Veranja, Verañjā, Verañja: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Veranja means something in Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India. 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

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A town in which the Buddha once spent the rainy season at the invitation of the brahmin Veranja. (In the twelfth year, according to Buddhaghosa e.g., AA.ii.758; cf. BuA.3). Veranja visits the Buddha at the foot of the Nalerupicumanda, where he is staying, and asks him a series of questions, the first of which is: whether it be true that the Buddha pays no respect to aged brahmins. The Buddha replies that he has not seen a brahmin in the whole world to whom such respect is due from him. If the Tathagata were so to honour anyone, that persons head would split in pieces. Other questions follow on the Buddhas doctrine and practices. The Buddha concludes by giving an account of his attainment of the threefold knowledge. The interview ends with the conversion of Veranja and his invitation to the Buddha to spend his rainy season there. Here he spoke of the Vijjattaya, says UdA.(p. 183), because all the monks with the Buddha were chalabhinna, and therefore no special mention was needed of abhinna.

At that time there was a famine, and five hundred householders of Uttarapatha, staying at Veranja, supplied the monks with food. Moggallana proposed to get food by the exercise of his magic power or by going with the monks to Uttarakuru, but he was dissuaded by the Buddha. During this stay Sariputta received from the Buddha an explanation as to why the religious systems of the three previous Buddhas lasted so long, while those of the three preceding them - Vipassi, Sikhi and Vesabhu - did not.

At the conclusion of the vassa, the Buddha wished to take leave of Veranja before setting out, as was the custom of Buddhas when they received hospitality. Veranja admitted that, though he had invited the Buddha, he had not kept his promise, and this was due to his having too many duties in the house. The Commentators add that Veranja forgot his invitation because Mara, being in a spiteful mood, had taken possession of him and of all the inhabitants of Veranja (Sp.i.178 L; DhA.ii.153; cf. J.iii.494).

He invited the Buddha and the monks to a meal the next day, and, at the end of the meal, presented a set of three robes to the Buddha and a pair to each of the monks.

After leaving Veranja the Buddha went to Benares, passing through Soreyya, Sankassa and Kannakujja, and crossing the Ganges at Payagapatitthana. From Benares he proceeded to Vesali. This account, of the Buddhas visit to Veranja, forms the introduction to the Vinaya and is found at Vin.iii.1 11. The interview with Veranja is given at A.iv.172ff. The road taken by the Buddha from Veranja to Benares was, according to Buddhaghosa (Sp.i.201), the shortest, and the Buddha knew the monks were tired after their experiences in Veranja. Soon after, he appears to have visited Kapilavatthu. There he was visited by Mahanama, the Sakyan,

-- or --

. A brahmin. See Veranja.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Verañja (वेरञ्ज) or Agnidatta is the name of a Brahmin who visited the Buddha in the twelfth year of his ministry. (see appendix 3 at Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter IV). Verañja wanted to know why the Buddha did not bow to the aged monks and, having asked a series of questions, he invited the Buddha and his monks to spend the rainy season at Verañja. When the Buddha, accompanied by 500 monks, went to Verañja, the brahmin who was at the same time the king of that region, did not receive him in his palace. He was too busy with his pleasures and, according to some sources, Māra had disturbed his mind.

The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra seems to take its information from the partial translation of the Saṃyuktāgama, where the brahmin is also called P’o lo t’ou chö (Bhāradvāja). On the other hand, in the complete translation of the Saṃyuktāgama, the hero of the story is the brahmin Houo yu from Rājgṛha. Now Houo yu is the literal translation of Agnidatta, the name of the brahmin from Verañjā. Finally, in the corresponding passage in the Pāli Saṃyutta, the same brahmin is called Udaya. The result of all this is that Bhāradvāja, Agnidatta-Verañjā and Udaya are all one; Buddhaghosa has already noticed this, and he notes in his Samantapasādikā, that the real name of the brahmin was Udaya but that he was called Verañjā because he was born and lived in Verañjā.

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.

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India history and geography

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Verañja (वेरञ्ज) is the name of an ancient locality situated in Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Once the Buddha after passing the rainy season at Verañjā arrived at Sāvatthī in due course (cf. Cullasuka Jātaka).

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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