Mahakalpa, Mahākalpa, Maha-kalpa: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Mahakalpa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMahākalpa (महाकल्प) refers to the “five great cosmic ages”, according to the Tantric texts such as the Kubjikāmata-tantra, the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: A History of Indian PhilosophyA Mahākalpa (महाकल्प) is equal to 300,000 saras and one sara is the time required to exhaust the sands of the seven Ganges (each Ganges being 500 yojanas or 2250 miles in length, 2¼ miles in breadth, and 50 dhanus or 100 yards in depth), at the rate of putting 100 years for the removal of one grain of sand.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraMahākalpa (महाकल्प) refers to a “great cosmic period”, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVI.—Accordingly, “the Mahākalpa, or great cosmic period, is divided into four incalculable periods (asaṃkhyeyakalpa) each lasting twenty small kalpas (antarakalpa): 1) one period of disappearance of the world (saṃvarta-kalpa) resulting from one disappearance by fire, one disappearance by water and one disappearance by wind; 2) one period during which the world remains destroyed (saṃvartasthāyika-kalpa); 3) one period of creation (vivartaka-kalpa); 4) one period during which the world remains created (vivartasthāyi-kakalpa)”.
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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaMahākalpa (महाकल्प) refers to a “great aeon” and represents one of the “four aeons” (kalpa) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 87). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., mahā-kalpa). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Source: WikiPedia: BuddhismMaha-Kalpa - largest time unit in Buddhism. Ending of a Maha-Kalpa (apocalypse) can happen in three ways: fire, water and wind. It is divided into four quarters each equivalent to one Asankya-Kalpa.
- First quarter - time taken for this world to form.
- Second quarter - stable duration of this world where all living beings can thrive.
- Third quarter - time taken for this world to be destroyed.
- Fourth quarter - empty time period.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha SutraMahākalpa (महाकल्प) refers to one of the fourteen limbs of the external-corpus (aṅga-bāhya). The Aṅgabāhya refers to one of the two types of scriptural knowledge (śruta), which refers to one of the five types of knowledge (jñāna). according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 1.20, “scriptural knowledge (śruta) preceded by sensory knowledge (mati) is of two, or of twelve or of many kinds (e.g., mahākalpa)”.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymahākalpa (महाकल्प).—m (S) A great or complete kalpa, the whole period of the life of Brahma (100 years, for the amount of which in the years of shortlived man, please to make calculation upon kalpa q. v.)
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMahākalpa (महाकल्प).—a great cycle of time (1 years of Brahman); Bhāgavata 7.15.69.
Derivable forms: mahākalpaḥ (महाकल्पः).
Mahākalpa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and kalpa (कल्प).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahākalpa (महाकल्प).—[masculine] great cycle of time.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahākalpa (महाकल्प):—[=mahā-kalpa] [from mahā > mah] m. a great cycle of time, [Mahābhārata; Purāṇa; Buddhist literature]
2) [v.s. ...] Name of Śiva, [Mahābhārata] (= divya-bhūṣaṇa [Scholiast or Commentator])
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusMahākalpa (ಮಹಾಕಲ್ಪ):—
1) [noun] a great cycle of time.
2) [noun] Śiva.
3) [noun] (Dvaita phil.) the great period of time during which the universe is created.
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: Mahakalpagni, Mahakalparaja, Mahakalpoddaha.
Ends with: Kalaratrimahakalpa, Pancamahakalpa, Pavanarimahakalpa.
Full-text (+8): Kalpa, Asankya-kalpa, Subhakrtsna Worlds, Abhasvara Worlds, Pancamahakalpa, Naivasamjnanasamjnayatana, Vijnananantyayatana, Akashanantyayatana, Sahasra Cosmology, Four Aeons, Brhatphala Worlds, Akimcanyayatana, Angabahya, Pavanari, Vehapphala, Antah-kalpa, Temporal Cosmology, Asamkhyeya, Manvantara, Ruru.
Relevant text
Search found 20 books and stories containing Mahakalpa, Mahā-kalpa, Mahākalpa, Maha-kalpa; (plurals include: Mahakalpas, kalpas, Mahākalpas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 2 - Kalpa and Mahākalpa < [Chapter XLVI - Venerating with the Roots of Good]
Appendix 1 - The damned remain in Avīci hell for one kalpa < [Chapter XIII - The Buddha-fields]
Act 1.6: Definition of trisāhasramahāsāhasralokadhātu < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]
The Markandeya Purana (by Frederick Eden Pargiter)
Canto XLVII - The Creation from Prakṛti and the Vikāras
Yoga Vasistha [English], Volume 1-4 (by Vihari-Lala Mitra)
Chapter XXXVI - Description of the supreme deity parameswara < [Book VI - Nirvana prakarana part 1 (nirvana prakarana)]
Chapter II - The receptacle of the mundane egg < [Book IV - Sthiti prakarana (sthiti prakarana)]
Chapter XXXV - Description of the supreme brahma < [Book VII - Nirvana prakarana part 2 (nirvana prakarana)]
A study of the philosophy of Jainism (by Deepa Baruah)
Chapter I.e - Religious and philosophical literature of the Jainas < [Chapter I - Introduction]
Laghu-yoga-vasistha (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Part 3 - The Story of the Bilva Fruit < [Chapter VI - Nirvāṇa-prakaraṇa]