Akara, aka: Ākara, Ākāra, Akāra; 8 Definition(s)
Introduction
Akara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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 Hinduism
Purāṇa
1) Akāra (अकार).—Its significance in oṃ;1 the source of 63 varṇas;2 the primordial svara and its place in creation.3
2) Ākāra (आकार).—The second face of the fourteen faced Deva, Manu Svārociṣa born in white colour.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 26. 33.

The Purāṇas (पुराण, purana) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahāpurāṇas total over 400,000 ślokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit grammar)
Akāra (अकार).—The letter a, (अ) inclusive of all its eighteen kinds caused by shortness, length, protraction, accentuation and nasalization in Pānini's grammar, in cases where a(अ) is not actually prescribed as a termination or an augment or a substitute. cf. अणुदित्सवर्णस्य चाप्रत्ययः (aṇuditsavarṇasya cāpratyayaḥ) P. I.1.73. The letter is generally given as the first letter of the alphabet (वर्णसमाम्नाय (varṇasamāmnāya)) in all Prātiśākhya and grammar works except in the alphabet termed Varṇopadeśa, as mentioned in the Ṛk Tantra cf. ए ओ ऐ औ आ ॠ लॄ ई ऊ ऋ लृ इ उ आः । रयवलाः । ङञणनमाः । अः (e o ai au ā ṝ lṝ ī ū ṛ lṛ i u āḥ | rayavalāḥ | ṅañaṇanamāḥ | aḥ) ೱ क (ka) ೱ पाः । हुं कुं खुं गुं घुं अं आं एवमुपदेशे (pāḥ | huṃ kuṃ khuṃ guṃ ghuṃ aṃ āṃ evamupadeśe) etc. R. T.I. 4.
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Ākāra (आकार).—The letter आ; cf. आकारस्य विवृतोप-देश आकारग्रहणार्थः । (ākārasya vivṛtopa-deśa ākāragrahaṇārthaḥ |) M. Bh. I.1 Āhn. 2.
(Source): Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammarVyākaraṇa (व्याकरण, vyakarana) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedāṅga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyākaraṇa concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
In Buddhism
Pali
ākara : (m.) a mine; place of production. || ākāra (m.), manner; condition; state; appearance.
(Source): BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English DictionaryĀkara, (cp. Sk. ākara) a mine, usually in cpd. ratan-ākara a mine of jewels Th.1, 1049; J.II, 414; VI, 459; Dpvs.I, 18. — Cp. also Miln.356; VvA.13. (Page 93)
— or —
Ākāra, (a + karoti, kṛ) “the (way of) making”, i. e. (1) state, condition J.I, 237 (avasan° condition of inhabitability); II, 154 (patan° state of falling, labile equilibrium), cp. paṇṇ°. — (2) property, quality, attribute D.I, 76 (anāvila sabb°-sampanna endowed with all good qualities, of a jewel); II, 157 (°varûpeta); J.II, 352 (sabb° paripuṇṇa altogether perfect in qualities). — (3) sign, appearance, form, D.I, 175; J.I, 266 (chātak° sign of hunger); Miln.24 (°ena by the sign of . .); VvA.27 (therassa ā. form of the Th.); PvA.90, 283 (rañño ā. the king’s person); Sdhp.363. — (4) way, mode, manner, sa-ākāra in all their modes D.I, 13 = 82 = III, 111; J.I, 266 (āgaman° the mode of his coming). Esp. in Instr. sg. & pl. with num. or pron. (in this way, in two ways etc.): chah’ākārehi in a sixfold manner Nd2 680 (cp. kāraṇehi in same sense); Nett 73, 74 (dvādasah’ākārehi); Vism.613 (navah’ākārehi indriyāni tikkhāni bhavanti); PvA.64 (yen’ākārena āgato ten’ākārena gato as he came so he went), 99 (id.). ‹-› (5) reason, ground, account D.I, 138, 139; Nett 4, 8 sq., 38; DhA.I, 14; KhA 100 (in expln. of evaṃ). In this meaning freq. with dass (dasseti, dassana, nidassana etc.) in commentary style “what is meant by”, the (statement of) reason why or of, notion, idea PvA.26 (dātabb°dassana), 27 (thoman°-dassana), 75 (kāruññ °ṃ dassesi), 121 (pucchan°-nidassanaṃ what has been asked); SnA 135 (°nidassana).
