Caityagriha, Caityagṛha, Caitya-griha: 4 definitions

Introduction:

Caityagriha means something in Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. 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.

The Sanskrit term Caityagṛha can be transliterated into English as Caityagrha or Caityagriha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Chaityagriha.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

[«previous next»] — Caityagriha in Jainism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Caityagṛha (चैत्यगृह) refers to a type of gṛha located in the vyantara cities of Jambūdvīpa, according to Jain cosmological texts, such as the Tiloyapannatti. The vyantaras represent a class of Gods (devas) comprising eight groups of deities that wander about the three worlds (adhaloka, madhyaloka and ūrdhvaloka). Jambūdvīpa sits at the centre of madhyaloka (‘middle world’) is the most important of all continents and it is here where human beings reside.

General definition book cover
context information

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.

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India history and geography

Source: Shodhganga: Ajanta’s antiquity

Caityagṛha (चैत्यगृह) refers  to “cave that has a stūpa shrine” as coined in rock-cut architecture and Buddhist art and archaeology. On closer reading of the Ajantā inscriptions, we shall find the word ‘stūpavihāra’ used variously to denote what we call stupa-temples as well as the temples with Buddha shrines and residential cells. The word was used for the temples with stūpa shrines (Caves 9, 10, 19, and 26) and for the maṇḍapas, which either were converted into or were freshly planned as temples from ca. 466 CE onwards. Thus, stūpavihāra, munirājacaitya, caityamandira, or caityagṛha mean the same thing where they are stūpa temples or Buddha temples. 

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Caitya-gṛha.—(EI 8, 33, LL), Buddhist; cf. Prakrit cetiya-ghara. (EI 24), the hall for worship or prayer; hall in a monastery. Note: caitya-gṛha is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Languages of India and abroad

Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Caityagriha in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Caityagṛha (ಚೈತ್ಯಗೃಹ):—[noun] = ಚೈತ್ಯ [caitya]2 - 3.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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See also (Relevant definitions)

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