San ming, Sān míng, Sān mìng: 7 definitions

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In Buddhism
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Introduction:

San ming 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

三明 [san ming]—The three insights; also 三達 [san da]. Applied to Buddhas they are called 三達 [san da], to arhats 三明 [san ming]. (a) 宿命明 [su ming ming] Insight into the mortal conditions of self and others in previous lives; (b) 天眼明 [tian yan ming] supernatural insight into future mortal conditions; (c) 漏盡明 [lou jin ming] nirvāṇa insight, i.e. into present mortal sufferings so as to overcome aIl passions or temptations. In the 倶舍論 [ju she lun] 27 the three are termed 住智識證明 [zhu zhi shi zheng ming]; 死生識證明 [si sheng shi zheng ming] and 漏盡識證明 [lou jin shi zheng ming]. For 三明經 [san ming jing] v. 長阿含 [zhang a han]16.

Source: archive.org: A Dictionary Of Chinese Buddhist Terms

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

三明 [san ming]—(Threefold Knowledge) — In Buddhism, the Buddha is said to possess the "三达 [san da]" (Threefold Insight), and Arhats possess the "" (Threefold Knowledge). "明 [ming]" (ming) signifies the clear and evident understanding of Dharma, hence it is called "明 [ming]," or "智明 [zhi ming]" (Wisdom-Knowledge), or "智证明 [zhi zheng ming]" (Wisdom-Proof), indicating the clear and manifest realization of the realm of wisdom. These are:

1. 宿命明 [su ming ming] (Knowledge of Past Lives / Pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa): The knowledge of the forms of birth and death in past lives, both of oneself and others.
2. 天眼明 [tian yan ming] (Divine Eye Knowledge / Dibbacakkhu-ñāṇa): The knowledge of the forms of birth and death in future lives, both of oneself and others.
3. 漏尽明 [lou jin ming] (Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements / Āsavakkhaya-ñāṇa): The knowledge of the nature of suffering in the present, and the wisdom that severs all afflictions (漏 [lou], lou, refers to afflictions/defilements).

Alternatively, they are sequentially named 宿住智证明 [su zhu zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of Past Dwellings), 死生智证明 [si sheng zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of Death and Rebirth), and 漏尽智证明 [lou jin zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements). Therefore, the "" (Threefold Knowledge) are the three powers among the 六通 [liu tong] (Six Supernatural Powers): 宿命通 [su ming tong] (Knowledge of Past Lives), 天眼通 [tian yan tong] (Divine Eye), and 漏尽通 [lou jin tong] (Extinction of Defilements).

The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra (智度论二 [zhi du lun er]) states: "宿命 [su ming] (Knowledge of Past Lives), 天眼 [tian yan] (Divine Eye), and 漏尽 [lou jin] (Extinction of Defilements) are called the (Threefold Knowledge)." It asks: "What is the difference between a supernatural power (神通 [shen tong], shentong) and knowledge (明 [ming], ming)?" The answer is: "Merely knowing past events is a power (通 [tong], tong). Knowing the past causes, conditions, and karma is knowledge (明 [ming], ming). Merely knowing death here and rebirth there is a power. Knowing the causes and conditions of actions and their precise, unfailing conjunction is knowledge. Merely exhausting defilements (结使 [jie shi], jieshi) without knowing if they will arise again or not is a power. If one knows that defilements are extinguished and will not arise again, that is knowledge."

The Abhidharmakośa-śāstra (俱舍论二十七 [ju she lun er shi qi]) states: "The so-called (Threefold Knowledge) are: 1. 宿住智证明 [su zhu zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of Past Dwellings), 2. 死生智证明 [si sheng zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of Death and Rebirth), 3. 漏尽智证明 [lou jin zhi zheng ming] (Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements). (Omitted text) They are called '明 [ming]' (knowledge) because they sequentially counter ignorance regarding the three periods. That is, 宿住智通 [su zhu zhi tong] (Knowledge of Past Dwellings) cures ignorance of the past; 死生智通 [si sheng zhi tong] (Knowledge of Death and Rebirth) cures ignorance of the future; 漏尽智通 [lou jin zhi tong] (Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements) cures ignorance of the present."

