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伊字三點

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: three dots of the letter i

Senses:

  • In Siddhaṃ 悉曇 script the sound i is written in the form of three dots in a triangle (∴). Since these three line up with each other either horizontally or vertically, it is used as a metaphor for 'neither the same nor different.' In the Nirvana Sutra it is used as a metaphor for the relationship among the Dharma-body 法身, prajñā 般若  and 解脫 vimokṣa, all three being necessary to complete nirvāṇa. It is also associated with the three eyes of Śiva. When considered across they represent fire, when upright, water. At a later period the three were joined in writing. 〔翻譯名義集 T 2131.54.1127c29 〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Nakamura, Soothill, JEBD, Yokoi]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 28

    Bulgyo sajeon 720a

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 24c

    Iwanami Bukkyō jiten 24

    Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary (Daitō shuppansha) 126b/138

    Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi) 255

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 31c

    Fo Guang Dictionary 2153

    Ding Fubao

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)115b

    Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 55-1

    (Soothill's) Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms 200

    Copyright provisions

    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 1993-09-01

    Updated: 2017-05-12