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Four Dharmadhātu

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The Four Dharmadhatu (Chinese: 四法界; pinyin: sì fǎjiè) is a philosophical concept propagated by Master Dushun (Chinese: 杜順; 557-640 CE),[1] the founder of the Huayan school. It builds upon and is a variant of the Dharmadhatu doctrine.

The Four Dharmadhatu

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The Four Dharmadhatu were outlined in Dushun's treatise, the title of which has been rendered into English as 'On the Meditation of Dharmadhātu'. The Four Dharmadhatu are:

  • The Dharmadhātu of Shi (Chinese: 事法界; pinyin: shì fǎjiè). Shi holds the semantic field "matter", "phenomenon", "event". It may be understood as the "realm" (Sanskrit: dhātu) of all matters and phenomena.
  • The Dharmadhātu of Li (Chinese: 理法界; pinyin: lǐ fǎjiè). Li holds the semantic field: "principle", "law", "noumenon". This realm may be understood as that of principles. It has been referred to as "the realm of the one principle". The "one principle" being qualified as śūnyatā (Sanskrit).[2]
  • The Dharmadhātu of Non-obstruction of Li against Shi (traditional Chinese: 理事無礙法界; simplified Chinese: 理事无碍法界; pinyin: lǐshì wú'ài fǎjiè). This realm has been rendered into English as "the realm of non-obstruction between principle and phenomena".[3]
  • The Dharmadhātu of the Non-obstruction of Shi and Shi (traditional Chinese: 事事無礙法界; simplified Chinese: 事事无碍法界; pinyin: shìshì wú'ài fǎjiè). This realm has been rendered into English as "the realm of non-obstruction between phenomena".[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: [1][permanent dead link] (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  2. ^ Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: [2][permanent dead link] (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  3. ^ Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: [3][permanent dead link] (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  4. ^ Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: [4][permanent dead link] (accessed: January 28, 2008)

Further reading

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  • Oh, Kang-nam (2000). The Taoist Influence on Hua-yen Buddhism: A Case of the Sinicization of Buddhism in China. Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal, No. 13, (2000). Source: [5] (accessed: January 28, 2008)
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