Chinese Buddhism Cheat Sheet
| Sanskrit (English) | Chinese |
|---|---|
| Buddha: Derived from the Sanskrit root "budh," meaning "to awaken" or "to know." Buddha refers to an enlightened being who has achieved complete wisdom and liberation from samsara. | 佛陀 (Fótuó): 佛陀源自梵语“Buddha”，意为“觉悟者”，指彻底觉悟并脱离轮回的觉者。 |
| Bodhisattva: "Bodhi" means "enlightenment" and "sattva" means "being." A bodhisattva is someone on the path to Buddhahood who seeks enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. | 菩萨 (Púsà): “菩提”意为觉悟，“萨埵”意为众生，菩萨是发愿成佛以救度众生的修行者。 |
| Arhat: "Arhat" means "worthy" or "deserving," referring to someone who has attained enlightenment and is free from the cycle of rebirth. | 罗汉 (Luóhàn): 罗汉是已断除烦恼并脱离轮回的圣者，意为“值得尊敬的人”。 |
| Śākyamuni: "Śākya" is the name of the Buddha's clan, and "muni" means "sage." Shakyamuni refers to the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. | 释迦牟尼 (Shìjiāmóuní): 释迦牟尼是佛陀的尊称，释迦是佛陀的氏族，牟尼意为“圣人”。 |
| Tathāgata: "Tathāgata" can mean "one who has thus come" or "one who has thus gone," indicating the Buddha's transcendence of ordinary existence. | 如来 (Rúlái): 如来是佛的尊号，意为“如是来者”或“如是去者”，表示佛陀已超越生死。 |
| Maitreya: "Maitreya" means "loving-kindness" and refers to the future Buddha who will come after the teachings of Shakyamuni have faded. | 弥勒 (Mílè): 弥勒意为慈爱，是未来佛，将在释迦牟尼教法消失后降世。 |
| Amitābha: "Amitābha" means "Infinite Light" or "Infinite Life." Amitabha Buddha presides over the Western Pure Land and is central to Pure Land Buddhism. | 阿弥陀佛 (Āmítuófó): 阿弥陀意为无量光或无量寿，净土宗信仰的主要佛陀，统治西方极乐净土。 |
| Dīpaṃkara: Dipankara means "Lamp Bearer," and he is a past Buddha who predicted that Shakyamuni would become a Buddha. | 燃灯佛 (Rándēng Fó): 燃灯象征光明与智慧，佛指觉悟者，燃灯佛即点燃智慧之光照亮众生的佛。 |
| Vairocana: Vairocana represents the cosmic Buddha, embodying the ultimate truth of the universe. | 大日如来 (Dàrì Rúlái): 这里的“大”表达无边无际的意义，“日”代表太阳，象征着至高无上的觉悟和真理。 |
| Avalokiteśvara: "Avalokita" means "to perceive" and "Īśvara" means "lord." Avalokiteshvara is the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who perceives the cries of the world. | 观音菩萨 (Guānyīn Púsà): 观音代表聆听众生苦难之声，即慈悲聆听救度众生的菩萨。 |
| Mañjuśrī: Mañjuśrī means "Gentle Glory" and is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, often depicted holding a sword to cut through ignorance. | 文殊菩萨 (Wénshū Púsà): “文殊”是梵语的音译，象征智慧，即以智慧帮助众生开悟的菩萨。 |
| Kṣitigarbha: "Kṣiti" means "earth" and "garbha" means "womb." Ksitigarbha vows to help beings in the hell realms. | 地藏菩萨 (Dìzàng Púsà): “地”可以理解为地下或是广阔之地，“藏”则有存储和隐藏的意味。关联于守护和拯救地狱及其它苦难领域中的众生。 |
| Samantabhadra: "Samanta" means "universal" and "bhadra" means "goodness." Samantabhadra represents virtue and practice. | 普贤菩萨 (Pǔxián Púsà): “普”表示广泛、普遍，“贤”则是善行的象征，代表广泛的善行和修德。 |
| Tārā: Tara means "savior" and is a female Bodhisattva who saves beings from suffering. There are various forms, such as Green Tara and White Tara. | 度母 (Dùmǔ): “度”表示渡过苦难，“母”表示女性，象征慈悲与救度。常见的形象有绿度母和白度母。 |
| Theravāda: "Thera" means "elder" and "vāda" means "doctrine." Theravada is the oldest form of Buddhism, focusing on individual liberation. | 上座部佛教 (Shàngzuòbù Fójiào): “上座”意为“上位的座位”，含义是由资深僧侣领导的佛教派别，通常指向今天的南传佛教。 |
