Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

DDB Top Page 
 
 
  XML source

妙觀察智

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: marvelous observing cognition

Senses:

  • Or 'marvelous unerring cognition.' One of the four kinds of purified cognition 四智 in Yogâcāra theory and one of the five kinds of cognition 五智 in esoteric Buddhism. The enlightened mode of cognition that is gained through transformation of the tainted 有漏 sixth consciousness 意識. It operates freely, without restriction, fully observing the object (Skt. sadbhūta-pratyavekṣā, *pratyavekṣā-jñāna, pratyavekṣa-jñāna, pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna; Tib. sor rtogs ye shes). 〔成唯識論 T 1585.31.56a21〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Nakamura, YBh-Ind, JEBD, Hirakawa, Yokoi]
  • In Wonhyoʼs commentary to the Sutra of Immeasurable Life, he associates this cognition with that sutraʼs 'cognition of the unassayable 不可稱智, ' since cognition is capable of evaluating unassayable objects, referring to all phenomena, which like the contents of a dream, are neither existent nor inexistent. [Charles Muller]
  • One of the five kinds of cognition 五智 of Mahāvairocana 大日. The cognitive function that correctly pursues all things. [Charles Muller]
  • Search SAT
  • Search INBUDS Database

    • Feedback

    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 1019

    Bulgyo sajeon 213a

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 1188b

    Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary (Daitō shuppansha) 207b/231

    Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi) 483

    Zen Dust (Sasaki) 311

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 1302c

    Fo Guang Dictionary 2858

    Ding Fubao

    Buddhist Chinese-Sanskrit Dictionary (Hirakawa) 0360

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)1247a,1886b,3548a

    Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 550-1-16*1727-3*1187-3-23

    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: 2020-04-11