Bimbisara, Bimbisāra: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Bimbisara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार) is the name of a king of olden times subdued by the Buddha mentioned in order to demonstrate the fearlessness of the Buddha according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XL.1.4. Accordingly, “a hundred thousand Che-tseu (Śākya) who all were great kings in Jambudvīpa, king P’in-p’o-so-lo (Bimbisāra), etc., all became his disciples”.
Note: Bimbisāra, king of Magadha, had two well-known meetings with the Buddha. The second took place at the Supatiṭṭhacetiya of the Laṭṭhivanuyyāna; it was then that the king was converted with all his people and became srotaāpanna (references above, p. 30F as note). Further mentions in the Traité at p. 93F, 147F, 175F, 186F 637F, 990–992F and notes.
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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: The Chronological History of BuddhismBimbisara was the son of Mahapadma, Prasenajit was the son of Brahmadatta, Pradyota was the son of Anantanemi and Udayana was the son of Shatanika. Vrijji or Vajji Sangha was ruling in Vaishali. Lichchavis were the most powerful clan of Vrijji Sangha.
Bimbisara succeeded his father Mahapadma in Rajagriha and Prasenjit succeeded his father Brahmadatta in Kosala. The sister of Prasenajit was the chief queen of King Bimbisara. Some of the Sanskrit Buddhist texts like Buddhacharita of Ashvaghosha, the Gilgit manuscript of Sanghabhedavatsu etc., refer to Bimbisara as “Shrenya Bimbisara” . According to the Gilgit manuscript of Vinayavastu (Pravrajyavastu), Bimbisara was called “Shrenya” because his father forced him to excel in 18 subjects of education. Buddhacharita mentions that Bimbisara was a scion of Haryanka dynasty (Haryanka Kula).
King Shrenya Bimbisara of Magadha was killed by his own son Ajatashatru in 1873 BC. Thus, Ajatashatru became the king of Magadha in 1873 BC.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: The Jaina IconographyBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार) or Śreṇika is the name of the chowri-bearer accompanying Mahāvīra: the last of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—Mahāvīra, the twenty-fourth or the last Jina is the greatest of all the Tīrthaṃkaras. His position is of unchallenged eminence in the Jaina religion, history and iconography. Being the Lion among the Jaina prophets, rightly given was his emblem of a lion. His Yakṣa spirits are respectively known as Mātaṅga and Siddhāyikā. The Magadhan King Śreṇika or better known as Bimbisāra acts as his Chowri-bearer. His Kevala tree is called Sāla (L. Shorca robusta).
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार).—Name of a king of Magadha, a contemporary of गौतमबुद्ध (gautamabuddha).
Derivable forms: bimbisāraḥ (बिम्बिसारः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार).—(= Pali id.; mss. sometimes Bimba°, Divyāvadāna 145.24 f.; 146.10; 545.6; Avadāna-śataka i.2.7; Waldschmidt, Kl. Sanskrit Texte 4, 114 n. 1; 121.2 etc.; text Bimbāsāra- suta = Ajātaśatru (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 602.23), name of a king of Magadha in Buddha's time, father of Ajātaśatru: he is oftenest called Śreṇiya (or Śreṇya, Śreṇika) Bi°, see these names, which are always accompanied by Bi° except in Mahāvyutpatti 3652 where Śreṇika occurs alone, Bimbisāra in 3647 (in the same list); but Bimbisāra also occurs often alone, Mahāvastu ii.2.9; Lalitavistara 241.7, 9; 407.8, 10; Divyāvadāna 253.24; 269.9; 369.8; 392.1; 393.28; 545.6 ff.; Avadāna-śataka i.2.7; 107.6 ff.; 290.4 ff.; 307.6 ff.; 319.6 ff.; 326.12 ff.; in the mss. of Mahāvastu the name is also written °śāla and °śāra (i.254.15; 256.14, 17; 257.9, etc.); (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 602.23 (above).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार).—[masculine] [Name] of a king.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryBimbisāra (बिम्बिसार):—[=bimbi-sāra] [from bimba] m. (from bimbin or bimbī+s?) Name of a king of Magadha (contemporary and patron of Gautama Buddha), [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 48 etc.] ([varia lectio] vidhisāra, vidmi-sāra, vindu-sena, vindhya-sena)
[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: Bimbi, Sara, Cara.
Full-text (+96): Bimbasara, Abhaya, Bhambhasara, Ajatasatru, Shrenya, Bimbi, Ratnacandra, Rajagaha, Vindhyasena, Shrenika, Latthivana, Jivaka, Shribhadra, Bimbin, Vidmisara, Rajagriha, Vidhisara, Shrainya, Kasigama, Bhati.
Relevant text
Search found 56 books and stories containing Bimbisara, Bimbisāra, Bimbi-sara, Bimbi-sāra; (plurals include: Bimbisaras, Bimbisāras, saras, sāras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain (by Chirantani Das)
Part 7 - Rājagṛha supreme seat (b): King Bimbisāra < [Chapter II - Origin and Function of Rājagṛha as the seat of Monarchy]
Part 8 - Rājagṛha supreme seat (c): Jaina sources < [Chapter II - Origin and Function of Rājagṛha as the seat of Monarchy]
Part 10 - Discovery of a Religious topography < [Chapter II - Origin and Function of Rājagṛha as the seat of Monarchy]
Mahavamsa (by Wilhelm Geiger)
Chapter 2 - The Race Of Mahasammata
Chapter 30 - The Making Of The Relic Chamber
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (by Fa-Hien)
Chapter XXVIII - Rajagriha, New And Old
Chapter XXVI - Remarkable Death Of Ananda
Chapter XXX - The Srataparna Cave, Or Cave Of The First Council
The Gospel of Buddha (by Paul Carus)
Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (early history) (by Prakash Narayan)
Monks and Kings < [Chapter 4 - Social Process, Structures and Reformations]
Gahapatis and Kings < [Chapter 4 - Social Process, Structures and Reformations]
Status of alienated Women in Urban Society < [Chapter 2 - Economic and Urban Processes]
Vinaya Pitaka (3): Khandhaka (by I. B. Horner)
The story of King Bimbisāra < [8. Robes (Cīvara)]
On King’s service < [1. Going forth (Pabbajjā)]
The story of the merchant’s son < [8. Robes (Cīvara)]