Iryapatha, Īryāpatha, Irya-patha, Īryapatha: 11 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
2. General definition
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Iryapatha 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

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

1) Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ) refers to the four “bodily positions” according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter V.—The four bodily positions (īryāpatha): sitting (niśadana), lying (śayyā), walking (gamana) and standing (sthāna) are called dwelling. The Buddha takes up these positions to frighten Māra’s troops (mārasena) and so that his disciples will rejoice and enter into all kinds of dhyānas.

2) Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ) refers to the “bearing” of the Buddha according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter LI:—What is the bearing (īryāpatha) of the Buddha? The bearing is the four physical movements or postures:

walking (caṅkrama), Like the king of the elephants (nāgarāja), the Buddha turns his body in order to look.
standing (sthāna), He sits cross-legged with his body upright.
sitting (niṣīdana), He always lies down on his right side and places his knees one on top of the other.
lying down (śayyā), When he eats, he is not attached to the taste; for him, good and bad food are the same.

As for the postures (īryāpatha) of the dharmakāya Buddhas, they are: In one single stride (ekena padena), they traverse, in the east, universes as many as the sands of the Ganges, and the sermons (dharamdeśana) of their brahmic voice (brahmasvara) has the same range.

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ) refers to the “(immeasurable) behaviour (of practice and knowledge)”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Through these ten immeasurables (apramāṇa), son of good family, the Bodhisattva completes the accumulations of merit (puṇya-saṃbhāra). What are these ten? (1) completion of the immeasurable ornaments for the body by fulfilling the characteristics of a great man and the marks of beauty; (2) completion of the immeasurable ornaments of speech by purifying his realm of speech so it is in accordance with all beings; (3) completion of the immeasurable ornaments for thought in accordance with the thought of all beings; (4) completion of the immeasurable maturation (pariṇāmanā) of living beings through immeasurable behaviour (īryāpatha) of practice and knowledge; (5) completion of the immeasurable purity of Buddha-fields through immeasurable forms; [...]”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) 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 sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Buddhist Door Glossary: Buddhist Door Glossary

1) īryā-patha [iriyā-patha] ways of movement. The Sanskrit root īr means to go or to move. Īryā-patha connotes bodily postures, namely, walking, standing, sitting and lying. In the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta these postures are mentioned as objects of contemplation. The purpose behind considering them as objects of contemplation is that while walking the aspirant fully understands that walking is a mere action; there is no agent behind the action. Thus he remains free from the notion of an eternal soul.

2) iriyā-patha (lit. 'ways of movement'): 'bodily postures', i.e. going, standing, sitting, lying. In the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (s. Satipaṭṭhāna), they form the subject of a contemplation and an exercise in mindfulness.

"While going, standing, sitting or lying down, the monk knows 'I go', 'I stand', 'I sit', 'I lie down'; he understands any position of the body." - "The disciple understands that there is no living being, no real ego, that goes, stands, etc., but that it is by a mere figure of speech that one says: 'I go', 'I stand', and so forth." (Com.).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ) refers to “walking carefully” and is one of the twenty-four activities (kriyā) of sāmparāyika (transmigression-extending influx). Sāmparāyika is one two types of āsrava (influx) which represents the flow of karma particles towards the soul, which is due to the three activities: manoyoga ( activities of mind), kāyayoga ( activities of body) and vacanayoga (activities of speech).

Kriyā (‘activities’, such as īryāpatha) is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Tattvārthasūtra (ancient authorative Jain scripture) from the 2nd century, which contains aphorisms dealing with philosophy and the nature of reality.

Source: Google Books: Jaina Yoga: A Survey of the Mediaeval Śrāvakācāras

Hemacandra says the īryā-patha may be taken in the literal sense as “the path of one’s going” or it may be understood to mean “the line of conduct of an ascetic” the primary infraction of which would be at the destruction of any form of life: the import of the sūtra remains in either case the same.

Source: Jainworld: Moksha Marg Prakashak - Glossary

Irya-patha (Influx of karmas caused by vibrations without passions).

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 6: Influx of karmas

1) Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ).—One of the two types of āsrava (influx).—What is meant by transmigression-reducing (īryāpatha) influx? Influx of karmas which are free of their duration (sthiti) and potency (anubhāga) is called transmigression-reducing influx.

