In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Critical Study of the Vajraḍākamahātantrarāja (II)

Harikela (हरिकेल) is the name of a sacred district mentioned in the Saṃpuṭatantra as being associated with the hari-tree, although the Āmnāyamañjarī mentions the kanaka-tree.

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Harikela (हरिकेल) is the name of Śmaśāna (category of holy sites), according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: “Now, [the Blessed One] has taught [holy sites] such as the śmaśāna and upaśmaśāna in sequence. [...] (9) Mummunī is a śmaśāna [site] Caritra, Harikela, and Māyāpurī are also the śmaśāna [sites]. (10) The upaśmaśāna [sites] are the base of a mountain, a dead village, Surapura, and Karṇāṭapāṭaka. [...] Girls who are in these places are of [the nature of] the innate, born in their own birthplaces. [...]”.

context information

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.

India history and geography

Source: Shodhganga: Legacy of Buddhism in Bengal

Harikela (हरिकेल) is another name for Vaṅga (viz., Bengal, Gauḍa).—Vaṅga was originally the name of the south-eastern part of the province, but it boundaries were not well defined, and other geographical names such as Samataṭa, Harikela,Vaṅgāla, were used for different parts, if not the whole, of it at different times during the pre-Muslim period. [...] According to Dr. Hemacandra Ray Chaudhury, however, Vaṅga and Harikela were synonymous terms and Harikela, which is regarded as the eastern limit of East India by I sing, has been equated with modern Sylhet.

Harikela, Harikeli and Harikola are synonyms of Srīhaṭṭa or Srīhaṭṭideśa. Harikela thus, according to R. C. Majumdar, “denoted the region now known as Sylhet”. Harikela, according to I-tsing’s statement, included the south-eastern portion of Bangladesh in the second half of the seventh century A.D. It may be mentioned that I-tsing also refers to Samataṭa which was roughly coterminous with the present Comilla and Noakhali districts. Harikela of I-tsing should, therefore, be regarded as denoting that region of Bangladesh which lie to the east or south-east of the Comilla and Noakhali districts. The coastal region of the Chittagong district may represent Harikela of the second half of the seventh century A. D.

As has been pointed out Dr. Hemacandra and Yādavaprakāśa identified Vaṅga with Harikela, It may be that with the expansion of the sphere of political influence of the Candras, the name Harikela became associated with Vaṅga.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Starts with: Harikelaki.

Full-text: Sylhet, Vanga, Vangala, Karnatapataka, Mayapuri, Mummuni, Caritra, Shurapura, Parvatanta, Kheta, Mannakheta, Sannakheta, Mantrakheta, Samatata.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Harikela, Harikelā; (plurals include: Harikelas, Harikelās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal (by Shubha Majumder)

Geographical as well as Geo-political unit of Zone II < [Chapter 2 - Geographical Setting of the Study Area]

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