Sthanasthana, Sthānāsthāna, Sthana-asthana: 5 definitions

Introduction:

Sthanasthana 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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Sthanasthana in Mahayana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Sthānāsthāna (स्थानास्थान) or Sthānāsthānajñānabala refers to one of the “ten powers” (daśabala) of the Bodhisattva, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 39. Accordingly, “by the power of the knowledge of what is possible and what is impossible (sthānāsthāna-jñānabala), the Buddha distinguishes and evaluates those beings who can be converted and those who cannot be converted”.

Also, “the Buddha himself makes no blunders. His knowledge of the possible and the impossible (sthānāsthāna) is intact (avyāhata) and invincible (prajānāti) and, since he knows fully and completely (prajānāti), it is called the first ‘power’”.

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Sthānāsthāna (स्थानास्थान) refers to “what is proper and what is improper”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Then the Bodhisattva Gaganagañja, having praised the Lord with these verses, addressed himself to the Lord: ‘[...] The Lord, having become the king of doctors (vaidyarāja), establishes the way into the state without disease (vyādhi) or death (maraṇa) for [living beings] who are involved with this world covered with desire, defilement, and obstruction (āvaraṇa) from beginningless until endless time (anavarāgra). The Lord, having had power and vitality, is skilled in the knowledge if what is proper and what is improper (sthānāsthāna-jñānakuśala), and has obtained the three knowledges (trividya). [...]”.

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 sthanasthana in the context of Mahayana from relevant books on Exotic India

General definition (in Buddhism)

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

Sthānāsthāna (स्थानास्थान) or Sthānāsthānajñānabala refers to the “strength of knowing the possible and impossible” 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., sthāna-asthāna). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Sthanasthana in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Sthānasthāna (स्थानस्थान):—[=sthāna-sthāna] [from sthāna > sthā] n. [plural] every place (eṣu [locative case] [plural] ‘everywhere’, ‘in every corner’; cf. sthāna, [column]1), [Kathāsaritsāgara]

[Sanskrit to German]

Sthanasthana in German

context information

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.

Discover the meaning of sthanasthana in the context of Sanskrit from relevant books on Exotic India

See also (Relevant definitions)

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