Mendaka, Meṇḍaka: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Mendaka means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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 Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesA very rich householder of Bhaddiyanagara in Anga. He was the father of Dhananjaya and, therefore, the grandfather of Visakha. He was one of the five Treasurers of Bimbisara. When the Buddha visited Bhaddiya, Mendaka, with the help of Visakha, entertained him and the monks, and, after listening to the Buddha, he became a Sotapanna. DhA.i.384ff.; he had been earlier a follower of the heretics. The heretics tried in vain to stop him from visiting the Buddha; AA.i.219f.
It is said (Vin.i.240f.; also PSA.509; DhA.iii.372f.; Vsm.383; the accounts differ slightly ) that when he went to his granaries after his ceremonial bath, as he stood at the door, showers of grain would fall from heaven and fill the stores. His wife, Candapaduma, would cook one measure of rice and one curry and serve the food, ladle in hand. As long as there were people coming to receive the food, so long would the food cooked be un exhausted. Mendakas son, Dhananjaya, would put one thousand pieces into a purse and give money from this purse to all who needed it, and at the end of the day the purse would remain full. His daughter in law, Sumanadevi, would sit by a basket containing four donas of seed paddy and distribute from this supply among the servants, enough to last for six months, but the supply of paddy would remain unexhausted. Mendakas slave, Punnaka, ploughed his fields with a golden plough. With every furrow so ploughed, six other furrows would appear, three on either side, each one ammana wide. These five people came to be known as the five very lucky ones (Pancamahapunna). When Bimbisara heard of this, he sent his minister to Bhaddiya with a fourfold army and discovered that it was true.
When the Buddha left Bhaddiya for Anguttarapa, Mendaka gave orders to his servants and followed the Buddha with abundant provisions of all sorts, entertaining the Buddha and his monks with luxurious food and fresh milk. At the end of the meal, Mendaka provided the monks with ghee and butter for their journey. At first the monks were unwilling to accept the gifts, but the Buddha, at Mendakas request, allowed them to do so (Viii.i.243ff).
Mendaka was so called (Ram) because, behind his house, in a yard eight karisas in extent, some golden rams pranced up and down, as big as elephants, horses or bulls, hoofing the earth, smiting each other back to back. Whenever Mendaka needed food or garments or money, he would place balls of colored thread in the mouths of the rams, and when he pulled these out, there would follow them all that he needed (PSA.504; BuA.24).
All this was because of good deeds done in the past by Mendaka. In the time of Vipassi Buddha, he was a householder named Avaroja. He had an uncle of the same name, and when the latter proposed building a Gandhakuti for the Buddha, his nephew wished to help with it.
Source: Buddhist Information: A Discourse on PaticcasamuppadaMendaka was a rich merchant in a previous life. In the face of a famine, his stock of provisions gradually ran out and at last he had to send away his attendants and was left with his wife, a son, his daughter in law and a slave. His wife had cooked rice that was barely enough for their consumption, and they were about to eat it when a paccekabuddha appeared to receive food.
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 SastraMeṇḍaka (मेण्डक) is the name of a Vaiśya according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVI).—Accordingly, “the vaiśya Meṇḍaka who wanted to get innumerable precious substances (ratnadravya) obtained everything at will”. Meṇḍaka was a rich householder, native of the city of Bhadaṃkara (Pāli, Bhaddiyanagara) in Bengal. When the Buddha visited the city, Meṇḍaka gave him and the saṅgha shelter and, having heard his sermons, he obtained the fruit of srotaāpanna. The story of this conversion is told in detail in the Vinayas (e.g., Pāli Vinaya; Divyāvadāna).
As a result of the merits of their previous lives, Meṇḍaka, his wife Candapadumā, his son Dhanañjaya, his grand-daughter Sumandevī and his slave Puṇṇaka possessed great miraculous powers.
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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarymeṇḍaka : (m.) a ram; sheep.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryMeṇḍaka, (adj.) (fr. meṇḍa) 1. made of ram(s) horn, said of a (very strong) bow J. II, 88 (°dhanu); V, 128 (°singadhanu).—2. belonging to a ram, in meṇḍaka-pañha “question about the ram” Miln. 90 alluding to the story of a ram in the Ummagga-jātaka (J. VI, 353—55), which is told in form of a question, so difficult & puzzling that nobody “from hell to heaven” (J. VI, 354) can answer it except the Bodhisatta. Cp. Trenckner’s remark Miln. 422. (Page 540)
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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymēṇḍakā (मेंडका).—m mēṇḍakī f The muscles of the arm or leg as rendered full and prominent by the exercises of the gymnasium. v jama, nigha, phuga. 2 The rising observable in the muscles of the arm or leg on a blow or pinch. v yē, uṭha, nigha, kāḍha. 3 Cramp. v caḍha, utara, bāndha, ōḍha.
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mēṇḍakā (मेंडका) [or क्या, kyā].—a (Preferably mēṇḍhakā or kyā) A shepherd.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishmēṇḍakā (मेंडका).—m mēṇḍakī f The prominent muscles of the arm or leg.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Mendaka Jataka, Mendakapanha.
Ends with: Suvannamendaka.
Full-text: Metaka, Suvannamendaka, Mendhaka, Jatiyavana, Amitabhoga, Candapaduma, Mahapunna, Uggaha Mendakanatta, Vipassi, Avaroja, Yana, Kakavaliya, Aparajita, Dhananjaya, Gahapati, Bhaddiya, Jotiya, Jatila.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Mendaka, Meṇḍaka, Mēṇḍakā, Meṇḍakā; (plurals include: Mendakas, Meṇḍakas, Mēṇḍakās, Meṇḍakās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vinaya Pitaka (3): Khandhaka (by I. B. Horner)
Allowance for five dairy products, etc. < [6. Medicine (Bhesajja)]
The story of the householder Meṇḍaka < [6. Medicine (Bhesajja)]
On the four great references < [6. Medicine (Bhesajja)]
Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh (early history) (by Prakash Narayan)
Small Traders < [Chapter 2 - Economic and Urban Processes]
Hanging Nations of Gohapati < [Chapter 2 - Economic and Urban Processes]
Gahapatis and Paribbajakas < [Chapter 4 - Social Process, Structures and Reformations]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 1 - The story of the vaiśya Meṇḍaka < [Chapter XXVI - Exertion]
Part 1 - Exertion (vīrya), fourth virtue < [Chapter XXVI - Exertion]
Introduction to second volume < [Introductions]
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 252 - The Story of Meṇḍaka the Rich Man < [Chapter 18 - Mala Vagga (Impurities)]
Verse 53 - The Story of Visākhā < [Chapter 4 - Puppha Vagga (Flowers)]
Verse 135 - The Story of Some Ladies Observing the Moral Precepts < [Chapter 10 - Daṇḍa Vagga (Punishment)]
The Jataka tales [English], Volume 1-6 (by Robert Chalmers)
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Biography (2): Visākhā, Donor of Pubbārāma Monastery < [Chapter 45b - Life Stories of Female Lay Disciples]
Part 7 - Stories connected with the Second, Third and Fourth Vassa < [Chapter 20 - The Six Princes achieved different Attainments]
Biography (2): Meṇḍaka, the Householder < [Chapter 45c - Life Stories of Rich Men with Inexhaustible Resources]