The Sanskrit term Leśyā can be transliterated into English as Lesya or Leshya, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Jainism

Jain philosophy

Source: archive.org: Anekanta Jaya Pataka of Haribhadra Suri

Leśyā (लेश्या) refers to “that by which the mundane soul gets tinted (with merit or demerit or both)”, as mentioned in the Anekāntajayapatākā-prakaraṇa, a Śvetāmbara Jain philosophical work written by Haribhadra Sūri.—[Cf. Vol. II, P. 223, l. 4]—Leśyā has six varieties

context information

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General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Leśyā (लेश्या) refers to “soul-colors” (a psychic color varying according to the karma of the soul), according to chapter 2.3 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.—Note: There are 6 Leśyās: black, dark blue, gray, rose, yellow, and white. For a detailed account see Uttarādhyayana 34.

Accordingly:—“[...] The soul-colors (leśyā) are yellow, rose, and white, in the order of their purity. In it filled with union with keen disgust with worldly existence there is produced in people a happiness which has spontaneous consciousness, beyond the cognizance of the senses. With (worldly) association abandoned, after abandoning the body, those united with dharmadhyāna become the highest gods in the Graiveyaka, etc. heavens. [...]”.

Source: Shodhganga: A cultural study on the jain western Indian illustrated manuscripts

Leśyā (लेश्या).—These are external appearance cast upon the soul by the individual’s karma. The soul is of course, not itself affected but the leśyās are like shadows or a reflection. They have names, colours, tastes, smells, touches, degrees, character, variety, duration, result and life but they are commonly distinguished by colour and are named black, blue, grey, red, yellow, and white. The first three of these are bad and last three are good.

The subject of the leśyās, is common Jain iconography and is generally represented by a rose-apple (jambu) tree, from which six men are trying to get the fruit.

These men are often shown by the colours of their representative leśyās.

1. The black has an axe and endeavors to cut the tree down at its base.
2. The blue is cutting off the branches.
3. The gray is cutting off only the twigs with the fruit or the bunches.
4. The red climbs the tree to pluck the fruit.
5. The yellow pulls off what he can reach as he walks around.
6. The white collects only what has fallen to the ground.

Source: HereNow4U: Philosophical Foundations Of Jainism (An Introduction)

Leśyā (लेश्या).—In leśyā (which is a meditational technique) colour visualization is used, since colour in its very subtle form is found in the Jīva, its (Kendras) and the -units. These colours have different effects on our body-physique and psyche.

Source: Prakrit Bharati Academy: Death with Equanimity

Leśyā (लेश्या).—Leśyā means spiritual glow or colour of the spirit. The spirit or the soul, in its natural form, is absolutely pure and free from any colouration. However, when it is influenced by passions it assumes a certain hue that depends on the type and intensity of passions colouring it at any point of time. Leśyā can be 1. Volitional colouration “bhāva-leśyā”, which is at the thought level and 2. Physical colouration “dravya-leśyā”, which is at the activity level.

The leśyās are six:

1. Black “kṛṣṇaleśyā” that signifies most intense passionate state of the soul,
2. Blue “nīlaleśyā” signifying highly passionate state of the soul,
3. Grey “kāpotaleśyā”, which signifies a passionate state of the soul,
4. Yellow “pītaleśyā” that signifies the lesser passionate state of the soul,
5. Lotus “padmaleśyā”, which is the least passionate state of the soul and, finally,
6. White “śuklaleśyā”, which is the passion–free state of the soul.

These spiritual hues reflect the psychic tendencies or propensities of people. The first three hues are destructuve in nature and can be termed as the worst, worse and bad while the other three are constructive and can be said to be good, better and the best.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 9: Influx of karmas

Leśyā (लेश्या, “colouration”).—One of the seven sub categories of ascetics (nirgrantha-muni);—What are the peculiarities amongst different kind of ascetics with reference to ‘the colouration’ (leśyā)?

The husk ascetics (pulāka) can have three auspicious colourations.

The tainted (bakuśa) and pratisevana-kuśīla ascetics can have all the six thought-colourations due to their infatuation with body and implements.

The kaṣāya-kuśīla ascetics can have four colourations except the black and blue.

