|   Lapis lazuli. Vaidurya in Sanskrit. Originally 
it meant lapis lazuli or emerald, but from the Six Dynasties period Chinese used 
the term for glass beads similar in appearance. From the Ming dynasty ruri 
indicated sansai 三彩 glaze or ruri glaze. In Buddhist scripture it appears 
frequently as the blue jewel. It is always the third in the four jewels 
(gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal) and in the seven jewels (gold, 
silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, Tridacna gigas, coral, and agate) of Buddhism. |