Moriya, Moriyā: 4 definitions

Introduction:

Moriya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit. 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 Names

A khattiya clan of India. Among those claiming a share of the Buddhas relics were the Moriyas of Pipphalivana. They came rather late and had to be satisfied with a share of the ashes (D.ii.166; Bu.xxviii.4).

Candagutta, grandfather of Asoka, was also a Moriyan (Mhv.v.16; Dpv.vi.19).

The Mahavamsa Tika (MT. 180) contains an account of the origin of the name. According to one theory they were so called because they rejoiced in the prosperity of their city (attanam nagarasiriya modapiti, ettha sanjata ti, dakarassa rakaram katva Moriya ti laddhavohara). They lived in a delightful land. Another theory connects the name with mora (peacock). The city which they founded had buildings of blue stone, like the neck of the peacock, and the place always resounded with the cries of peacocks. It is said that the Moriyans were originally Sakyan princes of Kapilavatthu, who escaped to the Himalaya regions to save themselves from the attacks of Vidudabha, and established a city there. Thus Asoka was a kinsman of the Buddha, for Candagutta was the son of the chief queen of the Moriyan king. The king was killed by a neighbouring ruler and the city pillaged. MT.183; but according to the Mudraraksasa (Act iii.) Candragupta, was a Vrsala, a person of low birth, an illegitimate son of the last Nanda, king by a Sudra woman, Mura.

Asokas mother, Dhamma, was also a Moriyan princess (MT.189). Mention is also made of the Moriyans as a Singhalese clan (Cv.xxxviii.13; xli.69; see also Cv.Trs.i.29, n. 2). Whether these had any connection with the Moriyans of India is not known.

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. A very pious brahmin of Macala. He and his wife Sena gave alms till all their wealth was exhausted, but a deity gave him wealth again. Ras.i.86f.

context information

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).

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Languages of India and abroad

Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

Moriya (मोरिय) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Maurya.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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Pali-English dictionary

[Pali to Burmese]

Source: Sutta: Tipiṭaka Pāḷi-Myanmar Dictionary (တိပိဋက-ပါဠိမြန်မာ အဘိဓာန်)

moriya—

(Burmese text): မောရိယမင်း။

(Auto-Translation): Moriya King.

Pali book cover
context information

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.

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