Anuttara: 17 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Anuttara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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 Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraAnuttara (अनुत्तर) or “without superior”, is a synonym for the Buddha according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter IV).
Why is he called A neou to lo (Anuttara)?
1) Nirvāṇa is the highest dharma. The Buddha alone knows this nirvāṇa; he has not learned it from another. Besides, he guides beings and leads them to nirvāṇa. Just as nirvāṇa is without superior among all the dharmas, so the Buddha is without superior among beings.
2) Furthermore, no-one is his equal and, a fortiori, surpasses him in discipline (śīla), samādhi and wisdom (prajñā). This is why he is called Anuttara.
3) Furthermore, A indicates negation and uttara means refutation. All the systems of the heretics (tīrthika) can be refuted and destroyed because they are false (asatya) and impure (aviśudda). But the doctrine of the Buddha cannot be either refuted or destroyed because it escapes any discussion; it is true (satya) and pure (viśuddha). This is why he is called Anuttara.
According to the Visuddhimagga:—“There is no-one better endowed with qualities than him; no-one surpasses him”.
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: Google Books: Jaina IconographyAnuttara (अनुत्तर).—One of the five heavens of the upper world (ūrdhvaloka);—The five Anuttaras (according to both Śvetāmbara and Digambara) are:
- Vijaya in the east,
- Vaijayanta in the south,
- Jayanta in the west,
- Aparājita in the north,
- Sarvarthasiddhi in the centre.
Anuttara (अनुत्तर) and Anuttara are the name of two heavens in Jainism, according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism. Accordingly, in the sermon of Sūri Dharmaghoṣa:—“[...] Dharma is the highest happiness. Dharma bestows heaven and emancipation. Dharma shows the road for crossing the wilderness of saṃsāra. [...] From dharma one attains Ahamindraship in the Graiveyaka and Anuttara heavens. [...]”.
In these two heavens [viz., Graiveyaka and Anuttara], the highest, the gods have no distinction of rank, and all are called ‘Ahamindras’. Cf. Bṛhatsaṅgrahanī 3, p. 4b. Die Kosmographie der Inder p. 302.
Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 4: The celestial beings (deva)Anuttara (अनुत्तर) is one of the three subclasses of kalpātītas (born beyond heaven), itself a division of empyrean celestial beings (vaimānika) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 4.19. The living beings residing in the vimānas are called the empyrean gods (vaimānika) and represents one of the four classes of Devas.
There are five anuttaras, namely:
- Vijaya,
- Vaijayanta,
- Jayanta,
- Aparājita,
- Sarvārtha-siddhi
Which thought-colourations are there in Graivaiyaka, Anudiśa and Anuttara gods? They have pure white thought-colouration. What is the life span of deities in the five-Anuttara? The five anuttara heavens are layered heavens above Nava-anudiśā where deities reside. The life span in these heavens is thirty three sāgaropama.
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.
India history and geogprahy
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryAnuttara.—(EI 18), penance. Note: anuttara is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryanuttara : (adj.) incomparable; unsurpassed.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAnuttara, (adj.) (an + uttara) “nothing higher”, without a superior, incomparable, second to none, unsurpassed, excellent, preeminent Sn.234 (= adhikassa kassaci abhāvato KhA 193), 1003; Dh.23, 55 (= asadisa appaṭibhāga DhA.I, 423); Pv IV.35 2 (dhamma); Dhs.1294; DA.I, 129; PvA.1, 5, 6, 18, etc. (Page 36)
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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryanuttara (अनुत्तर).—a (S) Unable to answer. 2 S Chief, principal, best, excelled or surpassed by none, haud ulli secundus.
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anuttara (अनुत्तर).—n (S) Want or absence of an answer; or a defective, inapplicable, irrelevant answer. Pr. anuttaraṃ utaraṃ or pop. anuttaraṃ mēva uttaraṃ. 2 In law. Any answer not includible within the four kinds prescribed. See uttara. 3 Failure or non-performance of an engagement. Ex. sadarahu lihilyāpramāṇēṃ karīna hyāsa a0 karaṇāra nāhīṃ.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishanuttara (अनुत्तर).—a Unable to answer.