Who acquires transmigression-reducing influx? Living beings without passions can acquire transmigression-reducing influx. In which stages of spiritual purification, transmigression-reducing influx can be acquired? It can during occur during 11th till 13th stages of spiritual purification.

2) Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ).—One of the activities (kriyā) of transmigression-extending influx (sāmparāyika).—Activities which involve careful walking from one place to another only for an objective are called īryāpatha-kriyā.

context information

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, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Īryapatha (ईर्यपथ).—

1) the observances of a religious mendicant to obtain knowledge.

2) the four positions of the body, i. e. going, standing upright, sitting and lying down.

Derivable forms: īryapathaḥ (ईर्यपथः).

Īryapatha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms īrya and patha (पथ).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Iryāpatha (इर्यापथ) or Iryā or Iryāvant.—semi-MIndic spelling for īry°, q.v.

--- OR ---

Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ).—m. (= Pali iriyā-patha, AMg. iriyā-vaha; in mss., especially of Mahāvastu and Lalitavistara, often written iryā° or iryyā°, semi-MIndic, which Lefm. usually keeps but Senart emends to īryā°; once, at least, iriyā-patha, as in Pali, Mahāvastu ii.157.1, prose, kept by Senart; also airyāpatha, q.v.; see prec. and next), much commoner than the syn- onymous īryā (1) movement (of physical movements of any sort): Mahāvastu i.22.11 (prose) chinna-iryāpathā (all mss., Sen. em. °īryā°) gacchanti (mss. gacchati), sinners in hell, confined in huts (gharakehi oruddhā), go with (freedom of) movement cut off, i.e. suffer restraint of movement (but possibly more specifically, suffer restraint of posture, see 4 below, e.g. are not allowed to sit or lie down); (2) ap- plied to any particular course of religious, especially ascetic, performance, and specifically to disapproved ascetic practices of heretics, such as the ‘five-fire’ practice (men- tioned in the prec.): Divyāvadāna 350.7 (sa) teṣāṃ-teṣām (of heretical ascetics) īryāpathān vikopayitum ārabdhaḥ; (3) generally less specific, behavior, deportment, good or bad, of people in general; but especially of the approved deport- ment of pious Buddhists, of monks, or of Bodhisattvas or Buddhas; most commonly with favorable implication; but this may be made clear by an adjective, especially prā- sādika, gracious, (religiously) attractive: Mahāvastu iii.27.3—4 prāsādikena īryāpathena (v.l. iryyā°), of a Pratyeka- buddha; in Śikṣāsamuccaya 348.6 prāsādika and aprāsādika īryā°, good and bad deportment, contrasted; Divyāvadāna 82.14 śān- [Page116-1b+ 46] teneryāpathena, of Mahākāśyapa; Lalitavistara 427.18 praśānteryā- pathaḥ, and 19 sarveryāpathacaryāviśeṣasamanvāgataḥ, attended by all excellent deportment and behavior, of the Tathāgata; creatures in general vary in deportment, Lalitavistara 35.8 yathādhimukta-sattveryāpatha- (v.l. cited °iryyā°)- saṃdarśanāya; Gaṇḍavyūha 527.3—4 sarvasattvādhimuktisamair īryāpathaiḥ; specifically good deportment, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 282.3 (verse) °pathaṃ yo mama rakṣamāṇo bhaveta bhikṣū…; Lalitavistara 29.4 (verse) iryāpathe-ṣṭhā, abiding in…; 179.17 (bodhi- sattvo…sarvāntaḥpurasya…) īryāpatham upadarśya, having displayed proper behavior to all the harem (so Tibetan); 220.6 īryāpathebhyaś (most mss. iry°) cyutāḥ, fallen away from right behavior; Daśabhūmikasūtra 71.19 tathāgateryāpathacaryā- cāritrānugato; Mahāvastu ii.157.1 (prose) iriyāpathasaṃpanno, perfect in deportment, of a monk; 390.8 (verse) īryāpathena su-upeta (with mss.) satvā, (there are no evil-doers here;) creatures are well endowed with proper deportment; Avadāna-śataka ii.130.4 (corrupt); Mahāvastu i.174.11 (verse) īryāpathe (3 mss. iry°) ca vīrye ca dhyāne jñāne śame dame; iii.346.6 iryāpathe (so mss.) ca vīrye ca dhyāne jñāne tathaiva ca; often it is said that a newly-initiated person (of superior character) shows the īryāpatha, deportment, of a monk of long standing, Lalitavistara 409.19—20 tad yathāpi nāma varṣaśatopapannasya bhikṣor īryāpathaḥ saṃvṛtto 'bhūt; Mahāvastu iii.65.5 iryāpatho (Senart em. īry°) sānaṃ saṃsthihe sayyathāpi nāma varṣaśatopasaṃpannānāṃ bhikṣūṇāṃ; similarly Mahāvastu ii.234.5; iii.92.10 (iryā instead of iryāpatho); 180.15; 181.7; 329.12; 413.13; Divyāvadāna 37.3 (varṣaśatopasaṃpan- nasya) bhikṣor īryāpathenāvasthitaḥ; Avadāna-śataka i.284.9 (dvādaśa- varṣopasaṃpannasyeva) bhikṣor īryāpathena…avasthi- taḥ; (4) as in Pali iriyāpatha, also used of four postures or bodily attitudes, that is modes of physical behavior, viz. walking, standing, sitting, and lying down: Mahāvyutpatti 212 vihāyasābhyudgamya caturvidham īryāpathaṃ kalpayati, mounting in the air, displays the four… (one of the abhijñā- karmāṇi); Mahāvastu i.168.10 (verse) īryāpathāṃ (3 mss. iry°) darśayanti catvāraḥ puruṣottamāḥ, no ca pariśramas teṣāṃ…, Buddhas display the four modes of behavior (like other men), and yet they are never weary (i.e. do not need to sit or lie down); Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 520.12 dvābhyām everyā- pathābhyāṃ sthitvā, sthānena caṅkrameṇa ca (only standing and walking; he vows not to sit or lie down) kālam atināmayeyaṃ, repeated (var.) 521.6, which is cited Śikṣāsamuccaya 40.5 dvābhyām everyāpathābhyāṃ…; Gaṇḍavyūha 22.20 ff., īryāpatha repeatedly of physical movements (walking, standing, and sitting, line 22) of ordinary (not [Page117-a+ 33] religious) men; Lalitavistara 9.8 caturīryāpatha-vinayanopavana- (so read, text °naupavana-)-suvardhita-taror (Tibetan lus, body, for -taror, implying -tanor), (of the Bodhisattva) who possessed a ‘tree’ (body?) well-raised in the grove of (by?) exercise of the four modes of behavior; Lalitavistara 256.18 (ṣaḍvarṣā bodhisattvo yathā niṣaṇṇa evāsthāt paryaṅkena) na ca īryāpathāc (all mss. ca iry° or cery°) cyavate sma, and did not abandon the posture (of sitting cross-legged); Mahāvastu i.236.14 (here mss. iry°) = 241.8 (verse) īryāpathaṃ… sarvābhibhuno (mss. °to) na vijahante (i.e. they walk and stand still when he does, see prec. line); only three, tribhir īryāpathair…sthānena caṅkrameṇa niṣadyayā Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 45.18.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Īryāpatha (ईर्यापथ):—[=īryā-patha] [from īryā > īr] m. the observances of a religious mendicant

