Phala Jataka, aka: Phala-jātaka; 2 Definition(s)

Introduction

Phala Jataka means something in Buddhism, Pali. 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)

The Bodhisatta was once a caravan leader, and, while travelling along a road which led through a forest, advised his followers to eat neither fruit, flower nor leaf, without first obtaining his leave. Near a village, on the outskirts of the forest, grew a kimpakka tree, which, in every respect, resembled a mango tree. Some of the men ate of it, and their leader, when he knew this, gave them medicine which cured them. The next day the villagers rushed up to the tree hoping to find all the members of the caravan dead, like those of former caravans, leaving the villagers to rob their goods. They were amazed on finding these men alive.

The story was told in reference to a gardener employed by a squire in Savatthi. He took some monks round the garden and was amazed to find that they could tell the condition of a mango by looking at the tree. J.i.270 ff.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

1) Phala, ³ (etym. ? Sk. *phala) the point of a spear or sword S. II, 265 (tiṇha°). Cp. phāla2. (Page 477)

2) Phala, ² is spelling for pala (a certain weight) at J. VI, 510. See pala & cp. Geiger, P. Gr. § 40. (Page 477)

3) Phala, ¹ (nt.) (cp. Vedic phala, to phal (sphal) to burst, thus lit. “bursting, ” i.e. ripe fruit; see phalati) 1. (lit.) fruit (of trees etc.) Vv 8414 (dumā nicca-phal’ûpapannā, not to phalu, as Kern, Toev. s. v. phalu); Vism. 120.—amba° mango-fruit PvA. 273 sq.; dussa° (adj.) having clothes as their fruit (of magic trees) Vv 462 (cp. VvA. 199); patta° leaves & fruits, vegetables Sn. 239; PvA. 86 pavatta° wild fruit D. I, 101; puppha° flower & fruit J. III, 40. rukkha°-ûpama Th. 1, 490 (in simile of kāmā, taken fr. M. I, 130) lit. “like the fruit of trees” is expld by ThA. 288 as “aṅga-paccaṅgānaṃ p(h)alibhañjan’aṭṭhena, and trsld according to this interpretation by Mrs. Rh. D. as “fruit that brings the climber to a fall. ” — Seven kinds of medicinal fruits are given at Vin. I, 201 scil. vilaṅga, pippala, marica, harītaka, vibhītaka, āmalaka, goṭhaphala. At Miln. 333 a set of 7 fruits is used metaphorically in simile of the Buddha’s fruit-shop, viz. sotāpatti°, sakadāgāmi°, anāgāmi°, arahatta°, suññata° samāpatti (cp. Cpd. 70), animitta° samāpatti, appaṇihita° samāpatti.—2. a testicle J. III, 124 (dantehi °ṃ chindati=purisabhāvaṃ nāseti to castrate); VI, 237 (uddhita-pphalo, adj. , =uddhaṭa-bījo C.), 238 (dantehi phalāni uppāṭeti, like above). ‹-› 3. (fig.) fruit, result, consequence, fruition, blessing. As t. t. with ref. to the Path and the progressive attainment (enjoyment, fruition) of Arahantship it is used to denote the realization of having attained each stage of the sotāpatti, sakadāgāmi etc. (see the Miln. quot. under 1 and cp. Cpd. 45, 116). So freq. in exegetical literature magga, phala, nibbāna, e.g. Tikp 155, 158; VbhA. 43 & passim.—In general it immediately precedes Nibbāna (see Nd2 no 645b and under satipaṭṭhāna), and as agga-phala it is almost identical with Arahantship. Frequently it is combd with vipāka to denote the stringent conception of “consequence, ” e.g. at D. I, 27, 58; III, 160. Almost synonymous in the sense of “fruition, benefit, profit” is ānisaṃsā D. III, 132; phala at Pv. I, 125=ānisaṃsa PvA. 64 — Vin. I, 293 (anāgāmi°); II, 240 (id.); III, 73 (arahatta°); D. I, 51, 57 sq. (sāmañña°); III, 147, 170 (sucaritassa); M. I, 477 (appamāda°); S. I, 173 (Amata°); Pv. I, 1110 (kaṭuka°); II, 83 (dāna°); IV, 188 (mahap° & agga°); Vism. 345 (of food, being digested); PvA. 8 (puñña° & dāna°), 22 (sotāpatti°), 24 (issā-macchariya°).—atthika one who is looking for fruit Vism. 120.—āpaṇa fruit shop Miln. 333.—âphala (phala+aphala, see ā4; but cp. Geiger, P. Gr. § 331) all sorts of fruit, lit. what is not (i.e. unripe), fruit without discrimination; a phrase very freq. in Jātaka style, e.g. J. I, 416; II, 160; III, 127; IV, 220; 307, 449, V, 313; VI, 520; DhA. I, 106.—āsava extract of fruit VvA. 73.—uppatti ripening PvA. 29.—esin yielding fruit J. I, 87=Th. 1, 527, cp. phalesin MVastu III, 93.—gaṇḍa see palagaṇḍa.—ṭṭha “stationed in fruition, ” i.e. enjoying the result or fruition of the Path (cp. Cpd. 50) Miln. 342.—dāna gift of fruit VbhA. 337.—dāyin giver of fruit Vv 676.—pacchi fruit-basket J. VI, 560.—pañcaka fivefold fruit Vism. 580; VbhA. 191.—puṭa fruit-basket J. VI, 236.—bhājana one who distributes fruit, an official term in the vihāra Vin. IV, 38, cp. BSk. phalacāraka.—maya see sep.—ruha fruit tree Mbvs 82.—sata see palasata. (Page 477)

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.

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