Niladanda, Nīladaṇḍa: 6 definitions

Introduction:

Niladanda 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

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड) refers to one of the male Vidyā-beings 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 Nīladaṇḍa).

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड) presides over the Nairṛta-corner and represents one of the ten deities of the quarters (Dikpāla) commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—His Colour is blue; he has three faces and six arms.—The sixth deity in the series is Nīladaṇḍa who is the presiding deity of the Nairṛta corner.

Nīladaṇḍa is described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī (mañjuvajra-maṇḍala) as follows:—

“In the Nairṛta corner appears Nīladaṇḍa who is of blue colour having three faces of blue, white and red colour. He holds the blue staff, the sword, the jewel and the lotus”.

[In the vajrahūṃkāra-maṇḍala his name is Vajrakāla. But in the dharmadhātuvagīśvara-maṇḍala his name is Herukavajra.]

Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड) is the name of a Vīra (hero) who, together with the Ḍākinī named Nīladaṇḍī forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Hṛdayacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the hṛdayacakra refers to one of the four divisions of the sahaja-puṭa (‘innate layer’), situated within the padma (lotus) in the middle of the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs and Vīras [viz., Nīladaṇḍa] are reddish yellow in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

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.

Discover the meaning of niladanda in the context of Tibetan Buddhism from relevant books on Exotic India

General definition (in Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Niladanda in Buddhism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड) refers to the sixth of the “ten wrathful ones” (daśakrodha) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 11). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., daśa-krodha and Nīladaṇḍa). The work is attributed to Nagarguna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Niladanda in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड).—name of one of the ten krodha: Dharmasaṃgraha 11; Sādhanamālā 137.11 etc.

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

Nīladaṇḍa (नीलदण्ड):—[=nīla-daṇḍa] [from nīla > nīl] m. ‘carrying a black staff’, (with, [Buddhist literature]) Name of one of the 10 gods of anger, [Dharmasaṃgraha 11.]

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.

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