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{{Short description|Sanskrit term meaning "seed"}}
In [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]], the [[Sanskrit]] term '''Bīja''' ({{lang|sa|बीज}}) ([[Japanese language|Jp]]. 種子 ''shuji'') ([[Chinese language|Chinese]] 種子 ''zhǒngzǐ''), literally [[seed]], is used as a metaphor for the origin or cause of things and cognate with [[bindu (symbol)|bindu]]. 
[[File:Om siddham2.png|thumb|right|100px|The Om bija in [[Esoteric Buddhism]]]]

==Buddhist theory of karmic seeds==
Various schools of Buddhist thought held that karmic effects arose out of seeds that were latent in an individual's [[mindstream]] or psycho-physical continuum.<ref name="Fukuda 2003">Fukuda, Takumi. Bhadanta Rama: A Sautrantika before Vasubandhu, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, 26 (2), 2003.</ref> Rupert Gethin describes the theory thus:

<blockquote>When I perform an action motivated by greed, it plants a 'seed' in the series of [[Dharma#Buddhism|dharmas]] [phenomena] that is my mind. Such a seed is not a thing in itself - a dharma but merely the modification or 'perfuming' of the subsequent flow of dharmas consequent upon the action. In the course of time this modification matures and issues in a particular result, in the same way as a seed does not produce its fruit immediately, but only after the 'modifications' of the shoot, stem, leaf, and flower.<ref>Gethin, Rupert. The Foundations of Buddhism, page 222.</ref> </blockquote>

The [[Sautrantika]] school held such a theory as did the [[Mahasamghikas]] and the early Mahasisakas.<ref>Lamotte; Pruden. Karmasiddhiprakarana, 1987, page 28.</ref> The Sautrantika Sthavira Srilata held a conception of "subsidiary element" (''anudhatu'' or *''purvanudhatu'') which also corresponds to this theory of seeds.<ref name="Fukuda 2003"/> The seed theory was defended by the Buddhist philosopher [[Vasubandhu]] in his [[Abhidharmakosha]] who mentions that is the view of the “old teachers” (''purvacarya'').<ref name="Fukuda 2003"/> It is also present in the ''Viniscayasamgrahani'' of the [[Yogacarabhumi]].<ref>Kritzer, Robert. Sautrantika in the Abhidharmabhasya</ref> In the Bashyam Vasubandhu connects the Sautrantika theory of seeds with the notion of the latent defilements or [[anusaya]]:

<blockquote>The Sautrantikas define [[anusaya]]s as [[Kleshas (Buddhism)|kleshas]] in the state of seeds and say that they are not separate [[dravya]]s (substances). Anusayas are dormant, i.e., not actualized, while paryavasthanas (active defilements) are awakened.<ref>Kritzer, Robert. Sautrantika in the Abhidharmabhasya, p. 364</ref></blockquote>

Likewise, the ''Nyayanusara'' of Sanghabhadra states that the theory had different terms to refer to "seeds":

<blockquote>There are certain masters who give different names to these seeds, each according to his own understanding. Some call them subsidiary elements (''anudhatu''), others call them impressions (''vasana''); still others call them capability (''samarthya''), non-disappearance (''avipranasa''), or accumulation (''upacaya'').<ref name="Fukuda 2003"/>
</blockquote>

The theory is considerably extended in the [[Consciousness-only]] teachings of the [[Yogacara]] school of Buddhism. According to this theory, all experiences and actions produce ''bīja'' as impressions, stored in the [[alaya]] (storehouse) consciousness.  The external world is produced when the seeds "perfume" this consciousness.

