Buddhanusmriti, Buddhānusmṛti, Buddha-anusmriti: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Buddhanusmriti means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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.
The Sanskrit term Buddhānusmṛti can be transliterated into English as Buddhanusmrti or Buddhanusmriti, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति) refers to the “recollection of the Buddha” and represents one of the Anusmṛti (eight recollections), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 36.—
How does one recollect the Buddha? Answer.—
- The ten names (adhivacana),
- The miracles of his birth,
- Physical marks and superhuman power,
- The five pure aggregates (anāsrava-skandha).
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति) refers to the “recollection of the Buddha”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “What then, son of good family, is the recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), which is authorized by the Lord for Bodhisattvas?”.
[These eight are:]
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of morality, he never gives up unsullied morality;
- while recollecting the Buddha in the perspective concentration, he is changeless concerning the realm of the dharma being always same;
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of insight, he is free from thought-constructions since there is no activity in all dharmas;
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of liberation, he does not stay in the secondary-thought;
- while recollection the Buddha from the perspective of the vision of the knowledge of liberation, he is not attached to any knowledge;
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of power, he is not moving concerning the knowledge which is equanimous in all three times;
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of fearlessness, he does not stay with any defilement;
- while recollecting the Buddha from the perspective of all qualities of the Buddha, he does not have any false discrimination in the sameness of the realm of the dharma.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति) or simply Buddha refers to the “recollection of the Buddha” and represents one of the “six recollections” (anusmṛti) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 54). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., buddha-anusmṛti). The work is attributed to Nagarguna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति).—quoted Mahāvastu i.163.11 (prose) as name of a dharmaparyāya, ‘recollection of Buddha(s)’.
1) Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति):—[from buddha > budh] f. continual meditation on B°, [Lalita-vistara]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of a Buddhist Sūtra.
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति):—[(buddha + a)] f. Titel eines buddhistischen Sūtra [WASSILJEW 172.]
Buddhānusmṛti (बुद्धानुस्मृति):—f. —
1) fortwährendes Gedenken Buddha's [Lalitavistarapurāṇa 34,20.] —
2) Titel eines buddh. Sūtra.
Buddhānusmṛti (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 念佛 [niàn fú]: “remembrance of the Buddha['s name”.
Note: buddhānusmṛti can be alternatively written as: buddha-anusmṛti.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Anusmriti, Buddha.
Starts with: Buddhanusmritisamadhi.
Full-text: Buddhanusmritisamadhi, Anusmriti, Bodhisattvabuddhanusmritisamadhi, Nian fu, Nian fu san mei, Six Recollections, Dvitiya, Anasravashila, Dvitiyacitta, Buddha, Asampramosha, Adhvan, Sampramosha, Tryadhva, Sarvasrava.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Buddhanusmriti, Buddhānusmṛti, Buddha-anusmriti, Buddha-anusmṛti, Buddhanusmrti, Buddha-anusmrti; (plurals include: Buddhanusmritis, Buddhānusmṛtis, anusmritis, anusmṛtis, Buddhanusmrtis, anusmrtis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
II. Canonical definitions of the six Anusmṛti < [Preliminary note on the Eight Recollections]
Buddhas of the present: Preliminary note (5) < [Part 7 - Seeing, hearing and understanding all the Buddhas of the present]
Chapter XXXVI - The eight recollections (anusmṛti or anussati)
Buddhism: An Integrated Interpretation < [January – March, 1984]
Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Embodied Transcendence: The Buddha’s Body in the Pāli Nikāyas < [Volume 12, Issue 3 (2021)]
Zen Philosophy of Mindfulness < [Volume 13, Issue 9 (2022)]
Meditative Experiences of Impurity and Purity—Further Reflection on the... < [Volume 12, Issue 2 (2021)]