Pilotika, Pilotikā: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Pilotika 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
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names1. Pilotika
A Paribbajaka. Janussoni once met him returning from Jetavana, where he had gone early to wait on the Buddha. Pilotika, on being questioned, spoke very highly of the Buddha. It is this conversation which, on its being repeated by Janussoni to the Buddha, led to the preaching of the Cullahatthipadopama Sutta (M.i.175 ff). Janussoni addresses Pilotika as Vacchayana, which, according to the Commentary, (MA.i.393) was the name of his clan. From the same source we gather that the Paribbajakas own name was Pilotika; he was young, of a golden colour, and loved ministering to the Buddha and the Buddhas eminent disciples. He is spoken of, together with Sabhiya (SA.ii.188), as a wise Paribbajaka. Pilotika is identified with Devinda of the Maha Ummagga Jataka. J.vi.478.
2. Pilotika TheraAnanda once saw a poor youth going along in a ragged garment, a potsherd in his hand. Ananda took him to the monastery and ordained him. The youth hung his garment and the potsherd on the branch of a tree and practised meditation. After a time he became fat and discontented and wished to return to the lay life. But on noticing his rag and his potsherd, he realized his folly and, admonishing himself, returned to his meditation. Three times the same thing happened, but in the end he became an arahant. He used to speak of the rag as his teacher. DhA.iii.84f.
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: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra1) Pilotika (पिलोतिक) refers to “linens”, according to the Dhammapadaṭṭha (Cf. Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra, chapter 4).—Accordingly, “According to the Dhammapadaṭṭha, wishing to damage the Buddha’s reputation, the heretical scholars went to a young nun of their sect, Ciñca, who pretended to go and spend the nights at the monastery of the Buddha and declare to anyone who wanted to listen that she had shared Gautama’s room. She went so far as to fake pregnancy by wrapping her belly in linens (pilotika), and then attaching a wooden plate (dāru-maṇḍalika) to her belly. She entered the assembly where the Buddha was in the process of preaching the Dharma and bitterly reproached him for abandoning her and having no interest in the baby that was about to be born. The Buddha remained calm: [...]”.
2) Pilotika (पिलोतिक) is the name of a person of olden times subdued by the Buddha mentioned in order to demonstrate the fearlessness of the Buddha according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XL.1.4. Accordingly, “there were formidable people, such as these scholars who were absorbed in the height of pride. Intoxicated by their false wisdom, they presented themselves as unique in the world and unrivalled. Knowing their own books deeply, they refuted others’ books and criticized all the systems with wicked words. They were like mad elephants caring for nothing. Among these madmen, we cite: P’i-lou-tch’e (Pilotika), etc.”.
Note: Pilotika, already mentioned above (p. 221F) was a Parivrājaka sage (Majjhima, I, p. 175 seq.).
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarypilotikā : (f.) a rag; an old clothe.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryPilotikā, (f.) (cp. Class. Sk. plota (BR=prota), Suśr. I. 15, 3; 16, 7 & passim) a small piece of cloth, a rag, a bandage Vin. I, 255, 296 (khoma° cp. Vin. Texts II. 156); M. I, 141 (chinna-°o-dhammo laid bare or open); S. II, 28 (id.), 219 (paṭa°); J. I, 220; II, 145; III, 22 (jiṇṇa°), 511; VI, 383; Miln. 282; Vism. 328; KhA 55; DhA. I, 221 (tela° rags dipped in oil); VvA. 5; PvA. 185;— As m. at J. IV, 365. The BSk. forms vary; we read chinna-pilotika at AvŚ I. 198; MVastu III, 63; pilotikā (or °ka) at MVastu III, 50, 54. Besides we have ploti in karmaploti (pūrvikā k.) Divy 150 etc. AvŚ I. 421.—khaṇḍa a piece of rag DhA. IV, 115; ThA. 269; PvA. 171. (Page 460)
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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryPilotika (पिलोतिक).—(m. or nt., in meaning 2 perhaps °kā f.; = Pali °kā, once °ka m. or nt., Jātaka (Pali) iv.365.19; MIndic for plotika, ploti, qq.v. for discussion), (1) piece of cloth, rag: karpā- sikaṃ paṭa-pilotikam ādāya (in becoming a monk) Mahāvastu iii.50.15; paṭa-pilotika-saṃghāṭī(ṃ) Mahāvastu iii.53.14, 16; 54.1 ff.; (2) (gender uncertain), when modified by chinna, perhaps connecting cord or thread, binding cord, bond (presumably of karman, see s.v. ploti-ka): chinnā (mss. °ne) pilotikā Mahāvastu iii.63.10, cut are the cords (of dharmavinaya, by the Buddha); ([bahuvrīhi]) daṇḍachinna-pilotiko (said of dharmavi- nayo) Mahāvastu iii.412.11, whose cords are cut (as) with a stick (? no other use of daṇḍa in this connexion has been noted; note that chinna-pilotika in Pali is an epithet of dhamma, and chinna-plotika, see the latter, in [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] of dharma; here also of dharmavinaya). See also pailottaka (?), °ttika.
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)
Starts with: Pilotikakamma.
Ends with: Chinnapilotika, Khomapilotika, Makacipilotika, Telapilotika.
Full-text: Vacchayana, Pailottaka, Nantaka, Makkhi-vala, Devinda, Khomapilotika, Telapilotika, Makacipilotika, Chinnapilotika, Kacavara, Culahatthipadopama Sutta, Ploti, Jiṇṇa, Khanda, Pata, Mandalika, Darumandalika, Janussoni, Vasana, Samghati.
Relevant text
Search found 9 books and stories containing Pilotika, Pilotikā; (plurals include: Pilotikas, Pilotikās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 266-267 - The Story of a Brāhmin < [Chapter 19 - Dhammaṭṭha Vagga (Established in Dhamma)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 6 - Why the arhats surround the Buddha < [Chapter VI - The Great Bhikṣu Saṃgha]
IV. How do we know that the Buddha is fearless? < [Part 1 - The four fearlessnesses of the Buddha according to the Abhidharma]
Part 1 - Why is the Buddha called Bhagavat < [Chapter IV - Explanation of the Word Bhagavat]
Vinaya (3): The Cullavagga (by T. W. Rhys Davids)
Cullavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 11 < [Khandaka 5 - On the Daily Life of the Bhikkhus]
Cullavagga, Khandaka 6, Chapter 2 < [Khandaka 6 - On Dwellings and Furniture]
The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Chapter VII - The ordination of Mahā-Kāśyapa < [Volume III]
Chapter VIII - The conversion of Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana < [Volume III]
Guide to Tipitaka (by U Ko Lay)
Part III - Opamma Vagga < [(a) Mulapannasa Pali]
Vinaya Pitaka (1): Bhikkhu-vibhanga (the analysis of Monks’ rules) (by I. B. Horner)