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Buddhist Term Explanation & Commentaries
[0] Vajra
‘Vajra’ in Sanskrit has multiple meanings. Although it often means ‘thunderbolt’ or ‘diamond’, its actual meaning in Buddhism, especially in Vajrayana and Prajna-paramita teachings, is an invisible, indestructible, and unchanging essence that unites with the highest Reality and constructs all materials. Because of its invisible, intangible, and omnipresent nature, it is likened to space or sky, and is also called ‘emptiness’ or ‘voidness’. And because of its indestructible and unchanging nature, it is likened to diamond or adamant.
See also - An explanation provided by CTTB :
Vajra is identical with the self-nature, the essential life force of all living beings, because both are indestructible and adamantine. Furthermore, the eternally dwelling mind all beings have in common is the same as the vajra nature, since it too cannot be destroyed. Prajna, as the highest form of wisdom living beings can attain, is real mark prajna, eternally indestructible. It is therefore referred to as vajra prajna.
According to the traditional explanations of the Seven Types of Sutra Titles, vajra in the title refers metaphorically to prajna, an essential Buddhist dharma. But more pointedly it may be said that prajna is vajra, the mind is vajra, the nature is vajra.
[1] Samadhi
A Samadhi is a supreme state of Dharma practice where one’s mind and body remain motionless and at the same time his consciousness can travel throughout the universe and his body can manifest various miracles and transformations.
A Samadhi of a specific name can be attained by practicing the corresponding Dharma devotedly. For example, Mindful-of-the-Buddha Samadhi can be attained by being mindful of Amitabha Buddha single-mindedly all the time, and Pratyutpanna Samadhi can be attained by practicing the Pratyutpanna Dharma devotedly.
Likewise, Miraculous Dharma Lotus Flower Samadhi is a Samadhi achieved by practicing the Dharma of Lotus Sutra.
[2] Eternally Quiescent Light
Also known as Constantly Still Light, a state of light realized by the highest Awakenment.
A Dharma practitioner awakened to the highest Reality ( e.g. a Buddha ) can enter into an extremely secret realm called Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, where the Dharma Body dwells.
The Land of Eternally Quiescent Light is a realm that transcends time and space. It is timeless, and has Eternality, Bliss, Self, and Purity in nature.
Why is the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light a timeless realm ? Imagine you travel together with light, or you become light yourself, that is, light remains constantly stationary to you, then what happens ? The answer is, time stops for you.
Additionally, there is a well-known saying in all major religions and ancient cultures - One day in heaven is a thousand years in the human world.
( Cited from Wikipedia : )
The faster the relative velocity, the greater the time dilation between one another, with time slowing to a stop as one approaches the speed of light.
For sufficiently high speeds, the effect is dramatic. For example, one year of travel might correspond to ten years on Earth. Indeed, a constant 1 g acceleration would permit humans to travel through the entire known Universe in one human lifetime.
More References :
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