Gunavishesha, Guṇaviśeṣā, Guna-vishesha: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Gunavishesha 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.

The Sanskrit term Guṇaviśeṣā can be transliterated into English as Gunavisesa or Gunavishesha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Gunavishesha in Mahayana glossary
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Guṇaviśeṣa (गुणविशेष) refers to “special merit”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after hostile Nāgas released winds, thunderbolts, etc.] “[...] Beings experience great and severe suffering. Listen, O Nāgas, there is the evident empowerment of the Tathāgata’s miracles. Behold the deep knowledge of the Buddha, the power of the Tathāgata, the empowerment of special merit (guṇaviśeṣa)”.

Mahayana book cover
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.

Discover the meaning of gunavishesha or gunavisesa in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Gunavishesha in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Guṇaviśeṣā (गुणविशेषा).—external organs, mind and spiritual ignorance; परस्पर- विलक्षणा गुणविशेषाः (paraspara- vilakṣaṇā guṇaviśeṣāḥ) (bāhyendriyamano'haṅkārāśca) Sāṃkhyakārikā 36.

Derivable forms: guṇaviśeṣāḥ (गुणविशेषाः).

Guṇaviśeṣā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms guṇa and viśeṣā (विशेषा).

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

Guṇaviśeṣa (गुणविशेष):—[=guṇa-viśeṣa] [from guṇa] m. a different property, [Horace H. Wilson]

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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