Mahapurushalakshana, Mahapurusha-lakshana, Mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Mahapurushalakshana 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 Mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa can be transliterated into English as Mahapurusalaksana or Mahapurushalakshana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraMahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa (महापुरुषलक्षण) refers to the “marks of a great man” according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter VII).—“The experts said: “The crown prince (kumāra) really does have the thirty-two marks of a great man; if he stays at home, he will be a cakravartin king; if he leaves home, he will be a Buddha’. The experts in marks added: “In earth and heaven, the youg prince (kumāra) possesses the thirty-two marks of the great man (mahāpuruṣa-lakṣaṇa) which all Bodhisattvas possess””.
The marks of the Bodhisattva prevail over those of the cakravartin king in seven ways: they are i) very pure, ii) very distinct, iii) ineffaceable, iv) perfect, v) deeply marked, vi) conforming with the practice of wisdom and not conforming to the world; vii) lasting. The marks of a cakravartin king do not have these qualities.
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāMahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa (महापुरुषलक्षण) refers to the “characteristic of a great man”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] Since this Bodhisattva Gaganagañja paid homage and respect to the Awakened Lords as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā, Śāriputra, his thought of awakening was purified; [...] then by purifying his thoughts as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā, one characteristic of a great man (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa) was purified, … by purifying all the thirty-two marks of a great man, his roots of good was purified; by purifying his roots of good as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā, this Bodhisattva Gaganagañja was purified in order to purify this treasury of open space. [...]”.
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: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumMahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa (महापुरुषलक्षण) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—from the Bhāgavatapurāṇa. Fl. 430.
—by Śaṅkarācārya. Gov. Or. Libr. Madras 66.
Mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa (महापुरुषलक्षण):—[=mahā-puruṣa-lakṣaṇa] [from mahā-puruṣa > mahā > mah] n. Name of [work]
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: Lakshana, Mahapurusha.
Full-text: Vaipakya, Mahapurusha, Mahasattva, Kalya, Bhagavatapurana.
Relevant text
Search found 8 books and stories containing Mahapurushalakshana, Mahapurusha-lakshana, Mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa, Mahapurusalaksana, Mahapurusa-laksana, Mahāpuruṣa-lakṣaṇa; (plurals include: Mahapurushalakshanas, lakshanas, Mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇas, Mahapurusalaksanas, laksanas, lakṣaṇas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
Buddhapāda worship < [Chapter 3 - Amarāvatī and the Formative Stage of the Buddhist Art]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Buddhist China and South India < [October – December, 1988]
The Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa < [January – March, 1978]
Settlement in Early Historic Ganga Plain (by Chirantani Das)
Part 7 - The Buddha’s life and legend represented in Sārnāth art < [Chapter VII - Sārnāth: The Satellite Religious Centre]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
6. Birth and the thirty-two marks (lakṣaṇa) < [Part 4 - The Bodhisattva in the Abhidharma system]
Appendix 10 - The vows and actions of bhikṣu Nanda in previous lives < [Chapter VIII - The Bodhisattvas]
Natyashastra (English) (by Bharata-muni)