What is 转轮圣王?

• realization

  19 Sep 11, 23:57

  What is 转轮圣王? I've heard of this in the sutras but I do not know exactly who or what it is?

  (transferring this question which was posed on another thread.)

   

• bohiruci

  20 Sep 11, 00:04

  http://baike.baidu.com/view/687014.htm

• sinweiy

  20 Sep 11, 09:29

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakravartin

  Chakravartin (चक�रवर�तिन� cakravartin, Pali Cakkavatti), is a term used in Indian religions for an ideal universal ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler's reign is called sarvabhauma. It is a bahuvrīhi, literally meaning "whose wheels are moving", in the sense of "whose chariot is rolling everywhere without obstruction". It can also be analyzed as an 'instrumental bahuvrīhi: "through whom the wheel is moving" in the meaning of "through whom the Dharmacakra ("Wheel of the Dharma) is turning" (most commonly used in Buddhism and Hinduism).

  

  

  A Chakravatin,(possibly Ashoka the great) 1st century BCE/CE. Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati. Preserved at Musee Guimet

  In Buddhism and Jainism, three types of Chakravartins are distinguished:^[1]

  • Cakravala Cakravartin: a ruler over all four continents postulated in ancient Indian cosmography
  • Dvipa Cakravartin: a ruler over only one of four continents
  • Pradesa Cakravartin: a ruler over only part of a continent.

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  輪王 A cakravartin, 'a ruler the wheels of whose chariot roll everywhere without obstruction; an emperor, a sovereign of the world, a supreme ruler.' M.W. A Buddha, whose truth and realm are universal. There are four kinds of cakravartin, symbolized by wheels of gold, silver, copper, and iron; each possesses the seven precious things, 七寶 q.v.

  七寶 sapta ratna 薩��羅的� The seven treasures, or precious things, of which there are varying descriptions, e.g. 金 suvarna, gold; 銀rūpya, silver; �璃 vai�ūrya, lapis lazuli; 玻瓈sphaṭika, crystal; 硨磲 mus�ragalva, agate; 赤� rohita-mukta, rubies or red pearls; 瑪瑙 aśmagarbha, cornelian. Also the seven royal (cakravartin) treasures―the golden wheel; elephants; dark swift horses; the divine pearl, or beautiful pearls; able ministers of the Treasury; jewels of women; and loyal generals.

  四輪 The four wheels or circles: (1) 大地四輪 the four on which the earth rests, wind (or air), water, metal, and space. (2) Four images with wheels, yellow associated with metal or gold, white with water, red with fire, and black with wind. (3) The four dhy�ni-buddhas, 金剛輪 Akṣobhya; 寳輪 Ratnasaṃbhava; 法輪 Amit�bha; 羯磨輪 Amoghasiddhi. (4) Also the four metals, gold, silver, copper, iron, of the cakravartin kings.

  四輪王 The four kinds of cakravartin kings.

   

  cakravartin wheel turning

  「輪王�，佛經上講，「金輪王�出�世間，他所統轄的範�是一四天下。「一四天下�是一個單�世界。從�說法是一個太陽系，以太陽系為單�。若�黃念祖�居士在《無�壽經》�附「�記�中所說，就是一個銀河系，比太陽系大多了，統轄這麼大的範�。「銀輪王�統轄四分之三。佛經裡講，一個單�世界四周，����西�北，北�是北俱盧洲；��西三洲有佛法，都屬他統轄。「銅輪王�統治兩大洲。「�輪王�統治一洲。這一洲，��去的說法，以為是一個太陽系。

  今天在我們地�上，還沒有出��輪王，展開歷�，自�至今沒有一個�王曾經統治�全世界。我們�有在佛經中見�，事實上，在我們世間歷�上，從來沒有出��。這就說明地�上的眾生修的�報還�夠。

  Gold = conquer 4 continents

  bronze = conquer 2 continents

  silver - conquer 3 continents

  Iron = conquer one continent

  http://www.amtfweb.org/jingtu/wuliang52.htm

  此王有四種:å�³é‡‘ã€�銀ã€�銅·é�µå››è¼ªçŽ‹;é�µè¼ªçŽ‹å…¶å¨�å¾·ç¦�力å�ªèƒ½çŽ‹ä¸€å¤©ä¸‹(1 continent),銅輪王王兩天下,銀輪王王三天下,金輪王其å¨�å¾·ç¦�力最為殊å‹�,故王四天下也(4 continents)。

   

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• sinweiy

  20 Sep 11, 09:42

  we still yet to see an iron cakravartin, i.e. ruler of the whole earth.

• Dawnfirstlight

  20 Sep 11, 22:33

  I see. Thanks guys for replying and thanks 'realization' for posting the question here.

• 2009novice

  20 Sep 11, 23:19

  yah... i think when buddha was born, a soothsayer said either he will be a fully enlightened being or 转轮圣王 - great ruler