Ariya, Āriya, Ariyā: 11 definitions
Introduction:
Ariya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Jainism, Prakrit, Hindi, Tamil. 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
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Access to Insight: A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist TermsNoble, ideal. Also, a "Noble One"Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names1. Ariya - A country and people in South India. Palandipa was one of its divisions. It once had a king named Viradeva who led an expedition against Jayabahu I. of Ceylon (Cv.lxi.36f).
It was also the name of a dynasty, the Aryan dynasty of the Pandya (Pandu) in South India. Cv.lxiii.15; see also Cv. trans. i.239, n.1.
2. Ariya - A fisherman of a settlement near the north gate of Savatthi. The Buddha, seeing his upanissaya for sotapatti, passed with the congregation of monks close by the spot where he was fishing and stopped not far from him. Then the Buddha proceeded to ask the monks their names, and noticing that the fisherman himself expected to be questioned, he asked him his. On learning that it was Ariya, the Buddha suggested to him that he was unworthy of the name, because a real Ariya never injured any living thing. At the end of the discourse the fisherman became a sotapanna. DhA.iii.396-8.
3. Ariya - A Pacceka Buddha mentioned in the list of the Isigili Sutta. M.iii.70; also ApA.i.107.
4. The four iddhi padas, if cultivated, conduce to the utter destruction of Ill. They are ariyaniyyanika. S.v.255.
Source: Dhamma Dana: Pali English GlossaryT (Noble being). A being who has experienced nibbana. With this, he has eliminated the wrong views (existence of a self inherent entity, efficacy of rituals, etc.), and has acquired an immovable confidence towards the dhamma. He is assured of no more rebirths in the lower realms.
According to the experienced stage, four kinds of ariyas are being considered (sotapana, sakadagami, anagami and arahanta).
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraAriyā or Ariyā-iddhi refers to “noble magic” and represents a type of Iddhi (magical process) which is related to the Sanskrit Ṛddyabhijñā: one of the six “superknowledges” (abhijñā), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLIII. Ariyā-iddhi is “noble magic”, permitting the seeing of pleasant things as unpleasant and vice versa. This was already discussed by the canonical sūtras (Dīgha, III, p. 112–113, etc.).
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.
India history and geography
Source: Project Gutenberg: Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 1Ariya (“noble”) is one of the exogamous septs (divisions) among the Kurubas (a tribe of South India). The Kurubas are sub-divided into clans or gumpus, each having a headman or guru called a gaudu, who gives his name to the clan. And the clans are again sub-divided into gotras or septs (viz., Ariya).
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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 Dictionaryariya : (adj.) noble; distinguished. (m.), a noble man; one who has attained higher knowledge.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAriya, (adj. -n.) (Vedic ārya, of uncertain etym. The other Pāli forms are ayira & ayya) 1. (racial) Aryan D. II, 87. ‹-› 2. (social) noble, distinguished, of high birth.—3. (ethical) in accord with the customs and ideals of the Aryan clans, held in esteem by Aryans, generally approved. Hence: right, good, ideal. (The early Buddhists had no such ideas as we cover with the words Buddhist and Indian. Ariya does not exactly mean either. But it often comes very near to what they would have considered the best in each).—(adj.): D. I, 70 = (°ena sīlakkhan&dcb;hena samannāgata fitted out with our standard morality); III, 64 (cakkavatti-vatta), 246 (diṭṭhi); M. I, 139 (pannaddhaja); II, 103 (ariyāya jātiyā jāto, become of the Aryan lineage); S. II, 273 (tuṇhībhāva); IV, 250 (vaddhi), 287 (dhamma); V, 82 (bojjhaṅgā), 166 (satipaṭṭhānā), 222 (vimutti), 228 (ñāṇa), 255 (iddhipādā), 421 (maggo), 435 (saccāni), 467 (paññā-cakkhu); A. I, 71 (parisā); II, 36 (ñāya); III, 451 (ñāṇa); IV, 153 (tuṇhībhāva); V, 206 (sīlakkhandha); It. 35 (paññā), 47 (bhikkhu sammaddaso); Sn. 177 (patha = aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo SnA 216); Dh. 236 (bhūmi), 270; Ps. II, 212 (iddhi). —alamariya fully or thoroughly good D. I, 163 = III, 82 = A. IV, 363; nâlamariya not at all good, object, ignoble ibid.—(m.) Vin. I, 197 (na ramati pāpe); D. I, 37 = (yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti upekkhako satimā etc. : see 3rd. jhāna), 245; III, 111 (°ānaṃ anupavādaka one who defames the noble); M. I, 17, 280 (sottiyo ariyo arahaṃ); S. I, 225 (°ānaṃ upavādaka); II, 123 (id.); IV, 53 (°assa vinayo), 95 (id.); A. I, 256 (°ānaṃ upavādaka); III, 19, 252 (id.); IV, 145 (dele！ see arīhatatta); V, 68, 145 sq. , 200, 317; It. 21, 108; Dh. 22, 164, 207; J. III, 354 = Miln. 230; M. I, 7, 135 (ariyānaṃ adassāvin: “not recognising the Noble Ones”) PvA. 26, 146; DhA. II, 99; Sdhp. 444 (°ānaṃ vaṃsa). ‹-› anariya (adj. & n.) not Ariyan, ignoble, undignified, low, common, uncultured A. I, 81; Sn. 664 (= asappurisa SnA 479; DhsA. 353); J. II, 281 (= dussīla pāpadhamma C.); V, 48 (°rūpa shameless), 87; DhA. IV, 3.—See also ñāṇa, magga, sacca, sāvaka.
