Danaparamita, Dānapāramitā, Dana-paramita: 8 definitions

Introduction
Image gallery
In Buddhism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Danaparamita 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.

Images (photo gallery)

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता) refers to the “virtue of generosity” and represents one of the six perfections (pāramitā) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter VIII. How does the Bodhisattva fulfill the virtue of generosity (dānapāramitā)? Answer: He gives everything unrestrictedly, and when he has given even his body, his heart feels no regret, for example, king Śibi who gave his body to the pigeon (kapota).

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता) refers to the “perfection of giving”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “How then, son of good family, does the Bodhisattva collect all qualities of the Buddha by thorough practice (yoniśaḥprayoga)? ‘Thorough (yoniśas)’ means the entrance into dependent origination. Why is that? As is the cause and conditions (hetupratyaya), thus the fruit (phala) is produced (abhinirvṛtta). The generosity (dāna) is the cause of great comforts (mahābhoga), and the Bodhisattva, having transferred that giving (tyāga) into omniscience (sarvajñatā), fulfils the perfection of giving (dānapāramitā). [...]

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.

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता) refers to one of twelve Pāramitā Goddesses in human form, as commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—Her Colour is whitish-red; her Symbol is the ears of corn; she has two arms.

Dānapāramitā is described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī (dharmadhātuvāgīśvara-maṇḍala) as follows:—

“Dānapāramitā is whitish-red in colour and holds in her left hand various kinds of ears of corn”.

[In the right she displays the cintāmaṇi banner. Her statue is found in China.

The twelve deities collectively have their spiritual father in Ratnasambhava. [...] According to a statement in the maṇḍala all the deities [viz., Dānapāramitā] are two-armed, and they hold in the right hand the flag marked with the Cintāmaṇi jewel, and in the left their special symbols. Prajñāpāramitā is an exception since she has two more hands.]

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता) or simply dāna refers to the “perfection of generosity” and represents the first of the “six perferctions” (ṣaṭpāramitā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 17). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., ṣaṣ-pāramitā and dāna-pāramitā). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Dānapāramitā forms, besides a part of the “six perferctions” (ṣaṭpāramitā), also a part of the “ten perfections” (daśa-pāramitā).

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता).—perfection of liberality.

Dānapāramitā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms dāna and pāramitā (पारमिता).

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

Dānapāramitā (दानपारमिता):—[=dāna-pāramitā] [from dāna > dā] f. perfection of liberality, [Kāraṇḍa-vyūha; Naiṣadha-carita]

[Sanskrit to German]

Danaparamita 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.

Relevant text

Search found 13 books and stories containing Danaparamita, Dānapāramitā, Dana-paramita, Dāna-pāramitā; (plurals include: Danaparamitas, Dānapāramitās, paramitas, pāramitās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 9 - Fulfilling the perfections skillfully < [Chapter XLIX - The Four Conditions]

Part 2 - Practicing the six perfections < [Chapter XLV - Application of Merit]

Part 3 - Virtue of generosity < [Chapter XX - The Virtue of Generosity and Generosity of the Dharma]

+ 17 more chapters / show preview

Preface

show preview

Chapter II - On Cunda < [Section One]

Chapter XXVII - On Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (a) < [Section Six]

Chapter XXI - On Pure Actions (a) < [Section Three]

+ 13 more chapters / show preview

Gaining Of Perfections By Bodhisat < [Part 1 - Remote preface (dūre-nidāna)]

show preview