The Enumeration of the Names-Epithets of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the Buddhist Sources

The article provides the analysis and typology of the enumerations of the names-epithets of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas recorded in Buddhist texts that were spread throughout the Buddhist area. Despite the fact that texts united under the common title ‘Buddha’s Names’ were very popular among Buddhists during Ancient and early Medieval time (the article contains titles’ list of relevant texts in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese languages) the author points out weak study of these texts in the modern Buddhology. Moreover, there are also similar texts praising various gods (Viṣṇu, Śiva, etc.) in Indian orthodox tradition. The study of such written sources is very urgent since the lists of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas names, in addition to the functions of the spells protected from various adversities, can represent a kind of matrix lists encoding various aspects of the Buddhist doctrine. Moreover, some initial typologies are already present in Buddhist written sources. To solve the problems posed in the article, historical-genetic, historical-typological and systemic approaches were used. Based on the lists of Bodhisattvas names containing in the Prajñāpāramitā (‘The Perfect Wisdom’) texts, the author makes the assumption that these names mark the stages of the Buddhist yoga practice – levels of the Eightfold Noble Path. The analysis of Bodhisattvas names semantics allowed us to develop three typologies of the names-epithets: 1) stages of the religious practice; 2) spheres of the Buddhist cosmology; 3) aspects of the Noble Path (wisdom, morality, yogic practice). In conclusion, we state that all analyzed names are epithets of the four main Bodhisattvas, whose cult was widespread throughout Buddhist world – Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, Vajrapāṇi (Mahāsthāmaprāpta) and Maitreya. In their turn, they also mark various aspects of yogic practice.