Akshaya, Akṣayā, Akṣaya: 21 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Hinduism
1. Purana
2. Jyotisha
3. Vaishnavism
4. Shaktism
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
2. Tibetan Buddhism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Kannada
See also
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Introduction:

Akshaya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.

The Sanskrit terms Akṣayā and Akṣaya can be transliterated into English as Aksaya or Akshaya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Images (photo gallery)

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Akṣayā (अक्षया).—A Brahmarākṣasī.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 134.

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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: The effect of Samvatsaras: Satvargas

Akshaya (अक्स्हय) refers to the sixtieth saṃvatsara (“jovian year)” in Vedic astrology.—The native whose birth occurs in the ‘samvatsara’ named ‘akshaya’ spends the wealth earned by him very quickly, has the tendency of serving others, is hard hearted and does not have much desire to do good deeds.

According with Jataka Parijata, the person born in the year akshaya (2046-2047 AD) will be virtuous, cheerful, handsome, endowed with a high sense of honor and exempt from foes and ailments.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: Pure Bhakti: Arcana-dipika - 3rd Edition

Akṣaya (अक्षय) is the sixtieth of sixty years (saṃvatsara) in the Vedic lunar calendar according to the Arcana-dīpikā by Vāmana Mahārāja (cf. Appendix).—Accordingl, There are sixty different names for each year in the Vedic lunar calendar, which begins on the new moon day (Amāvasyā) after the appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Gaura-pūrṇimā), in February or March. The Vedic year [viz., Akṣaya], therefore, does not correspond exactly with the Christian solar calendar year.

context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Akṣayā (अक्षया) refers to “imperishable”, according to the Jayadrathayāmala verse 12.33.33cd.—Accordingly, “She is Śāmbhavī who destroys transmigratory existence and is imperishable contemplation [i.e., bhāvanā-akṣayā]”.

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

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to “(that which is) indestructible”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 39).—Accordingly, “[The knowledge of the retribution of actions (karmavipāka-jñānabala)].—[...] Those are the various retributions of sinful and meritorious actions as well as their functioning (pravṛtti). The Śrāvakas know only that bad action is punished and good action rewarded, but they are unable to analyze the problem with such clarity. The Buddha himself understands fully and completely both action and the retribution of action. The power of his knowledge (jñānaprabhāva) is without obstacle (avyāhata), is indestructible (akṣaya) and invincible (ajeya): this is why it is described as the second ‘power’”.

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Akṣaya (अक्षय) [=Akṣayatā?] refers to the “inexhaustibility” (of the four dharmas), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] (161) The protector of the world has taught the inexhaustibility (akṣayatā)) of these four dharmas, to wit, living beings, open space, the thought of awakening, and the dharma of the Buddha. (162) If those were material things, those will be exhausted; but since those are not material things, those are inexhaustible, thus it is called inexhaustible (akṣaya). (163) Since the dharma is momentary, even if the dharma is consumed, it would never be exhausted. There is nothing exhausted in that inexhaustibility, thus it is called inexhaustibility (akṣayatā) [...]’”.

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: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Akṣayā (अक्षया) refers to an “indestructible (state of being)”, according to the Vāruṇī Pūjā [i.e., Varuni Worship] ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “Oṃ dark blue, born of a dark-blue Māṃ, a consort united with Akṣhobhya, I worship you great heroine, with an indestructible (akṣayā) state of being, Māmakī”.

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Akṣaya (अक्षय) refers to “imperishable”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Certainly in this world the one knowing the higher knowledge constantly obtains fearlessness [and] happiness that is beyond the senses [and] imperishable (akṣaya) through the reflections with playful knowledge. The fire of passion becomes extinguished, desire flows away, darkness disappears [and] the light of knowledge shines forth in the heart for men from the repetition of the reflections”.

Synonyms: Anaśvara, Avināśin.

context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

akṣaya (अक्षय) [or अक्षय्य, akṣayya].—a (S) corruptly akṣayī a Imperishable, indestructible, undecaying, unfading. 2 Inexhaustible or unfailing; as akṣayabhātā A quiver ever full. Ex. mājhēṃ dhanuṣya || akṣayabhātē viśēṣa || gharadaśastrēṃ aṇāvīṃ || 3 (Laxly.) Permanent, not transitory or temporary. Ex. āmacēṃ rāhaṇēṃ hyā gāṃvānta a0 asatēṃ tara ghara bāndhalēṃ asatēṃ.

--- OR ---

akṣaya (अक्षय).—m (S) Indestructibility.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

akṣaya (अक्षय) [-yya, -य्य].—a Imperishable, unfailing, per- manent.

context information

Marathi 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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Akṣaya (अक्षय).—a. [nāsti kṣayo yasya]

1) Undecaying, exempt from decay, imperishable, undying, unfailing, inexhaustible; सदोपयोगेऽपि गुरुस्त्वमक्षयो निधिः (sadopayoge'pi gurustvamakṣayo nidhiḥ) Śi 1.28; स संधार्यः प्रयत्नेन स्वर्गमक्षयमिच्छता (sa saṃdhāryaḥ prayatnena svargamakṣayamicchatā) Manusmṛti 3.79; यज्ञनिर्वृत्तिमक्षयां (yajñanirvṛttimakṣayāṃ) 4.23; गया- यामक्षयवटे पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयं (gayā- yāmakṣayavaṭe pitṝṇāṃ dattamakṣayaṃ) Vāyu P.; त्रिसाधना शक्तिरिवार्थमक्षयं (trisādhanā śaktirivārthamakṣayaṃ) R.3. 13; मुनिभिः सार्धमक्षयैः (munibhiḥ sārdhamakṣayaiḥ) Rām.7.18.12; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 9.176.

