Ekayāna

Ekayāna is a Sanskrit word that can mean "one path" or "one vehicle". The word took on special significance as a metaphor for a spriritual journey in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (II.iv.11 and IV.v.12). Notably, in that text the phrase "IAST|vedānāṃ vāk ekayānam" translates approximately to "the one destination of the Vedas is the spirit of the word".

The term became a metaphor for the journey to Buddhist awakening when it appeared in canonical texts of Mahayana Buddhism such as the Lotus Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra. These texts sought to unite different dharma teachings into "one vehicle" that encompasses yet surpasses all others. This "one vehicle" became a key aspect of the doctrines and practices of Tiantai (J. Tendai) and Huayen (J. Kegon) Buddhist sects, which subsequently influenced Chan (J. Zen) doctrines and practices. In Japan, the one-vehicle teaching also inspired the formation of the Nichiren sect.

The Nikayas feature a related term, ekāyana (typically translated as "direct way" or "only way") in the Satipatthana Sutta (DN 22). That influential text uses the term "ekāyana" to describe a number of meditation techniques intended for the cultivation of mindfulness. While "ekāyana" (formed from the words "eka" and "ayana") is not the same term as "ekayāna" (formed from "eka" and "yāna"), both terms express the metaphor of a journey toward the attainment of Buddhist awakening. Past and present East Asian Buddhists have seen the same combination of characters (一乘) signifying ekāyana in the Agamas (Chinese translation of the Nikayas) as well as "ekayāna" in Chinese translations of Mahayana texts. Nevertheless, in contrast to "yāna", whose etymological root is "yā", the root of "ayana" is "ya". While both roots connote "going" in Sanskrit, the distinction remains somewhat significant because "yā" is more likely than "ya" to also connote a "vehicle".

ee also

*Yana
*Mahayana sutras

References

* [http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/brinew-proofed.itx "IAST|Bṛhadaraṇyaka Upaniṣad"] in romanized Sanskrit
* [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.22.0.than.html "Maha-satipatthana Sutta"] Digha Nikaya 22 (PTS D ii 289), "The Great Frames of Reference", translated from the Pali with commentary by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, 2000; translated here as "direct path"
* [http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/1Digha-Nikaya/Digha2/22-mahasatipatthana-p.html "Mahàsatipaññhànasuttaü"] in romanized Pali
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/lot03.htm "Upaya" chapter of the "Lotus Sutra"] translated from the Sanskrit by H. Kern, Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, 1884
* [http://www.uwest.edu/sanskritcanon/Sutra/roman/Sutra%2036/Sutra36-3.html "Upaya" chapter of the "Lotus Sutra"] in romanized Sanskrit
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/mw/0100/mw__0117.html entry for "ayana"] (large .png file) in "A Sanskrit-English Dictionary"] (subtitle) "Etymologically and Philogically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European languages", Monier Monier-Williams, revised by E. Leumann, C. Cappeller, et al. not dated, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi; apparently a reprint of edition published 1899, Clarendon Press, Oxford