| Mahāyāna: "Mahā" means "great" and "yāna" means "vehicle." Mahayana emphasizes the Bodhisattva path and the goal of liberating all beings. | 大乘佛教 (Dàchéng Fójiào): ”乘”梵语“Yāna”，意为“车”，含义是用大车够普度众生一起超脱。 |
| Hīnayāna: "Hīna" means "small" and "yāna" means "vehicle." This term refers to early schools of Buddhism that focus on individual liberation, though it's often seen as a pejorative term. | 小乘佛教 (Xiǎochéng Fójiào): 大乘修行者对早期佛教支派只重视个人解脱的贬义称呼。 |
| Bodhisattva Mārga (Bodhisattva Path): "Bodhi" means "enlightenment" and "sattva" means "being." The Bodhisattva Path is the journey of a Bodhisattva, who seeks enlightenment not only for themselves but for all sentient beings. | 菩萨道 (Púsà Dào): “菩”源自“菩提”，意为觉悟，“萨”源自“萨埵”，意为众生，“道”意为道路。“菩萨道”表示菩萨修行觉悟的道路。 |
| Arhat Mārga (Arhat Path): "Arhat" means "worthy" or "deserving." The Arhat Path is focused on individual liberation through the overcoming of desires, attachments, and ignorance. It is the path to personal enlightenment and the cessation of suffering. | 罗汉道 (Luóhàn Dào): “罗汉”源自梵语的音译“阿罗汉”，意为“值得尊敬的”，加上“道”字，表示罗汉修行的道路。 |
| Sukhāvatī (Pure Land Buddhism): The Pure Land school emphasizes faith in Amitabha Buddha and the practice of reciting his name to be reborn in his Pure Land (Sukhāvatī), a place where enlightenment is much easier to achieve. | 净土宗 (Jìngtǔ Zōng): “净”意为清净，“土”意为土地，合起来意为清净之地。主张通过信仰阿弥陀佛和念诵佛号来往生阿弥陀佛的西方极乐世界。 |
| Vijñānavāda / Yogācāra (Consciousness-Only School): "Vijñāna" means "consciousness" and "vāda" means "doctrine." This school teaches that all experiences and phenomena are constructions of the mind, and what we perceive as reality is a projection of consciousness. | 唯识宗 (Wéishí Zōng): “唯”意为唯一，“识”意为心识，“唯识宗”为强调心识为根本的学派。主张一切现象都是心识的产物，外界事物不过是意识的投射。 |
| Dhyāna (Zen Buddhism): "Dhyāna" means "meditation." Zen Buddhism places great emphasis on direct experience and sudden enlightenment (satori) through meditation practice rather than scriptural study. The focus is on present-moment awareness and insight into the nature of existence. | 禅宗 (Chán Zōng): “禅”源自“Dhyāna”，意为静坐或冥想，“禅宗”为以禅定为主的佛教学派。重视通过禅修直接体验顿悟，而不是依靠经书学习。强调在当下觉知生命本质，直指人心。 |
| Madhyamaka (Middle Way School): "Madhyama" means "middle" and "ka" means "doctrine." Founded by Nāgārjuna, the Middle Way school emphasizes the concept of emptiness (śūnyatā), which teaches that all things are devoid of intrinsic existence. It rejects both extremes of eternalism (things exist permanently) and nihilism (things do not exist at all), advocating the middle path between the two. | 中观派 (Zhōngguān Pài): “中”意为中间，“观”意为观察或见解，“中观派”字面意思是持中道见解的学派。由龙树菩萨创立，强调“中道”，即否认事物具有永恒的自性或完全不存在的极端观点。主张一切法皆空，缘起性空，排斥实有论和虚无论的两极。 |
| Śūnyatā (Emptiness): "Śūnya" means "empty." In Buddhism, it refers to the concept that all things are devoid of intrinsic existence. | 空 (Kōng): “空”字面意思是“无”或“没有”，表示一切事物没有固定的自性。 |
| Rūpa (Form): "Rūpa" means "form" or "material." It refers to the physical aspect of phenomena in Buddhist teachings. | 色 (Sè): “色”指的是物质形态或外表，代表有形的物体。 |
