Vakkali, Vakkalī, Vakkāḷi, Vākkaḷi: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Vakkali means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, biology, Tamil. 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.
The Sanskrit terms Vakkāḷi and Vākkaḷi can be transliterated into English as Vakkali or Vakkalii, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names1. Vakkali Thera. He belonged to a brahmin family of Savatthi and became proficient in the three Vedas. After he once saw the Buddha he could never tire of looking at him, and followed him about. In order to be closer to him he became a monk, and spent all his time, apart from meals and bathing, in contemplating the Buddhas person. One day the Buddha said to him, The sight of my foul body is useless; he who sees the Dhamma, he it is that seeth me (yo kho dhammam passati so mam passati; yo mam passati so dhammam passati) (Cp. Itv. sec. 92). But even then Vakkali would not leave the Buddha till, on the last day of the rains, the Buddha commanded him to depart. Greatly grieved, Vakkali sought the precipices of Gijjhakuta. The Buddha, aware of this, appeared before him and uttered a stanza; then stretching out his hand, he said: Come, monk. Filled with joy, Vakkali rose in the air pondering on the Buddhas words and realized arahantship. AA.i.140f.; the Apadana account (Ap.ii.465f.) is similar. It says that the Buddha spoke to him from the foot of the rock. Vakkali jumped down to meet the Buddha, a depth of many cubits, but he alighted unhurt. It was on this occasion that the Buddha declared his eminence among those of implicit faith; also DhA.iv.118f. The DhA. reports three verses uttered by the Buddha in which he assures Vakkali that he will help him and look after him.
According to the Theragatha, Commentary (ThagA.i.420), when Vakkali was dismissed by the Buddha he lived on Gijjhakuta, practising meditation, but could not attain insight because of his emotional nature (saddha). The Buddha then gave him a special exercise, but neither could he achieve this, and, from lack of food, he suffered from cramp. The Buddha visited him and uttered a verse to encourage him. Vakkali spoke four verses (Thag.350 4) in reply, and, conjuring up insight, won arahantship. Later, in the assembly of the monks, the Buddha declared him foremost among those of implicit faith (saddhadhimuttanam) (cp. A.i.25; also Dvy.49 and VibhA.276; Vsm.i.129). In the Parayanavagga (SN. vs. 1146) the Buddha is represented as holding Vakkali up to Pingiya as an example of one who won emancipation through faith.
The Samyutta account (S.iii.119ff.; SA.ii.229) gives more details and differs in some respects from the above. There, Vakkali fell ill while on his way to visit the Buddha at Rajagaha, and was carried in a litter to a potters shed in Rajagaha. There, at his request, the Buddha visited him and comforted him. He questioned Vakkali, who assured him that he had no cause to reprove himself with regard to morals (silato); his only worry was that he had not been able to see the Buddha earlier. The Buddha told him that seeing the Dhamma was equivalent to seeing him, and because Vakkali had realized the Dhamma, there would be no hereafter for him.
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).
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and DrugsVakkali in the Tamil language is the name of a plant identified with Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb. ex DC.) Wall. ex Guillem. & Perr. from the Combretaceae (Rangoon creeper) family. For the possible medicinal usage of vakkali, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryvakkalī : (adj.) wearing a bark garment.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryVakkali, (in compn for in) wearing a garment of bark, an ascetic, lit. “barker” J. II, 274 (°sadda the sound of the bark-garment-wearer). See also Np. Vakkali. (Page 591)
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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryVakkali (वक्कलि).—nt., a kind of textile material: °li (both edd., no v.l.) Mahāvyutpatti 5871 = Tib bag le ba(?); Chin. colored, variegated cotton (= kaca, q.v., the prec. word in Mahāvyutpatti). Surely not connected with Pali, AMg. vakkali(n), wearer of bark, from Sanskrit valkala.
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.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryVakkali (वक्कलि) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Valkalin.
Vakkali has the following synonyms: Vakkaliṇa.
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.
Tamil dictionary
Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconVakkāḷi (வக்காளி) [vakkāḷittal] 11 intransitive verb To clear up, as the sky; வானம் வெளிவாங்குதல். [vanam velivanguthal.] Tanjore usage
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Vākkaḷi (வாக்களி) [vākkaḷittal] intransitive verb < வாக்கு⁵ [vakku⁵] +. To make a promise, give ones’s word; உறுதிகூறுதல். [uruthiguruthal.]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Vakkaliga, Vakkalika, Vakkalin, Vakkalina, Vakkalividhvamsanagaganakalpa.
Ends with: Avakkali, Paravakkali.
Full-text: Valkalin, Vakkalina, Valkali, Vakkala, Kalasila, Gijjhakuta, Parinibbuta, Isigili, Adhimukta, Alam, Padumuttara.
Relevant text
Search found 19 books and stories containing Vakkali, Vakkalī, Vakkāḷi, Vākkaḷi, Vakkaali, Vaakkali; (plurals include: Vakkalis, Vakkalīs, Vakkāḷis, Vākkaḷis, Vakkaalis, Vaakkalis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Biography (19): Vakkali Mahāthera < [Chapter 43 - Forty-one Arahat-Mahatheras and their Respective Etadagga titles]
Biography (13) Siṅgalakamātu Therī < [Chapter 44 - Life Histories of Bhikkhunī Arahats]
Addenda: Bāvarī the Brahmin Teacher (continued) < [Chapter 43 - Forty-one Arahat-Mahatheras and their Respective Etadagga titles]
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 381 - The Story of Monk Vakkali < [Chapter 25 - Bhikkhu Vagga (The Monk)]
Guide to Tipitaka (by U Ko Lay)
(c) Khandha Vagga Saihyutta Pali < [Chapter VI - Samyutta Nikaya]
Buddha-nature (as Depicted in the Lankavatara-sutra) (by Nguyen Dac Sy)
4.1. Origin and Development of the Dharmakāya < [Chapter 4 - The Thought of Buddha-Nature in the Laṅkāvatārasūtra]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Buddhas of the present: Preliminary note (1) < [Part 7 - Seeing, hearing and understanding all the Buddhas of the present]
Bhūmi 8: the unshakeable ground (acalā) < [Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna]
I. Recollection of the Buddha (3): Physical marks and superhuman power < [Part 2 - The Eight Recollections according to the Abhidharma]
Mental Development in Daily Life (by Nina van Gorkom)