5.佛教寺庙英语讲解 重要!.doc

佛教 Buddhism Buddhism is one of the worlds three major religions. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama(悉达多 乔达摩)who lived in the north-east region of the Indian subcontinent between 6BC and 5BC . Buddhism was widespread in many countries in Asia. During the Eastern Han Dynasty it was spread from the West to the East into China. Then as a result of the Buddhist influence on and mergence with Chinese culture, Buddhism came to be a natural part of Chinese civilization, albeit with a unique character. Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people，affecting our aesthetics , politics, literature, philosophy and medicine.Buddhist Immortals and Myths佛教形象和神话阿罗汉 Arhat It refers to those who have attained the goal of enlightenment or awakening and achieved nirvana (涅磐) without being reborn. The difference between an Arhat and a Buddha is that the Buddha attains enlightenment by himself, whereas the arhat does it by following the teachings of anther.阿弥陀佛 Amitabha “Amitabha”is a Sanskrit world literally meaning boundless light and boundless life. He is the Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss(极乐世界)，in which all beings enjoy unbound happiness. According to the scriptures, Amitabha possesses infinite merit resulting from good deeds over countless past lives. He has forty-eight great vows to establish and adorn his Pure Land. People also recite or call upon his name by the time of dying, in the hope of being born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss with the reception by Amitabha. Amitabha is one of the most popular and well-known Buddha in China. 大势至菩萨 Da Shi Zhi BodhisattvaHe is a bodhisattva that represents the power of wisdom and is often depicted in a trinity(三位一体)with Amitabha and Guan Shi Yin, especially in Pure Land Buddhism. He is usually portrayed as a woman, with a likeness similar to Guan Yin. Unlike most bodhisattvas, he is one of the lesser known bodhisattvas, but is still a powerful bodhisattvas. In the Shurangama Sutra(楞严经),he tells of how he gained enlightenment through the practice of Buddha recitation, or continuous pure mindfulness of the Buddha， to obtain Samadhi(定).In the Contemplation Sutra(观无量寿经),he is symbolized by the moon while Guan Yin is symbolized by the sun.地藏菩萨 Earth Store BodhisattvaEarth Store Bodhisattva is named after the earth, which not only gives birth to many things and makes them grow, but can store a great many things within itself as well .It is said that he is one of the Mahayana Bodhisattvas of Buddhism. Buddhism relates that after Sakyamunis death and before all the people go to heaven, he was the Bodhisattva that saved all the living creatures in heaven and hell. He did things no one else wanted to do. He could bear what others cant bear and yield when other cant yield. 南无地藏王菩萨地域不空，誓不成佛。众生度尽，方证菩提。观世音菩萨 Guan YinThe Bodhisattva who hears the sounds of the world rescues all beings by hearing their voices of suffering and cries for help. In China, he is called Guan Yin Bodhisattva. As one of the Four Great Bodhisattva, He is the one with the greatest compassion and mercy. Guan Yin can transform into many different forms in order to cross over to the beings. Guan Yin, usually standing or sitting on a lotus flower with a treasure vase full of dew held in her right hand, was introduced into China with Mahayana Buddhism. Buddhism has it that Guan Yin has 31 different images with 32 incarnations(化身).As early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the female image of Guan Yin appeared and become quite popular in the Tang Dynasty(618-907). 千手千眼One Thousand Hands and EyesThe Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin is often depicted with one thousand hands, each hand containing its own eye to indicate the vows and powers of the Bodhisattva to see all those suffering in the world and to reach into the world and pull them out of their suffering. With a thousand eyes, he can see a million miles to the end of empty space and the Dharma realm. A thousand eyes observe, a thousand ears hear all and a thousand hands help and support living beings everywhere.弥勒佛 MaitreyaMaitreya is one of the great Bodhisattva-disciples of the Buddha. He is famous for the perfection of patience, and in a future age he will become the next Buddha. He is also the founder of the Consciousness-Only School of Mahayana Buddhism. He is an example of tolerance and likes to laugh and always has a big smile on his face. 普贤菩萨Universal Worthy BodhisattvaBeing one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas, he is the Bodhisattva of Great Conduct, representing the Law. “Universal” means his is everywhere. “Worthy” means his virtue is a sages virtue. He has Ten Great King Vows， which are the guidelines in practicing Buddhism and cultivating the Buddhist Way. 释迦摩尼 SakyamuniSakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, was born as the Prince of Sakyans. He grew up amidst palatial luxuries and his father prevented him from being exposed to the miseries of life. But he tried to seek the answer to the misery of existence and a way of release from the intolerable cycle of endless rebirths. At the age of 30,he attained the supreme Enlightenment and became the Buddha and was the called Shakyamuni which means “capability and kindness”. He then propagated Buddhist doctrines for 49 years in central India and was highly esteemed to be the Buddha. He died at the age of 80 under a pipal tree(菩提树).文殊师利 ManjushriAs one the Four Great Bodhisattva, he is the one with the greatest wisdom. He is also the guardian of wisdom and always rides on a lion. He is also described as the ninth predecessor or Buddha-ancestor of Shakyamuni.西方三生 The Three Western SagesThey Bodhisattva of Great Mercy（观世音） who is the l