The Sanskrit term Upakṣetra can be transliterated into English as Upaksetra or Upakshetra, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Upakṣetra (उपक्षेत्र) refers to “secondary sacred sites” (cf. Kṣetra), visited by the Goddess on her pilgrimage, according to Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “There are secondary sacred sites (upakṣetra) (and other sacred places), sacred bathing sites (tīrtha) and meeting grounds (saṃdoha), of many kinds wherever the goddess went and wherever she cast her gaze”.

The eight secondary fields are Kadaṃba, Alamba, Gokarṇa, the Vindhya mountain, Vimaleśvara, Sindhumāla, Mahāsena, and Mātaṅga.—(cf. Śrīmatottara verse 3.135-138).

Note: The reference here to secondary or ‘nearby’ fields (upakṣetra) implies that the eight listed in the previous verses are sacred fields (kṣetra). As these are not mentioned in the version found at the end of chapter six of our text, this term is replaced by the nondescript variant āyātana—“sacred site” when this verse is quoted in the Kumārikākhaṇḍa.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram (tantric buddhism)

Upakṣetra (उपक्षेत्र) refers to a “nearby field” and represents one of the various classes of sacred sites, according to the Netravibhaṅga, a commentary on the Hevajratantra by Dharmakīrti.—Accordingly, “It is called a ‘seat’ (pīṭha) because one always stays there and performs the practice, also because the yogis stay there. Because it is near to that place, it is called ‘nearby seat’ (upapīṭha). It is called ‘field’ (kṣetra), because it produces good qualities, also because the mother-goddesses stay there. Because it is near to there, it is called ‘near-by field’ (upakṣetra). Because one desires and yearns, it is called Chando. Because it is near there, it is called ‘near-by Chando’. It is called ‘meeting place’ (melāpaka) because it is the site of a place, [for example] Magadha and Aṅgamagadha. It is called ‘near-by meeting place’ because it is near there. It is called ‘cemetery’ (śmaśāna) because no discriminating thought (vikalpa) arises and because there are many corpses. It is called ‘near-by cemetery’, because it is near to there”.

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

Upakṣetra (उपक्षेत्र) is one of the Pīṭhādis (group of districts) present within the Vākcakra (‘circle of word’) which is associated with the Ḍākinī named Bhūcarī (‘a woman going on the ground’), according to the 9th-centruy Vajraḍākatantra.

The Pīṭhādi named Upakṣetra within the Vākcakra contains the following four districts or seats:

1. Triśakuni,
2. Kosala.

Source: 84000: Sampuṭodbhava Tantra (Emergence from Sampuṭa)

Upakṣetra (उपक्षेत्र) refers to “Auxiliary Kṣetras” (i.e., a type of power place where Yogins and Yoginīs congregate), according to the Sampuṭodbhavatantra chapter 5.—Accordingly, “[Vajragarbha asked:]—‘Blessed One, what places are places of gatherings?’ [The Blessed One said:]—‘There are pīṭhas and auxiliary pīṭhas, And likewise, kṣetras and auxiliary kṣetras [e.g., upakṣetra]. There are also chandohas and auxiliary chandohas, melāpakas and auxiliary melāpakas. There are charnel grounds and auxiliary charnel grounds, pīlavas and auxiliary pīlavas. These are the twelve types of meeting places. The lord of the ten bhūmis has not specified Any places other than these twelve’. [...]”.

Upakṣetra in Tibetan: ཉེ་བའི་ཞིང་། [nye ba’i zhing].

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Upakṣetra (उपक्षेत्र).—nt., subordinate (Buddha-) field: Mahāvastu i.121.9, 12, stated to be four times the size of a (Buddha-)kṣetra; the implication seems to be that the environs of -the kṣetra constitute the upakṣetra. But no other reference has been noted.

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Kshetra, Upa.

Ends with: Anupakshetra.

Full-text (+28): Elapura, Viraja, Trishakuni, Mayapuri, Marudesha, Kshirika, Erudika, Hala, Rajapuri, Kalinga, Kanci, Himalaya, Lampaka, Kshetra, Kaushala, Kamarupa, Odra, Trishakuna, Upapitha, Antarvaidya.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Upakshetra, Upakṣetra, Upa-kshetra, Upaksetra, Upa-kṣetra, Upa-ksetra; (plurals include: Upakshetras, Upakṣetras, kshetras, Upaksetras, kṣetras, ksetras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)

Chapter XIII - The sixth Bhūmi < [Volume I]

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The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)

Chapter 10 - Supreme Excellence of Prabhāsa < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]

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