Purvanivasanusmriti, Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti, Purvanivasa-anusmriti: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Purvanivasanusmriti 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.
The Sanskrit term Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti can be transliterated into English as Purvanivasanusmrti or Purvanivasanusmriti, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra1) Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti (पूर्वनिवासानुस्मृति) refers to “memory of previous lifetimes” and represents one of the five superknowledges (pañcābhijñā) according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter X. It is the faculty of going back in memory over the course of days, months and years as far as the period of the gestation in the womb and, finally, past existences: one lifetime, ten lifetimes, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a koṭi of lifetimes. The great Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas can go back over 80,000 great kalpas. The great Bodhisattvas and the Buddhas know an unlimited (aparmāṇa) number of kalpas. Such is the pūrvanivāsānusmṛti-abhijñā.
2) Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti (पूर्वनिवासानुस्मृति) or Pūrvanivāsānusmṛtijñāna refers to the “memory of one’s former abodes (or existences)” and represents one of the six “superknowledges” (abhijñā), according to chapter XLIII.—Accordingly, “the Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva who wishes to become established in the six superknowledges [viz., Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti] should practice the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā)”.
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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha1) Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti (पूर्वनिवासानुस्मृति) refers to “recollection of previous lives’ minds” and represents one of the “five deep knowledges” (pañcābhijñā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 20).
2) Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti (पूर्वनिवासानुस्मृति) or Pūrvanivāsānusmṛtijñānabala refers to the “(strength of knowing the recollection of his manifold past existences” and represents on of the ten Jñānabalas (“strength of knowledge”), as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 76).
The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., pūrvanivāsa-anusmṛti). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryPūrvanivāsānusmṛti (पूर्वनिवासानुस्मृति):—[=pūrva-nivāsānusmṛti] [from pūrva-nivāsa > pūrva] f. ‘recollection of former habitations’, reminiscence of f° existence (one of the 10 powers of a Buddha), [Dharmasaṃgraha 20; 76.]
[Sanskrit to German]
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)
Partial matches: Anusmriti, Nivasanusmriti, Purva, Purvanivasa.
Starts with: Purvanivasanusmritijnana, Purvanivasanusmritijnanabala.
Full-text: Pancabhijna, Purvanivasanusmritijnanabala, Nivasanusmriti, Purvanivasanusmritijnana, Five Deep Knowledges, Abhijna, Jnanabala.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Purvanivasanusmriti, Pūrvanivāsānusmṛti, Purvanivasa-anusmriti, Pūrvanivāsa-anusmṛti, Purvanivasa-anusmrti, Purvanivasanusmrti, Purva-nivasanusmriti, Pūrva-nivāsānusmṛti, Purva-nivasanusmrti; (plurals include: Purvanivasanusmritis, Pūrvanivāsānusmṛtis, anusmritis, anusmṛtis, anusmrtis, Purvanivasanusmrtis, nivasanusmritis, nivāsānusmṛtis, nivasanusmrtis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy < [Chapter 4 - Cultural Aspects]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Bodhisattva quality 5: the five superknowledges (pañcābhijña) < [Chapter X - The Qualities of the Bodhisattvas]
Part 5 - Why is the Buddha called Vidyācaraṇasaṃpanna (vidyā-caraṇa-saṃpanna) < [Chapter IV - Explanation of the Word Bhagavat]
II. Order of the superknowledges < [Part 1 - Becoming established in the six superknowledges]
A Dictionary Of Chinese Buddhist Terms (by William Edward Soothill)