Namarupa, Nāmarūpa, Nama-rupa: 10 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Shilpashastra
In Buddhism
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
See also
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Introduction:

Namarupa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Red Zambala: Hindu Icons and Symbols | Trinity

Nāmarūpa (नामरूप):—The universe of our empirical experience is composed of Ideation (nāma) and Form (rūpa). We see the universe and then participate in it through the process of naming everything. By naming something we are able to understand it and obtain a sense of control over it. So this process of creating, cognising and naming are all symbolised by the drum (ḍamaru), held in the right upper hand of Naṭarāja (a dancing form of Śiva).

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Access to Insight: A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms

Name and form; mind and matter; mentality physicality. The union of mental phenomena (nama) and physical phenomena (rupa) that constitutes the five aggregates (khandha), and which lies at a crucial link in the causal chain of dependent co arising (paticca samuppada).

Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

(lit. 'name and form'): 'mind-and-body', mentality and corporeality. It is the 4th link in the dependent origination (s. paticcasamuppāda 3, 4) where it is conditioned by consciousness, and on its part is the condition of the sixfold sense-base. In two texts (D. 14, 15), which contain variations of the dependent origination, the mutual conditioning of consciousness and mind-and-body is described (see also S. XII, 67), and the latter is said to be a condition of sense-impression (phassa); so also in Sn. 872.

The third of the seven purifications (s. visuddhi), the purification of views, is defined in Vis.M. XVIII as the "correct seeing of mind-and-body," and various methods for the discernment of mind-and-body by way of insight-meditation (vipassanā, q.v.) are given there. In this context, 'mind' (nāma) comprises all four mental groups, including consciousness. - See nāma.

In five-group-existence (pañca-vokāra-bhava, q.v.), mind-and body are inseparable and interdependent; and this has been illustrated by comparing them with two sheaves of reeds propped against each other: when one falls the other will fall, too; and with a blind man with stout legs, carrying on his shoulders a lame cripple with keen eye-sight: only by mutual assistance can they move about efficiently (s. Vis.M. XVIII, 32ff). On their mutual dependence, see also paticca-samuppāda (3).

With regard to the impersonality and dependent nature of mind and corporeality it is said:

"Sound is not a thing that dwells inside the conch-shell and comes out from time to time, but due to both, the conch-shell and the man that blows it, sound comes to arise: Just so, due to the presence of vitality, heat and consciousness, this body may execute the acts of going, standing, sitting and lying down, and the 5 sense-organs and the mind may perform their various functions" (D. 23).

"Just as a wooden puppet though unsubstantial, lifeless and inactive may by means of pulling strings be made to move about, stand up, and appear full of life and activity; just so are mind and body, as such, something empty, lifeless and inactive; but by means of their mutual working together, this mental and bodily combination may move about, stand up, and appear full of life and activity."

context information

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).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Nāmarūpa (नामरूप, “Name-and-form”) refers to the fourth of twelve pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter X. Vijñāna produces both the four formless aggregates (arūpiskandha) [perception (saṃjñā), feeling (vedanā), volition (saṃskāra), consciousness (vijñāna)] and form (rūpa) which serves as base them. This is name and form, nāmarūpa. From this nāmarūpa there arise the six sense organs, eye (cakṣus), etc. These are the ṣaḍāyatanas, the six inner bases of consciousness.

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Nāmarūpa (नामरूप) refers to “name and bodily-form” and represents the fourth of the “twelve factors of conditional origination” (pratītyasamutpāda) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 42). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., nāmarūpa). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

nāmarūpa (नामरूप).—n (S) Name and repute &c. See nāṃvarūpa.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

nāmarūpa (नामरूप).—n Name and form.

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Nāmarūpa (नामरूप).—[neuter] name and form.

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

1) Nāmarūpa (नामरूप):—[=nāma-rūpa] n. [dual number] name and form, [Brāhmaṇa; Upaniṣad] etc. (pātmaka mfn.)

2) [v.s. ...] = individual being, [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 102.]

[Sanskrit to German]

Namarupa 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.

Relevant text

Search found 66 books and stories containing Namarupa, Nama-rupa, Nāma-rūpa, Nāmarūpa; (plurals include: Namarupas, rupas, rūpas, Nāmarūpas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter 3 - Upapattibhava < [Part 8]

Chapter 5 - Distinctive Character < [Part 10]

Chapter 10 - Cutting Off At The Foundation < [Part 6]

+ 44 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 2 - Sections, Links, Factors And Periods

Chapter 1 - What Is Paticcasamuppada?

Chapter 9 - The Circling Of Paticcasamuppada

+ 5 more chapters / show preview

The Law of Dependent Arising < [Chapter VIII - The Compendium Of Relations]

Mixed Categories < [Chapter VII - Abhidhamma Categories]

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Part 4 - The Doctrine of Causal Connection of early Buddhism < [Chapter V - Buddhist Philosophy]