In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित, “wishlessness”) or Apraṇihitasamādhi refers to a type of Samādhi, representing a set of “three concentrations” acquired by the Bodhisattvas, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter X.

a) Some say: apraṇihita is, within the śūnyatā-samādhi, not producing the three poisons (triviṣa, namely, passion, aggression and ignorance) in the future.

b) Others say: When one knows this emptiness, there is apraṇidhāna. What is apraṇidhāna? It is not considering dharmas to be empty (śūnya) or non-empty (aśūnya), existent (sat) or non-existent (asat), etc.

c) Furthermore: apraṇihita-samādhi is not searching for any kind of bhāva or existence.

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

Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित) refers to “(the patience of) wishlessness”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Son of good family, there are eight patiences reflecting on the dharma of the Bodhisattvas. What are the eight? (1) the patience of emptiness since there is no destruction of views; (2) the patience of signlessness since signs are not excluded; (3) the patience of wishlessness (apraṇihita) since there is no wish in awakening; (4) the patience of the unconditioned since there is no destruction of conditioned things; [...]”.

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित, “desireless”) or refers to one of the “three liberations” (vimokṣa) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 73). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., apraṇihita). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Source: eScholarship: Meditation, Repentance, and Visionary Experience in Early Medieval Chinese Buddhism

Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित, “wishlenesses”) refers to one of the three samādhis (concentrations) or vimokṣa-mukha (three gates to deliverance).—Apraṇihita was regularly translated in two different ways: wu yuan 無願 (“non-wishing”), and wu zuo 無作 (“non-arising”) translations that reflect two slightly different interpretations of the word.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित).—(a-praṇihita), adj. and subst. (= apraṇidhi, q.v., and Pali appaṇihita, Critical Pali Dictionary aimless, not bent on anything; in Pali as in [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] parallel to suññatā, °ta, the latter being used as adj. in Pali!, and animitta (ān°); as epithet of samādhi [suññato…animitto…appaṇihito samādhi SN iv.360.17 = Dīghanikāya (Pali) iii.219.22] and of vimokkha, nibbāna, also as substitute for the latter), (state that is) free from desire, [Page047-b+ 71] longing, or purpose; often in cpds. it is hard to say whether it would be better to call it adj. or subst.; śūnyatānimitt- āpraṇihitam Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 101.1 (adj. or subst.?); 136.13 (subst.; with nirvāṇadvāraṃ as fourth member of [compound], but this is unique; there are four herbs in the preceding parable; in 137.1—2 the three alone are named as vimokṣa-mu- khāni); Śikṣāsamuccaya 6.15 -śūnyatānimittāpraṇihita-rutam = buddha-rutam (see Lalitavistara 296.8, s.v. apraṇidhi); Lalitavistara 374.4, read apraṇihita-samādhim with v.l. for text apratihata-: 422.21 apraṇihita-cakram (Lefm. with all mss. aprani°), parallel to preceding śūnyatā-, animitta-c°; 428.9—10 °ta-vihārī, parallel to śūnyatā-, ānimitta-v°; Kāśyapa Parivarta 94.5 and 125.3, both parallel to śūnyatā, ānimitta; Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā 256.13 (subst.) et passim.

--- OR ---

Apranihita (अप्रनिहित).—q.v.

Apranihita can also be spelled as Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित).

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

1) Apraṇihita (अप्रणिहित):—[=a-praṇihita] mfn. free from desire, [Sukhāvatī-vyūha i]

2) [v.s. ...] ([probably]) n. purposelessness, ibidem

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: A, Pranihita.

Starts with: Apranihitasamadhi.

Ends with: Mulapranihita.

Full-text: Apranidhi, Animitta, Vimokshamukha, Nirvananagara, Three Liberations, Aryavihara, Vimoksha, Shunyata, Sahasraloka, Kshanti, Samadhi, Pranidadhati, Pranidheti, Divyacakshus.

Relevant text

Search found 3 books and stories containing Apranihita, Apraṇihita, A-pranihita, A-praṇihita; (plurals include: Apranihitas, Apraṇihitas, pranihitas, praṇihitas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

II. ‘Inexhaustible’ root < [Part 4 - Planting inexhaustible roots of good]

Bodhisattva quality 2: the three concentrations (samādhi) < [Chapter X - The Qualities of the Bodhisattvas]

II. The three concentrations (samādhi) according to the Mahāyāna < [Class 1: The three meditative stabilizations]

+ 29 more chapters / show preview

Abhidharmakośa (by Leo M. Pruden)

Chapter VIII - The Absorptions

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Guhyagarbha Tantra (with Commentary) (by Gyurme Dorje)

Text 1.3 (Commentary) < [Chapter 1 (text and commentary)]

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