Smritibala, Smṛtibala, Smriti-bala: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Smritibala means something in Buddhism, Pali. 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 Smṛtibala can be transliterated into English as Smrtibala or Smritibala, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Smritibala in Mahayana glossary
Source: WikiPedia: Mahayana Buddhism

Smṛtibala (स्मृतिबल) (Tibetan: dran-pa) refers to the “power of mindfulness” representing one of the six Bala (“powers”) connected with śamatha (“access concentration”), according to Kamalaśīla and the Śrāvakabhūmi section of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra.

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 smritibala or smrtibala in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Smṛtibala (स्मृतिबल) or “power of mindfulness” is associated with Surābhakṣī and Vajrahūṃkāra, according to the deities of the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".

Associated elements of Surābhakṣī and Vajrahūṃkāra:

Circle: vākacakra [=vākcakra?] (speech-wheel) (red);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Surābhakṣī;
Ḍāka (male consort): Vajrahūṃkāra;
Bīja: koṃ;
Body-part: nose tip;
Pīṭha: Kosala;
Bodily constituent: antra (large intestine);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): smṛtibala (power of mindfulness).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

Discover the meaning of smritibala or smrtibala in the context of Tibetan Buddhism from relevant books on Exotic India

General definition (in Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Smritibala in Buddhism glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Smṛtibala (स्मृतिबल) or simply Smṛti refers to the “strength of mindfulness” and represents one of the “five powers” (pañcabala) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 48), itself forming part of the “thirty-seven things on the side of awakening” (bodhipākṣika-dharma). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., smṛti-bala). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

See also (Relevant definitions)

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