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華報

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: flower retribution

Senses:

  • Also written as 花報. In the same way that a flower opens before the fruit develops, 'flowering retribution' is contrasted to the later-experienced 'fruit retribution'  果報. For example, when a person plants a tree in order to harvest its fruits, aside from properly obtaining these fruits, one is also able to get flowers, and this is called flower retribution. Sentient beings plant the causes of good and evil karmas, and based on these causal activities properly reap their fruits as fruit-retribution (also called 實報 and 正報). That which they obtain before as a kind of extra, or preliminary effect, is called flower retribution. For example, in the case of not-killing 不殺 as a causal activity, one obtains long life; this is the flower retribution. When one attains nirvana in the distant future, this is the fruit retribution. In Pure Land doctrine, recitation of the Buddhaʼs name and cultivation of goodness are causal activities, with rebirth in the Pure Land as flower retribution, and the realization of enlightenment as fruit retribution. 〔灌頂經, 大智度論, 往生要集〕 . More simply, retribution that one receives during the present life, before one receives the retribution of future lives. 〔金光明經文句記 T 1786.39.97c11〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Nakamura]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 228

    Bulgyo sajeon 961a

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 300a

    Fo Guang Dictionary 5233

    Ding Fubao {Digital Version}

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)919b

    Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 405-1

    Soothill 387

    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: 2002-12-26

    Updated: 2008-12-27