Jivaka, Jīvaka: 26 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Ayurveda
In Buddhism
India history
Biology
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
3. Kannada
4. Nepali
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Introduction:

Jivaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, biology. 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 Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Jīvaka (जीवक) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Malaxis acuminate D. Don” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes. The Yogasārasaṃgraha [mentioning jīvaka] deals with entire recipes in the route of administration, and thus deals with the knowledge of pharmacy (bhaiṣajya-kalpanā) which is a branch of pharmacology (dravyaguṇa).

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Jīvaka (जीवक) is the Sanskrit name for a medicinal plant possibly identified with Microstylis wallichii Lindl., which is a synonym of Crepidium acuminatum (D.Don) Szlach. from the Orchidaceae or “orchid” family of flowering plants, according to verse 5.11-13 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu.

Jīvaka is mentioned as having fifteen synonyms: Jīvana, Jīvya, Śṛṅgāhva, Prāṇada, Priya, Cirajīvī, Madhura, Maṅgalya, Kūrcaśīrṣaka, Hrasvāṅga, Vṛddhida, Āyuṣmān, Jīvada, Dīrghāyu and Balada.

Properties and characteristics: “Jīvaka is cooling (śīta), sweet (madhura). It alleviates raktapitta (bleeding tendency), vāta-doṣa and pains. It cures tuberculosis, fevers and burning sensation and increases kapha and the formation of semen”.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: eJournal of Indian Medicine: Jajjaṭa’s Nirantarapadavyākhyā and Other Commentaries on the Carakasaṃhitā

Jīvaka (जीवक) refers to Malaxis acuminata D. Don., and is the name of a medicinal plant mentioned in the 7th-century Nirantarapadavyākhyā by Jejjaṭa (or Jajjaṭa): one of the earliest extant and, therefore, one of the most important commentaries on the Carakasaṃhitā.—Note: Malaxis acuminata D. Don. is a synonym of Microstylis wallichii Lindl—(Cf. Indian Medicinal Plants, Arya Vaidya Sala 3:367, 1993-96.).—“This is one of the group of eight drugs called aṣṭavarga, about whose identity nothing definite is known. … ”.—(Cf. Glossary of Vegetable Drugs in Bṛhattrayī 170, Singh and Chunekar, 1999).

Source: Journal of the European Ayurvedic Society, Volume 4: Reviews and Notices

Jīvaka (जीवक) or Jīvakatantra is the name of a work related to Ayurveda and medicine referenced by the “cikitsa bidhane tantrasastra”—a Bengali work authored by ‘Krishna Chaitanya Thakur’ in three volumes dealing with the treatments for diseases and disorders collected from Tantric and Ayurvedic texts.—Eastern India is one of the major strongholds of Tantrism in South Asia, and this region, particularly Bengal, has played and still plays a prominent role in the development of Āyurveda. It is indeed a fact that much medically relevant material is to be found in [the Jīvaka-tantra, or other] Tantric texts. The “cikitsā bidhāne tantraśāstra” (by Kṛṣṇacaitanya Ṭhākur) contains wealth of medicines and remedies for a large variety of diseases and disorders, arranged according to the individual diseases or disorders. The material presented is culled from a variety of texts [e.g., jīvaka-tantra], [most of which] seem to be classed as Tantric, but some are quite obviously not so, though their material may be related to that to be found in Tantric texts.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Jivaka Komarabhacca - A celebrated physician. He was the son of Salavati, a courtesan of Rajagaha. (AA. (i.216) says that Abhayarajakumara was his father). Directly after birth the child was placed in a basket and thrown on a dust heap, from where he was rescued by Abhayarajakumara. When questioned by Abhaya, people said he was alive (jivati), and therefore the child was called Jivaka; because he was brought up by the prince (kumarena posapito), he was called Komarabhacca. It has been suggested, however, that Komarabhacca meant master of the Kaumarabhrtya science (the treatment of infants); VT.ii.174; in Dvy. (506-18) he is called Kumarabhuta.

When grown up, he learnt of his antecedents, and going to Takkasila without Abhayas knowledge, studied medicine for seven years. His teacher then gave him a little money and sent him away as being fit to practise medicine. His first patient was the setthis wife at Saketa, and for curing her he received sixteen thousand kahapanas, a manservant, a maid servant and a coach with horses. When he returned to Rajagaha, Abhaya established him in his own residence. There he cured Bimbisara of a troublesome fistula and received as reward all the ornaments of Bimbisaras five hundred wives. He was appointed physician to the king and the kings women and also to the fraternity of monks with the Buddha at its head. Other cures of Jivakas included that of the setthi of Rajagaha on whom he performed the operation of trepanning, and of the son of the setthi of Benares who had suffered from chronic intestinal trouble due to misplacement, and for this case Jivaka received sixteen thousand kahapanas.

