Prabhavana, Prabhāvanā, Prabhāvana: 13 definitions

Introduction:

Prabhavana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, 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

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Prabhavana in Mahayana glossary
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Prabhāvana (प्रभावन) refers to “explaining”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Then the Bodhisattva Gaganagañja, having praised the Lord with these verses, addressed himself to the Lord: ‘[...] Having known that the Lord is endowed with such immeasurable virtues, the dharma, and knowledge of the Tathāgata, I have a high regard for them, and wish to respectfully ask you (= Tathāgata) the entrance into the explaining of the dharma (dharma-prabhāvana) so that all living beings practice the dharma without pride and realize the dharma by the knowledge of omniscience. [...]’”.

Mahayana book cover
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.

Discover the meaning of prabhavana in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

[«previous next»] — Prabhavana in Jainism glossary
Source: archive.org: Jaina Yoga

1) Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना) refers to “good works” and represents an aspect of samyaktva (right belief) classified under the aṅga heading, according to various Jain authors (e.g., Pūjyapāda, Samantabhadra, Cāmuṇḍarāya, Somadeva and Amṛtacandra).

2) Prabhāvanā is also classified under the bhūṣaṇa heading according to Hemacandra in his 12th century Yogaśāstra verse 2.16. Prabhāvanā covers anything done to spread the Jaina faith and increase the consideration in which it is held. For Somadeva, in his Yaśastilaka prabhāvanā may take the form of the practice of almsgiving, celebration of festivals, setting up of images, or building of temples. The glory of the Jina’s teaching, says Samantabhadra (in his Ratna-Karaṇḍa-śrāvakācāra), is to be illuminated by removing the darkness of ignorance. Prabhāvanā for Amṛtacandra, in his Puruṣārthasiddhyupāya, would be expressed in almsgiving, feats of asceticism, pūja, and study. Hemacandra, in his 12th century Yogaśāstra, distinguishes several types of persons (prabhāvakas) who are responsible for this bhūṣaṇa: experts in the Jaina canon, reciters of religious stories, debaters, astrologers, those who practise religious asceticism, those who are learned in the sciences, and those who are conversant with magic spells.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना) refers to “promulgation of Jain doctrine” and represents one of the Guṇas (“qualities”), according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

The guṇas [viz., prabhāvanā] are: firmness in Jain doctrine (sthairya); promulgation of Jain doctrine (prabhāvanā); devotion to Jain doctrine (bhakti); expertness in it (kauśala); service to the tīrthas (tirthasevā). The tīrtha is either dravyatīrtha, places where the Tīrthakṛts were born, received initiation, kevalajñāna, and attained mokṣa; or bhāva-tīrtha, the fourfold congregation, or the chief Gaṇadhara.—(cf. Yogaśāstra 2.17.)

The eight divisions of prabhāvanā are (Cf. note 120 and Yogaśāstra 2.16, p. 65).:—

  1. Pravacin, one who knows the scriptures;
  2. Dharmakathin, one who delivers admirable religious lectures;
  3. Vādin, one who holds disputations;
  4. Naimittika, one who knows or teaches prognostication;
  5. Tapasvin, one who practices severe penance;
  6. Vidyāvat, one who has the Vidyās, Prajñapti, etc., as attendant deities;
  7. Siddha, one who has obtained magic powers;
  8. Kavi, one who composes literary productions.
Source: HereNow4U: Social Implication of Enlightened World View

Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना) refers to “spreading/advertising the greatness of Jain doctrines” and represents one of the eight aṅgas (requirements), needed for attaining the right faith. Firm belief in ones goal is the basic milestone for attaining that goal. Unwavering faith only can work like a miracle because firm faith leads to personal commitment for achieving that goal and gives us boldness to face the challenges incoming while proceeding towards the aimed goal.

The eighth limb (aṅga), prabhāvanā, means affection towards spiritual brethren. Prabhāvanā-aṅga is nothing but spreading the spiritual message of tīrthaṅkaras by oration, by singing a song, by holding seminars and symposium. So the prabhāvanā is illumination, which leads one to such positive actions as celebrating holy days of tīrthaṅkaras birth, nirvāṇas etc., arranging for the distribution of sacred texts etc. for spreading Jainism. Few mūrtipujaka Jains believe prabhāvanā in building temples, erecting Jina images, undertaking pilgrimages to Jain holy places and donating money for hospitals, animal shelters and the like. They believe all such activities illuminate, the Jain religion into the world.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 7: The Five Vows

Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना) refers to “glorification of the creed” and represents one of the eight limbs of samyagdṛṣṭi (“right faith”) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 7.23.

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना) refers to “propagation (of true faith)”, according to Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi.—Accordingly, “[...] Even with renunciation of worldly pleasures, meditation accompanied by austerities, propagation of true faith (dharma-prabhāvanā), and auspicious death are rare. If these are achieved, then the attainment of enlightenment has borne fruit. By contemplating on the difficulty in attaining true faith, one does not become negligent after attaining this rare jewel”.

General definition book cover
context information

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Discover the meaning of prabhavana in the context of General definition from relevant books on Exotic India

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Prabhavana in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Prabhavana (प्रभवन).—

1) Production.

2) Source, origin.

Derivable forms: prabhavanam (प्रभवनम्).

--- OR ---

Prabhāvana (प्रभावन).—a.

1) Prominent, influential.

2) Creating, creative; एते प्रदेशाः कथिता भुवनानां प्रभावनाः (ete pradeśāḥ kathitā bhuvanānāṃ prabhāvanāḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.28.1.

3) Explaining, disclosing; तदस्त्रं तस्य वीरस्य स्वर्गमार्गप्रभा- वनम् (tadastraṃ tasya vīrasya svargamārgaprabhā- vanam) Rām.4.17.8.

-naḥ Creator.

-nā 1 Promulgation (of a doctrine).

2) Disclosing.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Prabhavana (प्रभवन).—n.

(-naṃ) 1. Being born or produced. 2. Ruling, presiding. E. pra before, bhū to be, aff. lyuṭ .

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

1) Prabhavana (प्रभवन):—[=pra-bhavana] [from pra-bhava > pra-bhū] n. production, source, origin (ifc. ‘springing from’; cf. meru-prabh and, [Pāṇini 8-4, 34 [Scholiast or Commentator]])

2) [v.s. ...] ruling, presiding (?), [Horace H. Wilson]

3) Prabhāvana (प्रभावन):—[=pra-bhāvana] [from pra-bhava > pra-bhū] mf(ī)n. ([from] [Causal]) creating, creative, [Mahābhārata]

4) [v.s. ...] explaining, disclosing (= prakāśaka), [Rāmāyaṇa] ([Bombay edition])

5) [v.s. ...] m. creator, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa; Harivaṃśa]

6) Prabhāvanā (प्रभावना):—[=pra-bhāvanā] [from pra-bhāvana > pra-bhava > pra-bhū] f. disclosing, revealing, promulgation (of a doctrine), [Hemacandra’s Yoga-śāstra]

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

Prabhavana (प्रभवन):—[pra-bhavana] (naṃ) 1. n. Being born; ruling.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Prabhāvana (प्रभावन) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Pabhāvaṇa, Pabhāvaṇā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Prabhavana 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.

Discover the meaning of prabhavana in the context of Sanskrit from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

Relevant text

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: