Campaka, aka: Campakā, Caṃpaka; 13 Definition(s)

Introduction

Campaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Champaka.

In Hinduism

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

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One of the Hands indicating Trees.—Campaka, the Laṅgula hand downwards;

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).

Dharmashastra (religious law)

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Campaka (चम्पक) is a Sanskrit word, identified with Michelia champaka (champak) by various scholars in their translation of the Śukranīti. This tree is mentioned as bearing good fruits. The King should plant such domestic plants in and near villages. He should nourish them by stoole of goats, sheep and cows, water as well as meat.

The following is an ancient Indian recipe for such nourishment of trees:

According to Śukranīti 4.4.105-109: “The trees (such as campaka) are to be watered in the morning and evening in summer, every alternate day in winter, in the fifth part of the day (i.e., afternoon) in spring, never in the rainy season. If trees have their fruits destroyed, the pouring of cold water after being cooked together with Kulutha, Māṣa (seeds), Mudga (pulse), Yava (barley) and Tila (oil seed) would lead to the growth of flowers and fruits. Growth of trees can be helped by the application of water with which fishes are washed and cleansed.”

context information

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

Purana

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Caṃpaka (चंपक).—A vidyādhara. Once he visited the banks of river Yamunā with his wife Madālasā when they got from the forest nearby a child. The child in later years became famous as Ekavīra, founder of the Hehaya dynasty. (See EKAVĪRA).

context information

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

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

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1. Campaka - A city in the time of Atthadassi Buddha. The Bodhisatta, as Susima, was born there. BuA.180.

2. Campaka - A king of fifty seven kappas ago, a previous birth of Khadiravaniya Revata. Ap.i.52; ThagA.i.109.

3. Campaka - See s.v. Campa.

-- or --

See Campa.

Vajrayāna (Tibetan Buddhism)

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Campaka is the name of a mahāsiddha, of which eighty-four in total are recognized in Vajrayāna (tantric buddhism). His title is “the flower-king”. He lived somewhere between the 8th and the 12th century AD.

These mahāsiddhas (eg., Campaka) are defined according to the Abhayadatta Sri (possibly Abhayākaragupta) tradition. Its textual origin traces to the 11th century caturāsiti-siddha-pravṛtti, or “the lives of the eighty-four siddhas”, of which only Tibetan translations remains. Campaka (and other Mahāsiddhas) are the ancient propounders of the textual tradition of tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism.

context information

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

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1) Campaka (चम्पक) is the name of the caitya-tree (identified with Michelia champaka) under which the parents of Munisuvrata are often depicted in Jaina iconography, according to both the Śvetāmbara and Digambara tradition. The term caitya refers to “sacred shrine”, an important place of pelgrimage and meditation in Jainism. Sculptures with such caitya-trees generally shows a male and a female couple seated under a tree with the female having a child on her lap. Usually there is a seated Jina figure on top of the tree.

Munisuvrata is the twentieth of twenty-four tīrthaṅkaras: enlightened beings who, having conquered saṃsāra (cycle of birth and death), leave a path behind for others to follow. His father is Vijaya and his mother is Vaprā according to Śvetāmbara or Viprītā according to Digambara, according to the Ācāradinakara (14th century work on Jain conduct written by Vardhamāna Sūri).

2) Campaka (चम्पक) is the name of a big garden situated near big lotus-lakes in the vicinity of the four Añjana mountains, according to Jain cosmology.

The Añjana-mountains (and gardens such as Campaka) are situated in the southern direction of the central part of Nandīśvaradvīpa, which is one of the continents (dvīpa) of the middle-world (madhyaloka) and is mentioned in ancient Jaina canonical texts dealing with cosmology and geography of the universe. Examples of such texts are the Saṃgrahaṇīratna in the Śvetāmbara tradition or the Tiloyapannatti and the Trilokasāra in the Digambara tradition.

Campaka (चम्पक) refers to a type of flower (puṣpa) commonly used in for personal and commercial purposes in ancient India. People were fond of flowers. The groves and gardens were maintained for recreational purpose. The Jain canonical texts frequently mention different horticulture products viz. fruits, vegetables and flowers which depict that horticulture was a popular pursuit of the people at that time. Gardens and parks (ārāma, ujjāṇa or nijjaṇa) were full of fruits and flowers of various kinds which besides yielding their products provided a calm andquiet place where people could enjoy the natural surroundings.

The flowers (eg., Campaka) fulfilled the aesthetic needs of the people. At the same time they had an economic importance in as much as some people depended on its trade. It is mentioned that people of Koṅkaṇa maintained themselves by selling fruits and flowers. (see Bṛhatkalpasūtra) Flower garlands and bouquet of various designs were prepared and sold. Saffron (kuṃkuma or kesara) was an important flower product. It yielded a good income to the producers. The flower attracted the bees who yielded honey (mahu, sanskrit: madhu) of different varieties, e. g. macchiya, kuṭṭiya, bhāmara, etc.

Campaka (चम्पक) is the name of a garden visited by Mahāvīra during his fourth year of spiritual-exertion.—They left Puttakālaya and went to Kumāraka. There in a beautiful garden, Campaka, the Lord entered into meditation. The disciple ācārya of Pārśvanātha, Municandra, was staying with his disciples there at a shed of a potter named Kūpanātha. He had made a disciple the head monk and accepted the jinakalpa (conduct like Mahāvīra’s).

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

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campaka : (m.) the tree Michelia Champaka.

Campaka, the Champaka tree (Michelia champaka) having fragrant white & yellow flowers J. V, 420; VI, 269; Miln. 338; DA. I, 280; Vism. 514 (°rukkha, in simile); DhA. I, 384; VvA. 194. (Page 262)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

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campaka (चंपक).—m (S) A flower-tree, and, n, its flower, Michelia Champaca.

campaka (चंपक).—m A flower-tree, its flower.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

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Campaka (चम्पक).—[campa-ṇvul]

1) A tree bearing yellow, fragrant flowers.

2) A kind of perfume.

-kam 1 A flower of this tree; अद्यापि तां कनकचम्पकदामगौरीम् (adyāpi tāṃ kanakacampakadāmagaurīm) Ch. P.1.

2) The fruit of a variety of plantain.

Derivable forms: campakaḥ (चम्पकः).

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