Nirabhasa, Nirābhāsa, Nirābhāsā: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Nirabhasa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram1) Nirābhāsā (निराभासा) refers to “she who is unmanifest” representing an aspect of the Goddess (i.e., Śāmbhavī), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “Śāmbhavī, the supreme (goddess) Khañjī is ever active (nityoditā) and without defect. Disembodied (akāyā), she is both devoid (of manifestation) and full (of it). She is (both) (articulate speech) with vowels (sasvarā) and (unmanifest speech) without vowels (svaravarjitā). Unmanifest (nirābhāsā), formless, without (phenomenally definable) appearance (nirlakṣā) and in the field of (that) appearance (lakṣagocarā). [...]”.
2) Nirābhāsa (निराभास) refers to the “unmanifest” (representing an aspect of the plane of the supreme state of Śiva), according to the Netratantra. Accordingly, “One must not meditate on anything above, below, in the centre, in front, behind or to either side. One should not contemplate anything within the body or outside it. Do not fix your attention on the sky or below (on the earth). Neither close the eyes nor gaze fixedly. Think not of the support, the supported or (even of) the supportless, nor of the senses or of the gross elements or sound, taste, touch or anything else. Having abandoned (everything) in this way, be established in contemplation (samādhi) and become one. That is said to be the supreme state of Śiva, the supreme soul. Having attained that unmanifest (nirābhāsa) plane, (the state of bondage) ceases”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationNirābhāsa (निराभास) refers to “one who is free from distortions” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.24 (“Śiva consents to marry Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, after Śiva spoke to Viṣṇu and others: “[...] Śiva thought within Himself His own Soul, the form that is unsullied, free from distortions [i.e., nirābhāsa], aberrations and ailments, the form which is greater than the greatest, eternal, free from sense of possession, free from obsessions, beyond the ken of sounds and words, devoid of attributes and knowable through perfect wisdom. Thinking upon His own features thus in His meditation, the lord, the cause of great enjoyment and protection became engrossed in supreme bliss. [...]”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra TantraNirābhāsa (निराभास) refers to “(being) without appearance” and is used to describe Śiva, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 22.10cd-13]—“The leader [Śiva] of these [mantras] is eternal, restraining, untroubled, unexpanding, without appearance (nirābhāsa), and causes protection. He does all, he protects the trembling minds [of those who are afraid of saṃsāra]. He leads. From [Śiva's] leading, [the practitioner] shall attain liberation from great fear. Thus, [the mantra] is called “netra”, because [it] protects. [...]”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): (Tibetan Buddhism)Nirābhāsa (निराभास) refers to “(that which is) without appearance”, according to the thirty-third chapter of the Saṃvarodayatantra: a Buddhist explanatory Tantra of the Cakrasaṃvara cycle.—Accordingly, while describing the no-mind meditation: “[...] Free from meditation and concentration and beyond [both] Yoga and reasoning, he leads people to absorption in ‘suchness’, when the mind becomes steady in awareness. Its form is like the sky, the dwelling place of the ether and like a pure crystal and gem, [it is] without beginning or end, unelaborated, beyond the senses, unchanging, without appearance (nirābhāsa), completely void, free of ills, the light of the world, the destruction of the bonds of existence, inexpressible by words and even beyond the sphere of the mind”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarynirābhāsa (निराभास).—a S Void of empty semblance or appearance; void of illusion or unreality. An attribute of God. Opp. to sābhāsa. See ex. under prati- bhāsa. 2 Incapable of being represented by any similitude or of being apprehended by any fancy or mental conception--the Deity. Ex. māyāśabala aisēṃ hī mhaṇijē tayācē nigā || taisā bhāsatō ni0 ॥.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishnirābhāsa (निराभास).—a Void of empty semblance or appearance; void of illusion.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryNirābhāsa (निराभास):—[=nir-ābhāsa] [from nir > niḥ] mfn. without fallacious appearance, [Haṃsa Upaniṣad]
[Sanskrit to German]
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)
Full-text: Pratilabhin, Pratibhasa, Sabhasa, Sasvara, Akaya, Svaravarjita, Nirlaksha, Upaplava, Lakshagocara, Nayaka, Nishkranta, Anadin, Anupaplava, Ceta, Prasarabhumika, Nityodita.
Relevant text
Search found 7 books and stories containing Nirabhasa, Nirābhāsa, Nirābhāsā; (plurals include: Nirabhasas, Nirābhāsas, Nirābhāsās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari (by K. A. Subramania Iyer)
Verse 3.14.323 < [Book 3 - Pada-kāṇḍa (14): Vṛtti-samuddeśa (On Ccomplex Formation)]
Thirty minor Upanishads (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Lankavatara Sutra (by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki)
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva fundamental vow sutra (by Johnny Yu)
Rudra-Shiva concept (Study) (by Maumita Bhattacharjee)
4. Forms of Śiva and his different activities < [Chapter 5 - Rudra-Śiva in the Purāṇic Literature]
The Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 86 - The sacrifice of meditation (dhyānayajña) < [Section 1 - Uttarabhāga]