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Dharmadhatu

Dharmadhatu (Sanskrit) is the 'dimension', 'realm' or 'sphere' (dhātu) of the Dharma or Absolute Reality.

Definition

In Mahayana Buddhism, dharmadhātu (Standard Tibetan: chos kyi dbyings; Chinese: 法界) means "realm of phenomena", "realm of truth", and of the noumenon. It is referred to by several analogous terms from Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, such as Tathata (Reality "as-it-is"), emptiness, dependent co-arising and eternal Buddha. It is the "deepest nature, or essence".[1]

Dharmadhātu is the purified mind in its natural state, free of obscurations. It is the essence-quality or nature of mind, the fundamental ground of consciousness of the trikaya, which is accessed via the mindstream.[citation needed]

When the buddha-nature has been realised, dharmadhātu is also referred to as the Dharmakāya, the Body of Dharma Truth.

It is associated with Vairocana.

Historical origin

Kang-nam Oh traces the origin of dharmadhatu to the Avatamsaka Sutra. It has been further developed by the Hua-yen school:

This idea of dharmadhātu-pratītyasamutpāda which was originally found in the Avataṁsaka-sūtra or Hua-yen ching,[note 1] was fully developed by the Hua-yen school into a systematic doctrine palatable to the Chinese intellectual taste. The dharmadhātu doctrine[note 2] can be said to have been, by and large, set forth by Tu-shun (557~640 C.E.), formulated by Chih-yen (602~668), systematized by Fa-tsang (643~712), and elucidated by Ch’eng-kuan (ca. 737~838) and Tsung-mi (780~841).[2]

Understanding in Buddhist tradition

Indian Buddhism

Śrīmālādevī Sūtra

The Śrīmālādevī Sūtra (3rd century CE[3]), also named The Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala, centers on the teaching of the tathagatagarbha as "ultimate soteriological principle".[4] It states that the tathagata-garbha is the "embryo" of the Dharmadhatu and the Dharmakaya:[5]

Lord, the Tathagatagarbha is neither self nor sentient being, nor soul, nor personality. The Tathagatagarbha is not the domain of beings who fall into the belief in a real personality, who adhere to wayward views, whose thoughts are distracted by voidness. Lord, this Tathagatagarbha is the embryo of the Illustrious Dharmadhatu, the embryo of the Dharmakaya, the embryo of the supramundane dharma, the embryo of the intrinsically pure dharma.[5]

In the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, there are two possible states for the Tathagatagarbha:

[E]ither covered by defilements, when it is called only "embryo of the Tathagata"; or free from defilements, when the "embryo of the Tathagata" is no more the "embryo" (potentiality) but the Tathāgata (=the Dharmakaya)(actuality).[6]

The sutra itself states it this way:

This Dharmakaya of the Tathagata when not free from the store of defilement is referred to as the Tathagatagarbha.[7]

Dharmadhātustava

The Dharmadhātustava ("In praise of the Dharmadhatu"), attributed to Nāgārjuna[8] though questioned, is a treatise on the dharmadhatu. According to the Dharmadhātustava, the dharmadhatu is the ground which makes liberation possible:

The dharmadhatu is the ground
For buddhahood, nirvana, purity, and permanence.[8][note 3]

According to the Dharmadhātustava, the dharmadhatu is seen when the afflictions are purified:

As butter, though inherent in the milk,

Is mixed with it and hence does not appear,
Just so the dharmadhatu is not seen
As long as it is mixed together with afflictions.

And just as the inherent butter essence
When the milk is purified is no more disguised,
When afflictions have been completely purified,

The dharmadhatu will be without any stain at all.[8]

Chinese Buddhism

Mahaparinirvana Sutra

In the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha states of himself that he is the "boundless Dharmadhatu" - the totality itself.

Tibetan Buddhism

Five Wisdoms

The Dharmadhatu is comprehended by one of the Five Wisdoms:

  1. Dharmadhātu wisdom,
  2. Mirror-like wisdom,
  3. Equality wisdom,
  4. Discriminating wisdom,
  5. All-accomplishing wisdom.

Dzogchen

In the Dzogchen text Gold refined from ore[9] the term Dharmadhatu is translated as 'total field of events and meanings' or "field of all events and meanings".[9]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ There are three Chinese translations in the name of Ta-fang-kuang-fo hua-yen-ching. 1) T.9, no. 278, tr. by Buddhabhadra in sixty fascicles during 418-420; 2) T.10, no. 279 , by Śiksānanda in eighty fascicles during 695-699; and 3) T.10, no. 293, by Prajñā in forty fascicles during 795-798. The last one is basically equivalent to the last chapter of the previous versions, i.e., the Chapter on Entering into Dharmadhātu. This chapter is available in Sanskrit as an independent sutra called Gaṇdavyuha-sūtra, one ed. by D. T.Suzuki and H. Idzumi (Kyoto: The Sanskrit Buddhist Texts Publishing Society, 1934-36), and the other ed. by P. L. Vaidya, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, no. 5 (Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, 1960).
  2. ^ To be exact, it should be called the “dharmadhātu-pratītyasamutpāda” doctrine. But for the sake of convenience, it will be referred to as dharmadhātu doctrine hereafter.
  3. ^ In cooperation with the Indian Khenpo, Krishna Pandita, it was translated (from Sanskrit to Tibetan) by Lotsawa Tsultrim Gyalwa. Based on teachings given by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, it has been translated from Tibetan into English by Jim Scott, April 1997, and edited by Ari Goldfield, September 1998.
    Karl Brunholzl published another translation, with extensive commentaries, In Praise of Dharmadhatu (2008).

