Ashubha, Aśubha, Asubha, Aśubhā: 36 definitions
Introduction:
Ashubha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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.
The Sanskrit terms Aśubha and Aśubhā can be transliterated into English as Asubha or Ashubha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Ashubh.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to the “unfavorable (characteristics)” (of elephants), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 2, “their (physical and mental) characteristics, favorable and unfavorable (aśubha-lakṣaṇa)”].
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Aśubha (अशुभ):—Omnious; Harmful for health
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
1) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “suffering”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 5), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] Commencing from the time of creation, ... Varuṇa is the lord over the new and full moon periods of the fifth six months; Agni over those of the sixth six months and Yama over those of the seventh six months; [...] If Varuṇa should be the lord, princes will suffer [i.e., aśubha]; the rest will be happy and crops will flourish. [...]”.
2) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “evil effects” (resulting from planetary look at eclipsed disc), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 5).—Accordingly, “If there should be both lunar and solar eclipses in one month, princes will suffer both from dissensions among their own army and from wars. [...] These evil effects [i.e., aśubha], resulting from planetary look at eclipsed disc, apply as well to the time of termination of the eclipse as to its commencement. [...]”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “unmeritorious (karma)”, according to the Svacchandatantra verse 4.79b-81b.—Accordingly, “The Sādhaka is of two kinds. On the one hand, there is the śivadharmī, for whom the cosmic path is purified by Śaiva mantras and who is yoked to [particular] mantras that are to be mastered; he is knowledgeable, consecrated [to office], and devoted to the propitiation of mantras. This Śaiva Sādhaka is capable [of mastering] the threefold supernatural powers. The second [kind of Sādhaka] adheres to the mundane path and is devoted to the performance of good and meritorious works; desiring the fruits produced by [his] karma, he abides solely [devoted to] meritorious [karma], free of the unmeritorious (aśubha-ujjhita). [The Guru] should always perform the destruction of the unmeritorious portion [of the candidate’s karma] with mantras”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “inauspicious”, according to the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “Whatever (the teacher) does, be it auspicious or inauspicious (aśubha); the disciple should not deride him. (He is) destroyed by deriding (the teacher). When (he) derides (the teacher) he suffers violence. Nor should the disciple talk with the teacher as if he were his equal placing his hand on his mouth saying (with a demanding tone of voice): ‘Give (me your) command’.”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
1) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “unpleasant things” (to be abandoned by those seeking the inner freedom of having nothing—svāsthya), according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Janaka says to Aṣṭavakra]: “[...] No benefit or loss comes to me by standing, walking or lying down, so consequently I live as I please whether standing, walking or sleeping. I lose nothing by sleeping and gain nothing by effort, so consequently I live as I please, abandoning loss and success. Frequently observing the drawbacks of such things as pleasant objects, I live as I please, abandoning the pleasant (śubha) and unpleasant (aśubha) [śubhāśubhe vihāyāsmādahamāse yathāsukham]”.
2) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “evil” (which does not affect a true Yogī).—Accordingly, [as Janaka says to Aṣṭavakra]: “Using the tweezers of the knowledge of the truth I have managed to extract the painful thorn of endless opinions from the recesses of my heart. [...] For me established in my own glory, there is no self (ātmā) or non-self, no good (śubha) or evil (aśubha) [kva cātmā kva ca vā'nātmā kva śubhaṃ kvāśubhaṃ tathā], no thought or even absence of thought. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Unattractiveness, loathsomeness, foulness. The Buddha recommends contemplation of this aspect of the body as an antidote to lust and complacency.N (Displeasing). Displeasing thing. Repulsive and disgusting character of something.
'impurity', loathsomeness, foulness. -
In Vis.M. VI, it is the cemetery contemplations (sīvathika, q.v.) that are called 'meditation-subjects of impurity' (asubha-kammatthāna; s. bhāvanā).
In the Girimananda Sutta (A. X., 50), however, the perception of impurity (asubha-saññā) refers to the contemplation of the 32 parts of the body (s. kāya-gatā-sati).
