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40-727: According to the Isdhoo Loamaafaanu and Gamu Loamaafaanu, monks from monasteries of the southern atoll of Haddhunmathi were brought to Malé and beheaded. Beside lōmāfānu plates found in Haddhunmathi Atoll, one of the most important Maldivian copper plates is the Bodugalu Miskiy Loamaafanu found in Malé . Below is a table of islands that have been mentioned in the Loamaafaanu This Maldives -related article

80-707: A Bodhi-tree, all simultaneously attain Buddhahood. All these innumerable Buddhas have Vairocana as their original body. Vairocana is also mentioned in the Avatamsaka Sutra ; however, the doctrine of Vairocana is based largely on the teachings of the Mahavairocana Tantra (also known as the Mahāvairocana-abhisaṃbodhi-tantra ) and to a lesser degree the Vajrasekhara Sutra (also known as

120-670: A Buddha vandana (homage) as follows: Namaḥ samanta-buddhānām A vaṃ raṃ haṃ khaṃ "A" is the seed syllable mantra ( bījamantra ) of Vairocana in the Garbhadhatu mandala , while "Vaṃ" is the seed syllable of Vairocana in the Vajradhātu mandala. Thus, this five element mantra contains both main seed syllables of Vairocana in the East Asian Esoteric tradition . Furthermore, these two seed syllables are sometimes combined into one mantra: "A-Vaṃ". A longer dharani associated with Vairocana

160-533: A multiverse called "Ocean of worlds, whose surface and inside are decorated with an arrangement of flowers" (Kusumatalagarbha-vyuhalamkara-lokadhatu-samudra). The Avatamsaka states that this entire cosmos has been purified by the Buddha Vairocana through his bodhisattva practices for countless aeons, after having met countless Buddhas. The sutra also states that our world is in Vairocana's buddhafield . Vairocana

200-514: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Haddhunmathi Atoll Haddhunmathi or Laamu Atoll (Dhivehi: ހައްދުންމަތި އަތޮޅު) is an administrative division of the Maldives . The administrative capital is Fonadhoo Island . It corresponds to the natural atoll of the same name. It is mostly rimmed by barrier reefs, the broadest of which are topped by islands. There are many islands along its eastern and southern boundaries. This atoll

240-471: Is also not to be confused with another Buddha that appears in some Mahayana sources called "Rocana". Vairocana Buddha is first introduced in the Brahmajala Sutra : Now, I, Vairocana Buddha am sitting atop a lotus pedestal; On a thousand flowers surrounding me are a thousand Sakyamuni Buddhas. Each flower supports a hundred million worlds; in each world a Sakyamuni Buddha appears. All are seated beneath

280-471: Is an invocation to Dharmakāya Mahāvairocana Buddha as the great universal teacher. Five syllable mantras (Japanese: goji shingon ) symbolize how all things in the universe (here: the five elements ) are modes and emanations of Vairocana. One such mantra which is used in the Shingon school is: aḥ vi ra hūṃ khaṃ Each syllable is correlated with earth, water, fire, air, space respectively, while Vairocana

320-485: Is closely associated with Shakyamuni Buddha, in some cases he is even identified with him in the Avatamsaka Sutra . Huayan generally sees Shakyamuni as an emanation body (nirmanakaya) from the ultimate Buddha Vairocana ("The Illuminator"). Furthermore, Huayan thought sees the entire universe as being the very body of Vairocana, who is seen as a supreme cosmic Buddha. Vairocana is infinite, his influence and light

360-534: Is comparatively open, containing scattered shoal patches; the bottom is muddy and the average depth is from 30 to 34 fathoms (55 to 62 m). Haddhummathi Atoll forms the southern limit of Central Maldives. Beyond the Huvadhu Kandu, the broadest channel between atolls in the Maldives, lie the southern atolls. Traditionally, Maldivians simply call this atoll Haddhunmathi , without adding the word Atholhu (Atoll) at

400-471: Is limitless, pervading the entire universe. Furthermore, Vairocana is really the ultimate principle (li), the Dharmakaya , Suchness and "the substance underlying phenomenal reality". However, while Vairocana as ultimate principle is eternal, it also transforms and changes according to the needs and conditions of sentient beings. Furthermore, Vairocana is empty, interdependent and interfused with all phenomena in

