Adi-Buddha

Vajradhara, the main Ādibuddha, depicted in the Sarma schools

The Ādi-Buddha (Tibetan: དང་པོའི་སངས་རྒྱས།, Wylie: dang po'i sangs rgyas, THL: Dangpö Sanggyé) is the First Buddha or the Primordial Buddha.^[1] Another common term for this figure is Dharmakāya Buddha.^[2]

The term emerges in tantric Buddhist literature, most prominently in the Kalachakra. "Ādi" means "first", such that the Ādibuddha was the first to attain Buddhahood. "Ādi" can also mean "primordial", not referring to a person but to an innate wisdom that is present in all sentient beings.^[3]

^ Wayman 2013, p. 53.
^ Gray 2007, p. 32.
^ Buswell & Lopez 2013.

[FOOTNOTEWayman201353-1] Wayman 2013, p. 53.

[FOOTNOTEGray200732-2] Gray 2007, p. 32.

[FOOTNOTEBuswellLopez2013-3] Buswell & Lopez 2013.

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