Alara, Āḷāra, Aḷāra, Alāra, Ālāra: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Alara means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Āḷāra and Aḷāra can be transliterated into English as Alara or Aliara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: WikiPedia: HinduismAlara (अलर) : A famous sage, sought out by Buddha
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesA landowner of Mithila, described also as Videha and Videhiputta, an inhabitant of the Videha country (J.v.166, 167). While journeying on business, in a carriage, attended by five hundred wagons, he saw the Naga king, Sankhapala, being ill treated by lewd men who had captured him and, feeling sorry for the Naga, Alara gave gifts to the men and their wives and thus obtained his release. Sankhapala, thereupon, invited Alara to the Naga kingdom where, for a whole year, Alara lived in all splendour.
Later, realising that the Nagas wonderful possessions were the fruit of good deeds done in the past, he became an ascetic in Himava and afterwards took up his abode in the kings park in Benares. The king, seeing him on his begging rounds, was pleased with his deportment and invited him to the palace. There, at the kings request, he told him the story of his encounter with Sankhapala and his subsequent life and exhorted the king to do acts of piety.
Later he was born in the Brahma world. See the Sankhapala Jataka. (v.161ff.).
Alara was a previous birth of Sariputta (Ibid., 177). (Alara.)
-- or --
See Alara.
Theravāda 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).
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAḷāra, (adj.) (Is it the same as uḷāra?) only used with ref. to the eyelashes, & usually expld. by visāla, i.e. extended, wide, but also by bahala, i.e. thick. The meaning & etym. is as yet uncertain. Kern, (Toev. s.v.) transls. by “bent, crooked, arched”. °akkhin with wide eyes (eyelashes?) J.I, 306 (= visāla-netta C.); °pamha with thick eye-lashes Vv 357 (= bahala-saṃyata-pakhuma C.; v.l. °pamukha); °bhamuka having thick eyebrows or °lashes J.VI, 503 (so read for °pamukha; C. explains by visāl-akkhigaṇḍa). Cp. āḷāra. (Page 80)
— or —
Āḷāra, (adj.) (= aḷāra or uḷāra or = Sk. arāla?) thick, massed, dense or crooked, arched (?), only in cpd. °pamha with thick eyelashes Vv 6411 (= gopakhuma VvA.279); Pv III, 35 (= vellita-dīgha-nīla-pamukha). Cp. alāra. (Page 110)
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAlāra (अलार).—A door.
Derivable forms: alāram (अलारम्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAlāra (अलार).—m.
(-raḥ) A door. E. ala able, and ṛ to go, ac affix; by which one may go.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Alāra (अलार):—m. a kind of Aloe plant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) n. a door, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAlāra (अलार):—(raḥ) 1. m. A door.
[Sanskrit to German]
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)
Starts with: Alara Kalama, Alaral, Alaram, Alaramba, Alarambavageya, Alarambu, Alarandhra, Alarasa, Alarashi, Alaravam, Alaravan, Alaray.
Ends with (+15): Aratalara, Balara, Bayalara, Bhalara, Bvayalara, Calara, Dalara, Davalara, Desha-talara, Dhavalara, Grama-talara, Imgalara, Jalara, Jhalara, Kadavalara, Kalara, Koralara, Kundalara, Laralara, Malara.
Full-text: Alara Kalama, Kalama, Pamha, Pamukha, Hasula, Arada, Sankhapala Jataka, Bahala, Bhamu, Akimcanyayatana, Kesaputta, Videhiputta, Pukkusa, Bhaggava, Uruvela, Jhana.
Relevant text
Search found 35 books and stories containing Alara, Āḷāra, Aḷāra, Alāra, Ālāra; (plurals include: Alaras, Āḷāras, Aḷāras, Alāras, Ālāras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Chapter 5 - Learning from and Discussing with Āḷāra and Udaka < [Volume 2.1]
Part 33 - The Story of Pukkusa, the Malla Prince < [Chapter 40 - The Buddha Declared the Seven Factors of Non-Decline for Rulers]
Part 3 - The Buddha proceeding to Migadaya < [Chapter 9 - The Buddha Reflecting Deeply on the Profundity of the Dhamma]
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
Saṅkhapāla Jātaka < [Chapter 3 - Amarāvatī and the Formative Stage of the Buddhist Art]
The Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
Jataka 524: Saṃkhapāla-jātaka < [Volume 5]
Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain (by Chirantani Das)
Part 4 - The Buddha’s arrival and the first sermon < [Chapter VII - Sārnāth: The Satellite Religious Centre]
A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada (by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw)