Mahapanthaka, Mahāpanthaka: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Mahapanthaka 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 Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesThe elder brother of Culapanthaka (q.v.) and grandson of Dhanasetthi of Rajagaha. He went with his grandfather to hear the Buddha preach, won faith, and entered the Order. He became skilled in the Doctrine, and, in due course, received higher ordination and became an arahant, with special proficiency in the four arupajhanas. Later, he was declared pre eminent among those skilled in the evolution of consciousness (sannavivattakusalanam) (A.i.24).
His resolve to win such eminence was made in the time of Padumuttara Buddha when he heard a monk similarly honoured by the Buddha. ThagA.i.490f.; AA.i.118f; details about Mahapanthaka are given see Culapanthaka. They are to be found in J.i.114ff.; DhA.i.241ff.
A set of verses uttered by him in the joy of attainment is included in the Theragatha. Thag.vss.510 17.
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 SastraMahāpanthaka (महापन्थक) is the name of a Buddhist mentioned in the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 39. Mahāpanthaka and Cūḍapanthaka were born from the union of a wealthy young girl in Rājagṛha and a slave. They were born at the side of a great highway which is why they were named Great Path and Lesser Path respectively. Raised by their grandparents, they embraced the Buddhist faith. Mahāpanthaka was the first to become a monastic and, shortly thereafter, welcomed his brother into the Order. Entrusted with his religious instruction, he gave him a very simple stanza to learn by heart: “pāpaṃ na kuryān manasā na vācā, etc.”, but Cūḍapanthaka was so dim-witted (duṣprajñā) that at the end of three months, he had not yet succeeded in memorizing it.

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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryMahāpanthaka (महापन्थक).—(= Pali id.), name of one of Buddha's disciples: Mahāvyutpatti 1055; story of him and his brother Pan- thaka or Cūḍa-p° told at length in Divyāvadāna 485.3 ff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāpanthaka (महापन्थक):—[=mahā-panthaka] [from mahā > mah] m. Name of a disciple of Buddha, [Buddhist literature]
[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.
Pali-English dictionary
Source: Sutta: Pali Word Grammar from Pali Myanmar Dictionarymahāpanthaka (မဟာပန္ထက) [(pu) (ပု)]—
[mahanta+pantaka]
[မဟန္တ+ပန္တက]

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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Panthaka, Maha, Mahanta.
Starts with: Mahapanthakadaraka, Mahapanthakamatu, Mahapanthakatthera, Mahapanthakavatthu.
Full-text: Panthaka, Cudapanthaka, Pantha, Culapanthaka.
Relevant text
Search found 6 books and stories containing Mahapanthaka, Maha-panthaka, Mahā-panthaka, Mahanta-pantaka, Mahāpanthaka; (plurals include: Mahapanthakas, panthakas, pantakas, Mahāpanthakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 407 - The Story of Venerable Mahā Panthaka < [Chapter 26 - Brāhmaṇa Vagga (The Brāhmaṇa)]
Verse 25 - The Story of Cūlapanthaka < [Chapter 2 - Appamāda Vagga (Heedfulness)]
Maha Buddhavamsa—The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Biography (11-12): Two Panthaka Mahātheras < [Chapter 43 - Forty-one Arahat-Mahatheras and their Respective Etadagga titles]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 4 - The story of Cūḍapanthaka < [Chapter XXXIX - The Ten Powers of the Buddha according to the Abhidharma]
Apadana commentary (Atthakatha) (by U Lu Pe Win)
Commentary on Biography of the thera Cūḷapantha < [Chapter 2 - Sīhāsaniyavagga (lion-throne section)]
Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
Visuddhimagga (the pah of purification) (by Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu)
(1) The Kinds of Supernormal Power < [Chapter XII - The Supernormal Powers (iddhividha-niddesa)]