References

  1. ^ Chang 1992, p. 253.
  2. ^ Oh 2000.
  3. ^ Wayman 1990, p. 2.
  4. ^ Brown 1994, p. 10.
  5. ^ a b Wayman 1990, p. 106.
  6. ^ Wayman 1990, p. 45.
  7. ^ Wayman 1990, p. 98.
  8. ^ a b c Nagarjuna 1998.
  9. ^ a b Namkhai Norbu 2001.

Sources

Published sources

  • Brown, Brian Edward (1994), The Buddha Nature. A Study of the Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
  • Chang, Garma C.C. (1992), The Buddhist teaching of Totality. The Philosophy of Hwa Yen Buddhism, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
  • Nagarjuna (1998), In Praise of the Dharmadhatu, translated by Lotsawa Tsultrim Gyalwa (Tibetan); Jim Scott (English)
  • Namkhai Norbu (2001), Primordial experience. An Introduction to rDzogs-chen Meditation, translated by Kennard Lipman, Also translated by Barrie Simmons, Boston & London: Shambhala
  • Oh, Kang-nam (2000), , archived from the original on March 23, 2010
  • Tsogyel, Yeshe, (terton: Nyang Ral Nyima Oser); Rangdrol, Tsele Natsok (1990), Marcia Binder Schmidt (ed.), , Rangjung Yeshe Publications, archived from the original on 2007-09-26, retrieved 2007-01-17
  • Wayman, Alex and Hideko (1990), The Lion's roar of Queen Srimala, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
  • Yamamoto, Kosho (1999–2000), Tony Page (ed.), (PDF), Nirvana Publications, archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013

Web-sources

Further reading

  • Karl Brunholzl (2008), In Parise of Dharmadhatu

External links

  • Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, log in with "guest"
  • , see: Dharma Realm, p. 190

