Mithyatva, Mithyātva: 16 definitions
Introduction:
Mithyatva means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Hindi. 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 Hinduism
General definition (in Hinduism)
Mithyātva: Sanskrit for 'illusory character'. A term used in Advaita Vedānta.
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व, “falsity”).—Two among the five definitions of falsity (mithyātva) presented by Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (MS) in his magnum opus, the Advaitasiddhi:
1) The second definition (dvitīya-mithyātva) of falsity examined is Prakāśātman’s: “falsity is the property of being the counter-positive of the absolute absence of an entity in the [same] locus in which it is perceived.”
2) The fourth definition (caturtha-mithyātva) investigated was first given by Citsukha (Citsukhācārya, XIII century): “falsity is the property of being the counter-positive of the absolute absence residing in its own locus.”
In Jainism
Jain philosophy
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व) refers to the opposite of ‘samyaktva’—“a correct belief or faith”, as occurring in the Anekāntajayapatākā-prakaraṇa, a Śvetāmbara Jain philosophical work written by Haribhadra Sūri.—[Cf. Vol. I, P. 398, l. 10]
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General definition (in Jainism)
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व, “wrong faith”) refers to “the urges that lead to deluded” and is one of the twenty-four activities (kriyā) of sāmparāyika (transmigression-extending influx). Sāmparāyika is one two types of āsrava (influx) which represents the flow of karma particles towards the soul, which is due to the three activities: manoyoga ( activities of mind), kāyayoga ( activities of body) and vacanayoga (activities of speech).
Kriyā (‘activities’, such as mithyātva) is a Sanskrit technical term defined in the Tattvārthasūtra (ancient authorative Jain scripture) from the 2nd century, which contains aphorisms dealing with philosophy and the nature of reality.1) Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व) refers to the direct opposite of samyaktva, and is defined by Hemacandra (Yogaśāstra verse 2.17) as belief in false divinities, false gurus, and false scriptures.
For the Śvetāmbaras mithyātva may be of five types (see the Nava-pada-prakaraṇa by Devagupta with Laghu-vṛtti):
- ābhigrahika,
- anābhigrahika,
- ābhiniveśika,
- sāṃśayika,
- anābhogika.
The Digambaras prefer a division into three types (see Sāgāra-dharmāmṛta by Āśādhara):
- agṛhīta,
- gṛhīta,
- sāṃśayika.
Or else a sevenfold category (see the Śrāvakācāra by Amitagati):
- ekāntika,
- sāṃśayika,
- vainayika,
- gṛhīta,
- viparīta,
- naisargika,
- mūḍha-dṛṣṭi.
2) Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व, “false belief”) refers to a subclass of the interal (abhyantara) division of parigraha (attachment) and is related to the Aparigraha-vrata (vow of non-attachment). Amṛtacandra (in his Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya 116), Somadeva, and Āśādhara among the Digambaras and Siddhasena Gaṇin (in his commentary on the Tattvārtha-sūtra 7.24) among the Śvetāmbaras mention fourteen varieties of abhyantara-parigraha (for example, mithyātva).
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व) refers to one of the Fourteen Guṇasthānas (“steps on the road to emancipation”) according to Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”).—Mithyātva is divided into vyakta and avyakta. In the avyakta-stage, a jīva has complete delusion and can make no distinction at all between dharma and non-dharma, between a god and non-god, and between a guru and non-guru. In the vyakta-stage, he knows there is a difference, but mistakes a non-Deva for a Deva, etc. It is only vyaktamithyātva that constitutes a guṇasthāna.
Mithyātva is also divided according to duration:
- anādyanta, without beginning and without end.
- anādisānta, without beginning and with end.
- sādisānta, with beginning and with end.
Mithyātva includes all 14 classes of jīvas. For a jīva that has not yet attained saṃyaktva, no fixed duration of this guṇasthāna can be given. For one who has fallen from samyaktva, the minimum is an antarmuhūrta, and the maximum less than a half of pudgalaparāvarta.—(Lp. 3.1209. Pudgalaparāvarta is the time that a Jīva must remain in material existence.)
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व).—One of the activities (kriyā) of transmigression-extending influx (sāmparāyika).—Activities like worshipping the false omniscient, scriptures and teachers which weaken the right faith are called mithyātva-kriyā.
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व) refers to “wrong belief” and is classified as one of the three types of Darśanamohanīya (“faith deluding”) karmas according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra chapter 8. This Darśanamohanīya represents one of the two main divisions of the Mohanīya (“deluding”) karmas, which is one of the eight types of Prakṛti-bandha (species bondage), which in turn is one of the four kinds of bondage (bandha). What is meant by wrong belief karmas (mithyātva)? The karma which rise of which turns a living being believer of reality and its nature as described by the omniscient are called wrong belief karma.
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व) refers to the “wrong faith”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Sentient beings, inflamed by very intense pleasure [and] unsteady from affliction by wrong faith (mithyātva—mithyātvātaṅkaśaṅkitāḥ), wander about in a five-fold life that is difficult to be traversed. It has been stated at length that the cycle of rebirth which is full of suffering is five-fold on account of combining substance, place, right time, life and intention”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व).—
1) Falsity, unreality.
2) Illusion, error.
3) Inversion.
