Ekatva: 15 definitions
Introduction:
Ekatva means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Ekatv.
In Hinduism
Shaiva philosophy
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “(that which is) one (with phenomena)”, according to Utpaladeva’s Vivṛti on Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā 1.5.6.—Accordingly, “[...] [If you reply:] “But this [property of being an object] can only belong to [things] that are distinct from manifestation,” what [of these objects] could there be [if they are distinct from manifestation]? [And] what is this [so-called] annihilation of ordinary human practice [that must inexorably occur according to you] if [objects] are one (ekatva) with phenomena? This is what [the Vṛtti] says in “let [us admit that] they consist in phenomena. [...]”.
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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “oneness”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “The Western (transmission) is born from Śāmbhava and the Kula teaching from the Western (transmission). The Southern path (comes) from Kula and from the Southern one (comes) the Northern House. From (that emerges the transmission of) the left, the lineage of oneness (ekatva-santāna), which is all, both with sequence and without. Each one has a differing lion-nature and so exists separately in a state in which (each) is exclusive of the other in the House of the Four Lineages. [...]”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “(being joined together into) one unit”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.10 (“The burning of the Tripuras”).—Accordingly, as Sanatkumāra narrated to Vyāsa: “[...] When the great God stood up after woeshipping Śiva, the three cities joined together into one unit (ekatva). O sage, when the three cities came to a unified whole, a tumultuous shout of joy rose up among the noble Gods and others. Then all the Gods, Siddhas and the sages shouted out ‘Victory’ and eulogised Śiva who has eight cosmic bodies. [...]”.
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
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “singleness”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 2).—Accordingly, “[Question: The past and the future do not function with the nature of the present; the past functions with the nature of the past and the future with the nature of the future. That is why there is a [different] time for each nature separately (ekaika dharmalakṣaṇa)]—[Answer:]—[...] [The Buddhist texts] do not speak about kāla but about samaya in order to dispel wrong views of this kind. We speak metaphorically about time with regard to birth, the elements and bases of consciousness, but there is no distinct time [existing as a separate substance]. Expressions such as ‘region’ (deśa), ‘time’ (kāla), ‘separation’ (viyoga), ‘union’ (saṃyoga), ‘singleness’ (ekatva), ‘multiplicity’ (nānātva), ‘length’ (dīrghatva), ‘smallness’ (hrasvatva), etc., come from convention. Fools (bāla) cling to them and say that these are real Dharmas (sadbhūta). That is why mundane conventional Dharmas of purely nominal existence must be excluded.”.
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.
Buddhist philosophy
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “(imaginations of) singularity” and represents one of the ten aspects of distracting false imagination (daśa-vikṣepa-vikalpa), according to Khewang Yeshe Gyatso, Exegetical Memorandum chapter 5 (Cf. Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkārakārikā, chapter 11). These [e.g., Ekatva] are related to the imaginary nature (parikalpita). These ten are enumerated as aspects of false imagination which may be imputed in all sorts of contexts, and it is on this basis that the process of reification actually comes to partake of the imaginary nature.
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In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
1) Ekatva (एकत्व) (Cf. Aikatā) refers to “solitude” and represents one of the twelve themes of contemplation (bhāvanā), according to the Jain Yogaśāstra (vol. 2, p. 839).—Accordingly, “Equanimity is attained through the state of non-attachment. In order to attain that [state of non-attachment], one should cultivate the twelve themes of contemplation: on impermanence, helplessness, the cycle of transmigration, solitude (ekatva), the distinction [of the Self and the body], the impurity [of the body], the influx of karmic matter, the stopping [of karmic influx], the elimination of karmic matter, the correctly expounded law, the universe, and the [difficulty of attaining] enlightenment”.
2) Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to the “solitariness” and represents one of the “(twelve) reflections” (bhāvanā), according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—The self roams about alone in the impassable wilderness of the world which is full of great misfortune and inflamed by the fire of suffering. [...] He engages in action for wealth, a wife, a son, etc. and he experiences alone the result of that action in hell. For him, companions exist only for the sake of enjoying possessions but not to endure the pitiless succession of calamities caused by his own action. Only a fool, who knows that he was born alone, fails to see that he dies alone. The living soul roams about in the cycle of rebirth not knowing his own nature, lacking perception and deceived by his own actions. When, out of delusion, it thinks about connection with sense objects, it binds itself with its own action otherwise it could obtain liberation. When a living soul, who is no longer confused, achieves solitariness (ekatva) then bondage is destroyed
Ekatva (एकत्व) refers to “(reflection on the) soleness” and represents one of the twelve Bhāvanās (topics for meditation), according to a manuscript [Bāra bhāvanā] (dealing with the Ethics section of Jain Canonical literature) included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—There are traditionally 12 bhāvanās or topics for meditation (also known as anuprekṣā, see Tattvārthasūtra 9.7 as locus classicus). In the present manuscript [Bāra bhāvanā], only the first six are dealt with, each in a few stanzas, followed by a section-title: [e.g.,] 4. reflection on soleness (ekatva, 4 stanzas, ends on 50v9). [...]
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Ekatva (एकत्व).—Oneness, unity, union, identity. व्रजतोरपि प्रणयपूर्वमेकताम् (vrajatorapi praṇayapūrvamekatām) Śiśupālavadha 13.6.
Derivable forms: ekatvam (एकत्वम्).
See also (synonyms): ekatā.
Ekatva (एकत्व).—[eka + tva], n. Unity, Mahābhārata 14, 952.
Ekatva (एकत्व).—[neuter] = ekatā, also = singular ([grammar]).
1) Ekatva (एकत्व):—[=eka-tva] [from eka] n. oneness, unity, union, coincidence, identity, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Mahābhārata; Suśruta] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] (in [grammar]) the singular number, [Kāśikā-vṛtti]
3) [v.s. ...] singleness, soleness, [Hemacandra’s Yoga-śāstra]
[Sanskrit to German]
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
Ekatva (एकत्व) [Also spelled ekatv]:—(nm) see [ekatā; ~vāda] monism; ~[vādī] monist (ic).
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Ēkatva (ಏಕತ್ವ):—[noun] = ಏಕತೆ [ekate].
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)
Starts with: Ekatvabhavane, Ekatvaca, Ekatvarupatva, Ekatvasantana, Ekatvashruta, Ekatvasiddhivada, Ekatvavikalpa, Ekatvavitarkavicara.
Full-text (+12): Ekata, Anekaikatvabuddhi, Anekatva, Nanatva, Ekatvavitarkavicara, Ekatv, Ekattuvam, Ekatvarupatva, Ekatvashruta, Ekatvasantana, Sattvaguna, Eka, Yi yi, Ekatvavikalpa, Bhavna, Aikata, Abhasa, Prajnacakshus, Yi xiang, Solitariness.
Relevant text
Search found 52 books and stories containing Ekatva, Eka-tva, Ēkatva; (plurals include: Ekatvas, tvas, Ēkatvas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A critical study of Ānandajñāna’s Tarkasaṅgraha (by Satyan Sharma)
Part 2.5 - The refutation of Saṅkhyā < [Chapter 3 - Refutations in the Dvitīya Pariccheda]
Part 2.7 - The refutation of Pṛthaktva < [Chapter 3 - Refutations in the Dvitīya Pariccheda]
Yuktimallika by Vadiraja (critical study) (by Gururaj K. Nippani)
24. The sense of absence of qualities leads to mutual contradiction < [Critical exposition (1) Gunasaurabha]
26. The Srutis are not Anuvadakas < [Critical exposition (1) Gunasaurabha]
27. The Advaita interpretation is self-contradictory < [Critical exposition (1) Gunasaurabha]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 171 < [Gujarati-Hindi-English, Volume 1]
Page 292 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 568 < [Malayalam-English-Kannada (1 volume)]
Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary (by Nandalal Sinha)
Sūtra 7.2.7 (Unity and Separateness of one do not exist in effect and cause) < [Chapter 2 - Of Number, Separateness, Conjunction, etc.]
Sūtra 7.2.3 (Unity and Separateness do not exist in Unity and Separateness) < [Chapter 2 - Of Number, Separateness, Conjunction, etc.]
Sūtra 7.2.6 (Indirect proof of Unity) < [Chapter 2 - Of Number, Separateness, Conjunction, etc.]
Devala-smriti (critical study) (by Mukund Lalji Wadekar)
3.2. Concept of Mulikarthas < [Chapter 10 - Philosophical aspect of the Devalasmriti]
Traces of Mysticism in Jainism (Study) (by Sadhvi Madhystha Prabha)
Śukla Dhyāna and its Types < [Chapter 4 - Concepts of Jainism and Mysticism]