Nikaya, aka: Nikāya, Nikâya; 5 Definition(s)
Introduction
Nikaya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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)
Nikaya means "body" or collection.
(Source): Buddhist Information: A Survey of Paramattha DhammasTheravāda 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).
General definition (in Buddhism)
Nikāya is a Pāḷi word and literally means "volume". It is similar to the Sanskrit word Agama meaning "basket". It is also used to mean "collection", "assemblage", "class" or "group" in both the Pāḷi and Sanskrit languages. It is most commonly used in reference to the Buddhist texts of the Sutta Piṭaka, but can also refer to the monastic divisions of Theravāda Buddhism. In addition, the term Nikāya schools is sometimes used in contemporary scholarship to refer to the early Buddhist schools, of which the Theravāda is one.
In the Theravāda canon (in particular, the "Discourse Basket" or Sutta Piṭaka) the meaning of nikāya is used to describe groupings of discourses. For example, the Sutta Piṭaka is broken up into five nikāyas:
- the Dīgha Nikāya, the collection of long (Pāḷi: dīgha) discourses
- the Majjhima Nikāya, the collection of middle-length (majjhima) discourses
- the Samyutta Nikāya, the collection of thematically linked (samyutta) discourses
- the Anguttara Nikāya, the "gradual collection" (discourses grouped by content enumerations)
- the Khuddaka Nikāya, the "minor collection"
Among the Theravāda nations of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka, nikāya is also used as the term for a monastic division or lineage; these groupings are also sometimes called "monastic fraternities" or "frateries".
(Source): WikiPedia: BuddhismLanguages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
nikāya : (m.) a group; sect; a collection.
(Source): BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English DictionaryNikāya, (Sk. nikāya, ni+kāya) collection (“body”) assemblage, class, group; 1. generally (always —°): eka° one class of beings DhsA. 66; tiracchāna° the animal kingdom S. III, 152; deva° the assembly of the gods, the gods D. II, 261 (60); M. I, 102; S. IV, 180; A. III, 249; IV, 461; PvA. 136; satta° the world of beings, the animate creation, a class of living beings S. II, 2, 42, 44; M. I, 49 (tesaṃ tesaṃ sattānaṃ tamhi tamhi s. -nikāye of all beings in each class); Vbh. 137; PvA. 134.—2. especially the coll. of Buddhist Suttas, as the 5 sections of the Suttanta Piṭaka, viz. Dīgha°, Majjhima°, Saṃyutta°, Aṅguttara° (referred to as D. M. S. A. in Dictionaryquotations), Khuddaka°; enumd PvA. 2; Anvs p. 35; DhA. II, 95 (dhammāsanaṃ āruyha pañcahi nikāyehi atthañ ca kāraṇañ ca ākaḍḍhitvā). The five Nikāyas are enumd also at Vism. 711; one is referred to at SnA 195 (pariyāpuṇāti master by heart). See further details under piṭaka. Cp. nekāyika. (Page 352)
(Source): Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary
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.
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Nikāya (निकाय).—[ni-ci-ghañ kutvam]
1) A heap, an assemblage, a class, multitude, flock, group in general; Mv.1. निकाय इति सङ्घात् औत्तराधर्येणावस्थित उच्यते (nikāya iti saṅghāt auttarādharyeṇāvasthita ucyate) | ŚB. on MS. 8.1.19; तप्तहेमनिकायाभं शितिकण्ठं त्रिलोचनम् (taptahemanikāyābhaṃ śitikaṇṭhaṃ trilocanam) (vīkṣya) Bhāg. 4.24.25.
2) A congregation, school, an association of persons who perform like duties.
3) A house, habitation dwelling-place; Ms.1.36; काशीनिकायः (kāśīnikāyaḥ) &c.
4) The body.
5) Aim, butt, mark.
6) The Supreme Being.
7) Ved. Air, wind; Vāj.15.5.
Derivable forms: nikāyaḥ (निकायः).
(Source): DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionarySanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
Relevant definitions
Search found 455 related definition(s) that might help you understand this better. Below you will find the 15 most relevant articles:
| Devanikaya | Devanikāya (देवनिकाय).—1) 'residence of gods', paradise, heaven; तं तुष्टुवुर्देवनिकायकेतवः (ta... | |
| Majjhima Nikaya | Majjhima, (adj.) (Vedic madhyama, with sound change °ama›°ima after Geiger, P. Gr. 191, or afte... | |
| Samyutta Nikaya | Saṃyuttanikāya (संयुत्तनिकाय) (“Connected Discourses” or “Kindred Sayings”) is a Buddhist scrip... | |
| Khuddaka Nikaya | Khuddaka, =khudda; usually in cpds. In sequence khuddaka-majjhima-mahā Vism. 100. Of smaller s... | |
| Jivanikaya | Jīvanikāya (जीवनिकाय).—a being endowed with life. Derivable forms: jīvanikāyaḥ (जीवनिकायः).Jīva... | |
| Anguttara Nikaya | The fourth division of the Sutta Pitaka,
consisting of eleven nipatas (sections) and 9,557 su... | |
| Dhammayuttika Nikaya | The Dhammayuttika Nikaya is an order of Theravada Buddhist monks in Thailand and Cambodia. Its ... | |
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Ceylon, an off shoot of the Abhayagiri sect. Their headqu... | |
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| Agama | Āgama (आगम) is generally defined as “well constructed and traditionally communicated wisdom”, i... | |
| Sutra | Sūtra (सूत्र).—(VEDASŪTRA). See under Veda. | |
| Tipitaka | tipiṭaka : (nt.) the 3 divisions of the Buddhist Canon. | |
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Relevant text
Search found 69 books and stories containing Nikaya, Nikāya or Nikâya. You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 5 - The Khandhas < [Chapter V - Buddhist Philosophy]
Part 3 - Early Buddhist Literature < [Chapter V - Buddhist Philosophy]
Part 9 - Upaniṣads and Buddhism < [Chapter V - Buddhist Philosophy]
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma (by Ven. S. Dhammika)
Guide to Tipitaka (by U Ko Lay)
The Book of Protection (by Piyadassi Thera)
Appendix 1 - Protective Discourse To Angulimala < [Appendix]