New name acquired during Buddhist initiation and ordination rituals
This article should specify the language of its non-English content, using {{lang}}, {{transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and {{IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriate ISO 639 code. Wikipedia's multilingual support templates may also be used. See why.(December 2021)
Dharma name
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
法名 法號 戒名 法諱
Simplified Chinese
法名 法号 戒名 法讳
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
fǎmíng fǎhào
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping
faat3 ming4 faat3 hou6
Burmese name
Burmese
ဘွဲ့
IPA
[bwɛ̰]
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet
pháp danh
Chữ Hán
法名
Thai name
Thai
ฉายา
Korean name
Hangul
법명
Hanja
法名
Transcriptions
McCune–Reischauer
beopmyeong
Mongolian name
Mongolian Cyrillic
номын нэр
Japanese name
Kanji
戒名
Transcriptions
Romanization
kaimyō
A Dharma name is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism[1] and monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism (where it is more proper to call it Dhamma or Sangha name). The name is traditionally given by a Buddhist monastic, and is given to newly ordained monks, nuns[2] and laity.[3] Dharma names are considered aspirational, not descriptive.[4][better source needed]
Most of the well-known Buddhist teachers are known to have had many different Dharma names in the course of their careers, and often each name represents a stage of their career. For example, Prince Shotoku was also known as Prince Umayado and Prince Kamitsumiya. Shinran's original name was Matsuwakamaru; he was also known as Hanen, Shakku, Zenshin, Gutoku Shinran and Kenshin Daeshi.[5] Nichiren's original name was Zennichi and his Dharma names were Zenshobo Rencho and Rissho Daishi. Similarly, the tradition of various Dharma names was also used by Zen monks, who also used art to promote Buddhism. The famous monk-painter Hokusai was also known as Shunro, Kako, Sori, Taito, Iitsu, Gakyojin and Manji.[6] Even the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi had several names, including the Dharma name Niten Doraku and the birthname Miyamoto Masana. The zen monk Thích Nhất Hạnh also has used various Dharma names in the course of his career.[citation needed]
If the student does not have a relationship with the monastic teacher and the ceremony is a public one with a congregation present, their new name will tend to reflect the lineage/tradition rather than the individual person.[1] When it is given by a monastic who knows the disciple, however, the name is often tailor-made.[1]
Dharma names are generally given in the language of the particular sangha where the name is bestowed.
^"Becoming a Buddhist Nun, by Ani Rinchen". www.buddhanet.net. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
^"Receiving the Dharma Name". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
^Diaz, Natalie (2019). Bodies Built for Game: The Prairie Schooner Anthology of Contemporary Sports Writing. U of Nebraska Press. p. 271. ISBN 9781496219107.
^"Shinran | Japanese Buddhist philosopher". 8 April 2024.
A Dharmaname is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism and monastic ordination in Theravada...
A birth name is the name given to a person upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required...
Donald Roeser (born November 12, 1947), known by his stage name Buck Dharma, is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is the sole constant...
identified by a name is called its referent. A personal name identifies, not necessarily uniquely, a specific individual human. The name of a specific entity...
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well...
Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian film production and distribution company established by Yash Johar in 1979. It was taken over in 2004, after...
In Chan and Zen Buddhism, dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and disciples...
family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to...
A personal name, full name or prosoponym (from Ancient Greek prósōpon – person, and onoma –name) is the set of names by which an individual person or...
falsely named') or alias (/ˈeɪli.əs/) is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym)...
name (Chinese: 字; pinyin: zì; lit. 'character'), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name...
given/middle/family names but rather a chain of names. This system remains in use throughout the Arabic and Muslim worlds. The ism (اسم) is the given name, first name, or...
A Georgian name (Georgian: ქართული გვარ-სახელი, romanized: kartuli gvar-sakheli) consists of a given name and a surname used by ethnic Georgians. According...
person may select a single name from their polynym or adopt a mononym as a chosen name, pen name, stage name, or regnal name. A popular nickname may effectively...
Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduˌɪzəm/) is an Indian religion or dharma, a religious and universal order by which its followers abide. The word Hindu is an exonym, and...
application of the Buddhist surname Shì (釋, Thích in Vietnam) in one's Dharmaname, the first character of Gautama Buddha's title in Chinese: Shìjiāmóuní...
cultures, a middle name is a portion of a personal name that is written between a person's given name and surname. A middle name is often abbreviated...
may be optionally given a new Dharma (religious) name, which is usually based on Sanskrit or Indian name such as names based on Hindu deities. Converts...
father's family name may be combined with the mother's family name to form a compound family name). A middle name (normally a single name but some have...
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive...
In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, among other parts of Christendom. It consists of celebrating a...
biblical narrative, as in the case of Nabal, a foolish man whose name means "fool". Names in the Bible can represent human hopes, divine revelations, or...
The Dharma Initiative, also written DHARMA (Department of Heuristics and Research on Material Applications), is a fictional research project and organization...
conventions such as Name – Surname – Father's Name or Name – Father's name or Name – Surname or Name – Father's Name – Grandfather's Name. It can be concluded...
A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such...
fact that he was found in a river). When he first became a monk, his Dharmaname is Xuánzàng (玄奘; literally meaning "Great Mystery"). Later, upon swearing...
family name of their spouse, in some countries that name replaces the person's previous surname, which in the case of the wife is called the maiden name ("birth...
Global Information