Vajrapada
| Key Term | vajrapada |
|---|---|
| Hover Popup Choices | vajrapada; vajra points; vajra subjects; vajrapadas; vajra point; vajra base; vajra bases; vajra subject |
| In Tibetan Script | རྡོ་རྗེའི་གནས་ |
| Wylie Tibetan Transliteration | rdo rje'i gnas |
| Devanagari Sanskrit Script | वज्रपद |
| English Standard | vajra subjects |
| 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, sangha, 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 both refer to a physical diamond and something which has the physical qualities of a diamond, i.e. 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 | |