Four Dharmadhātu

The Four Dharmadhatu (Chinese: 四法界; pinyin: sì fǎjiè) is a philosophical concept propagated by Master Dushun (Chinese: 杜順; 557-640 CE),[1] the founder of the Huayan school. It builds upon and is a variant of the Dharmadhatu doctrine.

The Four Dharmadhatu

The Four Dharmadhatu were outlined in Dushun's treatise, the title of which has been rendered into English as 'On the Meditation of Dharmadhātu'. The Four Dharmadhatu are:

  • The Dharmadhātu of Shi (Chinese: 事法界; pinyin: shì fǎjiè). Shi holds the semantic field "matter", "phenomenon", "event". It may be understood as the "realm" (Sanskrit: dhātu) of all matters and phenomena.
  • The Dharmadhātu of Li (Chinese: 理法界; pinyin: lǐ fǎjiè). Li holds the semantic field: "principle", "law", "noumenon". This realm may be understood as that of principles. It has been referred to as "the realm of the one principle". The "one principle" being qualified as śūnyatā (Sanskrit).[2]
  • The Dharmadhātu of Non-obstruction of Li against Shi (traditional Chinese: 理事無礙法界; simplified Chinese: 理事无碍法界; pinyin: lǐshì wú'ài fǎjiè). This realm has been rendered into English as "the realm of non-obstruction between principle and phenomena".[3]
  • The Dharmadhātu of the Non-obstruction of Shi and Shi (traditional Chinese: 事事無礙法界; simplified Chinese: 事事无碍法界; pinyin: shìshì wú'ài fǎjiè). This realm has been rendered into English as "the realm of non-obstruction between phenomena".[4]

See also

References
  1. Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  2. Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  3. Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: (accessed: January 28, 2008)
  4. Samanta Buddhist Glossary (2006). "Four Dharmadhātu". Source: (accessed: January 28, 2008)

Further reading
  • Oh, Kang-nam (2000). The Taoist Influence on Hua-yen Buddhism: A Case of the Sinicization of Buddhism in China. Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal, No. 13, (2000). Source: (accessed: January 28, 2008)
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