. These schools integrated the ideas of Confucianism, Taoism and other… …   Wikipedia

  • Shingon Buddhism — (眞言, 真言 ) is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and is the other branch of Vajrayana Buddhism besides Tibetan Buddhism. It is often called Japanese Esoteric Buddhism . The word shingon is the Japanese reading of the kanji for the Chinese word… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”