In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Nāgāvalokita (नागावलोकित) refers to the “gaze of the elephant”, according to the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 51.—Accordingly, “when one swivels one’s body and, in order to look, turns one’s whole body, this is “the gaze like that of the elephant” (nāgāvalokita). This is a mark of the Great Man (mahāpruṣalakṣaṇa). The body (kāya) and the mind (citta) are especially united; this is why, when one has something to look at, body and mind turn together. Thus when a lion has seized its prey, it is not because the latter is small that the lion is going to cool its ardor. It is the same for the Buddha. When he has something to look at or something to say, his body and his mind function together and never are separate. Why? Because for incalculable periods (asaṃkhyeyakalpa), he has cultivated the faculty of attentiveness (ekacitta) and as a result of this action, the bone of his skull (mūrdhāsti) is but one with the body: there is no separation between them”.

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Nāgāvalokita (नागावलोकित) refers to the “Nāga-look”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly [after the four great kings requested the Bhagavān], “Then the Bhagavān, having taken a look with a Nāga-look (nāgāvalokita) and a look of all Tathāgatas, addressed the whole Nāga assembly-gathering, ‘Let the Serpent chiefs listen to these dhāraṇī-mantrapadas’”.

context information

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: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Nāgāvalokita (नागावलोकित):—[from nāga] n. elephant look (turning the whole body, as a mark of Buddha), [Divyāvadāna]

context information

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: Naga, Avalokita.

Full-text: Avalokita.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Nagavalokita, Nāgāvalokita, Naga-avalokita, Nāga-avalokita; (plurals include: Nagavalokitas, Nāgāvalokitas, avalokitas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)

I. Gaze like that of the elephant (nāgāvalokita) < [Part 10 - Looking in the manner of the elephant, etc.]

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