Uposhadha, Upoṣadha: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Uposhadha 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 Upoṣadha can be transliterated into English as Uposadha or Uposhadha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraUpoṣadha (उपोषध) is a Sanskrit word similar to Upavasatha (i.e., the day preceding the lunar quarters, a sacred weekly day or Sabbath), according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XXII.—Accordingly, In the Vedas, upavasatha is the day of preparation preceding the Soma sacrifice. The word has passed into Buddhism, not without having gone through transformations: in Pāli, uposatha; in Sanskrit, upoṣadha (Mahāvastu; Avadānakalpalatā), and, more frequently, poṣadha (cf. Lalitavistara; Divyāvadāna; Mahāvyutpatti, no. 9101, 9287). In Jaina Prakrit, there is posaha. Hence the tradtitional Tibetan translation gso-sbyoṅ “that which nourishes (gso = poṣa) the merits and which washes (sbyoṅ = dhav) sins”. The person who is practicing upavāsa is called upoṣadhika (cf. Mahāvastu), poṣadhika (cf. Mahāvyutpatti, no. 8726), poṣadhoṣita (cf. Divyāvadāna) or upavāsastha (cf. Kośa).
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)
Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara SamadhiUpoṣadha (उपोषध) refers to “(the observance of) abstinence”, according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “I raise the highest enlightened mind, I invite all beings to this place, Following the wisest conduct desired, becoming a Buddha for the world. Confessing all sins, and rejoicing in meritorious acts, I observe abstinence (upoṣadha) (and taking) the Eight Precepts [e.g., upavāsaṃ cariṣyāmi āryāṣṭāṅgaṃ upoṣadham]”.
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.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: BuddhismUpoṣadha (उपोषध) is the name of an ancient king from the Solar dynasty (sūryavaṃśa) and a descendant of Mahāsaṃmata, according to the Mahāvastu of the Mahāsaṃghikas (and the Lokottaravāda school).
Upoṣadha is known as Uposatha according to the Dīpavaṃśa and the Mahāvaṃśa. Uposatha is also mentioned in the Mahābuddhavaṃsa or Maha Buddhavamsa (the great chronicle of Buddhas) Anudīpanī chapter 1, compiled by Ven. Mingun Sayadaw.
Upoṣadha is known as Utpoṣadha according to the Dulva (the Tibetan translation of the Vinaya of the Sarvāstivādins).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryUpoṣadha (उपोषध).—(1) nt. (but see under poṣadha, posatha; = Pali (u)posatha, m.; Jain Sanskrit pauṣadha, m.; AMg. posaha, m. and nt.; except a single case of posatha, q.v., [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] seems to have only forms ending in -dha, whereas Pali has only -tha; see prec. and foll. items), the Buddhist ‘sabbath’, four times a month, on which good laymen observed 8 śīla (see aṣṭāṅga), confessed, etc.: Mahāvyutpatti 7137 °dham, n. sg.; Mahāvastu i.255.13 °dhe; ii.177.20 (see upoṣati); iii.97.20 and 98.2 (verses), mss. poṣadhaṃ (acc.), Senart em. upo° m.c.; Divyāvadāna 116.22 upoṣadhoṣitaḥ, but 116.21 poṣadhe and 118.27 poṣadhoṣitaḥ (all prose); (2) m., name of a (cakra- vartin) king of old, grandson of Kalyāṇa, father of Mān- dhātar (= Pali Uposatha): Mahāvyutpatti 3556; Mahāvastu i.348.8; Divyāvadāna 210.13 ff.; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.66.7 ff.; 92.16; (3) m., name of a devaputra who visited Buddha: Avadāna-śataka i.336.1 ff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryUpoṣadha (उपोषध):—m. Name of a man ([Buddhist literature])
[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: Uposhati, Utposhadha, Poshadha, Uposatha, Posatha, Varakalyana, Upavasatha, Posaha, Uposhadhika, Poshadhika, Poshadhoshita, Upavasastha.
Relevant text
Search found 5 books and stories containing Uposhadha, Upoṣadha, Uposadha; (plurals include: Uposhadhas, Upoṣadhas, Uposadhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Socially Engaged Buddhism (with reference to Australian society) (by Phuong Thi Thu Ngo)
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 2 - The eightfold morality of the upavāsastha (introduction) < [Section II.1 - Morality of the lay person or avadātavasana]
The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Chapter XVIII - Jātaka of Campaka (the Nāga king) < [Volume II]
Chapter XVII - The tenth Bhūmi < [Volume I]
Chapter XXXII - Genesis of the world (Rājavaṃśa): the Śākyans and the Koliyans < [Volume I]
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Chapter 2 - The genealogy of Mahāsammata < [Book 1 - The beginning of the story of the Doctrine]
The gods of northern Buddhism (by Alice Getty)
Part IV - The Religious Community (sangha) < [Introduction]