Dhyanin, Dhyāni, Dhyānī, Dhyani, Dhyānin: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Dhyanin means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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.
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In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Dhyāni (ध्यानि) refers to the “five Dhyāni Buddhas”, representing the five Skandhas (cosmic elements) of which the world is composed, according to Vajrayāna or Tibetan Buddhism.—It is in the Guhyasamāja that the idea of a pantheon, rationally classified, is properly and systematically crystallised. Here for the first time are found the descriptions of the five Dhyāni Buddhas, their mantras, their Maṇḍalas and their Śaktis or female counterparts. These Dhyāni Buddhas represent the five Skandhas or the five cosmic elements of which the world is composed. They are here described as the progenitors of the five Kulas or families of gods and goddesses.
The five Dhyāni Buddhas are the corner stones of Buddhist Iconography on which the whole edifice of the Buddhist pantheon is erected. The five Dhyāni Buddhas are the progenitors of the five Kulas or families of deities, and the community worshipping them were known as the Kaulas, and the process of worship was called Kulācāra or family conduct. These Dhyāni Buddhas further split themselves up in the form of Bodhisattva and their female principles who are responsible for creating everything found in existence. The forms of deities are nothing but the gross forms of the different sounds, and thus the connection of the mantra with the deity is established.
The five/six Dhyāni Buddhas (and Spiritual consort—Offspring):
- Amitābha (Pāṇḍarā—Padmapāṇi),
- Akṣobhya (Māmakī—Vajrapāṇi),
- Vairocana (Locanā—Samantabhadra),
- Amoghasiddhi (Tārā—Viśvapāṇi),
- Ratnasambhava (Vajradhātviśvarī—Ratnapāṇi),
- Vajrasattva (Vajrasattvātmikā—Ghaṇṭāpāṇi)
The Dhyāni Buddhas are a peculiar kind of Buddhas who are not required to pass through the stage of a Bodhisatta. They were never anything less than a Buddha. They are always engaged in peaceful meditation, and they voluntarily abstain themselves from the act of creation. To create is the work of their emanations, the Divine Bodhisattvas.
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)
Dhyānin (ध्यानिन्) refers to a “meditator”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Thus, when the meditator continually thinks about (dhyānin—aniśaṃ dhyānī tat) what is free of mundane existence (i.e. the Jina) by means of uninterrupted meditation, that is called [meditation] with support [of the Jina]”.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Dhyānī (ध्यानी).—a (S) Meditative, reflective, contemplative; esp. that engages in profound and abstract contemplation.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Dhyānin (ध्यानिन्).—a. contemplative, engaged in religious meditation.
-buddhaḥ, -bodhisattvaḥ a spiritual Buddha.
Dhyāni (ध्यानि).—(°-) [ (buddha, -bodhisattva), produced by medi- tation (trance): Burnouf, Introd. 117 and Lotus 400; Müller on Dharmasaṃgraha 3, where five such Buddhas are listed. I have failed to note any actual occurrence in my texts. P. Mus calls them ‘transcendent’ Buddhas in his searching study cited s.v. Buddha, end.]
Dhyānin (ध्यानिन्).—i. e. dhyāna + in, adj., f. nī = dhyānavant, Mahābhārata 13, 1016.
Dhyāni (ध्यानि):—[from dhyai] in [compound] for nin.
Dhyānin (ध्यानिन्):—[from dhyai] mfn. contemplative, engaged in religious meditation, [Mahābhārata]
[Sanskrit to German]
Dhyānin (ध्यानिन्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Jhāṇi.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Dhyānī (ध्यानी) [Also spelled dhayani]:—(a) meditative; given to meditation/contemplation; —[jñānī] given to meditation and contemplation.
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Kannada-English dictionary
Dhyāni (ಧ್ಯಾನಿ):—[noun] a person engaged or habitually engages, in deep and abstract, religious meditation.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Full-text (+183): Dhyanibuddha, Mrishadhyanin, Manibhava, Amtargatadhyani, Five Dhyani Buddhas, Dhyana, Vairocana, Vishvapani, Dhyaniya, Jhani, Dhyanibodhisattva, Dhayani, Jnanin, Dharini, Gyani, Vajrasattvatmika, Bao guan, Manushibuddha, Wu fu guan, Wu zhi guan.
Relevant text
Search found 56 books and stories containing Dhyanin, Dhyāni, Dhyānī, Dhyani, Dhyānin; (plurals include: Dhyanins, Dhyānis, Dhyānīs, Dhyanis, Dhyānins). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Way of the White Clouds (by Anāgarika Lāma Govinda)
Chapter 1 - The Poet's Vision < [Part 1 - Three Visions]
Chapter 41 - The Sacred Mountain < [Part 4 - Return to Western Tibet]
Chapter 43 - The Last Trial < [Part 4 - Return to Western Tibet]
Preksha meditation: History and Methods (by Samani Pratibha Pragya)
Bibliography II: Terāpantha-Literature including Mahāprajña’s Literature on Prekṣā-Dhyāna
5. Conceptualising a Special Method of Spirituality < [Chapter 3 - The History of Meditation in Terāpanth]
The Indian Buddhist Iconography (by Benoytosh Bhattachacharyya)
Figure 17 - Buddha in different Mudrās (Nalanda)
Figure 18 - Buddha in different Mudrās (Java)
Yoga-sutras (with Vyasa and Vachaspati Mishra) (by Rama Prasada)
Sūtra 1.2 < [Book 1 - Trance (Samādhi)]
A Dictionary Of Chinese Buddhist Terms (by William Edward Soothill)
The gods of northern Buddhism (by Alice Getty)