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胎藏界曼荼羅

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: womb world maṇḍala

Senses:

  • One of the two major maṇḍalas 曼荼羅 of esoteric Buddhism 密教. According to one theory, this maṇḍala is supposed to symbolize the body, speech, and mind of the Buddha, which are revealed to the unenlightened so that they may put themselves in harmony with the Buddha. Another theory holds, however, that this maṇḍala symbolizes the teachings of the Mahāvairocana-sūtra 大日經. There are two types of womb-world maṇḍalas: one transmitted by Śubhakarasiṃha 善無畏, and the other by Amoghavajra 不空. This maṇḍala is usually described as having thirteen chambers 十三大院 (Skt. garbhadhātu-maṇḍala, garbhôdbhava-maṇḍala). More fully named as 大悲胎藏生曼荼羅, and abbreviated as 胎藏曼荼羅 and 大悲曼荼羅. Both maṇḍalas together are called 兩界曼荼羅 and 兩部曼荼羅. [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Nakamura, FGD, JEBD, Iwanami]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 684

    Iwanami bukkyō jiten 539

    Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary (Daitō shuppansha) 312a/347

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 905d

    Fo Guang Dictionary 3935

    Ding Fubao {Digital Version}

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)3303b,1369a, (v.9-10)173c



    Entry created: 2003-07-05

    Updated: 2016-04-27