—parivitakka study of conditions, careful consideration, examination of reasons S.II, 115; IV, 138; A.II, 191 = Nd2 151. (Page 93)

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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
The term ākāra literally means shape or form, with a secondary meaning of appearance, aspect, or image. Classical Indian philosophers, Buddhist and non-Buddhist, have long debated the status and role of ākāra in cognition and in consciousness more generally, with major questions including whether the forms in awareness are intrinsic to cognition and whether such forms can be taken as evidence of an external world.
Birgit Kellner’s contribution to this issue thus brings us back to some of the earliest technical uses of the term ākāra in Indian Buddhist Abhidharma and Yogācāra treatises, showing how those usages should not too quickly be conflated with later uses in the logico-epistemological or pramāṇa tradition stemming from Dignāga (ca. 480–540 CE) and elaborated by Dharmakīrti (between mid-sixth and mid-seventh century CE). In particular, she points to another meaning of the term ākāra found in Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośabhāṣya (ca. second half of fourth century CE) in which the word indicates “a mode of mental functioning” such that all mental events (citta) and their associates (caitta) can be said to have their own distinct manner of operating.
The term ākāra plays an important role also in discussions of the path to liberation, as indicated in the well-known rubric of the sixteen aspects (ākāra) of the four noble truths. Although Kellner concludes ultimately that this usage can be seen as a sub-species of the mode-ākāra she has already delineated from the object-ākāra prevalent in Buddhist epistemological use, her search for an “umbrella concept” that would unite these various usages leaves her unsatisfied.
Variations in the meaning and usage of the term ākāra in Buddhist texts is just one of the complicating factors in any thematic study of ākāra across time. Disagreements have most characteristically revolved around the question whether the ākāra of a cognized object—its “form,” its particular way of presenting itself–may be said to “belong” to the external world or more properly to cognition alone. The question seems to have been explicitly raised first in Śabara’s Bhāṣya on the Mīmāṃsāsūtras in the late fifth century, and it continued to occupy thinkers for centuries.
(Source): Springer: ākāra in Buddhist Philosophical and Soteriological AnalysisLanguages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
akarā (अकरा).—a ind (ēkādaśa S H) Eleven.
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ākara (आकर).—m (S) A mine or quarry lit. fig. Ex. ratnākara, tāmrākara, guṇākara, dayākara, karūṇākara.
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ākāra (आकार).—m (S) Form, figure, shape. 2 Appearance, aspect, form, similitude. 3 An image impressed upon the mind, an impression: also an idea. 4 Definiteness or determinateness of form or appearance (as of a work approaching to completion; of a transaction, event, or other object of consideration or conjecture). 5 A roughly framed statement or estimate (of expenses, profits, produce, revenue); the Jamabandi settlement. 6 Sign, semblance, indication, appearance. Ex. hyā vyavahārānta śambhara rūpayē miḷatīla asā ā0 disatō. 7 An affection of the body considered as indicative of mental sentiment or emotion; as trembling, smiling, horripilation &c. are of dread, gratification, fright &c. 8 This word is much and neatly used in comp. as maṇḍalākāra, cakrākāra, gōlākāra, candrākāra, vartulākāra, śūrpākāra, gṛhākāra, vṛkṣākāra, aṇḍākāra, pustakākāra, Annular, circular, globular, moon-form, like a house, tree &c. 9 (In modern geometrical works.) Figure. 10 Manner, way, style, fashion. Ex. mī parabrahma yēṇēṃ ākārēṃ || jēthēṃ jīva svarūpa sphurē || When the jīva calls to mind its true being as śivātmā, and disallows its distinctness as jīvātmā, then it exclaims after this fashion. ā0 dākhaviṇēṃ To make the show or pretence of. 2 To present the form, figure, or appearance of. ākārāsa yēṇēṃ To be assuming some definite shape or likeness--a work &c. in progress, a sickness, a transaction or an event. 2 To fall or be reduced into some moderate form or amount; to abate.
