Brahmavihara, 叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补, Brahma-vihara, Brahman-vihara: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Brahmavihara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
: Access to Insight: A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist TermsThe four "sublime" or "divine" abodes that are attained through the development of boundless metta (goodwill), karuna (compassion), mudita (appreciative joy), and upekkha (equanimity).
: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrinesthe 4 'sublime' or 'divine abodes', also called the 4 boundless states (appama帽帽膩), are:
- loving-kindness (mett膩),
- compassion (karun膩),
- altruistic (or sympathetic) joy (尘耻诲颈迟腻),
- equanimity (upekkh膩).
The stereotype text on the development of these 4 sublime abodes (产谤补丑尘补-惫颈丑腻谤补-bh膩van膩; s. bh膩van膩), often met with in the Suttas,- is as follows:
"'There, o monks, the monk with a mind full of loving-kindness pervading first one direction, then a second one, then a third one, then the fourth one, just so above, below and all around; and everywhere identifying himself with all, he is pervading the whole world with mind full of loving-kindness, with mind wide, developed, unbounded, free from hate and ill-will."
Hereafter follows the same theme with compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity.
Literature:
- Detailed explanation in Vis.M. IX. -
- For texts s. "Path", 97ff;
- texts on mett膩 in The Practice of Loving Kindness, by 脩膩namoli Thera (WHEEL 7). -
- The Four Sublime States, by Nyanaponika Thera (WHEEL 6). -
- Brahma Vih膩ra, by Narada Thera (Vajirarama, Colombo, 1962).
Therav膩da is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra叠谤腻丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班ぞ啶灌啶さ啶苦す啶距ぐ) refers to the 鈥渁bode of Brahma鈥� according to the 2nd century Mah膩praj帽膩p膩ramit膩艣膩stra chapter V.鈥擜ccordingly, 鈥淭he 产谤腻丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补蝉 are the abodes of the Brahm膩 gods, etc., up to the gods who are neither with nor without perception... The four limitless minds (补辫谤补尘腻苍补肠颈迟迟补): loving-kindness (尘补颈迟谤墨), compassion (办补谤耻峁嚹�), joy (尘耻诲颈迟腻) and equanimity (耻辫别办峁Ｄ�) constitute the 产谤腻丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补蝉鈥�.
Mahayana (啶す啶距く啶距え, mah膩y膩na) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many 蝉奴迟谤补蝉 of which some of the earliest are the various Praj帽膩p膩ramit膩 蝉奴迟谤补蝉.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
: De Gruyter: Himalayan Anthropology: The Indo-Tibetan Interface叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�) or Catur产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 refers to the 鈥�(four) holy dwellings鈥�, according to William Stablein鈥檚 A Descriptive Analysis of the Content of Nepalese Buddhist Pujas as a Medical-Cultural System (with References to Tibetan Parallels).鈥擳丑别 tshog shin (sacred tree) is also mentally visualized.鈥擨n all 辫奴箩腻蝉 above and to the right of the 驳耻谤耻尘补峁囜笉补濒补 there are bali [food offerings] and 驳辞箩腻 (Newari) [rice cakes] included which have the function of attracting the protective divinities of 诲颈办辫腻濒补 [space]. [...] A pot is filled with dadhipatra [curd] and set on a svastika drawn with the 蝉颈苍诲奴谤补 [powder of red lead] which stands for the four 肠补迟耻谤-产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 [holy dwellings], i.e., friendliness, detachment, joy, and compassion. The main flask should not be confused with the divine serpent flask (苍补驳腻产补苍诲丑补).
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha鈥檚 words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (惫补箩谤补测腻苍补) are collected indepently.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaBrahmavihara (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぐ) or 肠补迟耻谤产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 refers to the 鈥渇our spiritual states鈥� as defined in the Dharma-sa峁僩raha (section 16):
- 尘补颈迟谤墨 (friendliness),
- 办补谤耻峁嚹� (kindness),
- mudita (gladness),
- 耻辫别办峁Ｄ� (equanimity).
The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., 产谤补丑尘补-惫颈丑腻谤补). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
: WikiPedia: BuddhismThe four Brahmaviharas are a series of virtues and Buddhist meditation practices designed to cultivate those virtues. Brahmavihara is a term in Pali and Sanskrit meaning "Brahma abidings", or "Sublime attitudes." They are also known as the Four Immeasurables (Sanskrit: apramana).
