Pancamahabhuta, Pañcamahābhūta, Panca-mahabhuta, Pamcamahabhuta: 5 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Ayurveda
2. Vaishnavism
In Buddhism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Pancamahabhuta 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Panchamahabhuta.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Hand book of domestic medicine: Basic principles of Āyurveda

From the Indian philosophical point of view all the matters of the universe are made up of 5 elements, collectively known as Pañca Mahābhūta (five basic elements). These are Ākāśa, Vāyu, Tejas, Jala and Pṛthvī.

Each of these can be perceived by its distinctive quality viz.

Ākāśa by Sabda (sound),
Vāyu by Sparśa (touch),
Agni by Rūpa (colour),
Jala by Rasa (taste)
and Pṛthvī by Gandha (odour).

Source: National Mission for Manuscripts: Traditional Medicine System in India

Pañcamahābhūta (पञ्चमहाभूत) refers to the give elements of which the universe is based on.—Life can be defined as the combination of śarīra (body), indriya (sense organs), sattva (manas) and Ātman (soul). The universe is based on the pañcamahābhūtas, viz. ākāśa, (space), pṛthvī (earth), vāyu (air), jala (water) and agni (fire). The Ayurvedic system says that the body is also pañcabhautika and the medicines i.e. plants and animals are also pañcabhautika. So the pañcabhautika-śarīra can be treated with pañcabhautika drug.

context information

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: ISKCON Press: Glossary

Pañcamahābhūta (पञ्चमहाभूत).—The five gross elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether.

context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

In Buddhism

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Pañcamahābhūta (पञ्चमहाभूत) or simply Mahābhūta refers to the “five great elements” as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 39):

pṛthvī (earth),
āpas (water),
tejas (fire),
vāyu (wind),
ākāśa (space).

The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., pañca-mahābhūta). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Paṃcamahābhūta (ಪಂಚಮಹಾಭೂತ):—[noun] = ಪಂಚಭೂತ [pamcabhuta].

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 14 books and stories containing Pancamahabhuta, Pamcamahabhuta, Paṃcamahābhūta, Panca-maha-bhuta, Panca-mahā-bhūta, Pañca-mahābhūta, Panca-mahabhuta, Pañcamahābhūta, Pancamahābhūta; (plurals include: Pancamahabhutas, Pamcamahabhutas, Paṃcamahābhūtas, bhutas, bhūtas, mahābhūtas, mahabhutas, Pañcamahābhūtas, Pancamahābhūtas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

The five Mahābhūtas (physical elements) < [Chapter 2 - The Principles of Sāṃkhya Philosophy]

Branches of Sāṃkhya < [Chapter 2 - The Principles of Sāṃkhya Philosophy]

The twenty-five principles < [Chapter 2 - The Principles of Sāṃkhya Philosophy]

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Verse 99 [Śakti’s expansion as Adhibhūta] < [Chapter 3 - Third Vimarśa]

Verse 17 [The visible form of Ambā as Fire, Water and Earth] < [Chapter 1 - First Vimarśa]

Verse 35 [Trinkets of Kāli’s anklets] < [Chapter 2 - Second Vimarśa]

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Basic Principles of Āyurveda < [Chapter 4 - Āyurvedic principles in Jīvanandana Nāṭaka]

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Bharadvāja (Āyurveda scholar) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

Rasendrasāra Saṅgraha (Āyurveda book) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]