When the commentators, many centuries afterwards, began to write Pali in S. India & Ceylon, far from the ancient seat of the Aryan clans, the racial sense of the word ariya was scarcely, if at all, present to their minds. Dhammapāla especially was probably a non-Aryan, and certainly lived in a Dravidian environment. The then current similar popular etmologies of ariya and arahant (cp. next article) also assisted the confusion in their minds. They sometimes therefore erroneously identify the two words and explain Aryans as meaning Arahants (DhA. I, 230; SnA 537; PvA. 60). In other ways also they misrepresented the old texts by ignoring the racial force of the word. Thus at J. V, 48 the text, speaking of a hunter belonging to one of the aboriginal tribes, calls him anariya-rūpa. The C. explains this as “shameless”, but what the text has, is simply that he looked like a non-Aryan. (cp “frank” in English). (Page 77)
— or —
Āriya, in anāriya at Sn. 815 is metric for anariya (q. v.). (Page 108)
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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAriya (अरिय).—adj. (= Pali id.; MIndic for Sanskrit ārya), noble: Mahāvastu iii.400.6 ariyo (both mss., Senart em. āryo) tāyi (so with Senart, mss. tāpi).
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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryArīya (अरीय):—(a) radial.
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Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary1) Āriya (आरिय) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Āṛta.
2) Āriya (आरिय) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Ārita.
3) Āriya (आरिय) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Ākārita.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAriya (ಅರಿಯ):—[noun] one who cannot be conquered, overpowered or challenged; an invincible man.
--- OR ---
Āriya (ಆರಿಯ):—
1) [noun] a person of noble family or noble conduct.
2) [noun] name of a sect or a sub-caste.
3) [noun] a member of Marāṭha military caste, settled in Karnāṭaka.
--- OR ---
Ārīya (ಆರೀಯ):—[adjective] of or relating to radius; radial.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+43): Ariya Iddhi, Ariya Magga, Ariya Puggala, Ariya Sacca, Ariya Sutta, Ariya Vamsa, Ariya Vihara, Ariya-veppa, Ariyabalisika Vatthu, Ariyacakkavatti, Ariyacam, Ariyacaranai, Ariyadhamma, Ariyadhana, Ariyagala Tittha, Ariyagalatissa, Ariyaka Vihara, Ariyakacakkoti, Ariyakacam, Ariyakanta.
Ends with (+459): Abbhavahariya, Abbhitariya, Abhikriyariya, Abhinicariya, Abhisariya, Abrahmacariya, Acariya, Acariyabhariya, Acariyapacariya, Accariya, Acchariya, Achariya, Adariya, Addhariya, Adhvariya, Agariya, Aggiparicariya, Ahariya, Ahigariya, Aisariya.
Full-text (+141): Ariyam, Shavaka, Sakadagami, Ariyakanta, Sekha, Ariyadhana, Aryasatya, Samgha, Ariyabalisika Vatthu, Cinnariyam, Santutthita, Noble Persons, Ariyavarati, Akarita, Noble Power, Stream Entry, Stream Winner, Arta, Ariyattirivu, Noble Usages.
Relevant text
Search found 63 books and stories containing Ariya, Āriya, Ariyā, Arīya, Āriyā, Ārīya; (plurals include: Ariyas, Āriyas, Ariyās, Arīyas, Āriyās, Ārīyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Part 8 - The Nine Supreme Attributes of the Sangha < [Chapter 42 - The Dhamma Ratanā]
Dhamma attributes (2): Sandiṭṭhiko < [Chapter 42 - The Dhamma Ratanā]
Part 18 - The Ratana Sutta < [Chapter 42 - The Dhamma Ratanā]
The Vipassana Dipani (by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw)
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 270 - The Story of a Fisherman Named Ariya < [Chapter 19 - Dhammaṭṭha Vagga (Established in Dhamma)]
Verse 175 - The Story of Thirty Monks < [Chapter 13 - Loka Vagga (World)]
Verse 79 - The Story of Venerable Mahākappina < [Chapter 6 - Paṇḍita Vagga (The Wise)]
Abhidhamma in Daily Life (by Ashin Janakabhivamsa) (by Ashin Janakabhivamsa)
Part 6 - What Is Nibbána? < [Chapter 11 - Planes Of Existence]
Part 5 - The Pleasure Of Brahmas < [Chapter 11 - Planes Of Existence]
Part 4 - The eight types of ariya (noble) < [Chapter 9 - Patisandhi (the nature of rebirth)]
A Manual of Abhidhamma (by Nārada Thera)
Four Planes of Life < [Chapter V - Process Freed Section]
Classification of Individuals < [Chapter IV - Analysis of Thought-Processes]
Different Kind of Purity < [Chapter IX - Mental Culture]
The Buddhist Path to Enlightenment (study) (by Dr Kala Acharya)
3.1. The Meaning of Iddhipāda (psychic power) < [Chapter 2 - Five Groups of Factor]
2(b). The Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya-aṭṭhaṅgika-magga) < [Chapter 3 - Seven Factors of Enlightenment and Noble Eightfold Path]
2.9. Saccā-ñāṇa, Kicca-ñāṇa and Kata-ñāṇa with regard to Magga-saccā < [Chapter 3 - Seven Factors of Enlightenment and Noble Eightfold Path]