Cintamani
Cintāmaṇi(Sanskrit;Devanagari:चिन्तामणि;Chinese:Như ý bảo châu;pinyin:Rúyì bǎozhū;Korean:여의보주/yeouiboju; JapaneseRomaji:Nyoihōju), also spelled asChintamani(or theChintamani Stone), is awish-fulfilling jewel resembling a pearl described inHinduandBuddhisttraditions. It is one of severalMani Jewelimages found inBuddhist scripture.
Within Hinduism, it is connected with the godsVishnuandGanesha.In Hindu tradition, it is often depicted as a fabulousjewelin the possession of Vishnu as theKaustubhaMani or as on the forehead of theNagaking called as Naga Mani, or on the forehead of theMakara.[citation needed]TheYoga Vasistha,originally written in the 10th century CE, contains a story about the cintamani.[1] The Hindu Vishnu Purana speaks of the "Syamanta jewel,bestowing prosperity upon its owner, encapsulates the Yadu clan system ".[2]The Vishnu Purana is attributed to the mid-first millennium CE.
In Buddhism, it is held by theBodhisattvas(divine beings with great compassion, wisdom and power)AvalokiteshvaraandKsitigarbha.It is also seen carried upon the back of theLung Ta(wind horse) which is depicted on Tibetanprayer flags.By reciting theDharani(small hymn) of Cintamani, Buddhist tradition maintains that one attains the Wisdom of Buddha, able to understand the truth of the Buddha, and turn afflictions intoBodhi.It is said to allow one to see the HolyRetinueofAmitabhaand assembly upon one's deathbed. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition the Chintamani is sometimes depicted as a luminous pearl and is in the possession of several of different forms of the Buddha.[3]
In Japan, where theHindugoddessLakshmiis known asKisshōteninShinto,she is commonly depicted with a Cintāmaṇi in her hand.
Etymology[edit]
Cintāmaṇi(Sanskrit; Devanagari: चिन्तामणि): 'Wish-Fulfilling Gem' (Tibetan:ཡིད་བཞིན་ནོར་བུ,Wylie:yid bzhin norbu)[4]Themani(jewel) is translated inChineseruyiorruyizhuNhư ý châu "as-one-wishes jewel" orruyibaozhuNhư ý bảo châu "as-one-wishes precious jewel".Ruyibaozhuis pronounced inJapanesenyoi-hōjuornyoi-hōshuNhư ý bảo châu.Ruyizhuis pronounced inKoreanyeouiju여의주.
Hinduism[edit]
TheBrihad Bhagavatamritacompares this gem with devotion towards Vishnu:
स-प्रेमका भक्तिर् अतीव-दुर्लभा स्वर्गादि-भोगः सुलभोऽभवश् च सः ।
चिन्तामणिः सर्व-जनैर् न लभ्यते लभ्येत काचादि कदापि हातकम् ॥ २३२ ॥
sa-premakā bhaktir atīva-durlabhā svargādi-bhogaḥ sulabho'bhavaś ca saḥ | cintāmaṇiḥ sarva-janair na labhyate labhyeta kācādi kadāpi hātakam || 232 ||
Anyone can obtain a piece of glass and sometimes a piece of gold, but not everyone can obtain a cintāmaṇi because it is most rare. Similarly, the pleasures of heaven and liberation are easily achieved, but prema-bhakti is extremely rare.
— Brihad Bhagavatamrita,Verse 2.4.232
TheBhagavata Puranaremarks that the cintamani may give worldly pleasures and affluence inSvarga,but spiritual advancement allows one to attainVaikuntha,the realm of Vishnu that is difficult to achieve, even foryogins.[5]
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Buddhism[edit]
In Buddhism the Cintamani is said to be one of fourrelicsthat came in a chest that fell from the sky (manytermafell from the sky in caskets) during the reign of king LhaThothori Nyantsenof Tibet.[citation needed]Though the king did not understand the purpose of the objects, he kept them in a position of reverence. Several years later, two mysterious strangers appeared at the court of the king, explaining the four relics, which included the Buddha's bowl (possibly aSinging Bowl) and amani stonewith theOm Mani Padme Hummantrainscribed on it. These few objects were the bringers of theDharmatoTibet.
TheDigital Dictionary of Buddhism'sruyizhuentry says:
Amaṇi-jewel; magical jewel, which manifests whatever one wishes for (Skt.maṇi,cintā-maṇi,cintāmaṇi-ratna). According to one's desires, treasures, clothing and food can be manifested, while sickness and suffering can be removed, water can be purified, etc. It is a metaphor for the teachings and virtues of the Buddha.... Said to be obtained from the dragon-king of the sea, or the head of the great fish,Makara,or the relics of a Buddha.[6]
TheKintamanimountainous region inBaliwas named after the Cintamani.
Perennialism[edit]
René Guénon considered the Cintamani to be the equivalent of thephilosopher's stone.[7]
See also[edit]
- Ashtamangala
- Cornucopia
- Eight Treasures
- Holy Chalice
- Holy Grail
- Kagome crest– A 6-pointed star and a 8-pointed star; a symbol also associated with the goddess
- Kaustubha Gem
- Kisshoutennyo ( Cát Tường Thiên nữ )Lakshmi/Kisshōtennyo.
- List of mythological objects
- Luminous gemstones
- Mani stone
- Philosopher's stone
- Sampo
- Śarīra
- Sendai Daikannon statue
- Syamantaka Gem
- Tide jewels
- Yasakani no Magatama
Notes[edit]
- ^Venkatesananda, Swami(1984).The Concise Yoga Vāsiṣṭha.Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 346–353.ISBN0-87395-955-8.OCLC11044869.
- ^The Past before us: Historical traditions of early North India, Romila Thapar, Harvard, 2013
- ^R. A. Donkin,Beyond price: pearls and pearl-fishing: origins to the Age of Discoveries,American Philosophical Society, 1998.ISBN978-0-87169-224-5.p. 170
- ^Scheidegger, Daniel (2009). 'The First Four Themes of Klong chen pa'sTsig don bcu gcig pa.' Achard, Jean-Luke (director) (2009).Revue d'Etudes Tibetaines.April 2009. p.49
- ^wisdomlib.org (2022-05-29)."Nārada Meets Bhakti (Devotion in a Human Form) [Chapter 1]".wisdomlib.org.Retrieved2022-08-12.
- ^"ruyizhu", in Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
- ^Guénon, René(2004) [1962].Symbols of Sacred Science.Sophia Perennis, USA.ISBN0-900588-78-0.p. 277
Bibliography[edit]
- Beer, Robert (1999).The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs(Hardcover). Shambhala.ISBN1-57062-416-X,ISBN978-1-57062-416-2
- Buswell, Robert Jr;Lopez, Donald S. Jr.,eds. (2013)."Cintamani", in Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism.Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.ISBN9780691157863.