Sela, Selā, Shela: 7 definitions
Introduction
Sela means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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.
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In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names1. Sela. A king of long ago who, in spite of great sacrifices, could not get beyond the world of the Petas (Pitrs). J.vi.99.
2. Sela. A brahmin of Anguttarapa. He was a great friend of Keniya, the Jatila, and visited him when Keniya was making preparations to entertain the Buddha. Having heard the word Buddha from Keniya, Sela was filled with joy and fortitude, and went with his two hundred and fifty pupils to visit the Buddha in the woodland near Apana. There he observed on the person of the Buddha the thirty two marks of a Great Being all except two - viz., hidden privates and the long tongue. The Buddha read his thoughts and contrived, by his iddhi power, that Sela should be satisfied on these two points as well (This is referred to at Mil.167; DA.i.276, etc.). Sela then praised the Buddha in a series of verses and asked questions of him. At the end of his talk, Sela entered the Order with his pupils, and, at the end of a week, he attained arahantship (SN. p.104 ff. = M.ii.146f).
In the time of Padumuttara Buddha Sela had been the leader of the same guild of three hundred men, and, together with them, had built a parivena for the Buddha and done many good acts. As a result of these they received the ehi Bhikkhu pabbajja in this last life (SNA.ii.455; MA.ii.782; see also Ap.i.316; Thag.vs.818-41; Th4gA.ii.47f).
Mahasela, mentioned as the teacher of Sugandha Thera (ThagA.i.80f), is probably identical with this Sela. Sela lived to the age of one hundred and twenty (DA.ii.413).
According to the Dhammapada Commentary (DhA.i.384; also AA.i.219), the Buddha first met Sela on his way to Bhaddiya to convert Visakha and her kinswomen. Visakha was then seven years old. The Apadana says (Ap.i.318) that Selas father was a wealthy brahmin, named Vasettha.
3. Sela. A mountain in Himava. ApA.i.96.
4. Sela. Son of Atthadassi Buddha in his last lay life. BuA.180; but see Sena (15).
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1. Sela. A princess, younger sister of Candakumara (J.vi.143). She is identified with Uppalavanna. J.vi.157.
2. Sela Theri. She was born in Alavi as daughter of
the king: therefore she was also called Alavika. When she was still unmarried
the Buddha visited Alavi with Alavaka, whom he had converted, carrying his
begging bowl and robe. On that occasion Sela went with her father to hear the
Buddha preach. She became a lay disciple, but later, agitated in mind, she
joined the Order and became an arahant. After that she lived in Savatthi. One
day, as she was enjoying her siesta in the Andhavana under a tree, Mara, in the
guise of a stranger, approached her and tried to tempt her. But she refuted his
statements regarding the attractions of lay life, and Mara had to retire
discomfited (S.i.134; Thig.vss.57-9). 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).
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarysela : (m.) a rock; stone.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionarySela, (fr. silā) rocky Dh. 8; (m.) rock, stone, crystal S. I, 127; D. II, 39; A. III, 346; Dh. 81; J. II, 14; Vin. I, 4 sq.; III, 147= J. II, 284.
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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryśēlā (शेला).—m ( H) A sort of scarf, a cloth composed of four breadths depending from the shoulders loosely over the body. Pr. sarakāracēṃ tēla śēlyāvara ghyāvēṃ Accept the gifts or honors of the great at whatever damage or cost.
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śēḷa (शेळ).—f Whistling: also the hissing or hiss (of snakes, lizards &c.) v ghāla, vājava, vāja.
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śēḷa (शेळ).—f R or C Rice-land which retains humidity and coolness during the hot season. 2 Rice-plants raised from seed on such land (in preparation for transplantation with the earliest showers of the monsoon). śēḷīcā taravā Humid rice-land prepared by burning to be the seedbed of rice: also the produce or growth upon it.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishśēlā (शेला).—m A sort of scarf.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryŚela (शेल).—(read Śaila? q.v.; = Pali Sela), name of an ascetic (tāpasa; in Pali a brahman): Karmavibhaṅga (and Karmavibhaṅgopadeśa) 155.16 (the same as Śaila).
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Sela (सेल).—m., a high number (= selā, selu): Mahāvyutpatti 7766 = Tibetan yad yod.
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Selā (सेला).—= next: Gaṇḍavyūha 106.11.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Sela (सेल):—m. or n. ([probably] Prākṛt for śaila) a kind of weapon, [Kādambarī] ([Bombay edition])
2) a [particular] high number (cf. selu), [Buddhist literature]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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 (+9): Sela Sutta, Selaga, Selagula, Selahasta, Selaka, Selamaya, Selantarasamuha, Selantarayatana, Selapura, Selavadhakin, Shelabhela, Sheladum, Shelagata, Shelakata, Shelakhanda, Shelakya, Shelalaka, Shelanem, Shelapagotem, Shelarem.
Ends with: Asela, Billasela, Burashela, Garashela, Ghanasela, Jashela, Kalasela, Kashela, Mahasela, Pishela, Putabhattasila, Remunasela, Rohashela, Roshela, Sabasela, Sannirasela, Sapashela, Shirashela, Tashela, Vashela.
Full-text (+40): Shelu, Shaila, Nandica Pasoda, Mahasela, Adaphalem, Apana, Ashtagola, Shelakhanda, Asavarikantha, Nandica-pasoda, Shelagata, Shelakata, Edagiri, Sella, Ashtapadari, Selaka, Nandaca-pasoda, Sela Sutta, Canderi, Selagula.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Sela, Selā, Shela, Śēlā, Śelā, Śēḷa, Śela; (plurals include: Selas, Selās, Shelas, Śēlās, Śelās, Śēḷas, Śelas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 5 - The conversion of Śaila (Sela) < [Chapter LII - Elimination of the Triple Poison]
Appendix 8 - The tongue and cryptorchidie of the Buddha < [Chapter VIII - The Bodhisattvas]
Buddhas of the present: Preliminary note (1) < [Part 7 - Seeing, hearing and understanding all the Buddhas of the present]
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Part 1 - Singular Opportunity of Living in an Age when a Buddha appears < [Chapter 2 - Rare Appearance of a Buddha]
Buddha Chronicle 14: Atthadassī Buddhavaṃsa < [Chapter 9 - The chronicle of twenty-four Buddhas]
Biography (2): Visākhā, Donor of Pubbārāma Monastery < [Chapter 45b - Life Stories of Female Lay Disciples]
Guide to Tipitaka (by U Ko Lay)
Part V - Brahmapa Vagga < [(b) Majjihma Pannasa Pali]
Conditions (by Nina van Gorkom)
Apadana commentary (Atthakatha) (by U Lu Pe Win)
Commentary on Biography of thera Parappasādaka < [Chapter 7 - Sakacintaniyavagga (section on Sakacintaniya)]
Buddhist Outlook on Daily Life (by Nina van Gorkom)