In Buddhism

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: Cultivating the Mind of Love

When we walk in the Avatamsaka realm, breathing in the Buddha, breathing out the Buddha, walking on the Buddha, and sitting on the Buddha, we are aware that the Buddha here is Vairochana, the living Dharma, reality as it is, suchness, and we are one with him. The Avatamsaka realm is so pleasant, and it is within our reach. It is a place we can step into the moment we want to, a world of light, oceans. Dharma clouds, jewels, lion seats, and flowers. It is available to us here and now. We need not waste a single moment of our life. We only have to step into the Avatamsaka realm to enjoy life thoroughly.

The Avatamsaka land is a product of our mind. Whether we live in the saha world filled with suffering, discrimination, and war, or whether we live in the Avatamsaka world filled with flowers, birds, love, peace, and understanding is up to us. The cosmos is a mental construction. Everything comes from our mind. If our mind is filled with afflictions and delusions, we live in a world of afflictions and delusions. If our mind is pure and filled with mindfulness, compassion, and love, we live in the Avatamsaka world.

Now in the Avatamsaka realm, we discover that the so-called animate things are no different from inanimate things, that living things are made of non-living elements. Scientists are beginning to understand that what we thought to be inanimate actually contains life. We cannot draw a line between living things and non-living things. When we look at the Earth in that way, we see the whole planet as a living organism, and we can no longer distinguish between man and non-man, animals and vegetables, vegetables and minerals. We simply see the Earth as the beautiful body of a living being, and we know that any harm done to one part of that organism can harm the whole organism. It's like a flower or a human being. Anything done to one cell will affect the whole being. If you know that the Earth is a living organism, you will know how to protect her, because to protect the Earth and the air around the Earth is to protect ourselves. Everything is linked to everything else. To save our planet is to save ourselves, our children, and grandchildren. This idea is deep within the teaching of the Buddha. Buddhist monks and nuns are prohibited from burning vegetation, cutting down trees, or even cutting grass without a good motive.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Realm, Avatamsaka.

Full-text: Avatamsaka Sutra.

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