440-485: Is named: "Ocean of worlds, whose surface and inside are decorated with an arrangement of flowers" (Sanskrit: Kusumatalagarbha-vyūhālamkāra-lokadhātusamudra ). It is also called the "Lotus Treasury World" (Chinese: 華蔵世界 , Skt. Padmagarbha-lokadhātu ), since it is an array of billions of worlds in a lotus shape. In the cosmology of the Avatamsaka sutra, our world is just one of the immeasurable number of worlds in

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480-615: Is often interpreted, in texts like the Avatamsaka Sutra , as the Dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha . In East Asian Buddhism ( Chinese , Korean , Japanese and Vietnamese Buddhism ), Vairocana is also seen as the dharmakāya (the supreme buddha-body , the body of ultimate reality), and the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of wisdom and purity. Mahāvairocana is often translated into East Asian languages as "Great Sun Buddha" (Chinese: 大日如來, Japanese: Dainichi Nyorai) Buddha. In

520-527: Is quite regular excepting for the projection of the reef at its NE corner (Isdhū Muli). It closely resembles Kolhumadulhu, its neighbour further north. Owing to its typical atoll shape, it differs in no respect from atolls in the Pacific Ocean, save for its greater size. Its reefs are generally of little breadth, with no signs of vilu (deep pools), except for its eastern fringes which are covered with islands that are quite large by Maldivian standards. The lagoon

560-572: Is the Mantra of Light , which is popular in Japanese Buddhism, including Shingon . This is: Oṃ Amogha Vairocana Mahāmudrā Maṇipadma Jvala Pravartāya Hūṃ Another mantra associated with Vairocana is the following Shingon school mantra: Namo Mahāguru Vairocana Vajra (Jp: namu daishi henjō kongō 南 無 大 師 遍 照 金 剛) This mantra is also the mantra of Kukai , the founder of the Shingon school. Its inner meaning

600-668: Is the Sarvadurgatiparishodana dharani ( Complete removal of all unfortunate rebirths ), also known as Kunrig mantra in Tibetan Buddhism . This dharani is found in the Sarvadurgatiparishodana tantra which depicts Vairocana at the center of a mandala surrounded by the other four tathagatas . The dharani is as follows: OṂ namo bhagavate sarva durgati pariśodhana rājāya tathāgatāyārhate samyaksambudhāya tadyathā OṂ śodhane śodhane sarva pāpam viśodhani śuddhe viśuddhe sarvakarmāvarana viśodhani svāhā! With regard to śūnyatā ,

640-483: Is the innermost realization that Amida is the true nature, material and spiritual, of all beings, that he is 'the omnivalent wisdom-body, that he is the unborn, unmanifest, unchanging reality that rests quietly at the core of all phenomena". Helen Hardacre, writing on the Mahavairocana Tantra , comments that Mahavairocana's virtues are deemed to be immanently universal within all beings: "The principle doctrine of

680-707: Is the largest bronze image of Vairocana in the world. The larger of the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan that were destroyed by talibans was also a depiction of Vairocana. In Java , Indonesia, the ninth-century Mendut temple near Borobudur in Magelang was dedicated to the Dhyani Buddha Vairocana. Built by the Shailendra dynasty , the temple featured a three-meter tall stone statue of Vairocana, seated and performing

720-596: Is the sixth element - consciousness ( vijñana ). In the Mahavairocana sutra the mantra appears as: Namaḥ samanta-buddhānām a vi ra hūṃ khaṃ. According to East Asian mantrayana writers like Kakuban , this mantra can lead to enlightenment. According to translator Dale A. Todaro, the mantra's syllables have numerous symbolic correlations aside from the five elements, including: "the Five Buddhas (Mahavairocana, Aksobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi respectively);

760-607: The Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha Tantra). In the Avatamsaka Sutra , Vairocana is described as having attained enlightenment immeasurable ages ago and residing in a world purified by him while he was a bodhisattva . He also presides over an assembly of countless other bodhisattvas. He may be considered the celestial existence ( saṃbhogakāya ) of Gautama Buddha , who came to be as Vairochana's earthly rebirth from his previous existence in Tushita heaven. Similarly,

