Asanga, Āsaṅga, Asaṅga: 16 definitions
Introduction
Asanga means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1) Asaṅga (असङ्ग).—The son of Yuyudhāna.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 45. 23.
2) Āsaṅga (आसङ्ग).—The son of Śvaphalka and Gāndini.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 24. 16.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist IconographyAsaṅga (असङ्ग) was a brother of Vasubandhu (280-360 A. D.) and a practitioner of Tantric Buddhism.—Tārānātha (Tārānāth) is reported to have said that Tantrism existed from very early times and was transmitted in a secret manner from the time of Asaṅga down to the time of Dharmakīrti. Asaṅga who was a brother of Vasubandhu (280-360 A. D.) must have flourished circa 300 A. D. and Dharmakīrti who is not mentioned by the Chinese traveller Hiuen Thsang but is referred to with great respect by I-Tsing very probably belonged to a period between 625-675 A. D.
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Buddhist Door: GlossaryBrother of Vasubandhu. Originally trained as a Hinayanist, but converted his brother Vasubandha to become Mahayanist. They both established the Yogacara School of Buddhism.Source: Buddhism Tourism: Glossary of Buddhist TermsThe Buddhist who established the Yogcara School of Buddhism. He is considered the author of Mahayanasamgraha, Abhidharmasamuccaya and a commentary on the Samdhinirmocana.
Source: academia.edu: The Chronological History of BuddhismAsaṅga (असङ्ग).—According to Tibetan sources, Asaṅga (965-900 BCE) and Vasubandhu (963-883 BCE) were half-brothers from Puruṣapura of Gāndhāra Janapada and born 900 years after Buddha nirvana. Asaṅga’s father was a Kśatriya whereas Vasubandhu’s father was a Brāhmaṇa. Prasannaśīlā was the mother of Asaṅga and Vasubandhu. Professor J. Takakusu published “The Life of Vasubandhu by Paramārtha” in the year 1904. It is a translation from a Chinese manuscript. It states that a Kauśika Brāhmaṇa family of Puruṣapura (Peshawar) had three sons, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu and Viriñchivatsa. Asaṅga studied Hīnayāna texts from Arhat Pindola and also studied Mahāyāna texts. Hiuen Tsang mentions that Asaṅga initially followed Mahishasaka sect of Buddhism but later he became Mahayanist.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Wisdom Library: JainismAsanga (असन्ग) is the Prakrit name of a Yakṣa chief, obiedient to Vaiśramaṇa (god of wealth, also known as Kubera), according to the Bhagavatī-sūtra, also known as The Vyākhyāprajñapti (“Exposition of Explanations”). The Bhagavatī-sūtra is the largest of twelve Jain āgamas and was composed by Sudharmāsvāmī in the 6th century.
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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryasaṅga : (m.) non-attachment.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAsaṅga, (adj.) (a + saṅga) not sticking to anything, free from attachment, unattached Th. 2, 396 (°mānasa, = anāsattacitta ThA. 259); Miln. 343. Cp. next. (Page 87)
— or —
Āsaṅga, (ā + saṅga fr. sañj to hang on, cp. Sk. āsaṅga & āsakti) — 1. adhering, clinging to, attachment, pursuit J. IV, 11.—2. that which hangs on (the body), clothing, garment, dress; adj. dressed or clothed in (-°); usually in cpd. uttarāsaṅga a loose (hanging) outer robe e.g. Vin. I, 289; S. IV, 290; PvA. 73; VvÁ 33 (suddh°), 51 (id.). (Page 114)
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 Dictionaryasaṅga (असंग).—a (S) Lone, solitary, wanting a companion. 2 That is not to be associated with. Pr. asaṅgāsīṃ saṅga prāṇāsīṃ gāṇṭha.
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asaṅga (असंग).—m (S) Absence or nonness of companionship.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishasaṅga (असंग).—a Lone; that is not to be associa- ted with. m Absence of companion- ship.
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-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryĀsaṅga (आसङ्ग).—a. Uninterrupted, perpetual. [-gaḥ]
1) Attachment, devotion (to any object) (to enjoy or protect it); सुख° लुब्धः (sukha° lubdhaḥ) K.173; U.3; चेतः स्वर्गतरङ्गिणीतटभुवामासङ्ग- मङ्गीकुरु (cetaḥ svargataraṅgiṇītaṭabhuvāmāsaṅga- maṅgīkuru) Bh.3.6.
2) Intentness, close application.
3) Contact, adherence, clinging; (paṅkajam) सशैवलासङ्गमपि प्रकाशते (saśaivalāsaṅgamapi prakāśate) Ku.5.9;3.46; व्रततिवलयासङ्गसंजातपाशः (vratativalayāsaṅgasaṃjātapāśaḥ) Ś.1.33; Mu.1.14; अनासङ्गः (anāsaṅgaḥ) absence of consolation; Māl.2.
4) Association, connection, union; त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गम् (tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgam) Bg.4.2; so कान्तासङ्ग (kāntāsaṅga) &c.
5) Fixing, fastening to.
6) Pride about the authorship of a thing (kartṛtvābhimāna),
7) That which is fastened; cf. उत्तरासङ्ग (uttarāsaṅga).
8) Waylaying (?).
-ṅgam A kind of fragrant earth (saurāṣṭramṛttikā).
-ṅgam ind. Without interruption, eternally.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAsaṅga (असङ्ग).—(1) name of an author: Sādhanamālā 325.4 (= 3?); (2) name of a yakṣa: Mahā-Māyūrī 43; (3) see Āryāsaṅga.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAsaṅga (असङ्ग).—mfn.