The Vibhāṣā-śāstra (婆沙论七十七 [po sha lun qi shi qi]) discusses why the other three among the 六通 [liu tong] (Six Supernatural Powers) are not called "明 [ming]" (knowledge): "The answer is: 身如意通 [shen ru yi tong] (Iddhi-vidhā / Divine Feet Power) is merely skillful manipulation (工巧 [gong qiao]); 天耳通 [tian er tong] (Dibba-sota / Divine Ear) is merely hearing sounds; 他心通 [ta xin tong] (Paracitta-jñāna / Knowledge of Others' Minds) is merely knowing others' minds. Therefore, these three are not established as '明 [ming].' The reason the remaining three are '明 [ming]' is that 天眼 [tian yan] (Divine Eye) knows future suffering, and 宿命 [su ming] (Knowledge of Past Lives) knows past suffering, both of which can lead to aversion and liberation from the cycle of birth and death (生死 [sheng si], shengsi). Furthermore, 漏尽 [lou jin] (Extinction of Defilements) enables right view and eradicates afflictions."

三明—【名數】在佛曰三達。在羅漢曰三明。智之知法顯了，故名為明，又曰智明，又曰智證明，證智之境而顯了分明也：一、宿命明，知自身他身宿世之生死相，二、天眼明，知自身他身未來世之生死相，三、漏盡明，知現在之苦相，斷一切煩惱之智也（漏者煩惱）。又如次第，名為宿住智證明，死生智證明，漏盡智證明。然則三明者，六通中之宿命天眼漏盡三通也。智度論二曰：「宿命天眼漏盡，名為三明。問曰：神通明有何等異：答曰：直知過去宿命事，是名通。知過因緣行業，是名明。直知死此生彼，是名通。知行因緣際會不失，是名明。直盡結使，不知更生不生是名通。若知漏盡更不復生是名明。」俱舍論二十七曰：「言三明者：一宿住智證明，二死生智證明，三漏盡智證明。（中略）名明者，如次對三際愚故。謂宿住智通治前際愚，死生智通治後際愚，漏盡智通治中際愚。」婆沙論七十七謂：「六通中，餘三何不謂明？答曰：身如意（言神境通），但工巧，天耳通但聞聲，他心但知他人心，故此三不立為明。餘三所以為明者，天眼知未來苦，宿命知過去苦，俱能厭離生死。又漏盡能為正觀而斷煩惱故。」

[míng shù] zài fú yuē sān dá. zài luó hàn yuē sān míng. zhì zhī zhī fǎ xiǎn le, gù míng wèi míng, yòu yuē zhì míng, yòu yuē zhì zhèng míng, zhèng zhì zhī jìng ér xiǎn le fēn míng yě: yī,, sù mìng míng, zhī zì shēn tā shēn sù shì zhī shēng sǐ xiāng, èr,, tiān yǎn míng, zhī zì shēn tā shēn wèi lái shì zhī shēng sǐ xiāng, sān,, lòu jǐn míng, zhī xiàn zài zhī kǔ xiāng, duàn yī qiè fán nǎo zhī zhì yě (lòu zhě fán nǎo). yòu rú cì dì, míng wèi sù zhù zhì zhèng míng, sǐ shēng zhì zhèng míng, lòu jǐn zhì zhèng míng. rán zé sān míng zhě, liù tōng zhōng zhī sù mìng tiān yǎn lòu jǐn sān tōng yě. zhì dù lùn èr yuē: “sù mìng tiān yǎn lòu jǐn, míng wèi sān míng. wèn yuē: shén tōng míng yǒu hé děng yì: dá yuē: zhí zhī guò qù sù mìng shì, shì míng tōng. zhī guò yīn yuán xíng yè, shì míng míng. zhí zhī sǐ cǐ shēng bǐ, shì míng tōng. zhī xíng yīn yuán jì huì bù shī, shì míng míng. zhí jǐn jié shǐ, bù zhī gèng shēng bù shēng shì míng tōng. ruò zhī lòu jǐn gèng bù fù shēng shì míng míng.” jù shě lùn èr shí qī yuē: “yán sān míng zhě: yī sù zhù zhì zhèng míng, èr sǐ shēng zhì zhèng míng, sān lòu jǐn zhì zhèng míng. (zhōng lüè) míng míng zhě, rú cì duì sān jì yú gù. wèi sù zhù zhì tōng zhì qián jì yú, sǐ shēng zhì tōng zhì hòu jì yú, lòu jǐn zhì tōng zhì zhōng jì yú.” pó shā lùn qī shí qī wèi: “liù tōng zhōng, yú sān hé bù wèi míng？ dá yuē: shēn rú yì (yán shén jìng tōng), dàn gōng qiǎo, tiān ěr tōng dàn wén shēng, tā xīn dàn zhī tā rén xīn, gù cǐ sān bù lì wèi míng. yú sān suǒ yǐ wèi míng zhě, tiān yǎn zhī wèi lái kǔ, sù mìng zhī guò qù kǔ, jù néng yàn lí shēng sǐ. yòu lòu jǐn néng wèi zhèng guān ér duàn fán nǎo gù.”

