In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Ajapati (अजपति) refers to the “king of elephants”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 3).—Accordingly, “[...] Then, after their parinirvāṇa, the Devas, from those of the six realms of desire (kāmaloka) up to those of the pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa), seeing that the Arhats had all entered into nirvāṇa, had this thought: ‘[...] Now that these physicians of the Dharma hasten to enter into nirvāṇa, who then will heal them? Like the lotus (puṇḍarīka), the disciples, arisen in the immense ocean of wisdom, are now withered. The tree of the Dharma (dharmavṛkṣa) has been cut down; the cloud of Dharma (dharmamegha) has dissipated. The king of elephants (ajapati) of great wisdom has withdrawn, the offspring of the elephants (gajapota) follow after him. The merchants of the Dharma (dharmavaṇij) have gone, from whom can we request the jewel of the Dharma (dharmaratna)? ’.”.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Ajapati (अजपति).—

1) the best of goats.

2) Name of Mars; lord of the sign Aries.

Derivable forms: ajapatiḥ (अजपतिः).

Ajapati is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aja and pati (पति).

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Aja, Pati.

Ends with: Brahmaprajapati, Cimcumarapprajapati, Dakshajapati, Dakshatmajapati, Gajapati, Kalpajapati, Mahagajapati, Mahapajapati, Mahaprajapati, Pajapati, Pirajapati, Prajapati, Prataparudradeva gajapati, Rajapati, Sarvalokaprajapati, Shilpaprajapati, Suprajapati, Vadirajapati, Vajapati, Vrajapati.

Full-text: Pota, Dharmavriksha, Dharmavanij, Vaṇij, Gajapota.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Ajapati, Aja-pati; (plurals include: Ajapatis, patis). 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 Chödrön)

Part 1 - The Buddha is omniscient, independent, without a teacher < [Chapter III - General Explanation of Evam Maya Śruta]

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