Prajnendriya, Prajñendriya, Prajna-indriya: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Prajnendriya means something in Buddhism, Pali. 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 Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

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

Prajñendriya (प्रज्ञेन्द्रिय) refers to the “faculty of wisdom” and represents one of the five faculties (pañcendriya) forming part of the thirty-seven auxiliaries to enlightenment (bodhipākṣika), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XXXI.—Accordingly, “he considers (samanupaśyati) the four truths and the True nature (bhūtalakṣaṇa): this is called the ‘faculty of wisdom’ (prajñendriya)”.

Also, “when, in view of the Path and the dharmas adjuvant to the Path, he considers (anupaśyati) the sixteen aspects of the truths (ṣoḍaśākāra), impermanence (anitya), etc., that is the faculty of wisdom (prajñendriya)”.

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.

Discover the meaning of prajnendriya in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Prajñendriya (प्रज्ञेन्द्रिय) or “faculty of wisdom” is associated with Kāmarūpa, according to the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".

Associated elements of Airāvatī and Vajradehaka:

Circle: vākacakra [=vākcakra?] (speech-wheel) (red);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Airāvatī;
Ḍāka (male consort): Aṅkurika;
Bīja: kāṃ;
Body-part: armpits;
Pīṭha: Kāmarūpa;
Bodily constituent: akṣiṇī (eyes);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): prajñendriya (faculty of wisdom).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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.

Discover the meaning of prajnendriya in the context of Tibetan Buddhism from relevant books on Exotic India

General definition (in Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Prajnendriya in Buddhism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Prajñendriya (प्रज्ञेन्द्रिय) or simply Prajñā refers to the “faculty of wisdom” and represents one of the “five faculties” (pañcendriya) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 47), itself forming part of the “thirty-seven things on the side of awakening” (bodhipākṣika-dharma). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., prajñā-indriya). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

See also (Relevant definitions)

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