Shunyakara, Shunya-akara, Śūnyākāra: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Shunyakara 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.
The Sanskrit term Śūnyākāra can be transliterated into English as Sunyakara or Shunyakara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Śūnyākāra (शून्याकार) refers to the “form of emptiness”, according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] Even when pleased he is not pleased, not suffering even when in pain. Only those like him can know the wonderful state of such a man. It is the sense of responsibility which is samsara. The wise who are of the form of emptiness (śūnyākāra), formless, unchanging and spotless see no such thing. [śūnyākārā nirākārā nirvikārā nirāmayāḥ] [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Śūnyākāra (शून्याकार) refers to the “empty aspect” (of knowledge), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 38.—[While describing the aspects of the ten knowledges (daśa-jñāna) according to the Abhidharma]—[...] Kṣaya-jñāna and Anutpāda-jñāna both have fourteen aspects, excluding the empty aspect (śūnyākāra) and the non-self aspect (anātmakākāra).
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
Marathi-English dictionary
śūnyākāra (शून्याकार).—a (S śūnya & ākāra) Dismally and drearily empty, void, bare &c.: also desolate, desert, naked. 2 (śūnya or representing Eternity or Empty immensity--absolute absence of properties or predicables, whether of time or of space.) A term for brahma or the primeval ens, the all-comprehending, all-originating (by projection or extrusion), all-annihilating (by re-absorption) divine monad of pantheism.
śūnyākāra (शून्याकार).—a Dismally and drearily empty; desolate.
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Shunya, Akara.
Full-text: Anatmakakara, Kong xing.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Shunyakara, Shunya-akara, Sunya-akara, Śūnya-ākāra, Śūnyākāra, Sunyakara; (plurals include: Shunyakaras, akaras, ākāras, Śūnyākāras, Sunyakaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 519 < [Gujarati-Hindi-English, Volume 3]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
II. The Ten Knowledges (daśa-jñāna) according to the Abhidharma < [Part 1 - The eleven knowledges (jñāna, ñāṇa)]
The Story of Suka in the Mahabharata and the Puranas < [Purana, Volume 7, Part 1 (1965)]