Table of Contents
< All Topics

Ashram(道场):
In Chinese, it is pronounced as: dào chǎng,Written as:

The term “Ashram” is the translation of the Sanskrit word “Bodhimanda” and the transliteration as “Bodhi Mandala”. In the eighth volume of the “Records of the Western Regions of the Great Tang Dynasty,” it refers to the place where Sakyamuni attained enlightenment as the Ashram. Later, it was used to describe places dedicated to Buddhist worship or Taoist practice, as well as Taoist temples where rituals are conducted to pray for blessings, avert disasters, and perform ceremonies for the Immortals to aid deceased souls. For example, China’s five great Buddhist mountains are the ashrams of Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Maitreya Bodhisattva.
The Ashram can also generally refer to large-scale chanting and worship ceremonies in Buddhism, serving as a place for scriptural chanting, worship, and practice. Additionally, an Ashram is also a synonym for a monastery. Performing Buddhist or Ritual Ceremonies in a temple is also referred to as performing Ashram activities. In short, any place where the law is practiced and the path is followed is an Ashram. Dedicating the merits and virtues of practice towards someone is to perform an Ashram for them.
In Taoism, an Ashram is also a place for conducting religious ceremonies and spiritual practice. Taoist Ashrams may include Taoist temples and palaces, where ceremonies such as Daoist Rituals and worship are performed.
In modern Chinese, “Ashram” can sometimes be used to generally refer to a place for certain activities or enterprises. For instance, a martial arts Ashram refers to a place where martial arts are practiced.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shopping Cart