Anantaguna, Anantaguṇa, Ananta-guna, Anamtaguna: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Anantaguna means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Prabhupada Books: Sri Caitanya CaritamrtaAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण).—In the Christian year 1372, a king named Kampanna Udaiyara reigned on the throne of Mādurā. Long ago, Emperor Kulaśekhara ruled this area, and during his reign he established a colony of brāhmaṇas. A well-known king named Anantaguṇa Pāṇḍya is an eleventh-generation descendant of Emperor Kulaśekhara.
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’).
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण) is the minister of king Vikramasiṃha from Pratiṣṭhāna, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 58. Accordingly, “... and as the numerous force of the five kings made a united charge, the force of Vikramasiṃha, being inferior in number, was broken. Then his minister Anantaguṇa, who was at his side, said: ‘Our force is routed for the present, there is no chance of victory to-day, and you would engage in this conflict with an overwhelming force in spite of my advice, so now at the last moment do what I recommend you, in order that the affair may turn out prosperously’”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Anantaguṇa, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण) refers to “limitless virtues” (of a Buddha), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly as The Lord said: “O Śāriputra, in the buddha-field of the Tathāgata Ekaratnavyūha, there is a Bodhisattva, the great being Gaganagañja who is resplendent by the splendor of merit (puṇya-tejas), [...] who has obtained the ten powers of the Tathāgatas as adorned with power (bala), is unsurpassed by all opponents as adorned with intrepidity (vaiśāradya), has attained limitless virtues (anantaguṇa) of a Buddha as adorned with virtue (guṇa), [...]”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण) refers to “infinite times”, according to Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi.—Accordingly, “In one minute living being there are organisms infinite times (anantaguṇa) the emancipated souls. Thus the entire universe is densely filled with one-sensed beings with no interspace. To become a being with more than one sense is as difficult as finding out a very small piece of diamond buried in the sands of an ocean. Even among these most of them are endowed with imperfect senses (i.e. less than five senses). Hence birth as a five-sensed being is as rare as gratitude among the good qualities. [...]”.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण).—a. possessed of endless merits; of countless or infinite possessed of endless merits; of countless or infinite number; प्लवङ्गानामनन्तगुणतैधते (plavaṅgānāmanantaguṇataidhate) Mv.6.55.
Anantaguṇa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms ananta and guṇa (गुण).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण):—[=an-anta-guṇa] [from an-anta] mfn. having boundless excellencies.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAnantaguṇa (अनन्तगुण):—[ananta-guṇa] (ṇaḥ-ṇā-ṇaṃ) a. Of endless excellencies.
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 corpusAnaṃtaguṇa (ಅನಂತಗುಣ):—
1) [noun] a large number of virtues (as found in one person).
2) [noun] a man whose virtues are very much beyond normal possible limits.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
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Search found 4 books and stories containing Anantaguna, Anantaguṇa, Ananta-guna, Ananta-guṇa, Anamtaguna, Anaṃtaguṇa; (plurals include: Anantagunas, Anantaguṇas, gunas, guṇas, Anamtagunas, Anaṃtaguṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Chapter LVIII < [Book X - Śaktiyaśas]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
The Tiṃsamattā-sutta (or, Lohita-sūtra) < [Part 2 - Distinguishing the movements of mind of all beings]
III. Are the beings to be known infinite in number? < [Part 2 - Distinguishing the movements of mind of all beings]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 4 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 3 - Madhva’s interpretation of Brahma-sūtra I. 1. 2 < [Chapter XXVI - Madhva’s Interpretation of the Brahma-sūtras]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 3 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 2 - A General Idea of Nimbārka’s Philosophy < [Chapter XXI - The Nimbārka School of Philosophy]