種子しゅうじ

noun

seed; bija

Buddhist term for a seed or potentiality, often used metaphorically for the latent capacity for enlightenment or karmic seeds. The reading しゅうじ is especially common for this sense.

• 唯ゆい識しきでは、阿頼耶識あらやしきに善ぜん悪あくの種子しゅうじが薫くん習じゅうされると説とく。

  In Yogācāra, it is taught that good and bad seeds are perfumed into the ālaya-vijñāna.

noun

seed syllable; bīja mantra

In esoteric Buddhism, a Sanskrit syllable representing a Buddha or Bodhisattva, used in meditation and ritual. The reading しゅじ is especially common for this sense.

• 大だい日にち如にょ来らいの種しゅ子じは「ア」である。

  The seed syllable of Mahāvairocana is 'a'.