The contemplation of the body's impurity is an antidote against the hindrance of sense-desire (s. nīvarana) and the mental perversion (vipallāsa, q.v.) which sees what is truly impure as pure and beautiful.
See S. XLVI, 51; A. V. 36, Dhp. 7, 8; Sn. 193ff. - The Five Mental Hindrances (WHEEL 26), pp. 5ff.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).
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Aśubhā (अशुभा) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Śubhacinta forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vākcakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vākcakra refers to one of the three divisions of the nirmāṇa-puṭa (emanation layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Aśubhā] and Vīras are reddish madder in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “inauspicious (extraneous) things”, according to the Bhūśalyasūtrapātananimittavidhi section of Jagaddarpaṇa’s Ācāryakriyāsamuccaya, a text within Tantric Buddhism dealing with construction manual for monasteries etc.—Accordingly, “[...] The officiant with special knowledge of architecture who is skilled in the examination [of omens] should abandon inauspicious (aśubha) [, extraneous] things by all means. By doing this, fortune and auspiciousness will certainly be brought to the donor, the king, and all people who live in the region. [Therefore, the officiant] should first examine the [omens], and then undertake the rite [to follow] when the combination of fixed stars and planets, and the day are auspicious. [...]”.
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.
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “impurity”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 2).—Accordingly, “[Question.—Why do the Buddhist sūtras begin with the words: ‘Thus have I heard’?]—[...] Furthermore, current language (lokābhilāpa) has three roots (mūla): (1) wrong views (mithyādṛṣṭi), (2) pride (māna), (3) convention (saṃketa). The first two are impure (aśubha), the third is pure (śubha). In all worldly people (pṛthagjana), the three types of language, wrong views, pride and convention, exist. In the śaikṣas on the path of seeing (darśanamārga), there are two types of language, that of pride and that of convention. In the Āryas, only the conventional language exists. [...]”.
Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to the “offensive things”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, as Gaganagañja said to Ratnapāṇi: “Son of good family, those sixty-four dharmas are included in one hundred twenty-eight dharmas. What are those one hundred twenty-four? [...] (13) getting rid of the three defilements is included in the contemplation of offensive things (aśubha-bhāvanā) and the contemplation of friendliness; (14) cultivating the three gates of freedom is included in the absence of personality and the ultimate truth; (15) the absence of harshness is included in benefits and happiness; (16) no slander is included in nor creating discord and reconciliation; [...]’”.
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)
Aśubha (अशुभ, “inauspicious”).—What is meant by inauspicious (aśubha)? Inauspicious is some event/activity/entity which results in demerit (pāpa).
Aśubha (अशुभ, “inauspicious”) refers to one of the various kinds of Nāma, or “physique-making (karmas)”, which represents one of the eight types of Prakṛti-bandha (species bondage): one of the four kinds of bondage (bandha) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra chapter 8. What is meant by inauspicious (aśubha) body-making karma? The rise of which causes a living being to have ugly and repugnant form not liked by others is called inauspicious body-making karmas.
The opposite-pair of aśubha (inauspicious) is śubha (auspicious).
1) Asubha (असुभ) (Sanksrit: Aśubha) refers to “ (reflection on) the inauspicious nature of the cycle of rebirth” and represents one of the four types of “pure meditation” (sukkajhāṇa), a classification of the “meditation” (Jhāṇa), according to the Sthānāṅga Sūtra chapter 4.1.—The classification of meditation in the Sthānāṅga Sūtra comprises four kinds [e.g. “pure” (sukka/śukla)]. [...] The four reflections that are prescribed for pure meditation (sukkajhāṇa), [e.g., reflection on the inauspicious nature of the cycle of rebirth (asubha-aṇuppehā/aśubha-anuprekṣā), ...].—Cf Aupapātika Sūtra and Bhagavatī (Bhagavaī), also known as the Vyākhyāprajñapti (Viyāhapannatti).
2) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “unhappy (births)”, according to the Yaśastilaka Campū verse 2.215-216.—Accordingly, “The Self is by nature deathless and without any beginning, endowed with bliss and infinite power, and luminous and pure. The powerful flames of sinful Karma heat it, like mercury, after lodging it in the body. Under the intoxicating power of Karma, even a man of superior merit goes reeling down to unhappy births (aśubha—aśubhāsu bhavāvanīṣu). Se [sic] let the wise, who know the cardinal difference between the body and the Self, strive for the bliss that is free from rebirth”.