According to the Metta Sutta, Shakyamuni Buddha held that cultivation of the Brahmaviharas has the power to cause the practitioner to be re born into a Brahma realm (Pali: Brahmaloka). The meditator is instructed to radiate out to all beings in all directions the mental states of:
- loving kindness or benevolence,
- compassion,
- sympathetic joy, and,
- equanimity.
These virtues are also highly regarded by Buddhists as powerful antidotes to those negative mental states (non virtues) like avarice, anger, pride and so on.
: Buddhism Tourism: Glossary of Buddhist TermsMeaning divine abodes that are representatives of emotions like compassion,sympathetic joy and equanimity. These are usually linked with early Buddhism reflecting high ethical import. These emotions generally develop as one develops and matures through Buddhist practices.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�) refers to 鈥渇our practices鈥�, according to the Yoga艣膩stra 4.75 (vol. 2, p. 863).鈥擧emacandra explains that by the phrase 鈥渇riendliness, etc.鈥� (尘补颈迟谤测腻诲颈), he means to say 鈥渇riendliness鈥� (尘补颈迟谤墨), 鈥渏oy鈥� (尘耻诲颈迟腻), 鈥渃ompassion鈥� (办补谤耻峁嚹�) and 鈥渆quanimity鈥� (耻辫别办峁Ｄ�). These constitute the four practices known as the 产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补蝉 mentioned in various Buddhist texts. They are also listed by Pata帽jali in Yogas奴tra 1.33 as means for purification of the mind (see Mukerji 2000: 77-8; Bryant 2009: 128-30).
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, 鈥榮elf-reliance鈥�) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 : (m.) divine state of mind; a name collectively given to mett膩, 办补谤耻峁嚹�, 尘耻诲颈迟腻, and upekkh膩.
: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 refers to: sublime or divine state of mind, blissful meditation (exercises on a, altruistic concepts; b, equanimity; see on these meditations Dial I. 298). There are 4 such 鈥渄ivine states,鈥� viz. mett膩, 办补谤耻峁嚹�, 尘耻诲颈迟腻, upekkh膩 (see Vism. 111; DhsA. 192; and cp. Expositor 258; Dhs. trsl. 65; BSk. same, e.g. Divy 224); D. II, 196; III, 220 (one of the 3 惫颈丑腻谤补鈥檚: dibba掳, brahma掳, ariya掳); Th. 1, 649; J. I, 139 (掳vih膩re bh膩vetv膩 ... brahmalok鈥櫭籶aga), II. 61; Dhs. 262; Vism. 295 sq. (掳niddesa), 319.
Note: 产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 is a Pali compound consisting of the words brahma and 惫颈丑腻谤补.
: Sutta: Pali Word Grammar from Pali Myanmar Dictionary产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (醼椺�坚�熱�贯�欋�濁��熱���) [(pu) (醼曖��)]鈥�
[brahma+惫颈丑腻谤补]
摆醼椺赌坚赌热赌贯赌�+醼浊赌赌热赌赌没
Pali is the language of the Tipi峁璦ka, which is the sacred canon of Therav膩da Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha鈥檚 speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Sanskrit dictionary
: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�).鈥攁 pious conduct, perfect state; Buddh.
Derivable forms: 产谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补岣� (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶班).
叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms brahman and 惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�).鈥�m. (= Pali id.; compare 惫颈丑腻谤补), brahmic (supreme, highest religious) state; four such: 顿丑补谤尘补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补 16 尘补颈迟谤墨, 办补谤耻峁嚹�, 尘耻诲颈迟腻, 耻辫别办峁Ｄ� (as in Pali); 掳r膩艣 catv膩ra岣� 厂补诲诲丑补谤尘补辫耻峁囜笉补谤墨办补 142.11; catv膩ri 掳r膩n bh膩vayitv膩 顿颈惫测腻惫补诲腻苍补 224.28 (prose); 掳ram (sg.) 膩care 惭补丑腻惫补蝉迟耻 iii.105.17; same expressed by br膩hmo (adj.) 惫颈丑腻谤补岣� 叠辞诲丑颈蝉补迟迟惫补产丑奴尘颈 90.13 = catv膩ry apram膩峁嚹乶i, see apram膩峁嘺 (in Pali also called appama帽帽膩, fem., see Critical Pali Dictionary); br膩hmya (as separate adj.) 惫颈丑腻谤补 Asa峁単a (Mah膩y膩na-s奴tr膩la峁僰膩ra) vii.3; xvii.17 commentary See 础产丑颈诲丑补谤尘补办辞艣补 LaV鈥擯. viii.196.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补 (啶啶班す啷嵿ぎ啶掂た啶灌ぞ啶�):鈥擺=产谤补丑尘补-惫颈丑腻谤补] [from brahma > brahman] m. pious conduct, perfect state (4 with Buddhists), [Lalita-vistara; 顿颈惫测腻惫补诲腻苍补; 顿丑补谤尘补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补 16.]
