Earth: 5 definitions

Introduction:

Earth means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.

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In Hinduism

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Earth refers to one of the “five elemental powers” and represents one of the various signs and paranormal powers (siddhi) experienced by the Yoga practicioner, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise (presented in the form of a dialogue between Īśvara and Vāmadeva).—The last fifty-two verses of the Amanaska’s first chapter describe a temporal sequence of psychosomatic signs and paranormal powers (siddhi) brought about by absorption (laya). In the Amanaska, The five elemental powers are, [e.g., earth (pṛthivī-tattva )], [...].

Yoga book cover
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Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (natya)

The Earth is associated with Svastikahasta: one of the thirteen Combined-hand Gestures (in Indian Dramas) (known as saṃyuktahastas), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—In Sanskrit the word svastika denotes spiritual things. According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, in svastikahasta, both hands are kept in arālahasta. In this posture, the palm should be upward and lying on twisted sides and kept on the wrists. This kind of hastamudrā is used to show something which is widely spread, seasons, sky, cloud, sea and the earth.

Natyashastra book cover
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Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—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), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (h)

The Earth itself is regarded as an altar (used for worship), according to the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa.—In the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa it is stated that by worshiping fire in the Vedic age, the devotees or the sages obtained saṃvīd i.e., the entire earth and as because they were able to obtain this entire earth by it, therefore the, sacrificial ground is called vedī. According to the Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, also the earth itself is regarded as altar. Thus the concept of the vedī or a ground for offering materials specifically to God of worship emerged in the Vedic era. Again after making the vedī, the concept of idol worship came into existence.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

1) Earth refers to the “Four Great Elements” which are known in Tibetan as 'byung ba chen po bzhi.—Accordingly, [while describing the history of philosophical systems in the holy land of India], [regarding the standpoint of the Lokāyatas]: [...] At the time of death, the body dissolves into the Four Great Elements [e.g., Earth], and the sense faculties dissolve into space; they are destroyed. Since body and mind are one substance, when the body is destroyed the mind is also destroyed, just as when the wall is destroyed its mural is also destroyed, and there is no transition from this life to a future life. Thus they deny both past and future lives, and so also completely deny liberation.

2) Earth refers to one of the “Five Elements” (Tibetan: 'byung ba lnga) in both the Indo-Tibetan tradition and the Chinese tradition.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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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.

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India history and geography

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems (h)

Earth is known as “kun” and represents one of the “Eight Bagua” which refers to the trigrams of the Classic of Changes; they are known in Tibetan as pā bkwa brgyad.—Accordingly, [while describing the non-Buddhist Chinese traditions and confucian divination]: [...] At the time of the first Huang monarch, King Fu Xi, there emerged from the great Huang He (Yellow River) in the province now called Henan, a dragon-horse, with a midsection like a horse and a head and tail like a dragon. On its back were the bagua or eight designs (trigrams) [e.g., kun (earth)]. Seeing them, Fu Xi created the bagua emblems. He expanded the eight bagua to sixty-four [hexagrams] by combining the eight trigrams with each other and explained them in a text he composed called Lianshan. [...]

India history book cover
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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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