800-544: The Brahmajala Sutra also states that Shakyamuni was originally named Vairochana, regarding the former as a physical incarnation ( nirmāṇakāya ) of the latter. Vairocana is also mentioned as an epithet of Gautama Buddha in the Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra , who dwells in a place called "Always Tranquil Light". In the Śūraṅgama mantra ( Chinese : 楞嚴咒 ; pinyin : Léngyán Zhòu ) taught in

840-602: The Dainichikyo is that all the virtues of Dainichi (Mahāvairocana) are inherent in us and in all sentient beings." According to the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra , the whole universe is a vast pure buddha-field which has been purified by Vairocana Buddha. This is the view of Pure Land which is found in the Chinese Huayan tradition. According to this view, our world is just one small part of this universal Pure Land which

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880-672: The Śūraṅgama sutra (Chinese: 楞嚴經 ; pinyin: Léngyán Jīng ), an especially influential dharani in the Chinese Chan tradition , Vairocana is mentioned to be the host of the Buddha Division in the centre, one of the five major divisions which dispels the vast demon armies of the five directions. Vairocana is the Primordial Buddha in the Chinese schools of Tiantai , Huayan and Tangmi , also appearing in later schools including

920-407: The 2016 film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , were filmed here, specifically the scenes on the planet Scarif, which is portrayed as a tropical planet. Vairocana Vairocana (from Sanskrit : Vi+rocana, "from the sun" or "belonging to the sun", "Solar", or "Shining") also known as Mahāvairocana (Great Vairocana) is a major Buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana

960-706: The Bodhisattvas Body, the Tathāgatas Body, the Wisdom Body, the Dharma Body, and the Space Body. Fazang sees these ten bodies as encompassing all phenomena (animate and inanimate) in the "three realms", i.e. the entire universe. Numerous mantras , seed syllables and dharanis are associated with Vairocana Buddha. A common basic mantra is the following: Oṃ Vairocana Vaṃ Another popular Vairocana related mantra

1000-619: The Catholic missionary Francis Xavier was welcomed by the Shingon monks since he used Dainichi , the Japanese name for Vairocana, to designate the Christian God . As Xavier learned more about the religious nuances of the word, he substituted the term Deusu , which he derived from the Latin and Portuguese Deus . The Shingon monk Dohan regarded the two great Buddhas, Amitābha and Vairocana, as one and

1040-547: The Japanese Kegon , Shingon and esoteric lineages of Tendai . In the case of Huayan and Shingon, Vairocana is the central figure. In Chinese and Japanese Buddhism , Vairocana was gradually superseded as an object of reverence by Amitābha , due in large part to the increasing popularity of Pure Land Buddhism , but veneration of Vairocana still remains popular among adherents. During the initial stages of his mission in Japan,

1080-567: The Maldive Buddhist period itself. The only actual remains of the art of those times are a few sculptures and etchings on coral stone. Most of these are preserved in a little room in the Malé Museum, but many they are not properly labelled, so it is not easy to know where they come from. A Buddha head found by H.C.P. Bell during his excavations in this atoll has disappeared, but the picture taken by Bell can be seen in his monograph. Scenes from

1120-407: The Pacific Ocean, save for its greater size. Its reefs are generally of little breadth, with no signs of vilu (deep pools), except for its eastern fringes which are covered with islands that are quite large by Maldive standards. The lagoon is comparatively open, containing scattered shoal patches; the bottom is muddy and the average depth is from 30 to 34 fathoms (55 to 62 m). Laamu Atoll forms

1160-589: The conception of the Five Jinas of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Vairocana is at the centre and is often considered a Primordial Buddha . In East Asian esoteric Buddhism, Mahāvairocana is considered to be a cosmic Buddha whose body is the entire universe, the Dharmadhātu . Vairocana is not to be confused with Vairocana Mahabali , son of the asura Virochana , a character in the Yoga Vasishta . Vairocana Buddha

1200-495: The end. Before that the name of the atoll was Sathu Dhuvu mathi named after the seven main islands. It is mostly rimmed by barrier reefs , the broadest of which are topped by islands. There are many islands along its eastern and southern boundaries. This atoll is quite regular except for the projection of the reef at its NE corner (Isdhū Muli). It closely resembles Kolhumadulhu , its neighbour further north. Owing to its typical atoll shape, it differs in no respect from atolls in

