བཻ་དཱུ་རྱ། | Glossary of Terms

On vaiḍūrya, variously rendered as “beryl,” “lapis,” or “crystal,” see under entry “Crystal, rock” in the Encyclopaedia Iranica.

Although it has often been translated as lapis lazuli, the descriptions and references in the literature, both Sanskrit and Tibetan, match the characteristics of beryl. The Pāli form is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English beryl. This normally refers to the blue or aquamarine beryl, but there are also white, yellow, and green beryls, though green beryl is called emerald.

Although this has often been translated as lapis lazuli, the descriptions and references in the literature, both Sanskrit and Tibetan, match beryl. The Pāli form is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English beryl. This normally refers to the blue or aquamarine beryl, but there are also white, yellow, and green beryls, though green beryl is called “emerald.”

Precious/semiprecious stone; sometimes translated as lapis lazuli.

A precious stone frequently used in Buddhist analogies.

A cat’s-eye gem or beryl.

Although vaiḍūrya‍—particularly in the context of Bhaiṣajyaguru‍—has often been translated as lapis lazuli, blue beryl is overall a better match to the descriptions and references in the Sanskrit and Tibetan literature. The equivalent Pāli form of vaiḍūrya is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English word “beryl.” There are white, yellow, and green beryls (green beryl is generally called “emerald”), but in this case blue beryl needs to be specified to match traditional descriptions. Vaiḍūrya may nevertheless have been taken to designate different gems at different times and places and no single equivalent in English is entirely satisfactory.

Although vaiḍūrya‍—particularly in the context of Bhaiṣajya­guru‍—has often been translated as lapis lazuli, blue beryl is overall a better match for the descriptions and references in the Sanskrit and Tibetan literature. The equivalent Pāli form of vaiḍūrya is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English word “beryl.” There are white, yellow, and green beryls (green beryl is generally called “emerald”), but in this case blue beryl needs to be specified to match traditional descriptions. Vaiḍūrya may nevertheless have been taken to designate different gems at different times and places, and no single equivalent in English is entirely satisfactory.

One of the most precious gems.

Goshenite: pure beryl without the impurities that give it its various colors.