When Candappajjota, king of Ujjeni, was ill, Bimbisara lent Jivaka to him. Candappajjota hated ghee, which was, however, the only remedy. Jivaka prepared the medicine, prescribed it for the king, then rode away on the kings elephant Bhaddavatika before the king discovered the nature of the medicine. Pajjota, in a rage, ordered his capture and sent his slave Kaka after him. Kaka discovered Jivaka breakfasting at Kosambi and allowed himself to be persuaded to eat half a myrobalan, which purged him violently. Jivaka explained to Kaka that he wished to delay his return; he told him why he had fled from the court and, having returned the elephant, proceeded to Rajagaha. Pajjota was cured and, as a token of his favour, sent Jivaka a suit of Siveyyaka cloth, which Jivaka presented to the Buddha (Vin.i.268-81; AA.i.216). Jivaka was greatly attracted by the Buddha. Once when the Buddha was ill, Jivaka found it necessary to administer a purge, and he had fat rubbed into the Buddhas body and gave him a handful of lotuses to smell. Jivaka was away when the purgative acted,

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

1) Jīvaka (जीवक) is the name of a place at Rājagṛha where was located the stoppig-place, or vihāra named Ambavana, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter V. Rājagṛha is the name of a sacred city where the Buddha was dwelling at the beginning of the discourse in the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra.

2) Jīvaka (जीवक) is the son of king Bimbisāra and Āmrapāli according to a note at “story of Bimbisāra” from the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVIII).—Āmrapāli was born miraculously in the flower of a mango-tree belonging to a Brāhman in Vaiśālī. The Brāhman adopted Āmrapāli and made her a courtesan. Seven kings disputed over the favors of the young lady; Bimbasāra, king of Magadha, even though he was at war with the Licchavi of Vaiśālī, surreptitiously entered the city, penetrated into the tower where Āmrapāli was shut up and amused himself with her for a week. Āmrapālī bore him a son who later became the famous physician Jīvaka.

Note: According to the Sarvāstivādin Vinaya, the son of Bimbisāra and Āmrapālī was called Abhaya (Gilgit Manuscripts, III, 2, p. 22), while Jīvaka was the son of Bimbisāra and the wife of a merchant whose name is not given. In the Pāli sources, Vimala-Kondañña is given as the son of Bimbisāra and Āmrapālī (Theragāthā Comm., I, p. 146): Jīvaka’s father was Abhaya-Rājakumāra—one of Bimbisāra’s sons—and his mother, a courtesan of Rājagṛha called Sālavati.

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.

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhist Teachers, Deities and other Spiritual beings

Jīvaka (जीवक) is another name for Gopaka—one of the Sixteen Arhats (known in Tibetan as gnas brtan bcu drug) who were chosen by Buddha Shakyamuni to remain in the world and protect the Dharma until the arrival of the future Buddha Maitreya. They vowed to maintain the Dharma for as long as beings could benefit from it. These legendary Arhats [e.g., Jīvaka] were revered in countries such as China, Japan, India and Tibet—a tradition which continues up until this day, for example in Zen Buddhism and Tibetan art.

context information

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: WikiPedia: Buddhism

Jīvaka (जीवक) was the personal physician (vaidya) of the Buddha and the Indian King Bimbisāra. He lived in Rājagṛha, present-day Rajgir, in the 5th century BCE. Sometimes described as the "Medicine King" and and "Thrice Crowned physician" he figures prominently in legendary accounts in Asia as a model healer, and is honoured as such by traditional healers in several Asian countries. Accounts about Jīvaka can be found in Early Buddhist Texts in many textual traditions such as the Pāli and Mūlasarvāstivāda traditions, as well as later Buddhist discourses and devotional Avadāna texts.

