Ashvaka, Aśvaka: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Ashvaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. 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 term Aśvaka can be transliterated into English as Asvaka or Ashvaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraAśvaka (अश्वक) and Punarvasuka are two Bhikṣus mentioned in the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVI).—Accordingly, “The two Bhikṣus Ma (Aśvaka) and Tsing (Punarvasuka), Fell into the evil destinies because of their laziness. Although they had seen the Buddha and heard his Dharma; They could not escape from punishment”.
Note: Aśvaka and Punarvasuka had five hundred disciples and were part of the much-disparaged group of Ṣaḍvargiyas. They lived at Kiṭāgiri, a village situated on the road from Benares to Śrāvastī. They indulged in various condemnable practices: they grew flowers, made bouquets and garlands of them and sent them to women and girls in the neighborhood to enter into relationships with them; they violated the precept forbidding meals at improper times; they used perfumes, were present at and participated in spectacles.
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: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early BuddhismAśvaka (अश्वक) or Aśmaka the Sanskrit name for Assaka: one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of the Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—In the Aṅguttara Nikāya Assaka it is mentioned as one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas of Jambudīpa. Assaka represents the Sanskrit Aśmaka (or Aśvaka) which has been mentioned by Asaṅga in his Sūtrālaṅkāra as a country in the basis of the Indus. Asaṅga’s Aśmaka seems, therefore, to be identical with the Kingdom of Assakenus of the Greek writers which lay to the east of the Saraswatī at a distance of about 25 miles from the sea on the Swat Valley. The Aśmakas are also mentioned by Pāṇini. They are placed in the north-west by the authors of the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa and the Brihat-saṃhita. Bhaṭṭaswāmi, the commentator of Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra identifies Aśmaka, the contiguous territory of Avanti, with Mahārāṣṭra.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAśvaka (अश्वक).—a. Horselike, acting like a horse.
-kaḥ 1 A small horse; horse.
2) A hack, a bad horse; ससत्य- श्वकः सुभद्रिकां काम्पीलवासिनीम् (sasatya- śvakaḥ subhadrikāṃ kāmpīlavāsinīm) Vāj.23.18.
3) A stray horse, one whose owner is not known.
4) A horse (in general).
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Asvaka (अस्वक).—a. Not one's own. belonging to another.
See also (synonyms): asvakīya, asvika.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAśvaka (अश्वक).—m., (1) (= Pali assaka) toy-horse: °kāḥ Jātakamālā 63.10; (2) name of one of the Ṣaḍvārgika (q.v.) monks, Mahāvyutpatti 9475; = Pali Assaji, one of the chabbaggiya monks; with Punarvasuka disciplined for immoral conduct, Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya iii.15.21 ff.; compare Aśvaki(n) = Aśvajit as one of the bhadravargīya monks; Aśvaka was later incarnate as a nāga, Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.xviii.5.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvaka (अश्वक).—mfn.
(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) Horse-like, acting like a horse, &c. m.
(-kaḥ) 1. A bad horse, a hack. 2. A stray horse, one whose owner is not known. 3. Any horse. E. aśva and kan added in different senses.
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Asvaka (अस्वक).—mfn.
(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) Not one’s own, belonging to another. E. a neg. svaka own.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśvaka (अश्वक):—[from aśva] m. a small or bad horse, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā xxiii, 18]
2) [v.s. ...] a toy-horse, [Jātakamālā]
3) [v.s. ...] a sparrow, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a people, [Mahābhārata vi, 351, etc.] (cf. aśmaka)
5) Asvaka (अस्वक):—[=a-svaka] [from a-sva] mf(akā or ikā[Pāṇini 7-3, 47])n. = asva, q.v., [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśvaka (अश्वक):—[(kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) a.] Horse-like. m. A hack, a stray horse.
2) Asvaka (अस्वक):—[a-svaka] (kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) a. Idem.
[Sanskrit to German]
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)
Starts with: Ashvakanda, Ashvakandhara, Ashvakandika, Ashvakantharika, Ashvakarna, Ashvakarnaka, Ashvakarnika, Ashvakasha.
Ends with: Haryashvaka, Kuvalayashvaka, Pashvaka, Suparashvaka, Yauvanashvaka.
Full-text: Ashvakini, Ashvika, Ashmaka, Ashmala, Asvakiya, Assaka, Kitagiri, Narikavaca, Punarvasu, Asvakaga, Asvakajati, Punarvasuka, Ashvamukha, Shadvargika, Nandivardhana, Ka.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Ashvaka, A-svaka, Aśvaka, Asvaka; (plurals include: Ashvakas, svakas, Aśvakas, Asvakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 4 - Notes on the bhikṣus Ma (Aśvaka) and Tsing (Punarvasuka) < [Chapter XXVI - Exertion]
Part 3 - Progress in exertion < [Chapter XXVI - Exertion]
Appendix 3 - The journey of the Buddha to the north-west of India < [Chapter XV - The Arrival of the Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions]
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter CXXXVIII - Genealogy of royal princes (solar race) < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]
Betrayed < [Jan-Feb 1940]
Buddhism in Andhra – Its Arrival, Spread and < [July – September, 1994]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
Section IX < [Jambukhanda Nirmana Parva]
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
Religious background of early Andhra Pradesh < [Chapter 3 - Amarāvatī and the Formative Stage of the Buddhist Art]