Mahakashyapa, Maha-kashyapa, Mahakasyapa, Mahākāśyapa: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Mahakashyapa 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 Mahākāśyapa can be transliterated into English as Mahakasyapa or Mahakashyapa, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
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In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 51, “when Mahākāśyapa saw the Buddha, he obtained the first fruit of the Path, then eight days later he became Arhat”.—Disgusted by lay life, Mahākāśyapa made himself an under-robe from pieces of cloth (paṭapilotokānaṃ saṃghāti). Like the Arhats in this world, he cut his hair and his beard, put on the yellow robe and went forth from home into homelessness. Having gone forth, half-way he saw the Blessed One seated near the Bahuputta-Cetiya, between Rājagṛha and Nālandā. Having seen him, he wanted to bow to him. Kāśyapa prostrated to the feet of the Blessed One and said: “The Blessed One is my teacher; I am his disciple” The Blessed One encouraged Kāśyapa and, having encouraged him, he arose from his seat and went away. Then Kāśyapa said: “For seven days while I was imperfect, I enjoyed the food offered by the land; on the eighth day, perfect knowledge was produced in me” .
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)
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप) is the name of a Śrāvaka mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Mahākāśyapa).
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)
Mahakassapa in Pali, Mahakasyapa in Sanskrit. He was a Brahman in Magadha, who became one of the Ten Great Disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. He was the foremost in ascetism. He is regarded as the First Patriarch because he responded with a smile when Shakyamuni Buddha held up a golden flower in a sermon. This is known to be the transmission of heart seal. After the death of Shakyamuni, he was the leader of the disciples. He convened the First Council to compile the Buddhist canon, i.e. Tripitika. Mahakassapa is supposed to be living in Kukkutapada (Cock Foot Mountain) in Magadha, on which he enters into Nirvana.Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप) in Sanskrit, or Mahākassapa in Pali was one of the principal disciples of Gautama Buddha. He came from the kingdom of Magadha. He became an Arhat and was the disciple of the Buddha who was foremost in ascetic practice. Mahākāśyapa assumed the leadership of the Sangha following the death of the Buddha, presiding over the First Buddhist Council. He is considered to be the first patriarch in a number of Mahayana School dharma lineages. In the Theravada tradition, he is considered to be the Buddha's third foremost disciple, surpassed only by the chief disciples Sariputta and Maha Moggallana.
Mahākāśyapa’s entire body was enshrined underneath the mountain Kukkutapada where it is said to remain until the appearance of Maitreya. Pali sources say that beings in Maitreya’s time will be much bigger than during the time of Sakyamuni. In one prophecy, his disciples are contemptuous of Mahākāśyapa, whose head is no larger than an insect to them. Gautama Buddha's robe would barely cover two of their fingers, making them wonder how tiny Gautama Buddha was. Mahākāśyapa is said to be small enough in comparison to cremate in the palm of Maitreya's hand. Mahākāśyapa wears a paṃsukūla robe.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप).—(= Pali Mahākassapa) = Kāśyapa (2), q.v., one of the Buddha's leading disciples: Mahāvastu i.80.3; ii.114.12; iii.47.14 ff., 48.4 ff. (rebukes Ānanda and tells him the story of his own ordination; corresp. to Pali SN ii.218 ff.); Saddharmapuṇḍarīka 2.1; 100.1; 110.11; 121.1 ff.; 206.8; Lalitavistara 1.13; 443.6; Divyāvadāna 81.25 ff.; 395.21; (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 586.1; Sukhāvatīvyūha 2.6; 92.5; Karmavibhaṅga (and Karmavibhaṅgopadeśa) 45.1; as a mahāśrāvaka, Lalitavistara 444.13; Divyāvadāna 361.18; (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 40.25 etc.
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप):—[=mahā-kāśyapa] [from mahā > mah] m. Name of a disciple of Buddha, [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 193; 510.]
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप):—[(ma + kā)] m. Nomen proprium eines Schülers Buddha's [Rgva tch’er rol pa ed. Calc. 1, 14.] [Burnouf 158, Nalopākhyāna 3. 182, Nalopākhyāna 434.] [Lot. de Lassen’s Anthologie b. l. 1.] [Hiouen-Thsang 1, 345. 2, 7. 32.] [Lebensbeschreibung Śākyamuni’s 273 (43). 304 (74).] [WASSILJEW 37. 38. 157.]
Mahākāśyapa (महाकाश्यप):—m. Nomen proprium eines Schülers Śākyamuni's.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Kashyapa, Maha.
Full-text (+624): Da jia ye, Kashyapa, Mo he jia ye, First Buddhist Council, Da yin guang, Na de jia ye bo, Jia ye, Si da di zi, Bi bo luo, Jia ye bo, Mahakassapapaccuggamana, Mo he jia ye bo, Jin se zun zhe, Bibo, Jin se tou tuo, Jin se jia ye, Da jia ye ben jing, San cang jiao, Candupamappatipadaditthera, Jia ye zun zhe.
Relevant text
Search found 42 books and stories containing Mahakashyapa, Maha-kashyapa, Mahā-kāśyapa, Maha-kasyapa, Mahakasyapa, Mahākāśyapa; (plurals include: Mahakashyapas, kashyapas, kāśyapas, kasyapas, Mahakasyapas, Mahākāśyapas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Taisho: Chinese Buddhist Canon
Chapter 134: Bhadra Kapiliya's Past Life with Mahakashyapa < [Part 190 - The Abhinishkramana-sutra]
Sutta 6: Mahakashyapa's Austerity < [Part 125 - Ekottara-Agama (Numbered Discourses)]
Sutta 4: On Taming the Elephant and the Brahmin Couple < [Part 125 - Ekottara-Agama (Numbered Discourses)]
The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King (A Life of Buddha) (by Samuel Beal)
Varga 17. The Great Disciple Becomes A Hermit < [Kiouen IV]
Lives of Buddha (5): Cung-pen-k’i-king < [Introduction]
Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Chapter VII - The ordination of Mahā-Kāśyapa < [Volume III]
Chapter XIII - The sixth Bhūmi < [Volume I]
Chapter VIII - The first Bhūmi < [Volume I]
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (by Robert A. F. Thurman)
Chapter 6 - The Inconceivable Liberation
Chapter 3 - The Disciples' Reluctance to Visit Vimalakirti
Shurangama Sutra (with commentary) (English) (by Hsuan Hua)
Kashyapa: the object of dharmas < [Chapter 2 - Twenty-five Means to Enlightenment]
When the defiling objects disappear, the organ is gone < [Chapter 4 - The Two Decisive Doctrines]
Manjushri examines the six defiling objects < [Chapter 3 - Manjushri Selects the Organ of Entry]
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Chapter 5 - The division into eighteen schools (of the Doctrine of the Buddha) < [Book 1 - The beginning of the story of the Doctrine]
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