Jīvaka is described in Buddhist texts as a contemporary of the Buddha, who most scholars date to the 5th century BCE. Sanskrit texts and early Tibetan translations in the Mūlasarvāstivāda tradition state that Jīvaka was born as an illegitimate child of King Bimbisāra and a merchant's wife, who in the Chinese Jīvaka Sūtras is identified with the courtesan Āmrapālī. He was trained for seven years in Takṣaśilā by a ṛṣi (seer) called Ātreya Punarvasu, which Tibetan texts say used to be the physician of Bimbisāra's father. According to the Pāli texts, on his way back to Rājagṛha, Jīvaka needed money for his travelling expenses, so he was forced to start working in Sāketa.

Jīvaka in Pāli texts is often described as giving treatments to the Buddha for several ailments, such as when the Buddha had a cold, and when he was hurt after an attempt on his life by the rebellious monk Devadatta. The latter happened at a park called Maddakucchi, where Devadatta hurled a rock at the Buddha from a cliff. Although the rock was stopped by another rock midway, a splinter hit the Buddha's foot and caused him to bleed, but Jīvaka healed the Buddha.

India history and geography

Source: Wikipedia: India History

Jivaka is depicted performing complicated medical procedures, including those that could be interpreted as brain surgery. Scholars are in debate to which extent these depictions have historical value. Regardless, Jivaka is honoured throughout Asian history by Buddhists, and to some extent by healers outside of Buddhism, as a model physician and Buddhist saint. Several medieval medical texts and procedures in India and China are attributed to him. Up until the present day, Jivaka is honoured by Indians and Thai as a patron of traditional medicine, and he has a central role in all ceremonies involving Thai traditional medicine.

The life of Jivaka is described in several early Buddhist textual traditions, that is, in the Pāli language, Chinese (from the Dharmaguptaka, Mahisasaka and Sarvastivāda traditions, all translated from Indic texts in the 5th century CE), Tibetan (Mulasarvastivada) and Sanskrit texts. Jivaka's story can be found in the texts of monastic discipline (Pali and Sanskrit: Vinaya) of which the oldest stratum can be dated back to the first half of the 4th century BCE.

context information

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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Jivaka [ಜೀವಕ] in the Kannada language is the name of a plant identified with Crepidium acuminatum (D.Don) Szlach. from the Orchidaceae (Orchid) family having the following synonyms: Microstylis wallichii, Malaxis acuminata. For the possible medicinal usage of jivaka, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Jivaka in India is the name of a plant defined with Coccinia grandis in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Cephalandra indica (Wight & Arn.) Naudin, nom. illeg. (among others).

2) Jivaka is also identified with Crepidium acuminatum It has the synonym Malaxis siamensis (Rolfe ex Downie) Seidenf. & Smitinand (etc.).

3) Jivaka is also identified with Terminalia arjuna It has the synonym Terminalia glabra Wight & Arn. (etc.).

4) Jivaka is also identified with Terminalia tomentosa.

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Bulletin of the Botanical Survey of India (1962)
· Journal of Cytology and Genetics (1996)
· Orch. Thail. (1959)
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2002)
· Prodromus Florae Nepalensis (1825)
· Chung Chi Journal (1976)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Jivaka, for example diet and recipes, chemical composition, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, side effects, health benefits, have a look at these references.

context information

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

jīvaka : (m.) one who lives; a personal name.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Jīvaka, (adj.)=jīva, in bandhu° N. of a plant VvA. 43.—f. °ikā q. v. (Page 285)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक).—a. [jīv-ṇic ṇvul]

1) Living, making a livelihood by, generating &c.

2) One who lives a long time.

-kaḥ 1 A living being.

2) A servant.

3) A Buddhist mendicant, any mendicant who lives by begging.

4) A usurer.

5) A snake-catcher.

6) A tree.

7) A medicinal plant of that name.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक).—(= Pali id.), name of a physician and follower of Buddha (called in Pali Komārabhacca, in [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] Kumāra- bhṛta, °bhūta, qq.v.): Divyāvadāna 270.12 ff.; 506.2 ff.; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya ii.25.5 ff.; has epithet Vaidyarāja(n) Kāśyapa Parivarta 96.2, 3; Śikṣāsamuccaya 159.8, 12 (here, amazingly, Bendall and Rouse translate vaidyarāja as n. pr. (proper name) and jīvaka as adj., when alive!). See also Jīvika.

--- OR ---

Jīvaka (जीवक) or Jīvika.—(1) , the physician: Avadāna-śataka ii.134.6 ff.; [(2) in Lalitavistara 430.20 text jīvika-pariskāra, but most mss. jīvita- or javika-; read jīvita-, equipment or utensils for living.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक).—mfn.