==As mantras==
{{Main|Bījamantra}}
In [[Vajrayana]] Buddhism and [[Hinduism]], the term ''bīja'' is used for mystical "seed syllables" contained within [[mantra]]s or standalone seed syllable mantras ([[Bījamantra|bijamantra]]).  These seeds do not have specific linguistic meaning nor are they name mantras, but they may stand for specific principles, deities, powers, or ideas.<ref>Khanna, Madhu (2003). ''Yantra:  The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity. '' Inner Traditions.  {{ISBN|0-89281-132-3}}  & {{ISBN|978-0-89281-132-8}}. p.21</ref>

The best-known ''bīja'' syllable is [[Om]], first found in the Hindu scriptures the [[Upanishads]]. In Buddhism, the most important seed syllable is [[A in Buddhism|the letter A bija]].

In some tantric traditions, the Bija of the '[[Varnamala (disambiguation)|Varnamala]]' (Sanskrit; English: "garland of letters"; which may be rendered as alphabet) are understood as aniconic representations and sound embodiments of the [[matrikas]] (a group of goddesses).

In [[Tibetan Buddhism]] the seed syllables corresponding to the [[trikaya]] are: a white ''oṃ'' (enlightened body), a red ''āḥ'' (enlightened speech) and a blue ''hūṃ'' (enlightened mind).<ref>{{cite book|last=Rinpoche|first=Pabongka|title=Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand: A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment|publisher=Wisdom Books|year=1997|pages=196}}</ref>

In the [[Bön]] tradition of Tibet, it's a little different: a white ''āḥ'', a red ''oṃ'' and a blue ''hūṃ''.

Bijas are often the vehicle of [[esoteric transmission]] of [[Terma (Buddhism)|terma]] to a '[[tertön]]' (Tibetan; English: "revealer of terma"), such as that experienced by [[Dudjom Lingpa]].<ref>*Lingpa, Dudjom; Tulku, Chagdud; Norbu, Padma Drimed; Barron, Richard (Lama Chökyi Nyima, translator); Fairclough, Susanne (translator) (1994, 2002 revised). ''Buddhahood without meditation: a visionary account known as 'Refining one's perception' (Nang-jang)'' (English; Tibetan: ''ran bźin rdzogs pa chen po'i ranźal mnon du byed pa'i gdams pa zab gsan sñin po''). Revised Edition. Junction City, CA, USA: Padma Publishing. {{ISBN|1-881847-33-0}} p.xx</ref>

==Cross-cultural correlates==
[[Guruwari]] of the [[Indigenous Australian]] peoples is an interesting cross cultural correlate and may be cognate.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}<!-- Highly suspect claim -->  See also [[gankyil]] of the [[Vajrayana]] tradition, which is cognate with [[bindu (symbol)|bindu]].  In fieldwork published in ''Aboriginal Men of High Degree'', [[A.P. Elkin]] cites what he considers to be evidence that traders from [[Indonesia]] brought fleeting contact with [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]] to areas near modern-day [[Dampier, Western Australia|Dampier]].<ref name=Elkin>[[Elkin, A.P.]] ''Aboriginal Men of High Degree: Initiation and Sorcery in the World's Oldest Tradition''. 1973. [[Inner Traditions]], 1993. {{ISBN|978-0892814213}}</ref>  Traditions of [[Mantrayana]] were also evident in Indonesia, e.g. [[Candi Sukuh]]. And it is in the Vajrayana and Mantrayana traditions of [[esoteric transmission]] where bija take precedence. Indeed, bija defines Mantrayana. Elkin interpreted a link between [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous Australian]] culture and Buddhist ideas such as [[reincarnation]].<ref name=Elkin/> He argued this link could have been brought through contact with Macassan traders.<ref name=Elkin/>

==See also==

* [[Bindu (symbol)|Bindu]]
* [[Gankyil]]
* [[Surya Namaskar]] - the Sun Salutation, in which each posture is sometimes associated with a Bīja mantra

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Buddhism topics}}

[[Category:Buddhist philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Hindu philosophical concepts]]
[[Category:Metaphors]]
[[Category:Vajrayana]]
[[Category:Sanskrit]]
[[Category:Sacred languages]]