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靈知

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: numinous awareness

Senses:

  • A synonym for the 'sentience' that is fundamental to all sentient beings, which 'shines over' sensory objects, thus enabling them to be cognized. The term is particularly associated with Heze Shenhui 荷澤神會, Zongmi 宗密, and Jinul 知訥, and is ubiquitous in Korean Seon 禪宗 materials. 'Numinous awareness' is synonymous with 'buddha-nature,'  佛性 thus demonstrating that 'buddha-nature' is simply sentience; this is why all sentient beings are claimed to have the capacity for awakening. The fundamental quality of sentience is recovered through the introspective practice of 'tracing back the radiance' (fanzhao 返照). See also 'void and calm numinous awareness' (kongji lingzhi 空寂靈知). 〔禪源諸詮集都序 T 2015.48.402c29〕 [Robert Buswell]
  • Spiritual awareness; mysterious awareness; inconceivable wisdom (Skt. prajñā). 〔正法眼藏; 大智度論 T 1509.25.352c1〕 [Charles Muller; source(s): Ui, Yokoi, Nakamura]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 1121

    Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 1306a

    Japanese-English Zen Buddhist Dictionary (Yokoi) 528

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 1430a, 1437c

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.9-10)1094a

    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: 2001-09-08

    Updated: 2017-06-18