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[[Image:Buddha12deeds.jpg|frame|'''The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha''']]
[[Image:Buddha12deeds.jpg|frame|'''The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha''']]
'''Twelve deeds''' ([[Wyl.]] ''mdzad pa bcu gnyis'') - Twelve deeds carried out by a [[nirmanakaya|supreme nirmanakaya]] [[buddha]], such as the [[Buddha Shakyamuni]] are:
The '''twelve deeds''' (Skt. ''dvadaśabuddhakārya''; Tib. མཛད་པ་བཅུ་གཉིས་, ''dzepa chunyi'', [[Wyl.]] ''mdzad pa bcu gnyis'') carried out by a [[nirmanakaya|supreme nirmanakaya]] [[buddha]], such as the [[Buddha Shakyamuni]], are:
#the descent from [[Tushita]], the Joyous pure land,
#the descent from [[Tushita]], the Joyous pure land (''dga' ldan gyi gnas nas 'pho ba''),
#entering the mother’s womb (''lhums su zhugs pa''),
#taking birth<ref>In the case of Buddha Shakyamuni, this was in the [[Lumbini]] garden.</ref> (''sku bltams pa''),
#becoming skilled in various arts (''bzo yi gnas la mkhas pa''),
#delighting in the company of royal consorts (''btsun mo'i 'khor dgyes rol ba''),
#developing renunciation and becoming ordained (''rab tu byung ba''),
#practicing austerities for six years (''dka' ba spyad pa''),
#proceeding to the foot of the [[bodhi tree]] (''byang chub snying por gshegs pa''),
#overcoming [[Mara]]’s hosts (''bdud btul ba''),
#becoming fully [[enlightenment|enlightened]] (''mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas pa''),
#turning the wheel of [[Dharma]] (''chos kyi 'khor lo bskor ba''), and
#passing into [[parinirvana|mahaparinirvana]] <ref>In the case of Buddha Shakyamuni, this was in the city of [[Kushinagara]].</ref> (''mya ngan las 'das pa'')
 
==Alternative Lists==
*The description of Buddha's life in twelve deeds appeared later, in the first centuries of the common era within [[Mahayana]] sources. The [[Theravadin]] tradition lists only eight deeds:
#the descent from Tushita,
#entering the mother’s womb,
#entering the mother’s womb,
#taking birth in the [[Lumbini]] garden,
#taking birth,
#becoming skilled in various arts,
#leaving his family,
#delighting in the company of royal consorts,
#overcoming Mara,
#developing renunciation and becoming ordained,
#turning the wheel of [[Dharma]] and
#practicing austerities for six years,
#passing into [[nirvana]] or [[parinirvana]].<ref>Philippe Cornu, ''Manuel de bouddhisme — Philosophie, pratique et histoire. Tome I, Bouddhisme ancien et Theravāda'' (Editions Rangdröl, 2019), page 39.</ref>
#proceeding to the foot of the [[bodhi tree]],
 
#overcoming [[Mara]]’s hosts,  
==Alternative Translations==
#becoming fully enlightened,
*Twelve Acts [of the Buddha]
#turning the wheel of [[Dharma]], and
 
#passing into [[parinirvana|mahaparinirvana]] in the city of [[Kushinagara]].
==Notes==
<small><references/></small>
 
==Teachings Given to the [[About Rigpa|Rigpa]] Sangha==
*[[Dzogchen Rinpoche]], [[Lerab Ling]], 6-7 June 1998


==Further Reading==
==Further Reading==
*Lobsang Dhargyay, 'The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha⎯A Controversial Hymn ascribed to Nagarjuna' in ''The Tibet Journal'', Vol.IX, No.2, Summer 1984
*Lobsang Dhargyay, 'The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha—A Controversial Hymn ascribed to Nagarjuna' in ''The Tibet Journal'', Vol.IX, No.2, Summer 1984
*[[Philippe Cornu]], ''Manuel de bouddhisme — Philosophie, pratique et histoire. Tome I, Bouddhisme ancien et Theravāda'' (Editions Rangdröl, 2019), pages 37-58.
 
==External Links==
*{{LH|tibetan-masters/jigme-lingpa/praise-twelve-acts-buddha|''Praise of the Twelve Acts of the Buddha''}} by [[Jigme Lingpa]]
*[[:Category:Life of the Buddha|Tibetan terms related to the life of the Buddha]]


[[Category:Buddha Shakyamuni]]
[[Category:The Twelve Deeds]]
[[Category:Enumerations]]
[[Category:Enumerations]]
[[Category:12-Twelve]]

Latest revision as of 09:32, 15 October 2021

The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha

The twelve deeds (Skt. dvadaśabuddhakārya; Tib. མཛད་པ་བཅུ་གཉིས་, dzepa chunyi, Wyl. mdzad pa bcu gnyis) carried out by a supreme nirmanakaya buddha, such as the Buddha Shakyamuni, are:

  1. the descent from Tushita, the Joyous pure land (dga' ldan gyi gnas nas 'pho ba),
  2. entering the mother’s womb (lhums su zhugs pa),
  3. taking birth[1] (sku bltams pa),
  4. becoming skilled in various arts (bzo yi gnas la mkhas pa),
  5. delighting in the company of royal consorts (btsun mo'i 'khor dgyes rol ba),
  6. developing renunciation and becoming ordained (rab tu byung ba),
  7. practicing austerities for six years (dka' ba spyad pa),
  8. proceeding to the foot of the bodhi tree (byang chub snying por gshegs pa),
  9. overcoming Mara’s hosts (bdud btul ba),
  10. becoming fully enlightened (mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas pa),
  11. turning the wheel of Dharma (chos kyi 'khor lo bskor ba), and
  12. passing into mahaparinirvana [2] (mya ngan las 'das pa)

Alternative Lists

  • The description of Buddha's life in twelve deeds appeared later, in the first centuries of the common era within Mahayana sources. The Theravadin tradition lists only eight deeds:
  1. the descent from Tushita,
  2. entering the mother’s womb,
  3. taking birth,
  4. leaving his family,
  5. overcoming Mara,
  6. turning the wheel of Dharma and
  7. passing into nirvana or parinirvana.[3]

Alternative Translations

  • Twelve Acts [of the Buddha]

Notes

  1. In the case of Buddha Shakyamuni, this was in the Lumbini garden.
  2. In the case of Buddha Shakyamuni, this was in the city of Kushinagara.
  3. Philippe Cornu, Manuel de bouddhisme — Philosophie, pratique et histoire. Tome I, Bouddhisme ancien et Theravāda (Editions Rangdröl, 2019), page 39.

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha

Further Reading

  • Lobsang Dhargyay, 'The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha—A Controversial Hymn ascribed to Nagarjuna' in The Tibet Journal, Vol.IX, No.2, Summer 1984
  • Philippe Cornu, Manuel de bouddhisme — Philosophie, pratique et histoire. Tome I, Bouddhisme ancien et Theravāda (Editions Rangdröl, 2019), pages 37-58.

External Links