| Dharma: "Dharma" means "law" or "teaching." It refers to the Buddha’s teachings or the fundamental truths of reality. | 法 (Fǎ): “法”字面意思是“法则”或“教义”，表示佛陀的教导和宇宙的规律。 |
| Karma: "Karma" means "action" or "deed." It refers to the law of cause and effect, where actions create future consequences. | 业 (Yè): “业”意为“行为”或“行动”，指行为及其带来的因果报应。 |
| Dhyāna (Meditation): "Dhyāna" means "meditation" or "concentration." It refers to the practice of focusing the mind in Buddhist practice. | 禅 (Chán): “禅”源自“Dhyāna”，意思是冥想或专注。 |
| Vipaśyanā (Contemplation): "Vipaśyanā" means "insight" or "clear seeing." It refers to the practice of insight meditation in Buddhism. | 观 (Guān): “观”字面意思是“观察”或“洞察”，指通过修行来获得对真相的深入了解。 |
| Kalpa: "Kalpa" means "eon" or "world cycle." It represents a vast period of time in cosmological cycles. | 劫 (Jié): “劫”字面意思是“劫数”或“长时间的周期”，指佛教宇宙论中的漫长时间周期。 |
| Pratyaya (Condition): "Pratyaya" means "condition" or "cause." It refers to the interdependent factors that give rise to phenomena. | 缘 (Yuán): “缘”字面意思是“因缘”或“条件”，表示导致事物出现的外部或内在条件。 |
| Saṃsāra: "Saṃsāra" means "wandering" or "cycle." It refers to the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Buddhist cosmology. | 轮回 (Lúnhuí): “轮回”字面意思是“转圈”或“循环”，表示生死和再生的无尽循环。 |
| Nirvāṇa: "Nirvāṇa" means "extinguishing" or "blowing out." It represents the cessation of suffering and liberation from samsara. | 涅槃 (Nièpán): “涅槃”字面意思是“熄灭”或“吹灭”，表示痛苦的终结和从轮回中的解脱。 |
| Karmāvaraṇa (Karmic Obstruction): "Karma" means "action" and "āvaraṇa" means "obstacle." It refers to the negative karmic effects that hinder spiritual progress. | 业障 (Yèzhàng): “业”意为“行为”，“障”意为“障碍”，合起来表示因过去行为产生的阻碍。 |
| Avidyā (Ignorance): "Avidyā" means "ignorance" or "delusion." It refers to the fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of reality, causing suffering. | 无明 (Wúmíng): “无”意为“没有”，“明”意为“明智”或“智慧”，合起来表示对现实的无知或误解。 |
| Manas Indriya (Mind Faculty): "Manas" means "mind," and "Indriya" means "faculty" or "sense". It refers to the mental faculty that governs thought and awareness. | 意根 (Yì Gēn): “意”意为“思想”或“意识”，“根”字面意思是“根源”或“基础”，指思想与意识的感官。 |
| Vajra (Diamond/Thunderbolt): "Vajra" in Sanskrit means both "diamond" (symbolizing indestructibility) and "thunderbolt" (symbolizing irresistible force). In Buddhist context, it represents the indestructible nature of wisdom and the powerful, unyielding force of enlightenment. | 金刚 (Jīngāng): “金”意为“金属”或“坚固的物质”，“刚”意为“坚硬”或“强大”，合起来字面意思是“坚不可摧”。象征着智慧的不可摧毁性和成就觉悟的强大力量。 |
| Deva Gati (Deva Realm): "Deva" means "god" or "heavenly being," and "Gati" means "realm" or "path." The Deva Realm refers to the heavenly realm where beings enjoy great pleasure and long life. | 天道 (Tiān Dào): “天”意为“天空”或“神灵”，“道”意为“道路”或“境界”。意为神灵所在的境界，享有幸福和长寿。 |
| Manuṣya Gati (Human Realm): "Manuṣya" means "human," and "Gati" means "realm" or "path." The Human Realm is where beings experience a mix of pleasure and suffering and is considered the best realm for attaining enlightenment. | 人道 (Rén Dào): “人”意为“人类”。意为人类居住的世界，体验快乐与痛苦的混合。 |
| Asura Gati (Asura Realm): "Asura" refers to a group of demigods or titans who are often in conflict, and "Gati" means "realm." The Asura Realm is characterized by jealousy and strife. | 阿修罗道 (Āxiūluó Dào): “阿修罗”源自梵语，意为“非天”或“斗神”。意为充满嫉妒和斗争的境界。 |
