Sushoma, Susoma, Suṣomā: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Sushoma 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.
The Sanskrit term Suṣomā can be transliterated into English as Susoma or Sushoma, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Suṣomā (सुषोमा).—(River) in Bhāratavarṣa.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 19. 18.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Suṣomā (सुषोमा) occurs certainly as the name of a river in the Nadīstuti (‘praise of rivers’) in the Rigveda. In two other passages it would seem to be a proper name, once masculine, perhaps the people, and once feminine, though Roth sees in the word the designation of a Soma vessel. Its identification is quite uncertain, though it has been thought to be the Σόαρος of Megasthenes, the modern Suwan.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Susoma (सुसोम) is the name of a Buddha under whom Śākyamuni (or Gautama, ‘the historical Buddha’) acquired merit along the first through nine bhūmis, according to the Mahāvastu. There are in total ten bhūmis representing the ten stages of the Bodhisattva’s path towards enlightenment.
Susoma is but one among the 500 Buddhas enumerated in the Mahāvastu during a conversation between Mahākātyāyana and Mahākāśyapa, both principle disciples of Gautama Buddha. The Mahāvastu is an important text of the Lokottaravāda school of buddhism, dating from the 2nd century BCE.
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Susoma (सुसोम) is the name of a Pratyekabuddha mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Susoma).
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Susoma (सुसोम).—name of a former Buddha: Mahāvastu i.137.5.
Suṣoma (सुषोम).—[masculine] ā [feminine] a cert. Soma-vessel; [feminine] also [Name] of a river.
1) Suṣoma (सुषोम):—[=su-ṣoma] [from su > su-ṣaṃsad] m. ‘containing good sap’, Name of a [particular] Soma vessel, [Ṛg-veda]
2) Suṣomā (सुषोमा):—[=su-ṣomā] [from su-ṣoma > su > su-ṣaṃsad] f. idem, [ib.]
3) [v.s. ...] Name of a river, [ib.; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
Suṣoma (सुषोम):—
1) adj. guten Saft enthaltend. —
2) m. und f. (ā) Bez. eines best. Soma-Gefässes [Ṛgveda 8, 7, 29. 53, 11.] —
3) f. ā Nomen proprium eines Flusses [Yāska’s Nirukta 9, 26.] [Ṛgveda 10, 75, 5.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 5, 19, 18.]
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)
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Search found 9 books and stories containing Sushoma, Su-shoma, Su-ṣoma, Su-soma, Su-ṣomā, Susoma, Suṣomā, Suṣoma; (plurals include: Sushomas, shomas, ṣomas, somas, ṣomās, Susomas, Suṣomās, Suṣomas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Nirukta and the Vedic interpretation (study) (by Shruti S. Pradhan)
Page 193 < [Chapter 1 - Group “A”]
Rivers in Ancient India (study) (by Archana Sarma)
11. Descriptions of the rivers in the Jambudvīpa < [Chapter 5 - Rivers in the Purāṇic Literature]
3c. The sacred aspect of the river Sarasvatī < [Chapter 5 - Rivers in the Purāṇic Literature]
Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Chapter XV - The eighth Bhūmi < [Volume I]
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 4 - Country of Sang-ho-pu-lo (Simhapura) < [Book III - Eight Countries]