Dharmarata, Dharmaratā, Dharma-rata: 5 definitions

Introduction:

Dharmarata 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.

In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

[«previous next»] — Dharmarata in Jyotisha glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Dharmarata (धर्मरत) refers to “virtuous”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 8), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “The years of Jupiter (bṛhaspati) take their names from the several Nakṣatras in which he reappears after his conjunction with the Sun; and these names are identical with the names of the lunar months. [...] In the Vaiśākha month of Jupiter, princes with their subjects will be virtuous [i.e., dharmaratadharmaratā], fearless and happy; men will engage in sacrificial rites and there will also be growth of crops”.

Jyotisha book cover
context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Dharmarata in Mahayana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Dharmarata (धर्मरत):—Thus while still a bodhisattva, the Buddha Śā was called Lo-fa (Dharmarata). At that time there was no buddha, and this bodhisattva had not yet heard a good word (subhāṣita), but he was searching everywhere for the Dharma and did not relax his exertion (virya); however, he had not yet found it.

One day, Māra transformed himself into a brāhmaṇa and said to him:

“I have a stanza (gāthā) spoken by a buddha; I will give it to you if you agree to write it using your skin as parchment, your bone as pen and your blood as ink.”

Dharmarata thought:

“During my previous lifetimes I have lost my life an incalculable number of times without ever deriving any benefit from it.”

Immediately he flayed his skin, put it out to dry and wrote the stanza on it. Māra went to take his life when, at that moment, the Buddha, aware of the extreme resolve of the bodhisattva, arose from the direction of the nadir (adhodiś) and came to teach him the profound Dharma. Immediately Dharmarata obtained the conviction that dharmas do not arise (anutpattikadharmakṣānti).

Mahayana book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Dharmarata in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Dharmarata (धर्मरत).—[adjective] delighting in virtue, virtuous.

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

Dharmarata (धर्मरत):—[=dharma-rata] [from dharma > dhara] mfn. ‘delighting in virtue’, virtuous, [Kāvya literature]

[Sanskrit to German]

Dharmarata in German

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.

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