| Tiryagyoni Gati (Animal Realm): "Tiryagyoni" means "animal," and "Gati" means "realm" or "path." The Animal Realm is where beings live with ignorance and fear, often driven by basic survival instincts. | 畜生道 (Chùshēng Dào): “畜生”意为“动物””。意为动物生存的世界，充满无知和本能的驱动。 |
| Preta Gati (Hungry Ghost Realm): "Preta" means "hungry ghost" or "restless spirit," and "Gati" means "realm." The Hungry Ghost Realm is where beings suffer from insatiable hunger and thirst. | 饿鬼道 (Èguǐ Dào): “饿鬼”意为“饥饿的鬼魂”“境界”。意为充满无法满足的饥饿与渴望的鬼魂世界。 |
| Naraka Gati (Hell Realm): "Naraka" means "hell," and "Gati" means "realm" or "path." The Hell Realm is a place of intense suffering and torment for those who have accumulated negative karma. | 地狱道 (Dìyù Dào): “地狱”意为“苦难之地”境界”。意为充满痛苦与折磨的境界，是因恶业而生的地方。 |
| Bodhi Vṛkṣa (Bodhi Tree): "Bodhi" means "enlightenment," and "Vṛkṣa" means "tree." The Bodhi Tree is the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. | 菩提树 (Pútí Shù): “菩提”意为“觉悟”，意为是“觉悟之树”，指佛陀在其下成道的树。 |
| Bodhicitta (Mind of Enlightenment): "Bodhi" means "enlightenment," and "citta" means "mind" or "thought." Bodhicitta refers to the aspiration for enlightenment. | 菩提心 (Pútí Xīn): “菩提”意为“觉悟”，“心”意为“心灵”或“意识”，字面意思是“觉悟的心”，指追求觉悟的心愿。 |
| Sukhāvatī (Western Pure Land): "Sukhāvatī" means "blissful land," and "Western" refers to the direction of this pure land presided over by Amitabha Buddha. | 西方极乐世界 (Xīfāng Jílè Shìjiè): 极乐意为“极致的快乐”，指“西边的极乐世界”，是阿弥陀佛的净土，众生在此地修行成佛更加容易。 |
| Mokṣadeva (Xuanzang): "Xuán" means "mysterious" or "profound," and "Zàng" means "repository" or "storehouse." Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar known for his pilgrimage to India to bring back Buddhist scriptures. | 玄奘 (Xuánzàng): “玄”意为“深奥”或“神秘”，“奘”意为“储藏”或“典藏”。玄奘是唐朝著名的高僧，以前往印度取经著称。 |
| Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra (Heart Sutra): "Prajñā" means "wisdom," "pāramitā" means "perfection," and "hṛdaya" means "heart." The Heart Sutra is one of the most important Mahayana texts, focusing on the concept of emptiness. | 般若波罗密多心经 (Bōrě Bōluómìduō Xīnjīng): “般若”意为“智慧”，“波罗密多”意为“到彼岸”或“圆满”，“心经”意为“心要的经文”。《般若波罗密多心经》是大乘佛教重要经典之一，讲述空性思想。 |
| Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra (Yogacara Bhumi Shastra): "Yogācāra" means "practitioner of yoga," "bhūmi" means "stages" or "ground," and "śāstra" means "treatise." The text is a comprehensive guide to the stages of spiritual practice in Yogacara Buddhism. | 瑜伽师地论 (Yúqié Shīdì Lùn): “瑜伽”意为“修行”，“师”意为“导师”，“地”意为“阶段”或“地基”，“论”意为“理论著作”。《瑜伽师地论》是关于瑜伽行派修行阶段的论著。 |
| Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra (Lotus Sutra): "Saddharma" means "true law" or "wonderful dharma," "puṇḍarīka" means "lotus," and "sūtra" means "scripture." The Lotus Sutra is one of the most influential texts in Mahayana Buddhism, teaching the universality of Buddhahood. | 妙法莲华经 (Miàofǎ Liánhuá Jīng): “妙”意为“美妙”或“微妙”，“法”意为“法则”或“佛法”，“莲华”意为“莲花”，“经”意为“经典”。《妙法莲华经》是大乘佛教的重要经典，讲述成佛的普遍性。 |