(-ṅgaḥ-ṅgā-ṅgaṃ) Solitary, unassociated. E. a neg. saṅga with.
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Āsaṅga (आसङ्ग).—m.
(-ṅgaḥ) 1. Attachment to any object. 2. Association, connexion. 3. Proximity, contact. adv. n.
(-ṅgaṃ) Eternally. adj. mfn.
(-ṅgaḥ-ṅgā-ṅgaṃ) Eternal. E. āṅ always, ṣañj to move, ac aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryĀsaṅga (आसङ्ग).—i. e. ā-sañj + a, m. 1. Being attached, [Śākuntala, (ed. Böhtlingk.)] [distich] 132. 2. Attachment, [Pañcatantra] v. [distich] 93.
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Asaṅga (असङ्ग).—I. m. 1. non-attachment, not being attached to, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 6, 75. 2. a proper name, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 9207. Ii. adj. 1. unfastened, Mahābhārata 2, 944. 2. unimpeded, [Raghuvaṃśa, (ed. Stenzler.)] 3, 63 (Mallin., ed. Calc. v. r.).
Asaṅga is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and saṅga (सङ्ग).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Asaṅga (असङ्ग):—[=a-saṅga] mfn. or a-saṅga free from ties, independent, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa xiv] ([Bṛhad-āraṇyaka-upaniṣad]), [Nṛsiṃha-tāpanīya-upaniṣad]
2) [v.s. ...] moving without obstacle (as a cart, a vessel, a flag, etc.), [Mahābhārata ii, 944; Harivaṃśa] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] having no attachment or inclination for or interest in
4) [v.s. ...] (See also sub voce a-sakta)
5) [v.s. ...] m. non-attachment, non-inclination, [Manu-smṛti vi, 75; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
6) [v.s. ...] Name of a son of Yuyudhāna, [Harivaṃśa 9207; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
7) [v.s. ...] a Name of Vasubandhu, [Buddhist literature]
8) Āsaṅga (आसङ्ग):—[=ā-saṅga] [from ā-sañj] m. the act of clinging to or hooking on, association, connection, [Śakuntalā; Kumāra-sambhava; Bhāgavata-purāṇa] etc.
9) [v.s. ...] attachment, devotedness, [Sāhitya-darpaṇa; Kathāsaritsāgara] etc.
10) [v.s. ...] waylaying, [Ṛg-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]
11) [v.s. ...] Name of a man, [Ṛg-veda viii, 1, 32; 33]
12) [v.s. ...] of a son of Śva-phalka, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa ix, 24, 15]
13) [v.s. ...] a cloak (see citrās°, p. 397)
14) [v.s. ...] a sword, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
15) [v.s. ...] one of the 7 islands of Antara-dvīpa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
16) [v.s. ...] n. a kind of fragrant earth, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
17) [v.s. ...] mfn. uninterrupted, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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 (+11): Asangabahula, Asangabaladharin, Asangabalaviryamati, Asangabuddhi, Asangachitta, Asangacitta, Asangadharani, Asangadharma, Asangadhvaja, Asangajnanaketudhvaja, Asangakashtha, Asangakayarashmitejomati, Asangama, Asangamati, Asangamaticandra, Asangamatichandra, Asangamukha, Asangamukhapravesha, Asanganetra, Asangapratibhana.
Ends with (+56): Adhyatmikasanga, Advarasanga, Amritasanga, Anasanga, Angasanga, Anishtaprasanga, Anushthanaprasanga, Apasanga, Aprasanga, Aryasanga, Ashtadashanga, Atiprasanga, Avashanga, Bahyasanga, Bhashanga, Brahmanaprasanga, Chittasanga, Citrasanga, Cittasanga, Dashanga.
Full-text (+141): Uttarasanga, Vasubandhu, Cittasanga, Indriyasanga, Asangakashtha, Buddhadasa, Anasanga, Dyumni, Bodhisattvabhumisutra, Asangini, Playogi, Abhidharmasamuccaya, Asangavat, Nirasanga, Asajjitatman, Asangat, Parasanga, Adhimucyana, Amritasanga, Dharmacarita.
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Search found 24 books and stories containing Asanga, A-sanga, A-saṅga, Ā-saṅga, Āsaṅga, Asaṅga; (plurals include: Asangas, sangas, saṅgas, Āsaṅgas, Asaṅgas). 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)
Appendix 5 - The body of the Dharma (dharmakāya) < [Chapter XXVI - Exertion]
Definition of distraction (vikṣepa) < [Part 5 - The virtue of meditation]
The Ratnakūṭa-sūtra < [Part 3 - Outshining the knowledge of all the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas]
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 2 - Country of ’O-yu-t’o (Ayodhya) < [Book V - Six Countries]
Chapter 5 - Country of Kiao-shang-mi (Kaushambi) < [Book V - Six Countries]
Chapter 21 - Country of Kien-t’o-lo (Gandhara) < [Book II - Three Countries]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verses 15.3-4 < [Chapter 15 - Puruṣottama-toga (Yoga through understanding the Supreme Person)]
Verse 15.6 < [Chapter 15 - Puruṣottama-toga (Yoga through understanding the Supreme Person)]
Verse 9.6 < [Chapter 9 - Rāja-guhya-yoga (Yoga through the most Confidential Knowledge)]
The gods of northern Buddhism (by Alice Getty)
Part II - The Teaching < [Introduction]
Bodhisattvacharyavatara (by Andreas Kretschmar)
Text Section 242 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]
Text Section 244 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]
Text Section 243 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)