4) Perversion.
Derivable forms: mithyātvam (मिथ्यात्वम्).
Mithyatva (मिथ्यत्व).—= (Sanskrit) mithyātva, see °tva-niyata and s.v. rāśi.
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Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व).—(°-) (also written mithyatva-)-niyata, adj. (= Pali micchatta-niyata), fixed in falsehood, epithet of one of the three rāśi of creatures; q.v. for references.
1) Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—[=mithyā-tva] [from mithyā > mith] n. falsity, unreality, [Kapila [Scholiast or Commentator]]
2) [v.s. ...] (with Jainas) perversion (as one of the 18 faults) or illusion (as the lowest of the 14 steps which lead to final emancipation), [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha]
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—(von mithyā) n.
1) das Falschsein, Unrealität [Nīlakaṇṭha 171.] [Scholiast] zu [Kapila 1, 41.] jaganmithyātva [Weber’s Verzeichniss 187, 13.] [Vyutpatti oder Mahāvyutpatti 55. 158.] —
2) Verblendung, die niedrigste von den 14 Stufen, die nach dem Glauben der Jaina zur Erlösung führen, [Oxforder Handschriften 397,a,9.] [Śatruṃjayamāhātmya 14,341.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 73.]
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Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—
1) [SARVADARŚANAS. 52, 9. fg. 70, 9. fgg. 71, 6.] Bei den Jaina Verkehrtheit, als einer der 18 Fehler eines Systems [43, 11.]
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Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—
1) [Hemacandra] [Yogaśāstra 4, 77.] [Spr. (II) 4868.]
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—n. —
1) das Falschsein , Unrealität. —
2) bei den Jaina — a) Verkehrtheit , als einer der 18 Fehler eines Systems. — b) Verblendung , als die niedrigste Stufe auf dem Wege zur Erlösung.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Mithyātva (मिथ्यात्व):—(nm) falsehood, untruthfulness.
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Kannada-English dictionary
Mithyātva (ಮಿಥ್ಯಾತ್ವ):—
1) [noun] = ಮಿಥ್ಯೆ - [mithye -] 1 & 2.
2) [noun] (jain.) lack of faith or trust in the teachings of Jainism; perversion or illusion.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Tva, Mithya.
Starts with (+0): Mithyatvabhava, Mithyatvabhaya, Mithyatvagara, Mithyatvanirukti, Mithyatvanirvacana, Mithyatvaniyata, Mithyatvaniyatasamtana, Mithyatvanumanakhandana, Mithyatvanumanakhandanatippani, Mithyatvatanka, Mithyatvavadarahasya, Mithyatvavisha.
Full-text (+49): Mithyatvanirukti, Mithyatvanirvacana, Mithyatvaniyata, Mithyatvin, Samyaktvamithyatvasarvasamgrasana, Mithyatvaniyatasamtana, Rashi, Mithyatvavadarahasya, Mithyatvavisha, Mithyatvabhava, Garishthamithyatva, Samyaktvamithyatva, Mithyatvanumanakhandana, Prapancamithyatva, Gurumithyatva, Miccattam, Mithyatvatanka, Sarvatha, Mithyatvabhaya, Mithyatvagara.
Relevant text
Search found 38 books and stories containing Mithyatva, Mithya-tva, Mithyā-tva, Mithyātva; (plurals include: Mithyatvas, tvas, Mithyātvas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 4 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 1 - Vyāsa-tīrtha, Madhusūdana and Rāmācārya on the Falsity of the World < [Chapter XXIX-XXX - Controversy Between the Dualists and the Monists]
Part 2 - Madhva’s interpretation of Brahma-sūtra I. 1. 1 < [Chapter XXVI - Madhva’s Interpretation of the Brahma-sūtras]
Part 2 - Status of the World < [Chapter XXXIII - The Philosophy of Jiva Gosvāmī and Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇā]
Tattvartha Sutra (with commentary) (by Vijay K. Jain)
Verse 8.9 - The subdivisions of deluding karma (mohanīya) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]
Verse 6.5 - Subdivisions of influx of ‘sāmparāyika’ karmas < [Chapter 6 - Influx of Karmas]
Verse 2.10 - Two classifications of souls < [Chapter 2 - Category of the Living]
Preceptors of Advaita (by T. M. P. Mahadevan)
Srikara Bhashya (commentary) (by C. Hayavadana Rao)
Part 31 - Jagad Vyavaharika Khandanam
Part 28 - The Attributes of Brahman
Gommatsara by Acharya Nemichandra (by Bai Bahadur J. L. Jaini)
Chapter 1 - The spiritual stages (Gunasthana) < [Volume 1 - Jiva-kanda (the soul)]
Chapter 1 - Description of the Prakriti or Nature of Karmas < [Volume 2 - Karma-kanda, part 1]
The 14 Stages, and 148 Karmas < [Introduction (volume 2)]
Yuktimallika by Vadiraja (critical study) (by Gururaj K. Nippani)
15. Ten arguments against Aropa < [Critical exposition (4) Visvasaurabha]
1. Introduction to the Gunasaurabha < [Critical exposition (1) Gunasaurabha]
14. Drsyatva and other Hetus do not prove Mithyatva but Satyatva < [Critical exposition (4) Visvasaurabha]