Ten directions
Ten directions (Skt. daśadiga; Tib. chok chu; Wyl. phyogs bcu):
- the four cardinal directions (Wyl. phyogs bzhi),
- the four intermediate directions (Wyl. mtshams bzhi),
- 'above' or zenith (Wyl. steng), and
- 'below' or nadir (Wyl. 'og).
See Also
Source
ten directions (十方). The spatial directions of east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north, northeast, the nadir, and the zenith.
ten directions
十方 (Jpn jippo )
The entire universe, all physical space. Specifically, the ten directions are the eight directions of the compass—north, south, east, west, northwest, northeast, southeast, and southwest—plus up and down. Buddhist scriptures refer to the existence of Buddha lands in all directions throughout the universe, each with its own Buddha. The expression "the Buddhas of the ten directions" in the sutras indicates these Buddhas. The phrase ten directions often appears with the phrase three existences, meaning past, present, and future existences. "The Buddhas of the ten directions and three existences" thus means all Buddhas throughout space and time.