[ming shu] zai fu yue san da. zai luo han yue san ming. zhi zhi zhi fa xian le, gu ming wei ming, you yue zhi ming, you yue zhi zheng ming, zheng zhi zhi jing er xian le fen ming ye: yi,, su ming ming, zhi zi shen ta shen su shi zhi sheng si xiang, er,, tian yan ming, zhi zi shen ta shen wei lai shi zhi sheng si xiang, san,, lou jin ming, zhi xian zai zhi ku xiang, duan yi qie fan nao zhi zhi ye (lou zhe fan nao). you ru ci di, ming wei su zhu zhi zheng ming, si sheng zhi zheng ming, lou jin zhi zheng ming. ran ze san ming zhe, liu tong zhong zhi su ming tian yan lou jin san tong ye. zhi du lun er yue: "su ming tian yan lou jin, ming wei san ming. wen yue: shen tong ming you he deng yi: da yue: zhi zhi guo qu su ming shi, shi ming tong. zhi guo yin yuan xing ye, shi ming ming. zhi zhi si ci sheng bi, shi ming tong. zhi xing yin yuan ji hui bu shi, shi ming ming. zhi jin jie shi, bu zhi geng sheng bu sheng shi ming tong. ruo zhi lou jin geng bu fu sheng shi ming ming." ju she lun er shi qi yue: "yan san ming zhe: yi su zhu zhi zheng ming, er si sheng zhi zheng ming, san lou jin zhi zheng ming. (zhong lue) ming ming zhe, ru ci dui san ji yu gu. wei su zhu zhi tong zhi qian ji yu, si sheng zhi tong zhi hou ji yu, lou jin zhi tong zhi zhong ji yu." po sha lun qi shi qi wei: "liu tong zhong, yu san he bu wei ming? da yue: shen ru yi (yan shen jing tong), dan gong qiao, tian er tong dan wen sheng, ta xin dan zhi ta ren xin, gu ci san bu li wei ming. yu san suo yi wei ming zhe, tian yan zhi wei lai ku, su ming zhi guo qu ku, ju neng yan li sheng si. you lou jin neng wei zheng guan er duan fan nao gu."

Source: DILA Glossaries: Ding Fubao: Dictionary of Buddhist Studies

三明 _ts = sān míng _p refers to [phrase] “three insights; trividya”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: trividyā, Pali: tivijjā, Japanese: sanmyō, Tibetan: rig gsum; namely: 1. previous lives, 2. future conditions, and 3. suffering (BL 'trividyā', pp. 925-926; Ding '三明 [san ming]'; FGDB '三明 [san ming]'; SH '三明 [san ming]', p. 66) .