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 dictionaryAnuttara (अनुत्तर).—a. [nāsti uttaro yasmāt]
1) Principal, chief.
2) Best, excellent; अनुत्तराणि विलसितानि (anuttarāṇi vilasitāni) Dk.162 unsurpassed. शरीरसौख्यार्थमनुत्तरस्य निपेततुर्मूर्धनि तस्य सौम्ये (śarīrasaukhyārthamanuttarasya nipetaturmūrdhani tasya saumye) | Bu. ch.1.35.
3) [nāsti uttaraṃ yasya] Without a reply, silent, unable to answer; भवत्यवज्ञा च भवत्यनुत्तरात् (bhavatyavajñā ca bhavatyanuttarāt) Naiṣadha.
4) Fixed, firm (na uttarati calati). अर्थ्यं तथ्यं हितं वाक्यं लघुयुक्तमनुत्तरम् (arthyaṃ tathyaṃ hitaṃ vākyaṃ laghuyuktamanuttaram) Mb.2.2.5.
5) Low, inferior, base, mean.
6) Southern.
-ram [na. ta.] No reply, a reply which, being evasive, is considered to be no reply.
-rāḥ (pl.) A class of gods among Jainas (°upapātika).
-upapātikadaśāḥ f. Title of the ninth aṅga of the Jainas treating of those gods.
-rā The south. ...अनुत्तरः । नोदीच्यां नोपरि श्रेष्ठे (anuttaraḥ | nodīcyāṃ nopari śreṣṭhe)... ()| Nm.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAnuttara (अनुत्तर).—adj. (= Pali id.; compare sottara; Sanskrit in this sense only Lex., replaced by anuttama, which has had its ending assimilated to superlatives owing to the meaning of the word), having no superior, highest, supreme: Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 266.13, of cittāni; Gaṇḍavyūha 244.7 °rāṃ tathāgatavarṇaviśud- dhiṃ; Lalitavistara 24.13 °ra-parivāraṃ (kulaṃ); 85.2 anuttaro bhaviṣyāmi sarvasattvānām; Divyāvadāna 144.5 anuttare-manuṣ- yadharme (see s.v. uttari-, end); especially epithet of samyak- saṃbodhi, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 100.3; Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 293.10; Vajracchedikā 24.2; Lalitavistara 183.17; Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 148.3 etc., etc., extremely common (see under abhisaṃbudhyate); m. as epithet of a Buddha, Mahāvyutpatti 9; as name of a samādhi, Kāraṇḍavvūha 52.3; f. with ellipsis of samyak- saṃbodhi (see above), Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 216.8 (prose) °rāṃ samyak- saṃbuddhaḥ samāno, being enlightened unto supreme (enlightenment); normally the noun samyaksaṃbodhiṃ follows anuttarāṃ in this common phrase; has it dropped out by haplography? (WT same text).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAnuttara (अनुत्तर).—mfn.
(-raḥ-rā-raṃ) 1. Chief, principal. 2. Best, excellent. 3. Unable to answer, silent. 4. Fixed, firm. 5. Low, inferior. 6. South, southern. n.
(-raṃ) A reply which is incoherent or evasive, and is therfore held to be no answer. E. an neg. and uttara subsequent, &c.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Anuttara (अनुत्तर):—[=an-uttara] mfn. chief, principal
2) [v.s. ...] best, excellent
3) [v.s. ...] without a reply, unable to answer, silent
4) [v.s. ...] fixed, firm
5) [v.s. ...] low, inferior, base
6) [v.s. ...] south, southern
7) [v.s. ...] n. a reply which is coherent or evasive and therefore held to be no answer
8) [v.s. ...] m. [plural] a class of gods among the Jainas.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAnuttara (अनुत्तर):—[(raḥ-rā-raṃ) a.] Chief. n. An evasive answer or reply.
