These are the Chinese characters that mean Nirvana. I will let you decide what Nirvana means to you.

These characters can also be translated as "Buddha's death and salvation" or "death of a Buddhist monk" depending on context. However, this is not seen with any bad meaning. You could replace "death" with "moving on", as that is how it's seen in Buddhist context.

The second character is a little different in Japanese. If you want the Japanese version of Nirvana, please click on the Kanji shown at the right, instead of the button above.

Score: 100/100

This suggests "Legendary Phoenix rises from the ashes". Literally, it means, "Legendary Phoenix [reaches] Nirvana".

There is a legend in China of a great bird which is reborn once every 500 years. This bird gathers all the ill-will, suffering, desire, and other negative things of the whole world. The bird then plunges into the fire to burn away all negative things, sacrificing itself in the process (achieving Nirvana, or perhaps allowing others the opportunity to reach Nirvana).

500 years later, the phoenix is reborn from the ashes again, and the cycle repeats.

Score: 60/100

This means "Shakyamuni" in Chinese. This same Buddha is also known as "Siddhartha Gautama", "Gotama Buddha", "Tathagata", or simply, "The Supreme Buddha".

This is the legendary man and prince who eventually established the Buddhist religion.

Note: Occasionally Romanized as "Siddhattha Gotama".

This combination of characters is sometimes seen and used in South Korea and Japan as well (with the same meaning).

See Also...  Buddhism

Score: 25/100

This literally means "pure land" or "clean earth". It is also the title of a Buddhist sect which involves faith in rebirth of Buddha Amitabha in the Western Heaven. Sometimes translated as "Paradise of the West" or the Buddhist Elvsium.

Score: 25/100

The Bodhi is the moment of completion in Buddhism. It is when all things become known, and you have completed your journey to enlightenment.

The reference is to the Bodhi tree where Siddhartha Gautama (the legendary man and who established the Buddhist religion), achieved enlightenment. Sometimes this is referred to as "the tree of enlightenment", but if you want the full version with the character for tree on the end, please see our other entry.

See Also...  Buddhism | Buddha | Enlightenment

Score: 24/100

Characters shown
above are read
vertically, starting
from the right

This is how to express the compassionate Amitabha Buddha of the Pure Land Buddhist Sect in Chinese characters and Korean Hanja.

See Also...  Bodhisattva | Buddhism

Score: 24/100

This is the Buddhist idea of reincarnation or transmigration.

Other definitions of this term: "Attainer of Nirvana from within the desire realm", "A practitioner who enters directly into Nirvana from the desire realm, without traversing the form and formless realms. One of the 27 kinds of Hinayana sages", or simply, "to return again to this life".

This is also a Japanese title, but the first Kanji was slightly simplified after WWII. Just let us know if you want the modern Japanese version when you order.

See Also...  Buddhism | Rebirth

Score: 11/100

This is a complex set of steps that Buddhists much take to cleanse karma, achieve enlightenment, eventually cease the cycle of rebirth and live in a state of Nirvana.

If the idea of 8 separate wall scrolls plus this title is too much for you, we can custom-arrange all eight of these concepts on a single wall scroll. Just post your request on our Asian calligraphy forum, and we can discuss options.

Note: This term is exclusively used by devout Buddhists. It is not a common term, and is remains an unknown concept to most Japanese and Chinese people.

See Also...  Buddhism | Enlightenment

Score: 6/100