3) Aśubha (अशुभ) refers to “shameful deeds”, according to the Jñānārṇava.—Accordingly, “Also when a corporeal [soul] who is complete, having consciousness, with five senses [and] possessing limbs thus comes into being among the plants and animals then it is not because of a very small diminution in shameful deeds (svalpa-aśubha-kṣaya). When sentient beings attain here the human state endowed with attributes characterized by place, birth, etc. that is because of the insignificance of [their] actions, I think”.
Synonyms: Pāpakarman.
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
asubha : (adj.) unpleasant; ugly. (nt.) a corpse.
Asubha, (adj.) (a + subha) impure, unpleasant, bad, ugly, nasty; nt. °ṃ nastiness, impurity. Cp. on term and the Asubha-meditation, as well as on the 10 asubhas or offensive objects Dhs. trsl. 70 and Cpd. 121 n. 6.—S. IV, 111 (asubhato manasikaroti); V, 320; Sn. 341; Sdhp. 368. —subhâsubha pleasant unpleasant, good & bad Sn. 633; J. III, 243; Miln. 136.
Asubha (in Pali) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 不淨 [bù jìng]: “impure”.
2) 惡露 [è lù]: “foul discharges”.
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
aśubha (अशुभ).—a (S) Inauspicious or unpropitious; of unfavorable aspect or indication or import--conjunctions, prodigies, actions, words, marks, signs.
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aśubha (अशुभ).—n (S) Inauspiciousness or unluckiness. 2 Elliptically for aśubhakārya q. v. infra.
aśubha (अशुभ).—a Inauspicious. n Inauspiciousness.
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
Aśubha (अशुभ).—a.
1) Inauspicious.
2) Impure, dirty, foul (opp. śubha); शुभेनाशुभेन वोपायेन (śubhenāśubhena vopāyena) K.158 by any means, fair or foul.
3) Unlucky, unfortunate.
-bham 1 Inauspiciousness.
2) sin, a shameful deed.
3) Misfortune, calamity; नाथे कुतस्त्वय्यशुभं प्रजानाम् (nāthe kutastvayyaśubhaṃ prajānām) R.5.13; प्रायः शुभं विदधा- त्यशुभं च जन्तोः (prāyaḥ śubhaṃ vidadhā- tyaśubhaṃ ca jantoḥ) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 1.23.
Aśubha (अशुभ).—n.
(-bhaṃ) 1. Sin. 2. Misfortune. mfn.
(-bhaḥ-bhā-bhaṃ) Unlucky. E. a priv. śubha good.
Aśubha (अशुभ).—adj. 1. wicked, [Pañcatantra] i. [distich] 403. 2. inauspicious, [Lassen, Anthologia Sanskritica.] 16, 19. Śubhāśubha, i. e. śubha-a -śubha, adj. good or wicked, [Pañcatantra] ii. [distich] 18.
Aśubha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms a and śubha (शुभ).
Aśubha (अशुभ).—[adjective] ugly (lit. not shining), unpleasant, inauspicious, bad, wicked, impure. [neuter] ill luck, woe, evil, sin.
1) Aśubha (अशुभ):—[=a-śubha] mfn. not beautiful or agreeable, disagreeable
2) [v.s. ...] inauspicious, [Vetāla-pañcaviṃśatikā]
3) [v.s. ...] bad, vicious (as thought or speech), [Mahābhārata i, 3077 [sequens] etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a lexicographer
5) [v.s. ...] n. a shameful deed, sin, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa ii; Bhagavad-gītā] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] m. misfortune, harm, mischief, [Suśruta; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā etc.]
1) Aśubha (अशुभ):—[a-śubha] (bhaṃ) 1. n. Sin.
2) [(bhaḥ-bhā-bhaṃ) a.] Inauspicious.