(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) 1. A servant, a slave, one who gets a livelihood by service. 2. A snake-catcher, one whose business is catching snakes, curing their bites, &c. 3. An usurer, or one who lives by lending money at high interest. 4. A mendicant or one who lives by begging. 5. One whose life is prolonged by blessings. m.

(-kaḥ) 1. A tree, (Pentaptera tomentosa:) see asana. 2. A medicinal plant, commonly called by the same name Jivaca, and considered as one of the eight principal drugs, classed together under the name aṣṭabarga. 3. An animal, any being endowed with life. E. jīv to live, affix ṇic ṇvul or vun.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक).—[jīv + aka], I. latter part of comp. adj. Maintaining one’s self by, Mahābhārata 13, 6455. Ii. m. A medicinal plant, considered as one of the eight principal drugs, [Suśruta] 1, 59, 16. Iii. f. vikā, 1. Life, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 11. 2. A means of subsistence, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 10, 76; [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 7, 13, 7.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक).—[feminine] ikā [adjective] = [preceding] adj.; [feminine] jīvikā life, livelihood, [plural] = [preceding] [feminine] [plural]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Jīvaka (जीवक) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—poet. [Subhāshitāvali by Vallabhadeva]

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

1) Jīvaka (जीवक):—[from jīv] mfn. living, alive, [Harṣacarita vii]

2) [v.s. ...] ifc. (f(ikā). ) ‘living’ See cira-: making a livelihood by (in [compound]), [Mahābhārata xii f.; Harivaṃśa 4484; Śatruṃjaya-māhātmya] (cf. akṣara-)

3) [v.s. ...] ‘generating’ See putraṃ-

4) [v.s. ...] ifc. (f(ā). ) long living, for whom long life is desired, [Pāṇini 3-1, 150; Kāśikā-vṛtti]

5) [v.s. ...] m. a living being, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) [v.s. ...] ‘living on others’, a servant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) [v.s. ...] an usurer, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) [v.s. ...] a beggar, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) [v.s. ...] a snake-catcher, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

10) [v.s. ...] a tree, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

11) [v.s. ...] one of the 8 principal drugs called Aṣṭavarga (Terminalia tomentosa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; Coccinia grandis, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]), [Suśruta; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

12) [v.s. ...] Name of Kumāra-bhūta, [Divyāvadāna xix, xxxv]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. An animal; a tree (Pentaptera tomentosa). m. f. n. A servant, or slave; snake-catcher; usurer; mendicant.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Jīvaka (जीवक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Jīvaga.

[Sanskrit to German]

Jivaka 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Jīvaka (ಜೀವಕ):—

1) [adjective] that is living; alive; not dead or lifeless.

2) [adjective] helping to earn livelihood; life-supporting.

--- OR ---

Jīvaka (ಜೀವಕ):—

1) [noun] a menial servant.

2) [noun] a snake charmer.

3) [noun] a Jaina mendicant.

4) [noun] the tree Calophyllum inophyllum (= C. apetalum, = C. spurium) of Guttiferae family (?).

5) [noun] a kind of medicinal herb.

6) [noun] a man who subsists on the interest earned on the money lent.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Jīvaka (जीवक):—n. 1. a creature; living being; 2. one who is dependent upon other (e.g.: beggar, servant);

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

Relevant text

Search found 81 books and stories containing Jivaka, Jiva-nape-nvu, Jīva-ṇāpe-ṇvu, Jiva-nvu, Jīva-ṇvu, Jīvaka; (plurals include: Jivakas, nvus, ṇvus, Jīvakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 90 - The Story of the Question Asked by Jīvaka < [Chapter 7 - Arahanta Vagga (The Saints‌)]

Verse 25 - The Story of Cūlapanthaka < [Chapter 2 - Appamāda Vagga (Heedfulness)]

Verse 407 - The Story of Venerable Mahā Panthaka < [Chapter 26 - Brāhmaṇa Vagga (The Brāhmaṇa)]

+ 1 more chapters / show preview

History of Āyurveda < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

Kāśyapa and Jīvaka (Āyurveda scholars) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

Kāśyapa Saṃhitā (Āyurveda book) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

+ 8 more chapters / show preview

The story of the merchant of Rājagaha < [8. Robes (Cīvara)]

The story of King Pajjota < [8. Robes (Cīvara)]

The story of the merchant’s wife < [8. Robes (Cīvara)]

+ 14 more chapters / show preview