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'''Ādi-Buddha''' (devanāgarī: आदि बुद्ध) is a compound [[Sanskrit]] term from ''ādi'' ("first") and ''buddha'', meaning the "Primordial Buddha." In [[Vajrayana Buddhism]] the term refers to a self-emanating, self-originating [[Buddha]], present before anything else existed. Although not a creator, it is the originator of all things. In Theosophical literature it is frequently used as a synonym of the [[Absolute|Absolute Reality]].
#redirect [[Adi-Buddha]]
 
== In Vajrayana Buddhism ==
 
Adi-Buddha can be regarded as a deity in an [[Emanation|emanationist]] sense. Though all Buddhist figures are said to be emanations of the Adi-Buddha, certain famous Bodhisattvas are revered as its actual personality (often referred to as [[Dharmakāya]], or "body of reality"). For example, in the Nyingma school, Adibuddha is Samantabhadra, the Spirit of Truth; in the Gelug and Kagyu schools, Vajradhara (Tib. Dorje Chang) is regarded as Adi-Buddha; while in Shingon Buddhism it is Vairocana (Jap. Dainchi Nyorai).
 
=== Blavatsky's view ===
 
Mme. Blavatsky followed the tradition of the Gelug school identifying Adi-Buddha with Vajradhara:
 
<blockquote>Ādi-Buddha is Vajradhara, and the [[Dhyāni-Buddha]]s are Vajrasattva; yet though these two are different Beings on their respective planes, they are identical in fact, one acting through the other, as a Dhyāni through a human Buddha)".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XIV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1995), 392.</ref></blockquote>
 
However, in another passage, Vajradhara is not equated to Adi-Buddha, but rather seen as the [[Logos#First Logos|First Logos]] [[radiation|radiating]] from the [[Absolute]]:
 
<blockquote>In the esoteric, and even exoteric Buddhism of the North, Adi Buddha (Chogi dangpoi sangye), the One unknown, without beginning or end, identical with [[Parabrahm]] and [[Ain-Soph]], emits a bright ray from its darkness.<br>
This is the Logos (the first), or Vajradhara, the Supreme Buddha (also called Dorjechang).<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Secret Doctrine'' vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 571.</ref></blockquote>
 
== In Theosophy ==
 
The Theosophical literature regards Adi-Buddha as [[Parabrahman]]<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. VI (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1989), 117.</ref><ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 111 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 379.</ref> or sometimes as an aspect of it, related to the Absolute Wisdom. For example, [[H. P. Blavatsky]] says that Ādi-Buddha is "the Wisdom-Principle, which is Absolute, and therefore out of space and time". Although this interpretation may sound unorthodox from the Buddhist point of view, she says in a footnote that this is an esoteric interpretation "taken from the secret portions of Dus-Kyi Khorlo (Kâla-Chakra, in Sanskrit, or the “Wheel of Time,” or duration)".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XIV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1995), 391.</ref> In other writings she also defines Adi-Buddha as "Primordial Universal Wisdom"<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 339.</ref> and a symbol of "the universal and abstract principle of divine wisdom."<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''The Theosophical Glossary'' (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), 343.</ref>
 
=== Ādi-Buddhi ===
 
Mme. Blavatsky mentions "the Boundless Âdi-Buddhi (primeval and Universal Soul)" as a term related to Âdi-Buddha or Wisdom.<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. XIV (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1995), 425.</ref> In [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''The Mahatma Letters'']] Ādi-Buddhi is identified with Yin Sin or "the one form of existence", and also with [[Dharmakāya]]: "the mystic, universally diffused essence."<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 67 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 182.</ref> Ādi-Buddhi is also related to universal wisdom and intelligence: "the aggregate intelligence of the universal intelligences including that of the Dhyan Chohans even of the highest order" and "the all-pervading supreme and absolute intelligence with its periodically manifesting Divinity — Avalokiteshvara".<ref>Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., ''The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence'' No. 67 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 181.</ref>
 
The connection with Avalokiteshvara is also mention by Mme. Blavatsky, who wrote that "Parabrahman or Adi-Buddha is eternally manifesting itself as Jivatma (7th principle) or Avalokiteswara".<ref>Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, ''Collected Writings'' vol. VI (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1989), 179.</ref>
 
== Notes ==
 
<references/>
 
==Further reading==
 
*[http://www.theosophy.ph/encyclo/index.php?title=%C4%80di-Buddha# Ādi-Buddha] at Theosopedia
 
[[Category:Sanskrit terms]]
[[Category:Concepts in The Secret Doctrine|Adi-Buddha]]
[[Category:Buddhist concepts]]

Latest revision as of 18:16, 29 June 2017

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