(Source): DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryakarā (अकरा).—a Eleven.
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ākara (आकर).—m A quarry, mine.
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ākāra (आकार).—m Form. A rough estimate. The Jamabandi settlement. An idea. Ap- pearance. ākārāsa yēṇēṃ Be assuming some definite shape. ākārē raṅgatī cēṣṭā Face is the mirror of man's mind.
(Source): DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-EnglishMarathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Relevant definitions
Search found 105 related definition(s) that might help you understand this better. Below you will find the 15 most relevant articles:
Ratnakara | Ratnākara (रत्नाकर).—A Vaiśya. He was killed by an ox, but he attained Vaikuṇṭha as a brahmin c... | |
Bhadrakara | Bhadrakāra (भद्रकार).—A king of ancient India; he once left his kingdom, in fear of Jarāsandha,... | |
Kusakara | Kuśākara (कुशाकर).—the sacrificial fire. Derivable forms: kuśākaraḥ (कुशाकरः).Kuśākara is a San... | |
Sudhakara | Sudhākāra (सुधाकार).—the moon. Derivable forms: sudhākāraḥ (सुधाकारः).Sudhākāra is a Sanskrit c... | |
Cakrakara | Cakrākāra (चक्राकार).—a. circular, round. Cakrākāra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the te... | |
Kaccaakara | kaccā-ākāra (कच्चा-आकार).—m A rough estimate or account. | |
Kusumakara | Kusumākara (कुसुमाकर).—1) a garden. 2) a nosegay. 3) vernal season; ऋतूनां कुसुमाकरः (ṛtūnāṃ ku... | |
Padmakara | Padmākara (पद्माकर).—A Character in the story in Śiva Purāṇa describing the greatness of a Śiva... | |
Chatrakara |
Chatrākāra (छत्राकार) refers to an “umbrella-shaped” variety of liṅga tops (śirovartana). Th... | |
Nipacc-akara | Nipacc-ākāra, (nipacca, ger. of nipatati+ākāra) obedience, humbleness, service S. I, 178; V, 2... | |
Makarakara | Makarākara (मकराकर).—the ocean; प्रविश्य मकरावासं यादोगणनिषेवितम् (praviśya makarāvāsaṃ yādogaṇ... | |
Vajrakara | Vajrākara (वज्राकर).—a diamond mine; बभूव वज्राकरभूषणायाः (babhūva vajrākarabhūṣaṇāyāḥ) (patiḥ)... | |
Akaragupti | Ākāragupti (आकारगुप्ति).—dissimulation, suppressing all outward manifestation of the internal f... | |
Akaraja | Ākaraja (आकरज).—A jewel. Derivable forms: ākarajam (आकरजम्).Ākaraja is a Sanskrit compound cons... | |
Rekhakara | Rekhākāra (रेखाकार).—a. lineal, formed in lines, striped. Rekhākāra is a Sanskrit compound cons... |
Relevant text
Search found 25 books and stories containing Akara, Ākara, Ākāra or Akāra. You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada (by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw)
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 8.25 < [Section IV - The Commencement of Trials]
Verse 7.62 < [Section IV - Duties of the King]
Verse 8.26 < [Section IV - The Commencement of Trials]
Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad of Atharvaveda (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
The Mandukya Upanishad (Gaudapa Karika and Shankara Bhashya)
Mandukya Upanishad, verse 8 < [Chapter I - Agama Prakarana (Scripture)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.5.108 < [Chapter 5 - Priya: The Beloved]
Verse 2.4.36 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha: The Spiritual Kingdom]
Verse 2.4.181 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha: The Spiritual Kingdom]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
V. Etymology of Sarvajñatā < [VII. Winning omniscience and the knowledge of all the aspects]
V.3 Abandonment of the afflicting emotions (kleśa-tyaga) < [V. Recollection of abandonment (tyāgānusmṛti)]
V. Nature, object and distribution of the Nine Notions < [Part 1 - The nine notions according to the Abhidharma]
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