Many of you have asked why I chose the name "Araya" for this site.   When I first started, I wasn't sure whether people would be interested since it was a rather boring story.   Anyway, here is the scoop.
 

  Where did Araya come from?

ālaya-vijñāna   -->   ālaya   -->   araya
(Sanskrit)

ālaya-vijñāna :   container consciousness, or the eighth consciousness.   The eighth and most fundamental of the eight consciousnesses, according to the Yogācāra school of Buddhism.

Also known as:

(araya-shiki, Japanese),

(zang4-shi4, chang4-shih4, Chinese)

"The ālaya consciousness accumulates all potential energy for the mental and physical manifestation of one's existence, and supplies the substance to all existences.   It also receives impressions from all functions of the other consciousnesses and retains them as potential energy for their further manifestations and activities."   (cited from the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism).

 

  Why did you pick Araya?

I'm not a practicing Buddhist, though I was raised as one.   In general, I'm just curious about philosophy and religion and like to read related books in my free time.   One day, while reading a book about Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, I came across the phrase "ālaya-vijñāna" and fell in love with the word meaning and pronunciation.

In naming this site, I wanted something unique that reflected my personal experience.   Since I couldn't think of something new, I thought I might as well use one of my favorite words.   Yet the phrase "ālaya-vijñāna" is too long and confusing visually.   So I shortened it to "alaya" and modified the spelling for a Japanese flavor.   (Hey, this is a manga/anime fan site after all, isn't it. ^_^)

 

  Huh?   I'm still confused!

Well, an extensive discussion of Buddhism is beyond the scope of this page.   I recommend a visit to the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism for a quick reference.   You would find lots of useful info and suggested readings there.   If you're wondering about non-Buddhism things, e-mail me.

On related note, the word "araya-shiki" is also used in Kurumada Masumi's Saint Seiya manga.   Can you guess who said it?   (Hints: it's one of the Gold Saints, and the scene appears in the Hades chapter only)

FAQ