Encyclopedia Of Buddhism (Encyclopedia of World Religions)

673 Pages·2008·6.28 MB·English

by  Edward A. Irons

Encyclopedia of
Buddhism
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Encyclopedia of Buddhism
Encyclopedia of Catholicism
Encyclopedia of Hinduism
Encyclopedia of Islam
Encyclopedia of Judaism
Encyclopedia of Protestantism
Encyclopedia of World Religions
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Encyclopedia of
Buddhism
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Edward A. Irons
J. Gordon Melton, Series Editor
Encyclopedia of Buddhism
Copyright © 2008 by Edward A. Irons
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Irons, Edward A.
Encyclopedia of Buddhism / Edward A. Irons.
p. cm. — (Encyclopedia of world religions)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8160-5459-6 (alk. paper)
1. Buddhism—Encyclopedias. I. Title.
BQ128.I76 2007
294.303—dc22 2007004503
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Text design by Erika Arroyo
Cover design by Cathy Rincon
Maps by Dale Williams
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contents
K
About the Editors and Contributors vi
List of Illustrations viii
List of Maps x
List of Tables x
Preface xi
Buddhism: An Introduction xiii
Chronology xxiv
ENTRIES A TO Z 1
Appendix 599
A Bibliography of Buddhism and
Related Eastern Asian Religions 601
Index 611
about the editors
and contributors
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Series Editor Contributors
J. Gordon Melton is the director of the Institute David Gray received a Ph.D. in the history of
for the Study of American Religion in Santa religions, with a focus on Buddhism, from
Barbara, California. He holds an M.Div. from the Columbia University, New York. He is an
Garrett Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from assistant professor of religious studies at Santa
Northwestern University. Melton is the author Clara University, California.
of American Religions: An Illustrated History, The Gail M. Harley teaches religious studies at the
Encyclopedia of American Religions, Religious University of South Florida. She is the author
Leaders of America, and several comprehensive of several books, including Facts On File’s
works on Islamic culture, African-American Hindu and Sikh Faiths in America, and is the
religion, cults, and alternative religions. He editor of the Encyclopedia of Women in American
has written or edited more than three dozen Religious Life.
books and anthologies as well as numerous Huang Zuei-jane (indigenous name Inai Savon) is a
papers and articles for scholarly journals. He Daoist priestess in the Quanzhen Dao lineage. A
is the series editor for Religious Information member of the aboriginal Pazeh ethnic group in
Systems, which supplies data and information Taiwan, she serves as a committee member with
in religious studies and related fields. Melton is the Indigenous Peoples Commission, Taipei City
a member of the American Academy of Religion, Government. She is currently a doctoral candidate
the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, at Taiwan National Cheng-chi University, Taipei,
the American Society of Church History, the focusing on Daoist philosophy, postmodern
Communal Studies Association, and the Society educational philosophy, and ethics.
for the Study of Metaphysical Religion. Charles B. Jones received a Ph.D. from the
University of Virginia. He is a specialist in
Volume Editor East Asian Buddhism and author of Buddhism
Edward A. Irons is director of the Institute for in Taiwan: Religion and the State 1660–1990
Culture, Commerce and Religion, in Hong (University of Hawaii Press, 1999) as well as
Kong. He holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate coeditor of Religion in Modern Taiwan: Tradition
Theological Union, Berkeley, California. and Innovation in a Changing Society (University
vi
About the Editors and Contributors vii J
of Hawaii Press, 2003). He is currently an Buddhism and the interface between Buddhism
associate professor at The Catholic University and Shamanism.
of America, Washington, D.C. John M. Thompson, Ph.D., is assistant professor
Bill Magee received a Ph.D. in Tibetan Buddhism of Religious Studies at Christopher Newport
from the University of Virginia. He has published University, Virginia. He is author of The World’s
books and articles on Tibetan language Religions: Buddhism (Greenwood Press, 2006)
and philosophy. He lives in Charlottesville, and Understanding Prajna: Sengzhao’s “Wild
