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雲興瓶瀉

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: clouds rise and the bottle pours

Senses:

  • This phrase occurs from time to time in Chinese Buddhist sources. It is explained in the 妙法蓮華經指掌疏事義 (A Commentary on the Matters and Meaning of the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma Pointing at the Palm) in this way: 「雲興瓶瀉者。言二菩薩。問者。如雲興長空。答者。如倒瓶瀉水。」 "As for [the phrase] 'the clouds rise and the bottle pours forth,' this is said of the two bodhisattvas. The one who asks is like clouds rising in the open sky. The one who answers is like a bottle pouring out water." The reference is to a passage in the Flower Ornament Sūtra 華嚴經 in which the bodhisattva Sarvajñatā 普慧菩薩 asks a series of questions of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra 普賢菩薩. The implication is that neither the questioner nor the respondent actually entertains any doubts or qualms but are engaging in questions and answers for the benefit of others. See XZJ 632, p. 33:712c16–17. . [Charles Jones; source(s): XZJ632]
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    Entry created: 2014-05-17