Vajrapada
| Key Term | vajrapada |
|---|---|
| Hover Popup Choices | vajrapada; vajra points; vajra topics; vajrapadas; vajra point; vajra base; vajra bases; vajra topic |
| In Tibetan Script | རྡོ་རྗེའི་གནས་ |
| Wylie Tibetan Transliteration | rdo rje'i gnas |
| Devanagari Sanskrit Script | वज्रपद |
| English Standard | vajra topics |
| Karl Brunnhölzl's English Term | vajra points |
| Dan Martin's English Term | adamantine topics |
| Term Type | Noun |
| Source Language | Sanskrit |
| Basic Meaning | Literally, vajra-footing, or base. In the context of the Ratnagotravibhāga, this is the name given to the seven subjects that are addressed in the treatise. These seven are the buddha, dharma, saṅgha, the element (dhātu), enlightenment (bodhi), enlightened qualities (guṇa), and enlightened activities (karman). |
| Has the Sense of | Vajra has a variety of meanings depending on the context, thus it is often left untranslated. For instance, it can refer to both a physical diamond and something which has the physical qualities of a diamond (i.e., something that is indestructible or indivisible). In this latter sense it is often rendered as "adamantine." In the Ratnagotravibhāga the seven main topics of the treatise are called "vajra" subjects because they are difficult to penetrate through an understanding that is arrived at through merely hearing or contemplating. In other words, they require direct experience. |
| Definitions | |