Kalyanamitra, Kalyānamitra, Kalyana-mitra: 8 definitions

Introduction:

Kalyanamitra 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.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

[«previous next»] — Kalyanamitra in Ayurveda glossary
Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Kalyāṇamitra (कल्याणमित्र) refers to a “good friend”, and is mentioned in verse 2.20 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Bhakti (Tibetan: mos-pa) (“devotion”) is a specifically Hinduistic term denoting, like karman (“works”) and jñāna (“spiritual knowledge”), a means of salvation, whereas kalyāṇamitra (Tibetan: dge-bai bśes-gñen) (“good friend”) is a specifically Buddhistic term signifying one (not as a rule a Buddha) who helps in conversion and religious progress. The juxtaposition of both these terms is noteworthy.

Ayurveda book cover
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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.

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Kalyanamitra in Mahayana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Kalyānamitra (कल्यानमित्र, “spiritual friend”).—According to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XIV), “all beings obtained the mind of equanimity (samacitta) by thinking of one another with the feelings one would feel (for example) for one’s spiritual friend (kalyānamitra)”.

In the course of innumerable generations, all beings have been one’s spiritual friend (kalyānamitra), father, mother, elder brother, younger brother, elder sister, younger sister and relative. Furthermore, according to the true nature (satyalakṣaṇa) of dharmas, there is no father or mother, no elder or younger brother; but people who are submerged in the error of self believe in their existence and thus there is the question of father and mother, elder and younger brother. Therefore it is not a lie when, by virtue of a wholesome mind (kuśalacitta), we consider one another with the feelings we would feel (for example) for one’s spiritual friend (kalyānamitra).

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Kalyāṇamitra (कल्याणमित्र) refers to a “spiritual friend”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “When this had been said, the Lord said to the Bodhisattva, the great being Gaganagañja: ‘Excellent! Excellent, son of good family! Son of good family, you have done well to ask the Tathāgata. That is to say, you will attain the light of all teachings of the Buddha because you are a spiritual friend who asks (adhyeṣita-kalyāṇamitra) a questions not being asked by any living being. [...]’”,

Mahayana book cover
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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.

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Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Google Books: The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems

Kalyāṇamitra (कल्याणमित्र) (in Tibetan: Geshe) — Generally speaking, a “virtuous friend” who assists one on the spiritual path. The Tibetan term is used most commonly to refer to great masters of the Kadam tradition and, since the seventeenth century, to Geluk monks with a high level of scholastic achievement

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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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Kalyanamitra in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Kalyāṇamitra (कल्याणमित्र).—nt., f. °ā (= Pali °mitta; there often tho not always epithet of Buddha), good friend, regularly said of one (not as a rule a Buddha) who helps in conversion or religious progress: Mahāvastu i.243.12 °mitrāṇy āgamya; 313.5 asmākaṃ Mālinī °mitrā (f.; she was the cause of their conversion); Mahāvyutpatti 2380 °tra-parigṛhīta; Divyāvadāna 347.17 °tram āgamya; Avadāna-śataka i.240.8 id.; °tra-tā, state of… Avadāna-śataka i.240.2. Very common.

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

1) Kalyāṇamitra (कल्याणमित्र):—[=kalyāṇa-mitra] [from kalyāṇa > kalya] n. a friend of virtue

2) [v.s. ...] a well-wishing friend, [Kāraṇḍa-vyūha lxvii, 1]

3) [v.s. ...] a good counsellor (opposed to pāpa-mitra), [Buddhist literature]

4) [v.s. ...] Name of Buddha

[Sanskrit to German]

Kalyanamitra 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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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Kalyanamitra in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Kalyāṇamitra (ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಮಿತ್ರ):—[noun] a well-wishing friend.

context information

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

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