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger WörterbuchAnuttara (अनुत्तर):—(3. a + uttara)
1) adj. a) der untere [Amarakoṣa 3, 4, 192.] — b) südlich ibid. — c) niedrig, schlecht ibid. — d) fest (sthira) [DHARAṆĪ im Śabdakalpadruma] — e) ohne Höheres, der vorzüglichste [Amarakoṣa] [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 3, 3, 327.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1438.] [Anekārthasaṃgraha 4, 234.] [Medinīkoṣa Rāmāyaṇa 243.] — f) ohne Antwort bleibend, der Antwort nicht werth, = niruttara [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] = pratijalpavivarjita [Medinīkoṣa] = avācya [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa] = yadvada [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 347.] —
2) m. pl. eine Klasse von Göttern, eine Unterabtheilung der Kalpātīta [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 94.] —
3) n. das Nichtantworten: bhavatyavajñā ca bhavatyanuttarāt [Naiṣadhacarita im Śabdakalpadruma]
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Anuttara (अनुत्तर):—
1) f) keine Antwort habend so v. a. wogegen man Nichts erwiedern kann: vākya [Mahābhārata 2, 25.] so v. a. nicht antwortend, Nichts zu erwiedern habend [3, 17241.] kṣaṇamāsīdanuttaraḥ [Kathāsaritsāgara 26, 189.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Sanskrit-Wörterbuch in kürzerer FassungAnuttara (अनुत्तर):—1. —
1) *Adj. — a) der untere. — b) südlich. — c) niedrig , schlecht. —
2) n. das Nichtantworten.
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Anuttara (अनुत्तर):—2. —
1) Adj. — a) *ohne Höheres , der vorzüglichste. — b) *fest. — c) keine Antwort gebend. — d) wogegen man Nichts erwiedern kann. —
2) *m. Pl. eine best. Klasse von Göttern bei den Jaina.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Anuttara Samayak Sambodhi, Anuttarabrahmatattvarahasya, Anuttaramga, Anuttaramnaya, Anuttaranga, Anuttaraprakashapancashika, Anuttarapuja, Anuttararaja, Anuttarasangamavijaya, Anuttarashri, Anuttarasura, Anuttaratattvavimarshini, Anuttarayo, Anuttarayogatantra.
Ends with: Pranuttara.
Full-text (+50): Anuttarayogatantra, Aparajita, Anuttarapuja, Urdhvaloka, Jayanta, Kalpatita, Graiveyaka, Vijaya, Vaijayanta, Appatibhaga, Anuttaropapatika, Sushthu, Anuttaropapatikadasha, Sottara, Yogakkhema, Uttara, Visittha, Shraddhayate, Patibhaga, Anuttariya Vagga.
Relevant text
Search found 33 books and stories containing Anuttara, An-uttara; (plurals include: Anuttaras, uttaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 32: Description of the Upper World (ūrdhvaloka) < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]
Subdivisions of Pañcendriyas < [Appendix 1.4: The nine tattvas]
Part 10: Ajita’s fast-breaking < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 8 - Why is the Buddha called Anuttara < [Chapter IV - Explanation of the Word Bhagavat]
V.3 Abandonment of the afflicting emotions (kleśa-tyaga) < [V. Recollection of abandonment (tyāgānusmṛti)]
Act 10.3: Śākyamuni throws the lotuses to the Buddhas of the East < [Chapter XV - The Arrival of the Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions]
Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti) (by K. C. Lalwani)
Part 12 - On celestial positions < [Chapter 2]
Part 9 - Knowledge of the omniscient < [Chapter 4]
Part 4 - More on dharmāstikāya < [Chapter 10]
Vimalakirti Sutra (by Burton Watson)
The Great Chariot (by Longchenpa)
Part 2 - Why mantrayana is higher than the vehicles of characteristics < [A. Resolving the view]
Part 3d.2f - The explanation of self appearance and other-appearance < [B. The explanation of the kayas and wisdoms]
Part 3 - Why they are the four tantras taught to those to be tamed < [A. Resolving the view]
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Appendix 1 - The Great Seal teachings of the Dakpo Kagyu < [Book 8 - The famous Dakpo Kagyü (traditions)]
Chapter 1 - Secret Mantra In Jambudvīpa < [Book 10 - The Kālacakra]
Chapter 10 - Origin of the Adamantine Garland (Vajrāvali) and other cycles < [Book 14 - Great Compassion Cycle]