Black Myth: Wukong sparked a conversation at work where I struggled to explain Xuanzang's journey to India. My explanation was inadequate because I only knew the Buddhist terms in Chinese and couldn't translate them into English. Chinese Buddhist terminologies were originally translated from Sanskrit over a millennium ago, some by meaning and others by pronunciation, leading to significant language drift. Over time, many of these terms became so ingrained in popular culture that their original meanings were lost. The chart above attempts to address both linguistic and cultural aspects by providing an etymological explanation in both English and Chinese. Below is my take on the development of Buddhism in China.
Version 0: Around 500 BC, Siddhartha Gautama was a great philosopher in Northern India who attracted followers seeking wisdom and relief from suffering. His teachings, focused on personal enlightenment, were passed down through a school of philosophers. This early form of Buddhism resembles a philosophy, akin to Stoicism.
Version 1: A few hundred years later, the Mahayana branch of Buddhism emerged in Northern India, focusing on bringing enlightenment to all beings through compassion. In Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhisattvas (half-Buddhas) actively help non-believers, while Buddhas passively represent the ultimate truth. This version of Buddhism has religious characteristics, with Bodhisattvas acting as angels and saviors and Buddhas representing a monotheistic God.
Version 2: A few centuries later, particularly after Xuanzang's journey to India to study and translate many Buddhist texts, the Mahayana branch became dominant in China and later spread across East Asia. This success was partly due to the relative immaturity of the indigenous religion, Daoism. Sub-branches of Mahayana, like Pure Land and Chan (Zen), flourished as scholars in East Asian monasteries elevated Mahayana Buddhism to new heights.
Version 3: However, outside the monasteries, the general Chinese population lacked a tradition of worshiping wisdom and truth, being more accustomed to worshiping power. As a result, Bodhisattvas became seen as receivers of tributes and granters of wishes. For example, Guanyin became widely believed to grant fertility wishes. Over time, Bodhisattvas lost their divine status and were easily absorbed into the existing practice of idol worship. These "internal" and "external" versions of Buddhism continue to coexist today.
Version 4: After being interwoven with folk idol worship, Buddhist elements found their way into mythological plays and novels. The Journey to the West is the most famous of these, featuring Wukong, the Monkey King, as the protagonist. He protects Xuanzang on his journey to India to retrieve Mahayana scriptures, defeating monsters and navigating rivalries between Chinese and Buddhist idols along the way.
Version 5: Modern culture embraced The Journey to the West, leading to countless movies, games, and novels that reimagine the characters, explore their backgrounds, or transplant them into different worlds. Some of my favorites include Stephen Chow's movie series and Black Myth: Wukong.