The Sanskrit term Aśubhasaṃjñā can be transliterated into English as Asubhasamjna or Ashubhasamjna, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Aśubhasaṃjñā (अशुभसंज्ञा) or simply Aśubhā (Pali Asubhasaññā) refers to “nine horrible notions”, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 35. These nine notions [of the horrible] eliminate the seven types of lust (saptavidha-rāga) in people.

According to the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra, the Bodhisattva-mahāsattva must cultivate] the nine notions (navasaṃjñā) of the horrible:

1. that of the bloated corpse (vyādhmātaka-saṃjñā),
2. that of the torn-up corpse (vidhūtaka-saṃjñā),
3. that of the bloody corpse (vilohitaka-saṃjñā),
4. that of the rotting corpse (vipūyaka-saṃjñā).
5. that of the corpse turning bluish (vinīlaka-saṃjñā),
6. that of the devoured corpse (vikhāditaka-saṃjñā),
7. that of the scattered corpse (vikṣiptaka-saṃjñā),
8. that of the corpse reduced to bones (asthi-saṃjñā),
9. that of the burned corpse (vidagdhaka-saṃjñā).

Note: there is an almost complete list in a Sanskrit sūtra cited in the Kośavyākhyā, p. 55, l. 1-2.

These nine notions (aśubhasaṃjñā) open the gate of the foundation of mindfulness on the body. Mindfulness of the body opens the gate of the other three foundations of mindfulness. The four foundations of mindfulness open the gate of the thirty-seven auxiliaries to enlightenment (bodhipākṣika-dharma). The thirty-seven auxiliaries to enlightenment open the gate to the city of Nirvāṇa. Entering into Nirvāṇa, the suffering of sadness, sorrow, etc. are eliminated and, as the process of interdependency of the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) has been destroyed, one enjoys the eternal bliss of Nirvāṇa.

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Aśubhasaṃjñā (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:

1) 不淨想 [bù jìng xiǎng]: “meditation on impurity”.

Note: aśubhasaṃjñā can be alternatively written as: aśubha-saṃjñā.

Source: DILA Glossaries: Sanskrit-Chinese-English (dictionary of Buddhism)

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 (+0): Ashubha, Samjna.

Full-text (+0): Ashubhatasamjni, Bu jing xiang, Navasamjna, Vidhutaka, Vilohitaka, Vinilaka, Vidagdhaka, Vipuyaka, Vyadhmataka, Vikhaditaka, Vikshiptaka, Asubhasanna, Asthi, Ashubhabhavana, Samjna.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Ashubhasamjna, Ashubha-samjna, Aśubha-saṃjñā, Asubha-samjna, Aśubhasaṃjñā, Asubhasamjna; (plurals include: Ashubhasamjnas, samjnas, saṃjñās, Aśubhasaṃjñās, Asubhasamjnas). 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)

III. The nine Aśubhasaṃjñās in the sanskrit Abhidharma < [Preliminary note on the nine horrible notions (navāśubhasaṃjñā)]

I. Aśubhā in the canonical texts < [Preliminary note on the nine horrible notions (navāśubhasaṃjñā)]

III. Connection between the Nine and the Ten Notions < [Part 1 - The nine notions according to the Abhidharma]

show preview

Click here for all 1 books