Aśubha (अशुभ):—(3. a + śubha)
1) adj. und n. s. u. śubha . —
2) m. Nomen proprium ein Lexicograph [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 955,] [Scholiast]
Aśubha (अशुभ):——
1) Adj. — a) hässlich. — b) nicht angenehm , — zusagend , unerfreulich. — c) Unheil verheissend , infaustus [Lassen's Anthologie 13,12.] — d) schlecht (in ethischem Sinne). mati Adj. [105,1.] — e) unrein (Beschäftigung). —
2) m. Nomen proprium eines Lexicographen. —
3) n. — a) Weh , Unheil , Unglück. — b) Böses , böses Werk , Sünde.
Aśubha (अशुभ) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Asuha.
Aśubhā (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 不淨 [bù jìng]: “impure”.
2) 觀不淨 [guān bù jìng]: “contemplation of impurity”..
3) 骨鎖觀 [gǔ suǒ guān]: “bone contemplation”.
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
Aśubha (अशुभ) [Also spelled ashubh]:—(a) inauspicious, ill-omened; evil; bad; (nm) the evil.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Aśubha (ಅಶುಭ):—[adjective] causing or tending to cause, distress, bad luck; inauspicious.
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Aśubha (ಅಶುಭ):—[noun] the state of being inauspicious, unlucky.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Aśubha (अशुभ):—adj. inauspicious; calamity;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Shubha, A, Na.
Starts with (+11): Ashubhabhavana, Ashubhachintak, Ashubhacinha, Ashubhacintaka, Ashubhadarshana, Ashubhagraha, Ashubhakara, Ashubhakarma, Ashubhakrit, Ashubhakshaya, Ashubhalakshana, Ashubhalakshman, Ashubhaleshye, Ashubhamati, Ashubhamsha, Ashubhanamakarma, Ashubhanirikshaka, Ashubhanupreksha, Ashubhapravritti, Ashubhargava.
Full-text (+153): Shubhashubha, Ashubhabhavana, Ashubhakara, Ashubhakarma, Ashubhadarshana, Ashubhacintaka, Asubhasanna, Ashubhodaya, Asubhacyana, Ashubhasamjna, Shubha, Asubha Kammatthana, Asubhakatha, Ashubhalakshana, Asubhanimitta, Ashubhashasin, Ashubhaprayukta, Ashubhasmriti, Ashubhalakshman, Ashubhabhava.
Relevant text
Search found 82 books and stories containing Ashubha, A-shubha, A-śubha, A-subha, Aśubha, Asubha, Aśubhā, Na-subha; (plurals include: Ashubhas, shubhas, śubhas, subhas, Aśubhas, Asubhas, Aśubhās). 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)
I. Aśubhā in the canonical texts < [Preliminary note on the nine horrible notions (navāśubhasaṃjñā)]
Preliminary note on the ten concepts (daśa-saṃjñā) < [Chapter XXXVII - The Ten Concepts]
III.a Causality according to the Abhidharma < [Part 1 - Understanding the Conditions (pratyaya)]
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 5.26 < [Chapter 5 - Birth Matters]
Verse 23.11 < [Chapter 23 - Undesirable Combinations]
Verse 19.9 < [Chapter 19 - Results of the Aspects]
Yavanajataka by Sphujidhvaja [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 9.6 < [Chapter 9 - The Birth of the Sovereigns of Thieves]
Verse 10.28 < [Chapter 10 - The Application of the Yogas of the Moon]
Verse 1.55 < [Chapter 1 - The Innate Nature of the Zodiac Signs and Planets]
Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)
Verse 8.26 - The types of karmas that constitute demerit (pāpa) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]
Verse 6.22 - The nature of Inauspicious Physique-making Karmas < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]
Verse 3.3 - Infernal beings (nārakī) < [Chapter 3 - The Lower World and the Middle World]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 29 < [Hindi-Sindhi-English Volume 1]
Page 29 < [Hindi-Bengali-English Volume 1]
Page 21 < [Tamil-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Dasabhumika Sutra (translation and study) (by Hwa Seon Yoon)
Part 2.1 - Dhyana Paramita (the perfection of One-pointedness) < [Chapter 3 - Study: Paramitas or Perfections]