Category: Buddhism

The Vinaya Pitaka is the first of three divisions of the Tripitaka, the canon of Buddhism. It mainly concerns the vinaya, or code of conduct for Buddhist monks and nuns. The other two parts of the Tripitaka are the Sutta Pitaka and the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Its primary subject matter is the monastic rules for monks and nuns. The name Vinaya...

The Vinaya (a word in Pali as well as in Sanskrit, with literal meaning ‘discipline’) is the textual framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: ‘Dharma‘ or doctrine, and ‘Vinaya’, or discipline. Generally speaking the former is concerned with theory, and the latter with practice,...

Vimalakirti Sutra (Chinese 維摩經 wéimó jing, Japanese 維摩経 yuima-gyō, Korean 유마경 yuma-gyeong, Sanskrit विमलकीर्ति-निर्देश-सूत्र Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa-sūtra.) This scripture is considered one of the most profound, as well as literarily excellent of the Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist sutras. The sutra expounds the profound principle of Mahāyāna as opposed to Theravada teachings, focusing on the explication of the meaning of nonduality. A significant aspect...

Vikramshila University was one of the two most important centers of Buddhist learning in India, along with Nalanda University. Vikramashila was established by King Dharampal of Bengal (783 to 820) in response to a supposed decline in the quality of scholarship at Nalanda. Atisha, the renowned pandita, is sometimes listed as a notable abbot. Vikramashila was destroyed by Muslim invaders...

Vijñāna is Sanskrit for consciousness. This page considers the Buddhist concept. Specifically, a vijnana is a single moment of conceptual consciousness. It has two components: the awareness itself, and the object of that awareness (which might be a perception, a feeling etc.). Normal mental activity is considered to consist of a continual succession of vijnanas. Vijnana is contrasted with jnana,...

Vicara means the way mind maintains attention toward any object. It first referred to hinduist yoga, later to buddhist meditation. Vicara in buddhism Vicara is a term of buddhist psychology. This term is mosly used to describe the internal feeling of the yogi who practices samatha bhavana, that is the meditation technique consisting in focusing the mind to one single...

Vibhajjavada (Pāli), is an umbrella classification for Buddhist denominations that promote analysis as a primary tool for developing insight. The word Vibhajjavada can be broken into Vibhajja, loosely meaning “analysis”, and vada meaning animated discussion. Hence, the term “Vibhajjavada” can mean “animated analytical discussion.’ During the third Buddhist Council, all orthodox schools, which at the time were sub-divisions of Sthaviravada,...

Vasubandhu (Sanskrit. Chinese 世親. Korean 세친) was an Indian Buddhist scholar-monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism. Born in Gandhāra in the fourth century, he was at first a Sarvāstivādin when he initially studied Sarvāstivādin Abhidharma,...

Vassa (Thai พรรษา, pansa or phansaa), also called Rains Retreat, is the traditional retreat during the rainy season lasting for three lunar months from July to October. During this time Buddhist monks remain in a single place, generally in their temples. In some monasteries, monks dedicate the Vassa to intensive meditation practice. During Vassa, many Buddhist lay people reinvigorate their...

Vajrayāna Buddhism is often viewed as the third major ‘vehicle’ (Yana) of Buddhism, alongside the Theravada and Mahayana. The Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting not of philosophical differences, but rather the adoption of additional techniques (upaya, or ‘skilful means’). Vajrayana exists today in the form of two major sub-schools: Tibetan Buddhism, found in Tibet, Bhutan, northern India,...

Vajrapani (Sanskrit Vajra:thunderbolt/diamond, Pani:lit.in the hand; chn. Jin Gang) is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of the Buddha, and rose to symbolize the Buddha’s power. Vajrapani was used extensively in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha’s virtues:Manjusri...

Urgyen Trinley Dorje (Wylie transliteration: U-rgyan Phrin-las Rdo-rje) (b. June 26, 1985), also spelled Ogyen Trinley Dorje (and Orgyen Trinley Dorje & Ugyen Trinley Dorje) is recognized by many followers as the 17th Karmapa, leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Kham, Tibet to largely nomadic parents, Urgyen Trinley Dorje is said to have identified himself...

Uposatha days are times of renewed dedication to Dhamma practice, observed by both lay people and monastics throughout the world of Theravada Buddhism. For monastics, these are often days of more intensive reflection and meditation. In many monasteries, physical labor (construction projects, repairs, etc.) is curtailed. On New Moon and Full Moon days the fortnightly confession and recitation of the...

Upeksa, also upekkha in Pali, is the Buddhist concept of equanimity. It is one of the four Brahmavihara (sublime states), which is a subset of Kammatthana. Equanimity is a balanced state of mind characterized by lack of strong attachments – attractions (cravings or desires) or repulsions (aversions). In equanimity one still notices and cares about what is going on, and...