The unbound (nirgrantha) and successful (snātaka) ascetics have only pure (śukla) colouration while the ayoga-kevalī does not have any colouration.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 2: the Category of the living

Leśyā (लेश्या, “colourations”) refers to a category of dispositions (bhāva) due to the rising of karmas (audayika), according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 2.6. What is the meaning of thought-colourations (leśyā)? Manifestation of activities of mind, body and speech associated with passions is called thought-colouration. They also manifest as coloured layers of aura surrounding the body.

How many types of thought-colourations are there? There are six colourations (leśyās) namely black, blue, grey, yellow, pink and white.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 4: The celestial beings (deva)

Leśyā (लेश्या).—What is meant by thought-colouration (leśyā)? It is an energy by which a living being is active in meritorious and de-meritorious activities. The thought-colourations are of two types namely: psychic (bhāva) and physical (dravya). How many thought-colourations are there? There are six thought-colourations, namely black, blue, grey, yellow, pink and white. Black, blue and grey are said to be inauspicious. Yellow, pink and white are said to be auspicious.

context information

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

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Leśyā (लेश्या).—Light.

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

Leśyā (लेश्या).—f.

(-śyā) Light.

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

Leśya (लेश्य).—light.

--- OR ---

Leśyā (लेश्या).—[feminine] light.

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

Leśya (लेश्य):—[from liś] mfn. light, [Sūryaprajñapti]

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

Leśyā (लेश्या) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Lesā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Leshya 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

Lēśya (ಲೇಶ್ಯ):—

1) [noun] = ಲೇಶ್ಯೆ [leshye].

2) [noun] (math.) a symbol for the number six.

context information

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: Leshyadharma, Leshyashuddhi, Leshyavishuddhi.

Ends with: Abahileshya, Aleshya, Apratileshya, Kapotaleshye, Shubhaleshye, Talleshya, Vishleshya.

Full-text (+19): Lesha, Margana, Narakayu, Kalpopapanna, Pannavana, Samgrahanisutra, Bhavanavasin, Pramatta, Sasvadanasamyagdrishti, Mahashukra, Aishana, Aishanakalpa, Samyagmithyadrishti, Saudharma, Saudharmakalpa, Pranata, Lantakakalpa, Aranakalpa, Brahmalokakalpa, Anantakalpa.

Relevant text

Search found 10 books and stories containing Leshya, Leśyā, Lesya, Leśya, Lēśya; (plurals include: Leshyas, Leśyās, Lesyas, Leśyas, Lēśyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Jainism and Patanjali Yoga (Comparative Study) (by Deepak bagadia)

Dharmadhyana (virtuous or righteous meditation) < [Chapter 3 - Jain Philosophy and Practice]

Sukladhyana (pure meditation) < [Chapter 3 - Jain Philosophy and Practice]

Part 7 - Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga compared to Jainism < [Chapter 4 - A Comparative Study]

+ 5 more chapters / show preview

Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)

Verse 4.22 - Thought-colouration of the fourth class of Deva < [Chapter 4 - The Celestial Beings]

Verse 9.47 - Differences among the five kinds of saints < [Chapter 9 - Stoppage and Shedding of Karmas]

Verse 3.3 - Infernal beings (nārakī) < [Chapter 3 - The Lower World and the Middle World]

+ 6 more chapters / show preview

A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)

Part 15 - Karma Theory < [Chapter VI - The Jaina Philosophy]

Part 4 - Some fundamental Points of Agreement < [Chapter IV - General Observations On The Systems Of Indian Philosophy]

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Jain Science and Spirituality (by Medhavi Jain)

2.4. Leshya or Karmic Colorations < [Chapter 4 - Main Theory and Practices in Jainism]

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Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti) (by K. C. Lalwani)

Part 17 - On harm to self, to others, to both, to none < [Chapter 1]

Part 9 - On tinges (leśyā) < [Chapter 2]

Chapter 10: Account of Kālodāi < [Book 7]

+ 2 more chapters / show preview

Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)

Appendix 1.3: The Fourteen Guṇasthānas < [Appendices]

Part 7: Birth as Dhūsarī, wife of Dhanya < [Chapter III - Vasudeva’s Marriage with Kanakavatī and her Former Incarnations]

Part 32: Description of the Upper World (ūrdhvaloka) < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]

+ 2 more chapters / show preview

 

Click here for all 10 books