Nikaya, Nikāya, Nikâya: 19 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
India history
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Prakrit
5. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Nikaya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Nikay.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Buddhist Information: A Survey of Paramattha Dhammas

Nikaya means "body" or collection.

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).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Nikāya (निकाय) refers to the “two assemblies (of gods)”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “What then, son of good family, is the recollection of gods (devānusmṛti), which is authorized by the Lord for Bodhisattvas? It is the recollection of two assemblies of gods (deva-nikāya). What are these two? The gods of the Pure Abode, and the Bodhisattvas hindered by only one birth, who dwell in the Tuṣita Heaven. In that the Bodhisattva recollects the gods of the Pure Abode. Further, the Bodhisattvas who are hindered by only one birth, and who dwell in the Tuṣita Heaven recollect ten qualities as the summit. What are those ten qualities?”

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: WikiPedia: 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".

India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Nikāya.—(EI 7), a religious corporation. (EI 18; LL), a Buddhist school or community; a frater- nity of Buddhist monks. Cf. Kaulika-nikāya (LL), a guild of the Kaulikas or weavers. (CII 1), a class or group. Note: nikāya is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

nikāya : (m.) a group; sect; a collection.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Nikāya, (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°; enumerated PvA. 2; Anvs p. 35; DhA. II, 95 (dhammāsanaṃ āruyha pañcahi nikāyehi atthañ ca kāraṇañ ca ākaḍḍhitvā). The five Nikāyas are enumerated also at Vism. 711; one is referred to at SnA 195 (pariyāpuṇāti master by heart). See further details under piṭaka. Cp. nekāyika. (Page 352)

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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical 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; Manusmṛti 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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Nikāya (निकाय).—(1) (as in Sanskrit, but nt., in Sanskrit m.) collection, group: yena…deva-nikāyaṃ tenopasaṃkrameyaṃ Mahāvastu i.54.13; Buddha is saptabhiś ca nikāyaiḥ saṃpuraskṛto Divyāvadāna 159.15; (2) (= Pali id.) ‘collection’ of sūtras in the Buddhist canon, or more loosely, the canon collectively: nikāya-gati-saṃbhavāt Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra 292.13, from (having their) origin in the course of the canon, and °gati-gotrā(ḥ) 16, said of the abhijñā (psychic powers, Suzuki) as acquired by orthodox canonical lore; Suzuki misunderstands the meaning, which is made clear by naikāyika, q.v., shortly after; (3) school (of religious opinion), in nikāyāntarīya, q.v. (orig. and lit., no doubt, canon as under 2). The four Nikāyas of the Pali canon are usually called Āgamas in [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit].

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

Nikāya (निकाय).—m.

(-yaḥ) An assemblage of persons performing like duties, a congregation, an audience. 2. A flock, a multitude. 3. A butt, a mark. 4. A house, habitation. 5. The Supreme Being. 6. The body. E. ni in or within, ci to collect, affix ghañ, and ka substituted for the radical initial.

--- OR ---

Nikāya (निकाय) or Nikāyya.—m.

(-yaḥ) A house. E. ni in or within, ci to collect, affix ṇyat kutvam .

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

Nikāya (निकाय).—i. e. ni-ci + a, m. 1. An assemblage, a class, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 36. 2. A multitude, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 4, 24, 25. 3. A house, a dwelling-place, [Rāmāyaṇa] 4, 44, 31.

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

Nikāya (निकाय).—[masculine] group, class, troop, assemblage, multitude.

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

1) Nikāya (निकाय):—[=ni-kāya] m. (√1. ci) a heap, an assemblage, a group, class, association ([especially] of persons who perform the same duties), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] congregation, school, [Buddhist literature]

3) [v.s. ...] collection (of, [Buddhist literature] Sūtras, there are 5 [Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 62, 63])

4) [v.s. ...] habitation, dwelling, hiding-place, [Rāmāyaṇa] (cf. [Pāṇini 3-3, 41])

5) [v.s. ...] the body, [Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad]

6) [v.s. ...] the air, wind, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā xv, 5 (Mahidh.) ]

7) [v.s. ...] aim, mark, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) [v.s. ...] the Supreme Being, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

1) Nikāya (निकाय):—(yaḥ) 1. m. Congregation; a flock; a house; a mark or butt; the Supreme Being.

2) (yyaḥ) 1. m. A house.

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

Nikāya (निकाय) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇikāya.

[Sanskrit to German]

Nikaya in German

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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Nikāya (निकाय) [Also spelled nikay]:—(nm) a body; system.

context information

...

Prakrit-English dictionary

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

1) Ṇikāya (णिकाय) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Nikāca.

2) Ṇikāya (णिकाय) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Nikāya.

3) Ṇikāya (णिकाय) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Nikāca.

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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Nikāya (ನಿಕಾಯ):—

1) [noun] a heap; an assemblage; a multitude, flock; a group in general.

2) [noun] one’s normal place of dwelling; a house; habitation.

3) [noun] the physical structure of a human being or animal; the body.

4) [noun] a target; an aim.

5) [noun] the Supreme Being; the God.

6) [noun] air; wind.

7) [noun] any of the five divisions of the Buddhist scripture 'ಸುತ್ತಪಿಟಕ [suttapitaka]'.

context information

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

Relevant text

Search found 99 books and stories containing Nikaya, Nikāya, Nikâya, Ni-kaya, Ni-kāya, Ṇikāya; (plurals include: Nikayas, Nikāyas, Nikâyas, kayas, kāyas, Ṇikāyas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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