Prabhasvara, Prabhāsvara: 11 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Prabhasvara 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

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर) refers to a group of deities (from the similarly-named heaven) 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 the Prabhāsvaras).

Source: WikiPedia: Vajrayana

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर) [=prabhāsvaratā] (Tibetan: འོད་གསལ་, ösel, Wylie: od gsal) refers to the “Yoga of clear light, radiance or luminosity” and represents one of Nāropa’s Six Dharmas (ṣaḍdharma) in Tibetan Buddhist Tantric practices .—Luminosity, radiance or clear light (prabhāsvaratā) refers to the clear radiant nature the mind, which is associated with Buddha-nature. It is said to be experienced during various events in one's life, such as orgasm, sleep, dreaming and in the dying - rebirth process.

Tilopa's oral instructions explain this practice as follows: “The yogi working with the central channel places the mind in the central channel and fixes concentration on the drop at the heart. Visions arise, like lights, light-rays, rainbows, the sunlight and moonlight at dawn, the sun, the moon, and then the appearances of deities and forms. In this way the myriads of worlds are purified”.

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर) refers to “shining” (with great fire), according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[...] [Vajravārāhī] [has her] body smeared with divine perfumes; is decorated with anklets and armlets; is adorned with a divine garland; is ornamented with the six seals; [has] three eyes; [wears] a garland of hairless heads [as a necklace]; is adorned with jewelry; is flaming like the destructive fire [at the end of a kalpa]; and is shining (prabhāsvara) with great fire. [...]”.

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.

Buddhist philosophy

Source: Wisdom Experience: Mind (An excerpt from Science and Philosophy)

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर, “transparent”) refers to the “clear (nature of the mind)” (Cf. Prakāśa).—The mind is also clear in that it is transparent (prabhāsvara). Here, the term clear points to a fundamental property of mind. Water, for example, is by nature clear, in that even when it is murky, the impurities that obscure it can be removed, and its natural clarity or transparency will return. Likewise, the mind is clear in that no particular object (such as the Eiffel Tower) or affective state (such as anger) is essential to a moment of consciousness. This point is especially crucial for Buddhist approaches to personal transformation and behavior change, since it means that the dysfunctional habits that produce suffering and dissatisfaction can be transformed, precisely because they are not essential to the mind itself. This means in particular that ignorance—the fundamental cognitive distortion that underlies suffering—is not an essential property of the mind, and it is therefore possible to remove that distortion without putting an end to consciousness itself.

context information

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर) refers to “one who is extremely brilliant” and is used to describe the Bhagavān, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, “Now the Bhagavān was residing in the abode of Brahmā. [...] The Bhagavān had a body ornamented with a net of ten million million thousand rays. He was blazing brightly like a golden pillar. He was brilliant like the Sun, displayed the thirty-two marks of beauty and the eighty minor marks of beauty. He was embellished with a radiance measuring a fathom. He had the body of a Tathāgata, extremely pure, extremely spotless and brilliant (prabhāsvara)”.

context information

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

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर).—a. Brilliant, bright, shining.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर).—(1) adj., clear (of a voice): °rā Mahāvyutpatti 451, of Buddha's voice; (2) m., name of a class of gods: devā (mss. divyā) ca brahmā ca prabhāsvarā ca Mahāvastu iii.122.12 (verse); in sg., following ābhāsvara (of which it is probably a variant; perhaps read ābhāsvarā in Mahāvastu?), (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 19.9 (compare śuddhābha and puṇyābha, which follow); (3) m., name of a yakṣa: Mahā-Māyūrī 91; (4) °rā, f., name of a magic plant: Divyāvadāna 113.27 ff.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर).—[adjective] shining bright, splendid.

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

1) Prabhāsvara (प्रभास्वर):—[=pra-bhāsvara] [from pra-bhās] mfn. idem, [Rāmāyaṇa; Kathāsaritsāgara]

2) [v.s. ...] clear, shrill (as a voice), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) Prabhāsvarā (प्रभास्वरा):—[=pra-bhāsvarā] [from pra-bhāsvara > pra-bhās] f. a [particular] mythical plant, [Divyāvadāna]

[Sanskrit to German]

Prabhasvara in German

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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Search found 7 books and stories containing Prabhasvara, Pra-bhasvara, Pra-bhāsvara, Pra-bhāsvarā, Prabhāsvara, Prabhāsvarā; (plurals include: Prabhasvaras, bhasvaras, bhāsvaras, bhāsvarās, Prabhāsvaras, Prabhāsvarās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Text Section 74 < [Khenpo Chöga’s Oral Explanations]

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Chapter 2b - Kyungpo Naljor Disciples (Iv): Sangs Rgyas Ston Pa < [Book 9 - Kodrakpa and Niguma]

Chapter 17b - Rgod tshang pa’s Disciples < [Book 8 - The famous Dakpo Kagyü (traditions)]

Chapter 2b - Kyungpo Naljor disciples (iv): sangs rgyas ston pa < [Book 9 - Kodrakpa and Niguma]

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Verse 3421-3424 < [Chapter 26 - Examination of the ‘Person of Super-normal Vision’]

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2a) The general explanation of arising and entering < [Part 2 - The essence]

1d.2) The Dharma jewel < [Part 1 - The causal refuge]

Tibetan Glossary

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