Puggala: 6 definitions

Introduction:

Puggala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit. 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

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Puggala Sutta. Seven kinds of persons who are worthy of gifts and homage. A.iv.10f.

2. Puggala Sutta. Nine kinds of persons who exist in the world: those who have attained the Four Fruits of the Path, these who are on the way thereto, and putthijjanas. A.iv.372.

3. Puggala Sutta. Preached at Savatthi, to Pasenadi, on the four kinds of persons: those that are joined to darkness and fare to light, those that are joined to darkness and fare to darkness, those that are joined to light and fare to darkness, those that are joined to light and fare to light. S.i.93ff.; cp. D.iii.233; A.ii.85; Pugg.iv.19.

4. Puggala Sutta. Incalculable is the beginning of samsara. The bones of a single person faring on for an aeon, if collected, would be a pile as great as Vepulla. S.ii.185.

Puggala Vagga. Several sections of the Anguttara Nikaya are called by this name: the sixth of the Duka Nipata (A.i.76-80), the third of the Tika (A.i.118-31), the fourteenth of the Catukka (ii.133-39), the sixteenth of the Dasaka (v. 247-49), and the twentieth of the Dasaka (v. 281-2).

Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

Puggala (“Individual”).

Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

'individual', 'person', as well as the synonyms: personality, individuality, being (satta), self (attā), etc., in short all terms designating a personal entity, hence also: I, you, he, man, god, etc., all these, according to Buddhism, are mere names for certain combinations of material and mental processes, and apart from them they have no real existence. They are to be considered as mere 'conventional modes of expression' (vohāra-vacana), and on that level they may be used, and are so used in the sutta texts, if taken "without misapprehending them" (s. quote from D. 9 under paramattha). With such tacit reservations, the term puggala occurs quite frequently in the suttas.

In the ultimate sense (paramattha, q.v.), however, there exist only ever-changing physical and mental phenomena, flashing up and dying every moment. - Kath., in its first section, discusses the question whether "in the absolute sense, any personality (puggala) can be found" (s. Guide, pp. 62ff). - See paramattha, anattā.

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).

Discover the meaning of puggala in the context of Theravada from relevant books on Exotic India

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Puggala in Pali glossary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

puggala : (m.) an individual; a person.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Puggala, (cp. Class. Sk. pudgala, etym. connected with puṃs, although the fantastic expln of native Commentators refers it to puṃ “a hell” and gal; so at Vism. 310: “pun ti vuccati nirayo, tasmiṃ galantī ti puggalā”) 1. an individual, as opposed to a group (saṅgha or parisā), person, man; in later philosophical (Abhidhamma) literature=character, soul (=attan). ‹-› D. I, 176; M. III, 58; S. I, 93 sq.; III, 25; A. I, 8, 197; II, 126 sq.; Sn. 544, 685; Dh. 344; Ps. I, 180 sq.; II, 1 sq. , 52; Pv. II, 325 (cp. PvA. 88); II, 97; PvA. 40, 132.—pl. puggalā people VvA. 86 (=sattā), 149.—para-puggala another man D. I, 213; S. II, 121; V, 265; Vism. 409.—purisa-puggala individual man, being, person S. II, 206; IV, 307; A. I, 173=M. II, 217. Characterised as an individual in var. ways, e.g. as agga° Sdhp. 92, 558; abhabba° J. I, 106; ariya° Vin. V, 117; asura-parivāra° A. II, 91; kodhagaru° A. II, 46; gūtha°, puppha° madhubhāṇī° A. I, 128; dakkhiṇeyya° VvA. 5; diṭṭhisampanna° A. I, 26 sq.; III, 439 sq.; IV, 136; nibbiriya kusīta° J. IV, 131; pāsāṇalekh’ûpama° etc. A. I, 283; valāhak’ûpama A. II, 102 sq.; saddha, asaddha Ps. I, 121; II, 33; sivāthik’upama A. III, 268; suppameyya etc. A. I, 266 sq. (a)sevitabba A. IV, 365; V, 102, 247, 281; hīna majjhima paṇīta S. II, 154.—Groups of characters: (2) A. I, 76, 87; (3) gilān’ûpama etc. A. I, 121 sq.; avuṭṭhika-sama padesa-vassin, sabbatth’âbhivassin It. 64 sq.; satthar, sāvaka, sekha It. 78; sekha asekha n’eva-sekha-nāsekha D. III, 218; (4) D. III, 232, 233; S. I, 93; J. IV, 131; (5) Nett 191; (6) rāga-carita, dosa°, moha°, saddhā°, buddha°, vitakka° Vism. 102; (7) ubhato-bhāga-vimutta, paññāvimutta etc. D. III, 105; (8) A. III, 212; S. V, 343 (19) Nett 190; (26) Nett 189, 190.—See also paṭipuggala. ‹-› 2. (in general) being, creature Miln. 310 (including Petas & animals).—ñū knowing individuals D. III, 252, 283. —paññatti descriptions of persons, classification of individuals D. III, 105 (cp. Dial. III, 101); also N. of one of the canonical books of the Abhidhamma-piṭaka.—vemattatā difference between individuals S. II, 21; V, 200; Sn. p. 102 (=°nānatta SnA 436). (Page 463)

Pali book cover
context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Discover the meaning of puggala in the context of Pali from relevant books on Exotic India

Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

Puggala (पुग्गल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Pudgala.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

Discover the meaning of puggala in the context of Prakrit from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

Relevant text

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: