Ashvaratna, Aśvaratna, Ashva-ratna: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Ashvaratna 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 term Aśvaratna can be transliterated into English as Asvaratna or Ashvaratna, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न) refers to the “most excellent of all horses” and is used to describe Uccaiḥśravas (of the sun), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.18 (“The conversation between Nārada and Jalandhara”).—Accordingly, as Nārada said to Jalandhara: “[...] Big jewels, heaps of gems, elephants and other adjuncts to prosperity flourish in your mansion. Whatever valuable thing there is in the worlds finds a place here. O great hero, the most excellent of all elephants, Airāvata of lndra has been brought by you. The most excellent of all horses (aśvaratna), Uccaiḥśravas of the sun has been brought by you. [...]”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न) refers to the “horse-jewel”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 41).—Accordingly, “[The eighteen āveṇika-dharmas (‘special attributes’)]— [...] (7). The Buddha has no loss of zeal. [...] In the horse-jewel (aśvaratna), even if it has arrived at its destination, the desire to go forward never ceases and persists until death. It is the same for the Buddha-Jewel. When the great fire at the end of the kalpa (mahākalpoddāha) has burned and consumed the trisāhasramahāsāhasralokadhātu, the power of fire has not disappeared. It is the same for the fire of the Buddha’s wisdom: when he has burned up all the passions (kleśa) and illumined all things, the zeal associated with this wisdom (prajñā-saṃprayukta-chanda) is not extinguished. [...]”.
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न) is the name of a deity or entity to which is given homage to [i.e., oṃ laṃ aśvaratnāya namaḥ], according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.
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’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न) or simply Aśva refers to the “horse jewel” and represents the second of the “seven jewels of universal monarchs” (saptaratna) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 85). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., aśva-ratna). The work is attributed to Nagarguna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न).—the best or lord of horses; i. e. उच्चैःश्रवस् (uccaiḥśravas).
Derivable forms: aśvaratnam (अश्वरत्नम्).
Aśvaratna is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aśva and ratna (रत्न). See also (synonyms): aśvarāja.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvaratna (अश्वरत्न):—[=aśva-ratna] [from aśva] n. a jewel of a h°orse (one of the 7 treasures of a Cakra-vartin), [Dharmasaṃgraha 85]
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: Ashva, Ratna.
Full-text: Saptaratna, Ashvaraja, Vaishvadevika, Seven Jewels, Ashva, Uddaha, Mahakalpoddaha, Kalpoddaha, Carana.
Relevant text
Search found 2 books and stories containing Ashvaratna, Aśvaratna, Ashva-ratna, Aśva-ratna, Asva-ratna, Asvaratna; (plurals include: Ashvaratnas, Aśvaratnas, ratnas, Asvaratnas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Practice Manual of Noble Tārā Kurukullā (by Dharmachakra Translation Committee)
Chapter 2 < [Appendix - Sanskrit Text]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Story of Devadatta, the victim of profit and honors < [Chapter XXIV - The Virtue of Patience]
II. Detailed commentary on the list < [Part 1 - Mahāyānist list of the eighteen special attributes of the Buddha]