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled 啶膏啶膏啶曕啶むぎ啷� (蝉补峁僺办峁泃补尘), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Vihara, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahman, Brahma.
Starts with (+3): Brahmavihara Bhavana, Brahmavihara-upekkha, Brahmaviharabhavananuyoga, Brahmaviharabhavanapharanatthana, Brahmaviharabhavanapharita, Brahmaviharacatuttha, Brahmaviharadhamma, Brahmaviharadhitthita, Brahmaviharadipana, Brahmaviharajjhana, Brahmaviharakamma, Brahmaviharalabhi, Brahmaviharanantaram, Brahmaviharaniddesa, Brahmaviharanissanda, Brahmaviharapatha, Brahmaviharapubbabhaga, Brahmaviharasahagatadhamma, Brahmaviharasamapatti, Brahmaviharasannagata.
Full-text (+45): Karunabrahmavihara, Karuna, Catutthabrahmavihara, Brahmaviharapubbabhaga, Brahmaviharadhitthita, Brahmavihara-upekkha, Brahmaviharalabhi, Brahmaviharadhamma, Upekkhabrahmavihara, Brahmaviharadipana, Mudita, Metta, Brahmavihara Bhavana, Brahmaviharaniddesa, Upekkha, Brahmaviharasahagatadhamma, Caturbrahmavihara, Brahmaviharacatuttha, Brahmaviharajjhana, Brahmaviharayoga.
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Search found 54 books and stories containing Brahmavihara, Brahma-惫颈丑腻谤补, 叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补, Brahma-vihara, 叠谤腻丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补, Brahman-vihara, Brahman-惫颈丑腻谤补, Brahmaviharas, Brahma-viharas; (plurals include: Brahmaviharas, 惫颈丑腻谤补s, 叠谤补丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补s, viharas, 叠谤腻丑尘补惫颈丑腻谤补s, Brahmaviharases, viharases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n)
Part 1 - Description of the 惫颈丑腻谤补s < [Chapter V - R膩jag峁沨a]
惭补丑腻蝉耻诲补蝉蝉补苍补-蝉耻迟迟补苍迟补 < [Part 14 - Generosity and the other virtues]
4. Causes and conditions in the concentrations < [Part 4 - Questions relating to the dhy膩nas]
Introducing Buddhist Abhidhamma (by Kyaw Min, U)
Chapter 12 - Buddhist Method of Mental Culture < [Book II]
Appendix II - Cetasika < [Book III]
Abhidhamma in Daily Life (by Ashin Janakabhivamsa) (by Ashin Janakabhivamsa)
Factor 11 - Upekkha (equminity) < [Chapter 3 - On kusala cetasikas (wholesome mental factors)]
Domain 1 - Dana (charity) < [Chapter 6 - Ten domains of meritorious actions (ten punna kiriyavatthu)]
Dasabhumika Sutra (translation and study) (by Hwa Seon Yoon)
Part 1.10 - Upekkha or Upeksa Paramita (the perfection of Equanimity) < [Chapter 3 - Study: Paramitas or Perfections]
Part 2.1 - Dhyana Paramita (the perfection of One-pointedness) < [Chapter 3 - Study: Paramitas or Perfections]
Part 1.9 - Metta or Maitri Paramita (desire for the well-being of others) < [Chapter 3 - Study: Paramitas or Perfections]
Vipassana Dipani (by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw)
The Great Chariot (by Longchenpa)
D. The faults of an impure meditation object < [Chapter VII - The Four immeasurables]
A. The description of the four Brahma-viharas < [Chapter VII - The Four immeasurables]
I. The fruition < [Chapter VII - The Four immeasurables]