Mahasukha, Mahāsukha, Maha-sukha: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Mahasukha 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.
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Mahāsukha (महासुख) refers to “great happiness”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.18 (“Description of the perturbation caused by Kāma”).—Accordingly, as Śiva described Pārvatī: “[...] Whatever is graceful and sweet in the creation has been incorporated here. Indeed, all her limbs are exquisite in every respect. How blessed is this Pārvatī of mysteriously wonderful features. There is no other woman equal to her in beauty in the three worlds. She is a storehouse of the finest beauty. She has wondrous beautiful limbs. She is an enchantress of even sages. She increases great happiness [i.e., mahāsukha-vivardhinī]”.
Mahāsukha (महासुख).—A Vānara chief.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 233.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Mahāsukha (महासुख) refers to one of the Saptāṅga (“seven aṅgas of mahāmudrā”), according to Vāgīśvavarakīrti’s Saptāṅga and Tattvaratnāvaloka (and its auto-commentary).—(Cf. the seven yogas mentioned by Buddhajñānapāda in the Muktitilaka).—The same seven factors are addressed in Vāgīśvavarakīrti’s later Saptāṅga and his Tattvaratnāvaloka and its auto-commentary, where they are called the seven aṅgas of mahāmudrā, with reference to which see Isaacson (2010b, 271, 271n27) and, with a bit more detail, Isaacson and Sferra (2014, 271), where they are mentioned with reference to a citation from the Saptāṅga in Rāmapāla’s Sekanirdeśapañjikā.
Mahāsukha (महासुख) refers to “great bliss”, according to the Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—[For Cakrasaṃvara]—The kapāla, "skull bowl", symbolizes śūnyatā, and is filled with blood symbolizing the nectar (amṛita) of great bliss (mahāsukha).—[For Vajravārāhī and Vajrayoginī]—Holding the kapāla, "skull bowl", while also embracing her hero, symbolizes conferring mahāsukha, "great bliss".
Mahāsukha (महासुख) refers to “great pleasure”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly: “[...] [By means of things of the nature of] the great pleasure (mahāsukha) and so on, divine, and described in detail (or disapproved) by all Buddhas, oblation of the nature of the triple world is [to be made], by means of all things [as much as] possible. Gaurī and the other [goddesses] reside in the six realms [of reincarnation] and are goddesses of the Form, Formless, and the other (viz., Desire) [Realms]. [These goddesses] make offerings to the whole circle naturally [inclusive] of all things. [...]”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahāsukha (महासुख).—
1) great pleasure.
2) copulation.
-khaḥ a Buddha.
Derivable forms: mahāsukham (महासुखम्).
Mahāsukha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and sukha (सुख).
Mahāsukha (महासुख).—m.
(-khaḥ) A Baudd'ha or Jaina saint. n.
(-khaṃ) Copulation. E. mahā great, and sukha happiness, pleasure.
1) Mahāsukha (महासुख):—[=mahā-sukha] [from mahā > mah] m. ‘having gr° joy’, a Buddha, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] n. ‘gr° pleasure’, copulation, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Mahāsukha (महासुख):—[mahā-sukha] (khaḥ) 1. m. A Buddha or Jaina sage. n. Copulation.
Mahāsukha (महासुख):—[(ma + sukha)]
1) m. ein Buddha [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 1, 1, 8.] —
2) n. grosser Genuss, euphem. so v. a. Beischlaf [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 2, 7, 32.]
Mahāsukha (महासुख):——
1) m. ein Buddha. —
2) n. Beischlaf.
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
mahāsukha (မဟာသုခ) [(na) (န)]—
[mahanta+sukha]
[မဟန္တ+သုခ]
[Pali to Burmese]
mahāsukha—
(Burmese text): ကြီးကျယ်သောချမ်းသာ။
(Auto-Translation): Great wealth.
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: Sukha, Maha, Mahanta.
Starts with: Mahasukhacakra, Mahasukhalina, Mahasukhasamappita, Mahasukhavivardhin, Mahasukhavivardhini, Mahasukhavriddhi.
Full-text (+6): Mahasukhasamappita, Mahasukhavriddhi, Mahasukhacakra, Mahasukhalina, Dale, Mahasukhavivardhini, Mahasukhavivardhin, Makacukam, Vajrayana, Ananda, Lina, Vajramritamahatantra, Kapala, Padapa, Saptanga, Da le jin gang bu kong zhen shi san mo ye, Guhyasamaja, Da an le bu kong jin gang zhen shi pu sa, Vajramritatantra, Shi xiang ban ruo bo luo mi jing.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Mahasukha, Mahāsukha, Maha-sukha, Mahā-sukha, Mahanta-sukha; (plurals include: Mahasukhas, Mahāsukhas, sukhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Hevajra Tantra (analytical study) (by Seung Ho Nam)
6. The Tenets of Vajrayana in Hevajra Tantra < [Chapter 1 - Tantric Buddhism]
1.5. The Four Energy Centres (cakra) < [Chapter 4 - Tantric Cult in Hevajra Tantra]
3. history of Yogaratnamala < [Chapter 2 - Place of Hevajra Tantra in Tantric Literature]
Mahayana Dharani and Theravada Paritta (study) (by Biswajit Sankar Bhattacharyya)
Part 6 - Introduction to Sahaja-yāna Buddhism < [Chapter 5 - Buddhism among the common mass]
Part 14 - The Hevajra-tantra (Introduction) < [Chapter 2 - A survey of the Mahāyāna Dhāraṇī Literature]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.2.154 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna (knowledge)]
Verse 2.2.213 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna (knowledge)]
Verse 1.7.104-106 < [Chapter 7 - Pūrṇa (pinnacle of excellent devotees)]
Advayavajra-samgraha (Sanskrit text and English introduction) (by Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri)
Chapter 15 - Tattva-vimshika < [Sanskrit texts of the Advayavajra-samgraha]
Part 6 - Mahasukha < [Introduction]
Chapter 14 - Mahasukha-prakasha < [Sanskrit texts of the Advayavajra-samgraha]
Lord Hayagriva in Sanskrit Literature (by Anindita Adhikari)
Worship (with and without form of image) < [Chapter 6]
The Great Chariot (by Longchenpa)
Part 3 - The final summary < [H. The explanation of the primordial liberation of appearance and mind]
Part 3 - Passing the pass into freedom from viewed and viewer < [F. Passing the pass]
Part 5 - How these are classified as the external secret mantra < [A. Resolving the view]