Abhasvara, Ābhāsvara: 13 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Hinduism
1. Purana
In Buddhism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Abhasvara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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.

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर) refers to one of the various classifications of Gaṇas: a group of deities attached to Lord Śiva.—Gaṇas are troops who generally appear in classes. Nine such classes are mentioned in the Purāṇas: They are (1) Ādityas (2) Viśvas or Viśvedevas (3) Vasus (4) Tuṣitas (5) Ābhāsvaras (6) Anilas (7) Mahārājikas (8) Sādhyas (9) Rudras. These are attached to Lord Śiva and serve under the command of Gaṇeśa, dwelling on Gaṇaparvata identified with Kailāsa—a peak of the Himālaya mountain.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर) is part of the group of Gods inhabiting the second dhyāna of the Rūpadhātu (or Brahmaloka): the second of the three worlds, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 32-34. The gods of the form realm (rūpadhātu), having fallen from the pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa), will again conceive sensual desire and will abide in the impure spheres.

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.

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर) refers to a group of deities (from the similarly-named heaven) mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including the Ābhāsvaras).

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर) refers to “streaming radiance” and represents one of the eighteen “gods of the form-realms” (rūpāvacaradeva) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 128). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., ābhāsvara). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Source: WikiPedia: Buddhism

One of the Arupyadhatu Devas:

The Abhasvara devas enjoy the delights of the second dhyana..

See Abhasvara Worlds

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर).—a. Splendid, bright, shining.

-raḥ 1 A collective name of 64 demigods.

2) Name of an attendant Gaṇa.

3) Name of a particular set of 12 subjects; आत्मा ज्ञाता दमो दान्तः शान्तिर्ज्ञानं शमस्तपः । कामः क्रोधो मदो मोहो द्वादशाभास्वरा इमे (ātmā jñātā damo dāntaḥ śāntirjñānaṃ śamastapaḥ | kāmaḥ krodho mado moho dvādaśābhāsvarā ime) || (tārānātha tarkavācaspatikośa.)

See also (synonyms): ābhāsura.

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

Ābhasvara (आभस्वर).—a class of gods: Udānavarga xxx.49.

Ābhasvara can also be spelled as Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर).

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Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर).—m., generally pl. (= Pali ābhassara; compare ābhasvara), one (usually the 3d) of the classes of rūpāvacara gods in the 2d dhyāna-bhūmi (see deva): sing. of one of the class, Lalitavistara 44.12 (see Prabhāvyūha); (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 19.9 mahā- brahmā °raḥ prabhāsvaraḥ śuddhābhaḥ etc.; in (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 69.7 also sg. in a list of sg. deities; ābhāsvare devanikāye Divyāvadāna 327.21—22, as a place of happy rebirth, in this class of gods (or in their dwelling-place); several times in Mahāvastu this place or state of existence is mentioned as the abode of creatures in general, or of a Buddha and his disciples, in interim periods between world aeons, after destruction and before re-creation of the world, so Mahāvastu i.52.4 ābhāsvare devanikāye upapadyanti, and 6—7 °rād devanikāyato cyavitvā; similarly 63.7; 338.15 ff.; pl. of the class as a whole, Mahāvyutpatti 3092; Dharmasaṃgraha 128; Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 359.1; 365.3; Lalitavistara 150.7; 315.5; 359.3; 396.15; Mahāvastu ii.314.7; 319.4; 348.19; Divyāvadāna 68.15; 367.12; Avadāna-śataka i.5.2, etc.; in Mahāvyutpatti 2291 named as an example of creatures in the third sattvāvāsa (q.v.), characterized as ekatvakāyā nānātvasaṃjñinas.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर).—m.

(-raḥ) A demigod, of a class consisting of sixty-four. E. āṅ before bhāsa to shine, varac aff.

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

1) Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर):—[=ā-bhāsvara] [from ā-bhās] mfn. ([Pāṇini 3-2, 175]) shining, bright, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a class of deities, sixty-four in number

3) [v.s. ...] Name of a particular set of twelve subjects (ātmā jñātā damo dāntaḥ śāntir jñānaṃ śamas tapaḥ kāmaḥ krodho mado moho dvādaśābhāsvarā ime, [Tārānātha tarkavācaspati’s Vācaspatyam, Sanskrit dictionary])

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

Ābhāsvara (आभास्वर):—[ā-bhāsvara] (raḥ) 1. m. A demigod.

[Sanskrit to German]

Abhasvara 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Ābhāsvara (ಆಭಾಸ್ವರ):—[noun] the lustrous one; any of the gods of a higher spiritual realm.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 14 books and stories containing Abhasvara, Ābhāsvara, Ābhasvara, A-bhasvara, Ā-bhāsvara, Abhāsvara; (plurals include: Abhasvaras, Ābhāsvaras, Ābhasvaras, bhasvaras, bhāsvaras, Abhāsvaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Text 15.6 (Commentary) < [Chapter 15 (Text and Commentary)]

Chapter 15 - Cloud-like Emanation of the Natural Maṇḍala of Wrathful Deities < [Chapter 15 (Text and Commentary)]

Chapter V - The many Buddhas (bahubuddha-sūtra) < [Volume I]

Chapter VI - A visit to the Śuddhāvāsa Devas < [Volume I]

Chapter XXXII - Genesis of the world (Rājavaṃśa): the Śākyans and the Koliyans < [Volume I]

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Appendix 13 - The story of Sunetra < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]

I. The three concentrations (samādhi) according to the Abhidharma < [Part 2 - The three meditative stabilizations]