Dictionary

方等

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Dictionary Definition ：

Definition^[1]

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方等 (1) Broadly put forth; universally (vaipulya). (2) Mahāyāna; (3) Universal equality.

Definition^[2]

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vaipulya; cf. 方廣. 方 is interpreted as referring to the doctrine, 等 as equal, or universal, i. e. everywhere equally. An attempt is made to distinguish between the two above terms, 方廣 being now used for vaipulya, but they are interchangeable. Eitel says the vaipulya sutras 'are distinguished by an expansion of doctrine and style (Sūtras developées, Burnouf). They are apparently of later date, showing the influence of different schools; their style is diffuse and prolix, repeating the same idea over and over again in prose and in verse; they are also frequently interlarded with prophecies and dhāranīs'; but the two terms seem to refer rather to the content than the form. The content is that of universalism. Chinese Buddhists assert that all the sutras from the 華嚴 Huayan onwards are of this class and therefore are Mahāyāna. Consequently all 方等 or 方廣 sutras are claimed by that school. Cf. 方便.

Source

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A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms, William Edward Soothill and Lewis Hodous

Definition^[3]

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梵語 vaipulya，巴利語 vedalla 。音譯作毘佛略、毘富羅、鞞佛略、斐肥儸、為頭離。譯為方廣、廣破、廣大、廣博、廣解、廣、無比等。又作大方廣、大方等。九部經之一，十二部經之一。指大乘經典。即廣說廣大甚深之義者。於大乘佛教中，主要作為指大乘經典之用語，後世之小乘三藏（佛教聖典）中並未說及方等；故方等不僅意味其量之廣大，主要乃指在內容上說廣大平等之理趣者。大乘經典之名稱冠以大方等、大方廣等語者，係為與九部經、十二部經之一的方等加以區別。以方等意謂大乘經典，故大乘經典亦稱大乘方等經典。此外，方廣道人之「方廣」，亦為大乘之義。〔北本大般涅槃經卷五、卷十五、大毘婆沙論卷一二六、順正理論卷四十四、大智度論卷三十三、華嚴經疏卷二十四、大乘義章卷一〕（參閱「毘佛略」3849）

Source

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佛光電子大辭典

Page

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p1441

Definition^[4]

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方是廣之義，等是均之義，佛於第三時，廣說藏通別圓四教，均益利鈍之機，故名方等。

Source

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陳義孝編, 竺摩法師鑑定, 《佛學常見辭彙》

Definition^[5]

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即「方廣」，參看「毘富羅」。

Source

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漢譯阿含經辭典，莊春江編(1.4版)

Definition^[6]

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（術語）台家有三釋：（一）約理釋之。謂方者方正，等者平等，中道之理方正而生佛平等也。因此義故，方等為一切大乘經之通名。釋籤六曰：「此以理等名方等典。」四教儀集解上曰：「三諦共談，理方等也。若理方等，五時之中唯除鹿苑，餘皆有之。以諸大乘經悉談三諦，故云大乘方等經典。」閱藏知津二曰：「方等亦名方廣。（中略）是則始從華嚴，終大涅槃，一切菩薩法藏，皆稱方等經典。」元照彌陀經疏曰：「一切大乘皆以方等實相為體，方謂方廣，等即平等。實相妙理，橫遍諸法，故名方廣。豎該凡聖，故言平等。」（二）約事釋之，謂方者廣之義，等者均之義。佛於第三時諸經廣說藏通別圓四教，均益利鈍之機，故名方等。是限于台家之釋義，種五時之方等部者是也。四教儀集解上曰：「今之方等者，四教俱說，事方等也。（中略）若事方等，正唯在於第三時也。」僧史略下曰：「方等者即周遍義也。」（三）約事理釋之，謂方者方法之義，有門空門雙亦門雙非門四門之方法也。等者平等之理體，依四門之方法，各契平等之理，謂之方等。即方者能契之行，即事也。等者所契之理也。止觀二曰：「方等者，或言廣平，今言方者法也。般若有四種方法，謂四門入清涼池，即方也。所契之理平等大慧，即等也。」

Source

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丁福保《佛學大辭典》

Definition^[7]

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方等 (fāng děng) 　“a well-balanced (scripture)”(a translation of skt. [mahā]vaitulya[sūtra], a general term for the Mahāyāna teachings) Cf. 大方等經(dà fāng děng jīng), 方等經(fāng děng jīng), 方等頌經(fāng děng sòng jīng) ;