Bindu
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bindu (T. thig le). Literally, “drop,” "sphere," "circle," "essence," etc. In Buddhism, the Sanskrit term bindu has multiple meanings:[1]
- sphere, drop, dot, circle, zero, center, etc.
- the symbol denoting the nasalization of a Sanskrit vowel, comprised of a dot above a crescent (i.e. anusvara)
- a dot over a letter representing the anusvara (in phonetic transliteration of Sanskrit)
- a colored mark on the forehead between the eyes.
- semen or seminal point.
- the red and white essences in tantric practice; white and red seminal fluids of the physical body
- the nucleus or seed of the enlightened mind
In Buddhist tantra, the bindu is described as a sacred drop or "vital essence" that resides in the channels (nādī) of the subtle body, and "is the source of bliss when manipulated in meditation practice" through the control of the inner winds (prāṇa).[2]
In Tibetan tantric texts, the term thig le chen po (maha-bindu, "great sphere") and refers to the natural state.[2][3]
Notes
- ↑
ཐིག་ལེ་ , Christian-Steinert Dictionary
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton: 2014), s.v. bindu
- ↑ thig le chen po , Christian-Steinert Dictionary
