Avatamsaka, Avaṭaṃsaka, Avataṃsaka: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Avatamsaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali. 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 Hinduism
Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक) is the name of a catuṣpadi metre (as popularly employed by the Apabhraṃśa bards), as discussed in books such as the Chandonuśāsana, Kavidarpaṇa, Vṛttajātisamuccaya and Svayambhūchandas.—Avataṃsaka has 22 mātrās in each of their four lines, made up with 1 caturmātra, 1 pañcamātra, 2 caturmātras of the Yagaṇa (ISI) type and one pañcamātra of the Yagaṇa (ISS) type.
Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Avaṭaṃsaka, (= vaṭ°) see Vin Texts II. 347. (Page 82)
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
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक).—An ear-ornament, an ornament in general; अशोकस्तबकेनेव दिङ्मुखस्यावतंसकम् (aśokastabakeneva diṅmukhasyāvataṃsakam) V.5.3; प्रासादाट्टा- वतंसका (prāsādāṭṭā- vataṃsakā) (laṅkā) Rām.
Derivable forms: avataṃsakaḥ (अवतंसकः).
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक).—m. or nt., fig. a large number, collection: buddhāva° Divyāvadāna 162.26; 401.14; Avadāna-śataka i.87.9.
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक).—[avataṃsa + ka], m. and n. An ear-ring, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] [distich] 141.
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक).—[masculine] the same, as adj. ([feminine] sikā) crowned with (—°).
1) Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक):—[=ava-taṃsaka] [from ava-taṃsa] mn. (ifc. f ā), idem, [Rāmāyaṇa etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of a Buddhist text.
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक):—(von avataṃsa) dass.: puṣpāvataṃsakaiḥ [Rāmāyaṇa 5, 17, 13.] kṛtāpīḍāvataṃsakau bhāryāpatī [2, 96, 31.] prāsādāṭṭāvataṃsakā (laṅkā) [3, 53, 36.] koṣṭhāgārāvataṃsakām (laṅkām) [5, 10, 1.] prabhāpallavitenāsau karoti maṇinā khagaḥ . aśokastavakeneva diṅnukhasyāvataṃsakam .. [Vikramorvaśī 141.]
--- OR ---
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक):—m. [Halāyudha 2, 399.] Titel einer buddhistischen Schrift [WASSILJEW 119. 130. 157. 201. 204. 222. 327.]
Avataṃsaka (अवतंसक):—m. n. —
1) = avataṃsa 1). Am Ende eines adj. Comp. f. ā. —
2) Titel einer buddh. Schrift.
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Avataṃsaka (ಅವತಂಸಕ):—[noun] = ಅವತಂಸ [avatamsa].
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 (+0): Avatamsaka Realm, Avatamsaka Sutra.
Full-text (+917): Avatamsaka Sutra, Kusumavatamsaka, Hua yan jing, Da fang guang fu hua yan jing, Koshthagaravatamsaka, Hua yan shi, Qi chu ba hui, Buddhavatamsaka, Jiu hua yan, Shi de pin, Prabhapallavita, Hua yan jing tan xuan ji, Hai chuang bi qiu, Jiu hui shuo, Rupavacarappana, Za hua, Hua yan jing xin tuo luo ni, Avajjanuppatti, Ru fa jie pin, Wu bu da cheng jing.
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Search found 30 books and stories containing Avatamsaka, Ava-tamsaka, Ava-taṃsaka, Avaṭaṃsaka, Avataṃsaka; (plurals include: Avatamsakas, tamsakas, taṃsakas, Avaṭaṃsakas, Avataṃsakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Sutra of the Great Vow)
Dhyana in the Buddhist Literature (by Truong Thi Thuy La)
3.2 (c): The Dhyāna in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra (Hua-Yen) < [Chapter 3 - The Dhyāna in Mahāyāna Literature]
1.4: Organisation of the Present Work < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
3.1 (a): The History of Mahāyāna Buddhism < [Chapter 3 - The Dhyāna in Mahāyāna Literature]
A Sanctuary of Avataṃsaka < [Volume 16, Issue 4 (2025)]
Utilization of the Iconography of Buddhist Prints during the Joseon... < [Volume 12, Issue 5 (2021)]
Crafting Cinema in the Buddhist Contemplative Gaze < [Volume 10, Issue 4 (2019)]
Theravada Buddhist studies in Japan (by Keiko Soda)
3. Development of Mahayana Sutras < [Chapter 3 - Theravada and Mahayana (comparison and contrast)]
Shurangama Sutra (with commentary) (English) (by Hsuan Hua)
The place of the tongue and tastes < [Chapter 4 - The Twelve Places]
Brings up the supremacy of two benefits < [Chapter 9 - Exhortation to Propagate the Sutra]
Samantabhadra: the ear consciousness < [Chapter 2 - Twenty-five Means to Enlightenment]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Note (2). The ten Bodhisattva grounds or abodes < [Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna]
Appendix 7 - The seals of the Dharma (dharmamudrā, dharma-mudrā) < [Chapter XXXVI - The eight recollections (anusmṛti or anussati)]
IV. The auxiliairies in the mahāyāna < [Note on the Thirty-seven Auxiliaries to Enlightenment]