Amanushya, Amanuṣya, Amānuṣya: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Amanushya 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.
The Sanskrit terms Amanuṣya and Amānuṣya can be transliterated into English as Amanusya or Amanushya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य) refers to “(a body which is) not that of a mortal man”, according to the Ṭīkā (commentary) on the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “[...] Moreover, within what (should he be worshipped)? There itself, within Ātmatattva. If this is so, who (should do it)? Some wise man who has a ‘divine body’, that is, a body which is not that of a (mortal) man (amanuṣya) [amanuṣyaḥ śarīraḥ]. One who, by the teacher’s grace, is a part of the Lineage of the Eldest. That goddess Parāparā is the Vidyā. [...]”..
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)
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य) refers to a “non-human”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 41).—Accordingly, “[Digression on a case brought against the Buddha; B. The defense].—[6. Use of a Stone Bowl].—‘The Buddha forbade the Bhikṣus to use eight kinds of bowls (pātra)’.—[...] [Question].—What is this skillful means? [Answer].—Wishing to save people, the Buddha borrows the customs of humans. If he did not do this, people would take him for a non-human (amanuṣya) and would wonder why they follow his Dharma. Moreover, there are people who find salvation in generosity (dāna); out of respect for them, the Buddha accepts their offerings of food. Then these people say: ‘The food I offer contributes to sustaining the body of the Buddha’. Their mind becomes very joyful (mahāmuditā), and as a result of this joy, they welcome the Buddha’s words with faith. [...]”.
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य) refers to “non-humans”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after Vairambhaka spoke to the Bhagavān], “Then, having heard this voice, all the Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, humans (manuṣya) and non-humans (amanuṣya) said, ‘Alas, alas, woe, woe, so bad that destroyers have arisen in the world’”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य).—a.
1) Not human, not manly.
2) Not frequented by man.
-ṣyaḥ 1 Not a man; नामनुष्ये भवत्यग्निः (nāmanuṣye bhavatyagniḥ) Rām.2.93.22.
2) A demon, fiend (= rakṣaḥpiśācādi Sk. on P.II.4.23).
-tā Unmanliness.
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Amānuṣya (अमानुष्य).—a. Not human, superhuman &c.
-°ṣyam Inhuman state; अमानुष्यं समापन्नान् दासकर्मण्यवस्थितान् (amānuṣyaṃ samāpannān dāsakarmaṇyavasthitān) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 5.16.113.
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य).—subst. m. and adj. (compare next and amā- nuṣa; as subst. = Pali amanussa; in Sanskrit only Lex. and Pāṇini 2.4.23), (1) subst. spirit, demon; Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 83.9; in lists of kinds of creatures, in [compound] Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 169.2 deva-nāga-yakṣa- gandharvāsura-garuḍa-kiṃnara-mahoraga-manuṣyāmanu- ṣyais; Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 69.5—6; same list as separate words Gaṇḍavyūha 141.24 devān…manuṣyān amanuṣyān; Mahāvastu ii.107.13, read with mss. anyā kiṃnarīṇāṃ gatiḥ, amanuṣyāṇām, different is the path of the k°, who are demons (or, as adj., super- human); amanuṣya-vyādhi, disease caused by a demon or spirit, Mahāvastu i.253.11 ff.; 284.6 ff.; 287.5; amanuṣya-upasarga (so probably read, as [compound], with one ms.), id., Mahāvastu i.287.17; °ṣyābhisṛṣṭa Bodhisattvabhūmi 63.6; (2) adj., superhuman: Mahāvastu ii.30.16 °ṣyāṇi ca gītavādyaśabdāni (so with mss.; Senart amānu°).
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य).—mfn.
(-ṣyaḥ-ṣyā-ṣyaṃ) Unmanly. E. a neg. manuṣya a man.
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Amānuṣya (अमानुष्य).—mfn.
(-ṣyaḥ-ṣyī-ṣyaṃ) Superhuman. E. a neg. mānuṣya human.
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य).—I. m. one who is not a man, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 93, 21. Ii. adj. deserted.
Amanuṣya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and manuṣya (मनुष्य).
1) Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य):—[=a-manuṣya] m. no man, any other being but a man, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Rāmāyaṇa ii, 93, 21] (nā-manuṣye, ‘only with men’)
2) [v.s. ...] a demon, [Pāṇini 2-4, 23.]
3) Amānuṣya (अमानुष्य):—[=a-mānuṣya] [from a-manuṣya] mfn. not human, [Mahābhārata xiv, 266.]
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य):—[a-manuṣya] (ṣyaḥ-ṣyā-ṣyaṃ) a. Unmanly.
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य):—(3. a + ma)
1) adj. nicht menschlich: sahasrasaṃvatsaramamanuṣyāṇām [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 1, 6, 17.] —
2) m. Nichtmensch, Abwesenheit eines Menschen: nāmanuṣye bhavatyagniḥ [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 93, 21.] —
3) m. Unhold [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 4, 23.] [Amarakoṣa 3, 6, 27.]
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य):—m. —
1) kein Mensch , ein anderes Wesen als ein Mensch [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtra 1,6,17.] nāmanuṣye bhavatyagniḥ kein Feuer ohne Menschen. —
2) Unhold.
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Amaṇussa.
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.
Nepali dictionary
Amanuṣya (अमनुष्य):—n./adj. non-human; not a man; demon;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Amanushyaka, Amanushyanishevita, Amanushyasharira, Amanushyata.
Full-text: Amanushyata, Amanushyanishevita, Amanusa, Amanushyasharira, Fei ren, Sarvamanushya, Amanussa, Amanava, Nagaraghata, Amanushaloka, Ren ji zhe, Divyapushpa, Amanushi, Divya, Manushyasharira, Mahamudita, Antaraya, Purushadamyasarathi.
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Search found 14 books and stories containing Amanushya, A-manushya, A-manuṣya, A-manusya, A-mānuṣya, Amanushyas, Amanuṣya, Amanusya, Amānuṣya; (plurals include: Amanushyas, manushyas, manuṣyas, manusyas, mānuṣyas, Amanushyases, Amanuṣyas, Amanusyas, Amānuṣyas). 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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