Cintamani

Cintamani
Avalokitesvara
14-th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani

Cintamani (Sanskrit; Devanagari: चिन्तामणि) also spelled as Chintamani (or the Chintamani Stone) is a wish-fulfilling jewel within both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, equivalent to the philosopher's stone in Western alchemy.[1]

In Buddhism it is held by the bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara and Ksitigarbha. It is also seen carried upon the back of the Lung ta (wind horse) which is depicted on Tibetan prayer flags. By reciting the Dharani of Cintamani, Buddhist tradition maintains that one attains the Wisdom of Buddha, able to understand the truth of the Buddha, and turn afflictions into Bodhi. It is said to allow one to see the Holy Retinue of Amitabha and assembly upon one's deathbed. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition the Chintamani is sometimes depicted as a luminous pearl and is in the possession of several of different forms of the Buddha.[2]

Within Hinduism it is connected with the gods, Vishnu and Ganesha. In Hindu tradition it is often depicted as a fabulous jewel in the possession of the Naga king or as on the forehead of the Makara.[citation needed] The Yoga Vasistha, originally written in the 10th century AD, contains a story about the cintamani.[3]

Contents

Nomenclature, orthography and etymology

  • Cintamani (Sanskrit; Devanagari: चिन्तामणि)
  • 'Wish-Fulfilling Gem' (Tibetan: ཡིད་བཞིན་ནོརྦུWylie: yid bzhin norbu)[4]

The mani (jewel) is translated in Chinese ruyi or ruyizhu 如意珠 "as one wishes jewel" or ruyibaozhu 如意寶珠 "as one wishes precious jewel", and is pronounced in Japanese nyoi-hōju or nyoi-hōshu 如意宝珠.

History

In Buddhism the Cintamani is said to be one of four relics that came in a chest that fell from the sky (many terma fell from the sky in caskets) during the reign of king Lha Thothori Nyantsen of Tibet.[citation needed] Though the king did not understand the purpose of the objects, he still kept them in a position of reverence. Several years later, two mysterious strangers appeared at the court of the king, explaining the four relics, which included the Buddha's bowl (possibly a Singing Bowl) and a Charmstone (jewel, crystal or gem) with the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra inscribed on it, known as a mani stone. These few objects were the bringers of the Dharma to Tibet.

The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism's ruyizhu entry says.

A maṇi-jewel; magical jewel, which manifests whatever one wishes for (Skt. maṇi, cintā-maṇi, cintāmaṇi-ratna). According to one's desires, treasures, clothing and food can be manifested, while sickness and suffering can be removed, water can be purified, etc. It is a metaphor for the teachings and virtues of the Buddha. … Said to be obtained from the dragon-king of the sea, or the head of the great fish, Makara, or the relics of a Buddha.

The Kintamani mountainous region in Bali was named after cintamani.

Popular culture

The Cintamani Stone is the subject of Nathan Drake's second adventure in the 2009 video game Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, in the game it is revealed that it isn't in fact a jewel but amber, fossilized resin from the Tree of Life which grants high invulnerability to those who use it, but at a terrible price of turning its users into simple-minded savages after long term exposure.

In the Assassin's Creed (video game series) universe, the stone is described as actually being a Piece of Eden created by the First Civilization.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Guénon, René (2004( [1962]. Symbols of Sacred Science. Sophia Perennis, USA. ISBN 0900588780. pp. 277.
  2. ^ R. A. Donkin, Beyond price: pearls and pearl-fishing : origins to the Age of Discoveries, p.170 [1]
  3. ^ Venkatesananda, Swami (1984). The Concise Yoga Vāsiṣṭha. Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 346–353. ISBN 0873959558. OCLC 11044869. http://books.google.com/books?id=1FFdOj2dv8cC. 
  4. ^ Scheidegger, Daniel (2009). 'The First Four Themes of Klong chen pa's Tsig don bcu gcig pa.' Achard, Jean-Luke (director) (2009). Revue d'Etudes Tibetaines. April 2009. Source: [2] (accessed: Saturday October 31, 2009), p.49

References


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