2) [v.s. ...] the four positions of the body (viz. going, standing upright, sitting and lying down), [Buddhist literature] and, [Jaina literature] (cf. airyāpathikī.)

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Īryāpatha (ಈರ್ಯಾಪಥ):—[noun] the route in which a Jaina mendicant goes.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 5 books and stories containing Iryapatha, Īryāpatha, Irya-patha, Īryā-patha, Īryapatha, Īrya-patha, Iryāpatha; (plurals include: Iryapathas, Īryāpathas, pathas, Īryapathas, Iryāpathas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 1 - Description of the vihāras < [Chapter V - Rājagṛha]

Part 9 - Imitating the bearing of the Buddha < [Chapter LI - Seeing all the Buddha Fields]

The Āmra-sūtra < [III. Recollection of the community (saṃgānusmṛti)]

+ 11 more chapters / show preview

Verse 6.4 - Classification of influx (āsrava) < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]

Verse 9.18 - The five kinds of conduct (cāritra) < [Chapter 9 - Stoppage and Shedding of Karmas]

Verse 6.5 - Subdivisions of influx of ‘sāmparāyika’ karmas < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]

show preview

Chapter II-e - The hell named Raurava (...) < [Volume I]

Chapter XXIII - Megha and Meghadatta < [Volume I]

Chapter XXIII - The story of Rāhula < [Volume III]

+ 1 more chapters / show preview