Nandika, Nāndīka, Namdika: 13 definitions

Introduction:

Nandika means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Nandika (नन्दिक) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.61.55) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Nandika) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Purana book cover
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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.

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In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A Damila chieftain of Nandigama. Mhv.xxv.14.

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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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Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Nandika (नन्दिक) is the name of an Upāsaka (lay follower of the Buddha) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXII). Accordingly, “now, as the Buddha said to the Upāsaka Nam t’i kia (Nandika), the killing of living beings has ten punishments”.

Note: The upāsaka Nandika (in Pāli Nandiya) belonged to the family of the Śākyas; he had at least two conversations with the Buddha; one, on the various kinds of disciples, took place in Kapilavastu in the Nyagrodhārāma; the other, on the eleven conditions needed to destroy evil, took place at Śrāvastī, during the rainy season.

Mahayana book cover
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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.

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Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Nandika (नन्दिक) is the name of a Śrāvaka mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Nandika).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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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.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions (jainism)

Nandika (नन्दिक) is a Prakrit technical term referring to a specific ending for friendly names, representing a rule when deriving personal names as mentioned in the Aṅgavijjā chapter 26. This chapter includes general rules to follow when deriving proper names. The Aṅgavijjā (mentioning nandika) is an ancient treatise from the 3rd century CE dealing with physiognomic readings, bodily gestures and predictions and was written by a Jain ascetic in 9000 Prakrit stanzas.

General definition book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Nandika (नन्दिक).—1 Joy, pleasure.

2) A small water-jar.

3) An attendant of Śiva.

-kā 1 A small water-jar.

2) = नन्दा (nandā) (

5) ) above.

3) Name of Indra's pleasure-ground

Derivable forms: nandikaḥ (नन्दिकः).

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Nāndīka (नान्दीक).—

1) A post in a door-way set up for good luck.

2) = नान्दीश्राद्ध (nāndīśrāddha) see above.

Derivable forms: nāndīkaḥ (नान्दीकः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Nandika (नन्दिक).—(1) (probably = Pali Nandiya, particularly 1 of Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names)) name of a disciple of Śākyamuni (or of more than one?): Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.187.5 ff.; in lists of mahāśrāvakas Gaṇḍavyūha 17.23; Sukhāvatīvyūha 2.8; of śrāvakas Mahāvyutpatti 1043 (on Tibetan see s.v. Nandaka); of bhikṣus Lalitavistara 1.16 (Tibetan here dgaḥ byed, which in Mahāvyutpatti 1042 = Nandaka); probably a different person is Nandika (v.l. °aka) the son of Śukrodana and brother of Nandana (1), mentioned as having retired from worldly life Mahāvastu iii.177.1; (2) name of a village chief at Uruvilvā, father of Sujātā, q.v.: Lalitavistara 267.13, 18; (3) name of a yakṣa (? or, according to some versions, name of a locality): Mahā-Māyūrī 44. (3 Nandaka in Malalasekara (Dictionary of Pali Proper Names) is name of a yakkha.)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Nandika (नन्दिक).—m.

(-kaḥ) Tun, a tree, the wood of which resembles mahogny, and is used for furniture, &c. (Cedrela tunna.) f.

(-kā) 1. Indra'S garden or pleasure ground. 2. An earthen water pot. 3. The first, sixth or eleventh day of a fortnight. E. nanda, with kan or ṭhan aff.

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Nāndīka (नान्दीक).—m.

(-kaḥ) A pot in a door-way, set up for good luck, E. nāndī prosperity, kṛ to make, affix ḍa .

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Nandikā (नन्दिका):—[from nandaka > nand] f. Name of Indra’s pleasure-ground, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] (cf. [ib.] f. ā).

2) Nandika (नन्दिक):—[from nand] mfn. Cedrela Toona, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] Name of one of Śiva’s attendants, [Catalogue(s)]

4) [v.s. ...] of a pupil of Gautama Buddha (chief of the village Uru-vilvā), [Lalita-vistara]

5) Nandīka (नन्दीक):—(?) m. a cock, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) Nāndika (नान्दिक):—[from nānda] n. = ndī-śrāddha, [Saṃskārakaustubha]

7) Nāndīka (नान्दीक):—[from nānda] a post in a door-way set up for good luck, [Horace H. Wilson]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Nandika (नन्दिक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. Tūn tree. f. Indra's garden; water-pot.

2) Nāndīka (नान्दीक):—(kaḥ) 1. m. A post in a doorway set up for good luck.

[Sanskrit to German]

Nandika in German

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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.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Naṃdika (ನಂದಿಕ):—[noun] = ನಂದಿ - [namdi -] 3.

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Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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