1240-549: The five colors yellow, white, red, black, and blue; five organs (liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen); five Chinese elements (wood, metal, fire, water, earth); and so on." A slightly longer variation of this mantra, also found in Shingon is: Oṃ a vi ra hūṃ khaṃ vajra dhātu vaṃ This version includes another mantra associated with the Vajradhātu mandala. There is another five element mantra of Vairocana, which is: A vaṃ raṃ haṃ khaṃ An alternate version sometimes appears with

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1280-560: The massive size and brilliance of Vairocana statues serve as a reminder that all conditioned existence is empty and without a permanent identity, whereas the Dharmakāya is beyond concepts. The Spring Temple Buddha of Lushan County, Henan , China, with a height of 126 meters, is the second tallest statue in the world ( see list of tallest statues ). The Daibutsu in the Tōdai-ji in Nara , Japan,

1320-527: The most ancient writings of the Maldives are the Isdhū Lōmāfānu and the Dhanbidhū Lōmāfānu copperplates, relating to the conversion to Islam, the destruction of the Buddhist monuments, the beheading of the Buddhist monks and the building of mosques to replace the Buddhist temples and monasteries. These copperplates are from the year 1193 AD. The Maldivian king back then according to these documents

1360-509: The same Dharmakāya Buddha and as the true nature at the core of all beings and phenomena. There are several realizations that can accrue to the Shingon practitioner of which Dohan speaks in this connection, as James Sanford points out: [T]here is the realization that Amida is the Dharmakaya Buddha, Vairocana; then there is the realization that Amida as Vairocana is eternally manifest within this universe of time and space; and finally there

1400-468: The site to subsequent vandalism. Often local inhabitants plundered the place in the vain hope of finding gold or other treasures, as soon as the archaeologists and accompanying government officials left the island. The Dhanbidhū Lōmāfānu tells us that the Satihirutalu (the chattravali or chattrayashti crowning a stupa) were broken to disfigure the numerous stupas. It tells us also that statues of Vairocana ,

1440-596: The southern limit of Central Maldives. Beyond the Huvadhu Kandu , the broadest channel between atolls in the Maldives, lie the southern atolls. Kadhdhoo Domestic Airport is located on Kadhdhoo . This atoll was playing an important role in the Maldives when the nation was a Buddhist Kingdom. Many of the islands located on Haddhunmathi's eastern reef have important Buddhist archaeological sites, like Dhanbidhoo , Mundoo , Gan and Isdhoo . These are remains of monasteries, viharas and stupas of large proportions. Some of

1480-413: The transcendent Buddha of the middle world region, were destroyed; and the destruction was not limited to sculptures. The wealth of manuscripts probably written on screwpine leaves that Maldivian monks in their Buddhist monasteries must have produced was either burnt or otherwise so thoroughly eliminated that it has disappeared without leaving any trace. Therefore, there are no samples of paintings from

1520-645: The universe. Thus, Vairocana is both immanent (due to its dependent and interfused character) and transcendent (as the immutable basis of all things). According to Fazang , while the nirmanakaya Shakyamuni taught the other Mahayana sutras , Vairocana teaches the Avatamsaka Sutra through his ten bodies which are: the All-Beings Body, the Lands Body, the Karma Body, the Śrāvakas Body, the Pratyekabuddha Body,

1560-696: Was Sri Gadana Aditya Maharadun. A tentative transcription of the Dhanbidū lōmafānu was made by M. Ibrahim Loutfi and was subsequently published in 'Faiytūra', the organ of the Maldivian Cultural Affairs Council. H. C. P. Bell excavated some of the Buddhist sites in 1923. The stupa in Kuruhinna, one of the Buddhist sites in Gan Island, was remarkably well preserved. Only the Chattravali (Satihirutalu)

1600-423: Was missing. Unfortunately these sites have been vandalized since then and there is almost nothing remaining now, except for a heap of stones and gravel. The cause of heavy destruction during recent years has been archaeological excavations on those sites themselves. Regrettably, these investigations were either done carelessly, or left the site unprotected after excavation. The removal of the sheltering jungle exposed

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