Source: NTI Reader: Chinese-English Buddhist dictionary

context information

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

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

三明 [sān míng] [san ming]—
1. Sun, moon, and stars. Jin Dynasty, Cui Bao, Gujin Zhu, Volume 2, "Questions and Answers and Explanations": "The Three Kings (三王 [san wang]) are the Three Luminaries; the Five Hegemons (五霸 [wu ba]) are the Five Sacred Mountains (五嶽 [wu yue])."
2. In Buddhism, the three supernatural powers possessed by Buddhas and Arhats: (1) the ability to know all the past lives of all sentient beings, called "宿命明 [su ming ming] (Sùmìng Míng) - Knowledge of Past Lives"; (2) the ability to know the life and death circumstances of all sentient beings in future lives, called "天眼明 [tian yan ming] (Tiānyǎn Míng) - Divine Eye Knowledge"; (3) the wisdom gained from enlightenment and the elimination of all afflictions, thereby achieving liberation, called "漏盡明 [lou jin ming] (Lòujìn Míng) - Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements." Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (《大智度論 [da zhi du lun]》) Volume 2: "Knowledge of Past Lives (宿命 [su ming]), Divine Eye Knowledge (天眼 [tian yan]), and Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements (漏盡 [lou jin]) are called the Three Vidyās." Also known as "三達 [san da] (Sāndá)."

三明：1.日、月、星。晉．崔豹《古今註．卷下．問答釋義》：「三王，三明也；五霸，五嶽也。」
2.佛教謂佛和阿羅漢所擁有的三種神通：（1）悉知一切眾生過去世的種種，稱為「宿命明」。（2）悉知一切眾生在未來世的生死狀況，稱為「天眼明」。（3）悟道、斷除一切煩惱所得的智慧，由此達到解脫，稱為「漏盡明」。《大智度論》卷二：「宿命、天眼、漏盡名為三明。」也作「三達」。

sān míng:1. rì,, yuè,, xīng. jìn． cuī bào < gǔ jīn zhù． juǎn xià． wèn dá shì yì>: “sān wáng, sān míng yě； wǔ bà, wǔ yuè yě.”
2. fú jiào wèi fú hé ā luó hàn suǒ yōng yǒu de sān zhǒng shén tōng: (1) xī zhī yī qiè zhòng shēng guò qù shì de zhǒng zhǒng, chēng wèi “sù mìng míng” . (2) xī zhī yī qiè zhòng shēng zài wèi lái shì de shēng sǐ zhuàng kuàng, chēng wèi “tiān yǎn míng” . (3) wù dào,, duàn chú yī qiè fán nǎo suǒ dé de zhì huì, yóu cǐ dá dào jiě tuō, chēng wèi “lòu jǐn míng” . < dà zhì dù lùn> juǎn èr: “sù mìng,, tiān yǎn,, lòu jǐn míng wèi sān míng.” yě zuò “sān dá” .

san ming:1. ri,, yue,, xing. jin. cui bao < gu jin zhu. juan xia. wen da shi yi>: "san wang, san ming ye; wu ba, wu yue ye."
2. fu jiao wei fu he a luo han suo yong you de san zhong shen tong: (1) xi zhi yi qie zhong sheng guo qu shi de zhong zhong, cheng wei "su ming ming" . (2) xi zhi yi qie zhong sheng zai wei lai shi de sheng si zhuang kuang, cheng wei "tian yan ming" . (3) wu dao,, duan chu yi qie fan nao suo de de zhi hui, you ci da dao jie tuo, cheng wei "lou jin ming" . < da zhi du lun> juan er: "su ming,, tian yan,, lou jin ming wei san ming." ye zuo "san da" .

Source: moedict.tw: Mengdian Mandarin Chinese Dictionary

三明 [sān míng] refers to: (1) “three [kinds of supernormal] awareness”; (2) “three kinds of wisdom”.

三明 is further associated with the following language/terms:

[Related Chinese terms] 三惠; 三慧; 三明智; 三種智.

[Sanskrit] tisrovidyāḥ.

[Pali] ti-vijjā.

[Tibetan] rig pa gsum.

[Vietnamese] tam minh.

[Korean] 삼명 / sammyeong.

[Japanese] サンミョウ / sanmyō.

Source: DILA Glossaries: Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

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