Shitavana, Sitavana, Śītavana, Sītavana, Shita-vana: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Shitavana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. 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 Śītavana can be transliterated into English as Sitavana or Shitavana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesŚītavana (शीतवन) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. III.81.48) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Śīta-vana) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper NamesA grove near Rajagaha where Anathapindika first met the Buddha. In the grove was a cemetery described as bhayabherava (ThagA.i.47; cf. Dvy.264, 268), and, when Anathapindika approached it, he was filled with fear and trembling. But he was reassured by a friendly Yakkha, Sivaka (Vin.ii.155f.; when the Buddha was staying there, Mara asked him to die; D.ii.116).
In the Sitavana was the Sappasondikapabbhara (S.i.210f; Vin.ii.76; iv.159), where Upasena was killed by a snake bite (S.iv.40) and Sona Kolivisa tried, without success, to practise asceticism. (A.iii.374).
Sambhuta Thera so loved the Sitavana that he came to be called Sitavaniya.
In Asokas day his brother Tissakumara, (Ekavihariya) is also mentioned its delighting in the solitude of Sitavana (Thag.vs.540; or does this Sitavana not refer to any particular place?).
There were five hundred walks (cankamanani) in Sitavana. AA.ii.679.
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 SastraŚītavana (शीतवन) is the name of an area south of Rājagṛha, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter V. Accordingly, “south of Rājagṛha, in the Che t’o lin (Śītavana), there were many corpses; vultures commonly came to devour them and then went to perch on the peak of the nearby mountain. The people then named it vulture peak (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata) mountain. It is the highest of the five mountains of Rājagṛha. It abounds in precious forests and waters. The Āryas live there”.
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.
India history and geography
Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early BuddhismSītavana (सीतवन) is the name of a forest situated in Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Sītavana is at Rājagaha.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryŚītavana (शीतवन).—nt. (= Pali Sīta°), name of a cemetery at Rājagṛha; in [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] always referred to as (mahā) śmaśāna: °naṃ śmaśānam abhinirharati Divyāvadāna 264.16; °naṃ mahā- śmaśānaṃ 268.8, and ff.; Avadāna-śataka ii.134.5 (°naṃ śmaśānaṃ nītvā), 10; 135.1; 182.7; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya ii.42.20 f.; iii.139.11.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Śītavana (शीतवन):—[=śīta-vana] [from śīta] n. Name of a place of pilgrimage, [Mahābhārata] ([varia lectio] sīta-v)
2) [v.s. ...] of a place (for receiving) corpses in Magadha, [Buddhist literature]
3) Sītāvana (सीतावन):—[=sītā-vana] [from sītā > sī] a See śītavana.
4) Sītavana (सीतवन):—[=sīta-vana] sīta-vana or sītā-vana [varia lectio] for śītavana.
5) Sītāvana (सीतावन):—[=sītā-vana] b sīta-vana or sītā-vana [varia lectio] for śītavana.
[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)
Full-text: Sappasondika Pabbhara, Nagarjuna, Gridhrakutaparvata, Anathapindika, Sushena, Sivaka, Sambhuta.
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Search found 17 books and stories containing Shitavana, Sitavana, Śītavana, Sītavana, Shita-vana, Śīta-vana, Sita-vana, Sītāvana, Sītā-vana, Sīta-vana; (plurals include: Shitavanas, Sitavanas, Śītavanas, Sītavanas, vanas, Sītāvanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 3.2.8 < [Chapter 2 - The Great Festival of Śrī Girirāja]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 3 - Why is it called Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata (vulture peak mountain) < [Chapter V - Rājagṛha]
Appendix 4 - The story of Sudatta’s bodhi < [Chapter LII - Elimination of the Triple Poison]
Avadāna of Koṭīviṃśa < [III. Recollection of the community (saṃgānusmṛti)]
Dhammapada (Illustrated) (by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero)
Verse 131-132 - The Story of Many Youths < [Chapter 10 - Daṇḍa Vagga (Punishment)]
The Great Chronicle of Buddhas (by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw)
Biography (16): Soṇa Koḷivisa Mahāthera < [Chapter 43 - Forty-one Arahat-Mahatheras and their Respective Etadagga titles]
Part 3 - Story of the Wealthy Man Anāthapiṇḍika < [Chapter 20 - The Six Princes achieved different Attainments]
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
Vinaya (3): The Cullavagga (by T. W. Rhys Davids)
Cullavagga, Khandaka 6, Chapter 4 < [Khandaka 6 - On Dwellings and Furniture]