The Sanskrit term Bhūtalakṣaṇa can be transliterated into English as Bhutalaksana or Bhutalakshana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (vastu)

Bhūtalakṣaṇa (भूतलक्षण) (lit., “qualification for a building site”) is the name of chapter 5 of the Ādikāṇḍa of the Hayaśīrṣasaṃhitā: a large Pāñcarātra Āgama consisting of roughly 6500 verses dealing primarily with architecture, temple-building and consecration rituals and iconography.

Description of the chapter [bhūtalakṣaṇa]: This Hayaśīrṣa-Saṃhitā is not to be given to certain folks like the followers of Jaimini (Pūrva Mīmāṃsakas), of Sugata (= Buddhists), to Nāstikas (= atheists), to Nagnas (= Digambara Jains), to followers of Kapila (= Sāṅkhyas), or to Akṣapādas (= followers of Akṣapāda, the author of the Nyāyasūtras) (1-3). Turning to the main topic, the text points out that when planning a town, space should be allocated for the Brahmin quarters as well as for shrines in various directions to the appropriate deities (East = Sūrya, South = Mātṛdevatās, North = Skanda, etc.) (4-19a). The ground where a temple is going to be built should be tested to be assured of its purity-by smell and it should, further, be of a pleasant shape and dimension (19b-28a).

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: Wisdom Library: Pancaratra (Samhita list)

Bhūtalakṣaṇa (भूतलक्षण) is the name of chapter 2 of the Saura-Kāṇḍa of the Hayaśīrṣapañcarātra: an ancient Pāñcarātra consisting of four sections (kāṇḍas), deriving its name from the fact that according to its frame-story (ādikāṇḍa) it was revealed by God in the form of Hayaśiras, the Horse-Headed One. The Agnipurāṇa chapters 62-69 have parallels with the Saṃkarṣaṇakāṇḍa of the Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra.

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Bhūtalakṣaṇa (भूतलक्षण) refers to the “true nature of dharmas” according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXIX). Accordingly, “Each being defines this true nature of dharmas and considers their own definition to be true. But here the true nature (bhūtalakṣaṇa) is indestructible (avikāra), eternally subsisting, unchangeable and without creator. In a following chapter, the Buddha says to Subhuti: ‘The Bodhisattva sees all dharmas a being neither eternal nor transitory, neither painful nor happy, neither with self nor without self, neither existent nor non-existent, etc.’ abstaining from these views is the Bodhisattva’s prajñāpāramitā. This subject avoids all views, destroys all speech (abhilāpa), expels all functioning of the mind (hittapravṛtti). From the very beginning, dharmas are unborn (anutpanna), unceasing (aniruddha), like nirvāṇa (nirvāṇasama) and all their natures are of the same type: this is the true nature of dharmas”.

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

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Bhūtalakṣaṇa (भूतलक्षण) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—[tantric] Oppert. 6100.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Bhūtalakṣaṇa (भूतलक्षण):—[=bhūta-lakṣaṇa] [from bhūta > bhū] n. Name of [work]

[Sanskrit to German]

Bhutalakshana in German

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: Lakshana, Bhuta.

Full-text: Bhuta, Sugata, Paramartha, Nagna, Trana, Prajnendriya, Maniratna, Akshapada, Nastika, Shraddhendriya, Samvriti, Srotas, Apanna, Sangacitta, Abhinivishta, Akimcanya, Aparamrishta, Ajnatakaundinya, Cittasmrityupasthana, Tathata.

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Bhutalakshana, Bhūtalakṣaṇa, Bhuta-lakshana, Bhūta-lakṣaṇa, Bhutalaksana, Bhuta-laksana; (plurals include: Bhutalakshanas, Bhūtalakṣaṇas, lakshanas, lakṣaṇas, Bhutalaksanas, laksanas). 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)

I. Tathatā, Dharmadhātu and Bhūtakoṭi < [Part 2 - Understanding dharmatā and its synonyms]

Emptiness 6: Emptiness of the absolute or of nirvāṇa < [Chapter XLVIII - The Eighteen Emptinesses]

III.2: Subjective nature of the appearance of the Buddhas < [Part 4 - Being born into the family of the Bodhisattvas, etc.]

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