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From: raja@pixel.cps.msu.edu
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Buddha's names
Message-ID: <1990Nov28.054336.1290@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 28 Nov 90 05:43:36 GMT
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov
Organization: NAS Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
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Approved: prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov


In article <1990Nov23.061216.28577@nas> (Satish) writes:

> Can somebody please post all the names used to refer to Buddha/bodhisattvas
> (indian and otherwise) along with their meanings.  Here are a few I know

> Amitabha (Amida in Japanese) - infinite light
> Avalokitesvara - He who looks down with mercy
> Buddha - Enlightened one
> Sakyamuni - Sage of sakyas


My own favourite Bodhisattva happens to be
  Kuan Shih Yin - Hearer of cries
(who is also known as Avalokiteshvara or Kuan Yin).

There are literally hundreds of Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition... some
of them are listed in "Journey to the West", a 
most delightful Chinese travel/adventure/pilgrimage 
novel written in the 17th (?) century:

  Dipankara                   - (Light-giver) Buddha of the Past
  Bhaisajya-vaidurya-prabhasa - the Physician and Buddha of
                                  Emerald Light
  Vairochana
  Maitreya                    - Buddha of the Future
  Buddha of Pure Joy
  Buddha, King of the Precious Banner
  Ratnadhvaja (?)             - Buddha of the Jeweled Banner
  Buddha Victorious in Wisdom
  Buddha, Leader of the Sages
  Sukhavativyuha
  Surya
  Manjusri
  Chandraprabha
  Varuna
  Narayana
  Svagata

There are also the Bodhisattvas: 

  Manjusri
  Visvabhadra
  Samantabhadra
  Bhiksu-iksani
  Kshitigarbha

among many, many others.  According to a friend,
other than Kuan Yin herself, Kshitigarbha (Ti Tsang ?)
is the most popular Bodhisattva in Chinese Buddhism
because of his vow to not attain enlightenment till
all the beings in the Buddhist Hells are redeemed.

Friendly regards,


Narayan Sriranga Raja.