Bhadrakalpa, Bhadra-kalpa: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Bhadrakalpa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प).—A son of Śaṭha, of the Rohiṇī family.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 71. 170; Vāyu-purāṇa 96. 168.

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प) refers to the “good aeon”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, as the Lord said to Śrīgupta: “Good, very good, householder, you fully understand the meaning of what I have preached. I prophesy that you, having honoured, revered, venerated, and worshipped all Buddhas in the good aeon (bhadrakalpa) with your mind and highest intension, will practice the holy life in their places, and will grasp the true dharma. After that, since you have pleased innumerable Buddhas, after seven hundred innumerable aeons, in the stainless aeon (amalakalpa), you will be born in the world as the Tathāgata Sarvaparyutthānavikiraṇa, equipped with knowledge, conduct and other qualities, the Awakened Lord”.

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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of HeroesBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प) refers to the “fortunate aeon”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: [while explaining the body circle (kāyacakra)]: “[...] Nevertheless, on the circles of the husbands and others (consort goddesses), all of them are visualized as the Victors during the Fortunate Aeon (bhadrakalpa), [in number], differentiated by difference in [their] names and qualities, in the nature of the Emanation Body. [...]”.

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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: WikiPedia: BuddhismThe present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (Auspicious aeon). The five Buddhas of the present kalpa are:
- Kakusandha (the first Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
- Koṇāgamana (the second Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
- Kassapa (the third Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
- Gautama (the fourth and present Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
- Maitreya (the fifth and future Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प).—Name of the present age; Buddh.
Derivable forms: bhadrakalpaḥ (भद्रकल्पः).
Bhadrakalpa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms bhadra and kalpa (कल्प).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प).—also bhadraka kalpa, m. (= Pali bhaddakappa, see Childers s.v. kappo, and Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names)), a kalpa such as the present in which 5 Buddhas are to appear (four, from Krakucchanda to Śākyamuni, and the fifth, Mai- treya); so in Pali, and see Gaṇḍavyūha 300.21; 358.19 s.v. bhadra- kalpika, which support this; yet in Mahāvastu iii.330.5 Puṣpiko nāmāyaṃ…bhadrakalpo, bhadrakalpe ca buddhasa- hasreṇa utpadyitavyaṃ! (text in part emended but 1000 Buddhas in both mss.); Mahāvyutpatti 8292; asminn eva bhadra- kalpe Divyāvadāna 344.4 (vv.ll. bhadrake k°, bhadraka-k°); 464.14; Avadāna-śataka i.250.11; asminn eva bhadrake kalpe Divyāvadāna 346.24; Avadāna-śataka i.237.10; etc. See next.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—paur. NW. 472.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryBhadrakalpa (भद्रकल्प):—[=bhadra-kalpa] [from bhadra > bhand] m. ‘the good or beautiful Kalpa’, Name of the present age, [Divyāvadāna] (cf. [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 135])
[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)
Partial matches: Bhadra, Kalpa.
Full-text (+21): Bhadrakalpika, Seven Buddhas, Bhadrakapa, Pushpika, Maitreya, Sarvashokatamonirghatamati, Jaliniprabha, Vajragarbha, Apayanjaha, Jnanaketu, Bhadrapala, Pratibhanakuta, Shurangama, Samantabhadra, Candraprabha, Amritaprabha, Gandhahastin, Akshayamati, Gaganaganja, Amoghadarshin.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Bhadrakalpa, Bhadra-kalpa; (plurals include: Bhadrakalpas, kalpas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (by Fa-Hien)
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Chapter 6 - Lineage of the pratimokṣa vow < [Book 1 - The beginning of the story of the Doctrine]
Chapter 9 - The Chapter on Rgya ma pa < [Book 5 - The Sovereign Lord (Atiśa)]
Chapter 6 - First incarnation series (i): dus gsum mkhyen pa < [Book 8 - The famous Dakpo Kagyü (traditions)]
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 15 - Country of Chu-li-ye (Chulya or Chola) < [Book X - Seventeen Countries]
Chapter 2 - Country of Kie-pi-lo-fa-su-tu (Kapilavastu) < [Book VI - Four Countries]
Chapter 2 - Country of Chi-na-po-ti (Chinapati) < [Book IV - Fifteen Countries]
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Fundamental Vows Sutra)
Sripura (Archaeological Survey) (by Bikash Chandra Pradhan)
Scultures of Avalokitesvara < [Chapter 3 - Sculptural Programme]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
I. The essence of the perfections resides in the mind < [Part 1 - Obtaining easily an immense qualification]
Appendix 4 - The legend of Māra and the Buddha at the brahmin village Śālā < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]
I. Acquiring precedence over the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas < [Part 3 - Acquiring precedence, etc.]