five Buddha families

A Dictionary of Buddhism | 2004 | 579 words | Copyright

five Buddha families. The fivefold classificatory system for Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other divine beings derived from the middle period Mahāyāna sūtra tradition and adopted by the later tantras. Each family is headed by a particular Buddha endowed with specific qualities. The families are the Tathāgata Family (Vairocana), the Vajra Family (Akṣobhya), the Jewel Family (Ratnasaṃbhava), the Lotus Family (Amitābha), and the Action Family (Amoghasiddhi). The five Buddha family system replaced the earlier three Buddha family scheme.

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DAMIEN KEOWN. "five Buddha families." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAMIEN KEOWN. "five Buddha families." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-fiveBuddhafamilies.html

DAMIEN KEOWN. "five Buddha families." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-fiveBuddhafamilies.html

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