2) Poor, without house or habitation, such as a hermit or संन्यासिन् (saṃnyāsin) (kṣayo vāsaḥ tacchūnyaḥ aniketanaḥ saṃnyāsī daridro vā.)

-yaḥ 1 The Supreme Spirit परमात्मन् (paramātman).

2) Name of the 2th year in the cycle of Jupiter.

-yā [akṣayaṃ puṇyaṃ yatrāsti-ac] Name of a day which is said to confer undying religious merit; अमैव सोमवारेण रविवारेण सप्तमी । चतुर्थी भौमवारेण अक्षयादपि चाक्षया (amaiva somavāreṇa ravivāreṇa saptamī | caturthī bhaumavāreṇa akṣayādapi cākṣayā).

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

Akṣaya (अक्षय).—(1) a high number, m. in Mahāvyutpatti 7793, nt. in Gaṇḍavyūha 134.2 and Mahāvyutpatti 7922 (cited from Gaṇḍavyūha); gender ambiguous (°asya, gen.) Gaṇḍavyūha 106.5, 18, in both of which read sattvāk- ṣaya-for sattva-kṣaya-; (2) m., name of a samādhi: Mahāvyutpatti 547; Śatasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 1418.15.

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

Akṣaya (अक्षय).—mfn.

(-yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) Durable, permanent, imperishable. f.

(-yā) The seventh day of a lunar month, which happens on a Sunday or Monday, and the fourth, which falls on a Wednesday. E. a neg. and kṣa to waste or decay, aff. ac.

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

Akṣaya (अक्षय).—[adjective] imperishable; abstr tā [feminine], tva [neuter]

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

1) Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[=a-kṣaya] mf(ā)n. exempt from decay, undecaying

2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of the twentieth year in the cycle of Jupiter

3) [v.s. ...] Name of a mountain, [Harivaṃśa]

4) Akṣayā (अक्षया):—[=a-kṣayā] [from a-kṣaya] f. the seventh day of a lunar month, if it fall on Sunday or Monday

5) [v.s. ...] the fourth, if it fall on Wednesday.

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

Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[bahuvrihi compound] I. m. f. n.

(-yaḥ-yā-yam) Durable, permanent, imperishable. Ii. f.

(-yā) The seventh day of a lunar month, which happens on a Sunday or Monday, and the fourth, which falls on a Wednesday. E. a priv. and kṣaya.

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

1) Akṣaya (अक्षय):—[a-kṣaya] (yaḥ-yā-yaṃ) a. Durable.

2) Akṣayā (अक्षया):—[a-kṣayā] (yā) 1. f. Idem.

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

Akṣaya (अक्षय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Akkhaya.

[Sanskrit to German]

Akshaya 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

Akṣaya (ಅಕ್ಷಯ):—

1) [adjective] unceasing; not dying; everlasting; eternal; perdurable.

2) [adjective] not becoming or that cannot be made, empty; inexhaustible.

--- OR ---

Akṣaya (ಅಕ್ಷಯ):—

1) [noun] name of the last of the sixty-years cycle.

2) [noun] the plant, Hordeum vulgare of Poaceae family.

3) [noun] its cereal; barley.

4) [noun] the organ of sight; the eye.

5) [noun] the result of action; work; deed; performance.

6) [noun] absence of light; darkness.

7) [noun] wild growth of trees and underwood over a large tract of land; a forest.

8) [noun] the tree Cocos nucifera; coconut tree.

9) [noun] its nut; coconut.

10) [noun] the tree Atrocarpus integra of Urticaceae family; jack fruit tree.

11) [noun] its fruit; jack fruit.

12) [noun] the tree Mangifera indica of the Anacardiaceae family. mango tree.

13) [noun] its fruit; mango.

14) [noun] any plant of Musaceae family; plantain tree.

15) [noun] its fruit; banana; plantain.

16) [noun] any essential feature or peculiarity; a quality; nature; character.

17) [noun] a hollow place in a rock; a cave.

18) [noun] the state of being imperishable or undecaying.

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 36 books and stories containing Akshaya, Akṣayā, Akṣaya, Aksaya, A-kshaya, A-kṣaya, A-ksaya, A-kṣayā; (plurals include: Akshayas, Akṣayās, Akṣayas, Aksayas, kshayas, kṣayas, ksayas, kṣayās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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Pasuram 4.10.4 < [Section 10 - Tenth Tiruvaymoli (Onrum-tevum, ulakum)]

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Verse 9.2 < [Chapter 9 - Rāja-guhya-yoga (Yoga through the most Confidential Knowledge)]

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