Digvrata, Dik-vrata: 4 definitions

Introduction:

Digvrata means something in 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 Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Jaina Yoga

Digvrata (दिग्व्रत) refers to “vow of spatial limitation” and represents an observance (vrata) laid down for Jain laymen, classified within the guṇavrata group. The nomenclature of the aticāras of the dig-vrata is, to all intents and purposes, the same for Śvetāmbaras and Digambaras:

  1. going beyond the limits in an upward direction (ūrdhva-dik-pramāṇātikrama);
  2. going beyond the limits in a downward direction (adho-dik-pramāṇātikrama);
  3. going beyond the limits in a horizontal direction (tiryag-dik-pramāṇātikrama);
  4. expanding the limits of the area of movement (kṣetra-vṛddhi);
  5. forgetfulness (smṛtyantardhāna).

The fundamental idea of the vrata is to reduce quantitatively a man’s sinful actions by circumscribing the area in which they can be committed. To express this, one simile, incorporated already in the Āvaśyaka-cūrṇī, is repeated from author to author among the Śvetāmbaras and is used by some Digambaras, notably Samanta-bhadra and Āśādhara:

“Like a heated iron sphere the layman will inevitably, as a result of pramāda, bring about the destruction of living creatures everywhere, whether he is walking, or eating, or sleeping, or working. The more his movements are restricted the fewer trasa-jīvas and sthāvara-jīvas will perish” (Āvaśyaka-sūtra with Cūrṇī part 2, p. 294)

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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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Digvrata (दिग्व्रत):—[=dig-vrata] [from dig > diś] n. = -virati, [Jaina literature]

[Sanskrit to German]

Digvrata 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.

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