Ben zun, Běn zūn: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Ben zun means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
本尊 [ben zun]—? satyadevatā, 裟也地提嚩多 [sha ye de ti mo duo]. The original honoured one; the most honoured of all Buddhas; also the chief object of worship in a group; the specific Buddha, etc., being served.
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
本尊 [ben zun]—Honored Deity — [Term] Sanskrit: svādhiṣṭha-devatā. This translates to Honored Deity. It refers to that which is inherently existent and is the most supreme (最勝 [zui sheng]) and most venerable (最尊 [zui zun]) among transcendent beings (出世間 [chu shi jian]), hence the name Honored Deity. Alternatively, among various deities (諸尊 [zhu zun]), a specific deity is taken as fundamental and revered (尊崇 [zun chong]), thus it is called Honored Deity. The "Honored Deity Samādhi Chapter" (三昧品 [san mei pin]) of the Mahāvairocana Sūtra (大日經 [da ri jing]) describes three types of Honored Deity: by character (字 [zi]), by mudra (印 [yin]), and by form (形 [xing]). "Character" refers to the seed-syllables (種子 [zhong zi]) such as [missing characters in original text]. "Mudra" refers to the samayamudrā (三昧耶形 [san mei ye xing]) such as the vajra (金剛杵 [jin gang chu]) and noose (羂索 [juan suo]). "Form" refers to the venerable form (尊形 [zun xing]) complete with all auspicious marks and characteristics (相好具足 [xiang hao ju zu]). Volume 20 of the Commentary on the Mahāvairocana Sūtra (大日經疏 [da ri jing shu]) states: "Honored Deity is the Sanskrit sound (梵音 [fan yin]) svādhiṣṭha-devatā. If one merely says devatā (提嚩多 [ti mo duo]), it simply means 'that which is revered' (所尊 [suo zun]). Devatā can also mean 'self-honored' (自尊 [zi zun]), meaning the deity one holds oneself (自所持 [zi suo chi])." Volume 10 of the Notes on Esoteric Practices (演密鈔 [yan mi chao]) states: "It is the fundamental principal (本所宗主 [ben suo zong zhu]) followed by all saints (諸聖 [zhu sheng]) and practitioners (隨行者 [sui xing zhe]), hence it is called Honored Deity."
本尊—【術語】梵語曰娑也地提嚩多。此譯本尊。本有而於出世間為最勝最尊，故名本尊。又於諸尊中以其尊為本而尊崇之，故名本尊。大日經本尊三昧品於本尊說字印形之三種。字者， [?] [?]等之種子也，印者，金剛杵羂索等之三昧耶形也，形者，相好具足之尊形也。大日經疏二十曰：「本尊者，梵音娑也地提嚩多，若但云提嚩多者直所尊之義也。尊亦云自尊，自所持之尊也。」演密鈔十曰：「諸聖隨行者本所宗主，故名為本尊。」
[shù yǔ] fàn yǔ yuē suō yě de tí mó duō. cǐ yì běn zūn. běn yǒu ér yú chū shì jiān wèi zuì shèng zuì zūn, gù míng běn zūn. yòu yú zhū zūn zhōng yǐ qí zūn wèi běn ér zūn chóng zhī, gù míng běn zūn. dà rì jīng běn zūn sān mèi pǐn yú běn zūn shuō zì yìn xíng zhī sān zhǒng. zì zhě, [?] [?] děng zhī zhǒng zi yě, yìn zhě, jīn gāng chǔ juàn suǒ děng zhī sān mèi yé xíng yě, xíng zhě, xiāng hǎo jù zú zhī zūn xíng yě. dà rì jīng shū èr shí yuē: “běn zūn zhě, fàn yīn suō yě de tí mó duō, ruò dàn yún tí mó duō zhě zhí suǒ zūn zhī yì yě. zūn yì yún zì zūn, zì suǒ chí zhī zūn yě.” yǎn mì chāo shí yuē: “zhū shèng suí xíng zhě běn suǒ zōng zhǔ, gù míng wèi běn zūn.”
[shu yu] fan yu yue suo ye de ti mo duo. ci yi ben zun. ben you er yu chu shi jian wei zui sheng zui zun, gu ming ben zun. you yu zhu zun zhong yi qi zun wei ben er zun chong zhi, gu ming ben zun. da ri jing ben zun san mei pin yu ben zun shuo zi yin xing zhi san zhong. zi zhe, [?] [?] deng zhi zhong zi ye, yin zhe, jin gang chu juan suo deng zhi san mei ye xing ye, xing zhe, xiang hao ju zu zhi zun xing ye. da ri jing shu er shi yue: "ben zun zhe, fan yin suo ye de ti mo duo, ruo dan yun ti mo duo zhe zhi suo zun zhi yi ye. zun yi yun zi zun, zi suo chi zhi zun ye." yan mi chao shi yue: "zhu sheng sui xing zhe ben suo zong zhu, gu ming wei ben zun."
本尊 ts = běn zūn p refers to [noun] “istadevata; ishta-deva; ishta-devata; a tutelary deity; a meditation deity; yi dam”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: iṣṭadevatā, Tibetan: yi dam (BL 'yi dam', p. 1027; FGDB '本尊 [ben zun]'; Powell 2007, p. 267) .
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
Languages of India and abroad
Chinese-English dictionary
本尊 ts = běn zūn p refers to “(Buddhism) yidam (one's chosen meditational deity)/the principal object of worship on a Buddhist altar/(of a monk who has the ability to appear in multiple places at the same time) the honored one himself (contrasted with his alternate forms, 分身 [fen1 shen1])/(fig.) (jocular) the genuine article/the real McCoy/the man himself/the woman herself/the original manifestation of sth (not a spin-off or a clone)”.
本尊 [běn zūn] refers to: “main object of veneration”.
本尊 is further associated with the following language/terms:
[Sanskrit] adhidaivata; sva-deva; svakula-devatā; sveṣṭa-deva.
[Vietnamese] bổn tôn.
[Korean] 본존 / bonjon.
[Japanese] ホンゾン / honzon.
Chinese language.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Full-text (+121): Ben men ben zun, Suo ye de ti mo duo, Bu kong juan suo fa, Guan ding ben zun fa, Shuo ben zun san mei, Feng qing ben zun, Zhou shen, Zi yin, Da fang guang fu, Feng tan, Jia chi nian song, Guang ming zhen yan ben zun, San luo cha, Bu dong fa, Yin guan, Adhidaivata, Gei lian, Xu mi tan, Bon ton, San ping deng hu mo tan.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Ben zun, Běn zūn, Běnzūn, Benzun, 本尊; (plurals include: Ben zuns, Běn zūns, Běnzūns, Benzuns). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Sanctuary of Avataṃsaka < [Volume 16, Issue 4 (2025)]
The Posture of Lalitāsana < [Volume 13, Issue 8 (2022)]
The Establishment of Religious Landscapes and Local Social Life in Nanshan... < [Volume 16, Issue 3 (2025)]
On the Form and Function of Sanskrit Akṣara in Prajñā-pāramitā-Sūtras and Śāstras < [Volume 80 (2020)]
Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
A Treasure-house of Tendai Manuscripts Stored at a Shingon Branch Center < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 4.1 (2021)]
The Ritual of the Buddhoṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Maṇḍala < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 1.2 (2018)]
From Tiantaishan to Hieizan: The View from the Keiran Shūyō Shū 渓嵐拾葉集 < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 4.1 (2021)]
Buddhacarita (by Charles Willemen)
A Dictionary Of Chinese Buddhist Terms (by William Edward Soothill)