Bala-sutta: 1 definition

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Bala-sutta means something in 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.

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[«previous next»] — Bala-sutta in Pali glossary
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

1) Bala, 2 (cp. *Sk. bala: Halāyudha 5, 23; & P. balākā) a species of carrion crow J. V, 268; also in cpd. Bal’aṅkapāda having crow’s feet, i.e. spreading feet (perhaps for balāka°?) J. VI, 548 (C. explns by pattharita-pāda, read patthārita°). (Page 483)

2) Bala, 1 (nt.) (Vedic bala, most likely to Lat. de-bilis “without strength” (cp. E. debility, P. dubbala), and Gr. bέltistos (superl.)=Sk. baliṣṭha the strongest. The Dhātupāṭha (273) defines b. with pāṇane. At DhsA. 124 bala is understood as “na kampati”) 1. strength, power, force D. II, 73; A. I, 244; Th. 1, 188; Dh. 109 (one of the 4 blessings, viz. āyu, vaṇṇa, sukha, bala; cp. DhA. II, 239); Pv. I, 512 (=kāya-bala PvA. 30); I, 76; VvA. 4 (iddhi°); PvA. 71 (id.), 82 (kamma°).—Of cases used as adv. balasā (Instr.) is mentioned by Trenckner at Miln. 430 (notes), cp. Prk. balasā (Pischel, Gr. § 364). yathā balaṃ according to one’s power, i.e. as much as possible PvA. 1, 54. The compn form of bala in conn. with kṛ is balī°, e.g. dubbalīkaraṇa making weak M. III, 4; Pug. 59, 68; °karaṇin id. D. III, 183.—adj. bala strong J. V, 268, abala weak Sn. 770, 1120, dubbala id. S. I, 222; J. II, 154; Nd1 12; PvA. 55; compar. °tara M. I, 244, nt. n. abalaṃ weakness S. I, 222.—2. an army, military force Mhvs 25, 57; SnA 357. See cpds. below.—Eight balāni or strong points are 1. of young children (ruṇṇa-balaṃ).—2. of womanhood (kodha°).—3. of robbers (āvudha°).—4. of kings (issariya°), — 5. of fools (ujjhatti°).—6. of wise men (nijjhatti°).—7. of the deeply learned (paṭisaṅkhāna°).—8. of samaṇas & brāhmaṇas (khanti°) A. IV, 223 (where used as adj.—° strong in ... ); cp. Sn. 212, 623.—Five balāni of women are: rūpabalaṃ, bhoga°, ñāti°, putta°, sīla° S. IV, 246—8. The five-fold force (balaṃ pañca-vidhaṃ) of a king J. V, 120, 121 consists of bāhābalaṃ strength of arms, bhoga° of wealth, amacca° of counsellors, abhijacca° of high birth, paññā° the force of wisdom; in the religious sense five balāni or powers are commonly enumd: saddhābalaṃ, viriya°, sati°, samādhi°, paññā° A. III, 12; D. II, 120; M. II, 12, III, 296; S. III, 96, 153; IV, 366, V, 219, 249; Ps. II, 56, 86, 166, 174, 223; II, 84, 133, 168 etc. They correspond to the 5 indriyāni and are developed with them. S. V, 219, 220; Nett 31; they are cultivated to destroy the five uddhambhāgiyāni saṃyojanāni S. V, 251. They are frequent referred to in instructions of the Buddha about the constituents of the “Dhamma,” culminating in the eightfold Path, viz. cattāro satipaṭṭhānā, samappadhānā, cattāro iddhipādā, pañcindriyani, p. balāni, sattabojjhaṅgāni, ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo e.g. S. III, 96; Ps. II, 56; Nd1 13=360 =Nd2 420; Nd2 s. v. satipaṭṭhāna; and passim. (Cp. BSk. catvāra ṛddhipādāḥ pañc’endriyāni p. balāni, sapta bodhyaṅgāni etc. Divy 208. ) Two balāni are specially mentioned A. I, 52 (paṭisaṅkhānabalaṃ and bhāvanā°), also D. III, 213, followed here by the other “pair” satibalaṃ and samādhi°. There are four balāni of the ariyasāvaka, by which he overcomes the five fears (pañca bhayāni q. v.); the four are paññābalaṃ, viriya°, anavajja° saṅgāha° A. IV, 363 sq. , as given at A. II, 141, also the foll. 3 groups of cattāri balāni: ‹-› (1) saddhābalaṃ, viriya°, sati°, samādhi°, cp. D. III, 229.—(2) sati° samādhi, anavajja°, saṅgāha°. (3) paṭisaṅkhāna°, bhāvanā°, anavajja°, saṅgāha°.—For 4 balāni see also D. III, 229 note, and for paṭisaṅkhānabala (power of computation) see Dhs. trsl. 1353. The ten balāni of the Tathāgata consist of his perfect comprehension in ten fields of knowledge A. V, 32 sq. ; M. I, 69; Nd2 466; Miln. 105, 285; VbhA. 397.—In a similar setting 10 powers are given as consisting in the knowledge of the Paṭiccasamuppāda at S. II, 27, 28. ‹-› The balāni of the sāvaka are distinct from those of the Tathāgatha: Kvu 228 sq.—There are seven balāni D. III, 253, and seven khīṇāsava-balāni 283 i.e. saddhābalaṃ, viriya°, sati°, samādhi°, paññā°, hiri° and ottappa°. The same group is repeated in the Abhidhamma; Dhs. 58, 95, 102; DhsA. 126. The Ps. also enumerates seven khīṇāsavabalāni I. 35; and sixty-eight balāni II. 168 sq.—agga front of an army, troops in array D. I, 6; Vin. IV, 107, cp. DA. I, 85.—ânīka (adj.) with strong array Sn. 623; Dh. 399 (cp. DhA. IV, 164).—kāya a body of troops, an army cp. Fick, Sociale Gliederung p. 52 note; (also in BSk. e.g. Divy 63, 315) A. I, 109; IV, 107, 110; S. I, 58; J. I, 437 (°ṃ saṃharati to draw up troops); II, 76; III, 319; V, 124; VI, 224, 451; DhA. I, 393; PugA 249.—koṭṭhaka fortress, camp J. I, 179; Mhvs 25, 29.—(k)kāra application of force, violence J. I, 476; II, 421; III, 447; Instr. °ena by force PvA. 68, 113.—gumba a serried troop J. II, 406.—cakka wheel of power, of sovereignty Dpvs VI, 2.—ṭṭha a military official, palace guard, royal messenger Miln. 234, 241, 264, 314; Mhvs 34, 17.—da strength-giving S. I, 32; Sn. 297.—dāyin id. A. II, 64.—deva “God of strength” N. of the elder brother of Kaṇha J. IV, 82; Nd1 89, 92 (Vāsudeva+); Vism. 233 (id).—(p)patta grown-strong DhsA. 118 (v. l. phala°).—vāhana troops, an army J. II, 319, IV. 170, 433; VI, 391, 458.—vīra a hero in strength Vv 531, cp. VvA. 231.—sata for palāsata, q. v. (cp. J. P. T. S. 1908, 108 note). (Page 482)

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