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Cantonese is a Useful Tool for Chinese Buddhist Sutra Study

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Most Chinese Buddhist Sutras, especially the Mahayana and Vajrayana Sutras, were translated into Chinese during Tang ( 唐 ) and Song ( 宋 ) Dynasty. The Chinese pronunciation in these two dynasties is very different from the modern official Chinese pronunciation ( a.k.a. Mandarin ), but similar to Cantonese pronunciation. For example, Sanskrit ‘Manjusri’ is transliterated to Chinese ‘ 文殊師利 ’, which pronounces ‘Wen-Shoo-Shi-Li’ in Mandarin, and pronounces ‘Man-Siu-See-Ley’ in Cantonese. We can do a syllable-to-syllable comparison here : Sanskrit Chinese Character Cantonese Mandarin Man 文 Man Wen Ju 殊 Siu Shoo S 師 See Shi Ri 利 Ley Li From the above comparison, we can see that the Cantonese pronunciation is closer to the Sanskrit pronunciation than Mandarin. Especially the starting syllable, ‘Man’ in Sanskrit was transliterated to the Chinese character ‘ 文 ’, which pronounces ‘Man’ in Cantonese ( same consonant & vowel as the Sanskrit ), and pronounces ‘Wen’ in Mandarin ( both the conso...
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Similarity between Cantonese and Japanese Kanji Pronunciation

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Cantonese and the Japanese Kanji system both preserve ancient Chinese pronunciation, as well as some important ancient Chinese features not inherited by the modern official Chinese, a.k.a. Mandarin. By comparative study of Cantonese and Japanese Kanji pronunciation, we can better understand ancient Chinese, and further more, better understand ancient Chinese literature and culture. For example, a double-character word - ‘ 目的 ’, is pronounced ‘Mok Dek’ in Cantonese, and ‘Moku Deki’ in Japanese. Here is a comparative table : Chinese character Cantonese Japanese 目 Mok Moku 的 Dek Deki The Cantonese pronunciation of ‘ 目 ’ is ‘Mok’, the ending ‘k’ is called a  Checked Tone  or an Entering Tone ( 入聲 ). This is an ancient Chinese feature preserved in Cantonese but lost in Mandarin. The Japanese pronunciation of ‘ 目 ’ is ‘Moku’, the second syllable ‘ku’ represents the Checked Tone ‘k’ in the ancient pronunciation of ‘ 目 ’. Why does the Checked Tone ‘k’ in ancient Chinese become ‘ku’ in...
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Ultra Supreme Elder Lord's Ultra Plainness Scripture

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An English translation of  太上老君太素經 The Ultra Plainness is immensely bright and white, with the Way inside. At the time of Ultra Plainness, the Divinity goes there to operate, and the Way is revealed. As creations and formations take place, the Way gives things Order, and the Way completes them. In this way Heaven and Earth are shaped, and the Way and Virtue incarnate into a Scripture.  (  The Scripture of Way and Virtue  ) The Way of Self Thusness (*) is the greatest Way. The Virtue of Eternal Life is the greatest Gain of Virtue. (* The Chinese term  自然 , which is often translated to ‘nature’, literally means Self Thusness — A ‘being’ that is such by itself, independently and unconditionally. It is not created, and not conditioned by anyone or anything. ) The Way produces One, One produces Two, Two produces Three, and Three produces Heaven and Earth. The Heaven and Earth system then becomes full, and since it becomes full, it starts to decline. At the end of the...
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Buddha-Spoken Sutra on Great Dragon Krkala’s Dharani and His Victory over Exterior-Path Practitioners

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An English Translation of  佛說俱利伽羅大龍勝外道伏陀羅尼經 (Taisho Tripitaka 1206)   Thus I have heard: At one time, The Buddha was in the great city Raja-griha. At that time, Ratna-ketu ( Treasure -Banner) Dharani Bodhisattva asked the Buddha : "Why does great dragon Krkala hold a sharp sword in his mouth, and wrap his four legs around the sword ?" The Buddha told Ratna-ketu Dharani Bodhisattva : "At one time in the past, in the highest Heaven of Form Realm (Akanistha), in Mahesvara (Great Omnipotent God)’s Knowledge Victory City, when Moveless Luminous King (Acalanatha Vidya-Raja) was debating with a number of Exterior-path practitioners, both sides manifested myriads of miraculous transformations to prove their wisdom.” "At that time, Moveless Luminous King (Acalanatha Vidya-Raja) transformed himself into a Wisdom Fire sword." " Meanwhile , there were 95 types of Exterior-path practitioners. Their Leader, whose name is Wisdom Achievement, also transformed himself into...
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