Virginia, and Taiwan, where he teaches Tibetan Words” and the Search for Wisdom (Peter Lang,
Buddhism at the Chung-hwa Institute of forthcoming).
Buddhist Studies. Alex Wilding, M.A. (Oxon.), M.Phil. (Leics.), MITI
Ronald Y. Nakasone, Ph.D., is affiliated with has practiced and studied Buddhism under
the Center for Art, Religion and Education Kagyu and Nyingma teachers since 1974. He
at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, has worked as an engineer, in education, and
California, and the Stanford University Center now as a freelance translator from the German
for Geriatric Education. to English.
Elijah Siegler received a Ph.D. in religious studies Robert B. Zeuschner received a Ph.D. in
from the University of California at Santa comparative philosophy, specializing in
Barbara. He currently teaches at the College of Buddhist philosophy and ethics from
Charleston, South Carolina. He is the author of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He is
the textbook New Religious Movements (Prentice associate professor of philosophy at Pasadena
Hall, 2006). City College, Pasadena, California, and the
Angela Sumegi received a Ph.D. in religious author of Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Exhaustive
studies from the University of Ottawa. She is Scholar’s and Collector’s Descriptive Bibliography
currently an assistant professor at the College (McFarland, 1996) and Classical Ethics East
of the Humanities, Carleton University, and West: Ethics from a Comparative Perspective
Ottawa, Canada, specializing in Indo-Tibetan (McGraw-Hill, 2000).
list of illustrations
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Seated Amitabha figure in Stone image of Kokushi 87 Bronze image of
wood and lacquer 14 Worshipper before image of Kshitigarbha 296
Carved wood image of Guan Yin 98 Congxu Daoist temple,
Buddha 26 Reproduction of the Le Shan southern China 315
Massive “sleeping” Buddha 27 Buddha 99 Rare double-image of two
Head of massive marble The Le Shan Buddha 100 seated Buddhas 326
Buddha 27 Chenghuang (City God) Contemporary image of the
Feet of sleeping Buddha 28 Temple, central Taiwan 106 Buddha Maitreya, Buddha of
Three lions, symbol of Confucius Temple at Nanjing, the future 326
Asoka 30 eastern China 125 Large bronze combination
Stone image of the god The Great Buddha 134 mandala and incense
Ebisu 43 Large incense burner 144 burner 329
Two generations of monks 44 Large stone stele (carved Marble image of the
Monks line up to receive rice monolith), placed on philosopher Mencius 339
at monastery 45 turtle 145 Monks’ quarters 343
Buddhist nun 46 Stone image of the Buddha Guan Yin temple near Kunming,
Chart showing the eight informing the universe of southwestern China 345
trigrams 56 his enlightenment 178 Images of nats (folk spirits)
Buddha’s mother giving Temple to Guan Gong, from Mahagiri shrine 350
birth 59 Taiwan 221 Burmese monk 351
Buddha preaching his Large painted Guan Yin Large seated Buddha 352
first sermon to the five figure 222 Six-armed white Avalokitesvara
ascetics 61 Zuisen-ji (temple), Japan 274 (Amoghapasa Lokesuam)
Gautama Buddha, temple near Small stone images of Jizo bodhisattva figure 363
Kunming, China 62 (Kshitigarbha), the Signpost for Nichiren Shoshu
Bodhidharma, the founder of bodhisattva concerned with Myosen-ji, Silver Spring,
Chan Buddhism 86 those in the afterlife 295 Maryland 367
viii
List of Illustrations ix J
Da Yan Ta (pagoda) 382 Rubbing of stone carving Marble slab incised with
Stone carving showing the showing the Buddha’s a portion of the Pali
Buddha peacefully entering feet 482 Tripitaka 520
nirvana 387 Congregation bowing before a Three major deities
Carved image of Virudhaka, Tiandao altar 509 worshipped in a True
one of the four Deva Kings Qiniandian (Hall of Prayer for Buddhist school temple in
(Caturmaharaja) 415 Good Harvests), at Tiantan Taipei, Taiwan 521
Novice monks seated for the (Temple of Heaven) in True Buddha School
noonday meal 465 Beijing 512 lead temple, Seattle,
Central stupa and western A novice lama assists a Washington 522
entranceway to Schwedagon worshipper in lighting Wheel of Life 559
temple 471 incense at the Yonghe Gong A 212-foot bronze image
Rare cloisonné (metal with Temple in Beijing 515 of the Buddhist
inlaid enamel) stupa Shrine to the Shinto deity pilgrim 576
dating from Qing dynasty Zeni-arai Benten, Kamakura, Wanfodian (Hall of 10,000
China 472 Japan 519 Buddhas) 586