dharmadhatu, this, article, relies, excessively, references, primary, sources, please, improve, this, article, adding, secondary, tertiary, sources, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2017, learn, when, remove, this, template, messag. This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Dharmadhatu news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Dharmadhatu Sanskrit is the dimension realm or sphere dhatu of the Dharma or Absolute Reality Contents 1 Definition 2 Historical origin 3 Understanding in Buddhist tradition 3 1 Indian Buddhism 3 1 1 Srimaladevi Sutra 3 1 2 Dharmadhatustava 3 2 Chinese Buddhism 3 2 1 Mahaparinirvana Sutra 3 3 Tibetan Buddhism 3 3 1 Five Wisdoms 3 3 2 Dzogchen 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Sources 7 1 Published sources 7 2 Web sources 8 Further reading 9 External linksDefinition EditIn Mahayana Buddhism dharmadhatu Standard Tibetan chos kyi dbyings Chinese 法界 means realm of phenomena realm of truth and of the noumenon It is referred to by several analogous terms from Mahayana Buddhist philosophy such as Tathata Reality as it is emptiness dependent co arising and eternal Buddha It is the deepest nature or essence 1 Dharmadhatu is the purified mind in its natural state free of obscurations It is the essence quality or nature of mind the fundamental ground of consciousness of the trikaya which is accessed via the mindstream citation needed When the buddha nature has been realised dharmadhatu is also referred to as the Dharmakaya the Body of Dharma Truth It is associated with Vairocana Historical origin EditKang nam Oh traces the origin of dharmadhatu to the Avatamsaka Sutra It has been further developed by the Hua yen school This idea of dharmadhatu pratityasamutpada which was originally found in the Avataṁsaka sutra or Hua yen ching note 1 was fully developed by the Hua yen school into a systematic doctrine palatable to the Chinese intellectual taste The dharmadhatu doctrine note 2 can be said to have been by and large set forth by Tu shun 557 640 C E formulated by Chih yen 602 668 systematized by Fa tsang 643 712 and elucidated by Ch eng kuan ca 737 838 and Tsung mi 780 841 2 Understanding in Buddhist tradition EditIndian Buddhism Edit Srimaladevi Sutra Edit The Srimaladevi Sutra 3rd century CE 3 also named The Lion s Roar of Queen Srimala centers on the teaching of the tathagatagarbha as ultimate soteriological principle 4 It states that the tathagata garbha is the embryo of the Dharmadhatu and the Dharmakaya 5 Lord the Tathagatagarbha is neither self nor sentient being nor soul nor personality The Tathagatagarbha is not the domain of beings who fall into the belief in a real personality who adhere to wayward views whose thoughts are distracted by voidness Lord this Tathagatagarbha is the embryo of the Illustrious Dharmadhatu the embryo of the Dharmakaya the embryo of the supramundane dharma the embryo of the intrinsically pure dharma 5 In the Srimaladevi Sutra there are two possible states for the Tathagatagarbha E ither covered by defilements when it is called only embryo of the Tathagata or free from defilements when the embryo of the Tathagata is no more the embryo potentiality but the Tathagata the Dharmakaya actuality 6 The sutra itself states it this way This Dharmakaya of the Tathagata when not free from the store of defilement is referred to as the Tathagatagarbha 7 Dharmadhatustava Edit The Dharmadhatustava In praise of the Dharmadhatu attributed to Nagarjuna 8 though questioned is a treatise on the dharmadhatu According to the Dharmadhatustava the dharmadhatu is the ground which makes liberation possible The dharmadhatu is the ground For buddhahood nirvana purity and permanence 8 note 3 According to the Dharmadhatustava the dharmadhatu is seen when the afflictions are purified As butter though inherent in the milk Is mixed with it and hence does not appear Just so the dharmadhatu is not seen As long as it is mixed together with afflictions And just as the inherent butter essence When the milk is purified is no more disguised When afflictions have been completely purified The dharmadhatu will be without any stain at all 8 Chinese Buddhism Edit Mahaparinirvana Sutra Edit In the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra the Buddha states of himself that he is the boundless Dharmadhatu the totality itself Tibetan Buddhism Edit Five Wisdoms Edit The Dharmadhatu is comprehended by one of the Five Wisdoms Dharmadhatu wisdom Mirror like wisdom Equality wisdom Discriminating wisdom All accomplishing wisdom Dzogchen Edit In the Dzogchen text Gold refined from ore 9 the term Dharmadhatu is translated as total field of events and meanings or field of all events and meanings 9 See also EditBuddha nature Four Dharmadhatu Ground Dzogchen Sunyata Tathata DharmakayaNotes Edit There are three Chinese translations in the name of Ta fang kuang fo hua yen ching 1 T 9 no 278 tr by Buddhabhadra in sixty fascicles during 418 420 2 T 10 no 279 by Siksananda in eighty fascicles during 695 699 and 3 T 10 no 293 by Prajna in forty fascicles during 795 798 The last one is basically equivalent to the last chapter of the previous versions i e the Chapter on Entering into Dharmadhatu This chapter is available in Sanskrit as an independent sutra called Gaṇdavyuha sutra one ed by D T Suzuki and H Idzumi Kyoto The Sanskrit Buddhist Texts Publishing Society 1934 36 and the other ed by P L Vaidya Buddhist Sanskrit Texts no 5 Darbhanga The Mithila Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning 1960 To be exact it should be called the dharmadhatu pratityasamutpada doctrine But for the sake of convenience it will be referred to as dharmadhatu doctrine hereafter In cooperation with the Indian Khenpo Krishna Pandita it was translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan by Lotsawa Tsultrim Gyalwa Based on teachings given by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche it has been translated from Tibetan into English by Jim Scott April 1997 and edited by Ari Goldfield September 1998 Karl Brunholzl published another translation with extensive commentaries In Praise of Dharmadhatu 2008 References Edit Chang 1992 p 253 Oh 2000 Wayman 1990 p 2 Brown 1994 p 10 a b Wayman 1990 p 106 Wayman 1990 p 45 Wayman 1990 p 98 a b c Nagarjuna 1998 a b Namkhai Norbu 2001 Sources EditPublished sources Edit Brown Brian Edward 1994 The Buddha Nature A Study of the Tathagatagarbha and Alayavijnana Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Chang Garma C C 1992 The Buddhist teaching of Totality The Philosophy of Hwa Yen Buddhism Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Nagarjuna 1998 In Praise of the Dharmadhatu translated by Lotsawa Tsultrim Gyalwa Tibetan Jim Scott English Namkhai Norbu 2001 Primordial experience An Introduction to rDzogs chen Meditation translated by Kennard Lipman Also translated by Barrie Simmons Boston amp London Shambhala Oh Kang nam 2000 The Taoist Influence on Hua yen Buddhism A Case of the Sinicization of Buddhism in China In Chung Hwa Buddhist Journal No 13 2000 archived from the original on March 23 2010 Tsogyel Yeshe terton Nyang Ral Nyima Oser Rangdrol Tsele Natsok 1990 Marcia Binder Schmidt ed The Lotus Born The life story of Padmasambhava Rangjung Yeshe Publications archived from the original on 2007 09 26 retrieved 2007 01 17 Wayman Alex and Hideko 1990 The Lion s roar of Queen Srimala Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Yamamoto Kosho 1999 2000 Tony Page ed The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra in 12 Volumes PDF Nirvana Publications archived from the original PDF on October 19 2013 Web sources EditFurther reading EditKarl Brunholzl 2008 In Parise of DharmadhatuExternal links EditDigital Dictionary of Buddhism log in with guest The Seeker s Glossary of Buddhism see Dharma Realm p 190 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dharmadhatu amp oldid 1133762251, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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