Vimalakirti, Vimalakīrti: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Vimalakirti means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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 Hinduism
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammarVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति).—A Jain grammarian of the sixteenth century who wrote a short metrical work on the padas of roots, known by the name पदव्यवस्थासूत्रकारिका (padavyavasthāsūtrakārikā).
Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति) is the name of a Bodhisattva who is praised by the Buddhas, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVII.—Accordingly, “the Buddhas praise these Bodhisattvas. Who are they? They are, for example, Wen-chou-che-li (Mañjuśrī), P’i-mo-lo-kie (Vimalakīrti), Kouan-che-yin (Avalokiteśvara), Ta-che-tche (Mahāsthāmaprāpta), Pien-ki (Samantabhadra). These leaders among the Bodhisattvas appear in the threefold world (traidhātuka), create for themselves innumerable bodies by transformation, enter into saṃsāra and convert beings. From such exploits (adbhuta) comes the entire very profound prajñāpāramitā”.
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: Wisdom Library: Tibetan BuddhismVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति) is the name of a Bodhisattva 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 Vimalakīrti).
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: BuddhismVimalakirti:—The ideal lay believer who appears in “The Vimalakirti Sutra.” This sutra is the second most popular Buddhist teaching in the world, which means that it is studied every day by millions of people.
Source: WikiPedia: BuddhismVimalakīrti is the central figure in the Buddhist Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, which presents him as the ideal Mahayanist lay practitioner and a contemporary of Gautama Buddha (6th to 5th century BCE).
Translator Burton Watson argues that the Vimalakirti Sutra was likely composed in India in approximately 100 CE
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति) is the son of king Vipulavāhana, according to chapter 3.1 [sambhava-jina-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly: “[...] The King (Vipulavāhana), after his initiation-bath had been performed by Vimalakīrti, seated in a palanquin, went to Sūri Svayamprabha. Under the best of ācāryas, the best of kings adopted mendicancy together with rejection of all that is censurable. Seated in the chariot of restraint, he guarded fittingly his mendicancy like a kingdom from conquest by internal enemies. [...]”.
Source: academia.edu: Tessitori Collection IVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति) is the name of a teacher in the lineage of Dharmavardhana (alias Dharmasī): the author of the “Śrīmatī no coḍhālyo” (dealing with the lives of Jain female heroes), which is included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—Dharmavardhana was born in VS 1700 under the name Dharmasī, which he uses as signature in some of his works. He became a monk in VS 1713, belonged to the kharataragaccha, composed a large number of works of different genres and died at the age of 80. His lineage was: Sādhukīrti—Sādhusundara—Vimalakīrti—Vimalacandra—Vijayaharṣa, his direct teacher, mentioned at the end of the present composition.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति).—name of a Bodhisattva: (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 40.15. In a list of 16 Bodhisattvas; is this the same as the Vimala- kīrti so well known in Chinese Buddhism? See s.v. satpuruṣa.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—Padavyavasthāsūtrakārikā.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryVimalakīrti (विमलकीर्ति):—[=vi-mala-kīrti] [from vi-mala] m. ‘of spotless fame’, Name of a Buddhist scholar
[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)
Partial matches: Vimala, Kirti.
Starts with: Vimalakirti Nivdesa Sutra, Vimalakirtinirdesha.
Full-text: Padavyavasthasutrakarika, Vimalakirti Nivdesa Sutra, Udayakirti, Buddha-body, Mahasthamaprapta, Samantabhadra, Satpurusha, Sadhukirti, Vimalacandra, Manjushri, Dharmavardhana, Dharmasi, Earliest Mahayana-sutras, Avalokiteshvara.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Vimalakirti, Vimalakīrti, Vimala-kirti, Vimala-kīrti; (plurals include: Vimalakirtis, Vimalakīrtis, kirtis, kīrtis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (by Charles Luk)
Vimalakirti Sutra (by Burton Watson)
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (by Robert A. F. Thurman)
Chapter 12 - Vision of the Universe Abhirati and the Tathágata Aksobhya
Vimalakīrti Sutra (by John R. McRae)
Chapter X - The Buddha Accumulation Of Fragrances < [Fascicle Three]
Day by Day (Dharma lectures) (by Stephen L. Klick)
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Appendix 1 - Summary of the ninth chapter of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra < [Chapter XXV - Patience Toward the Dharma]
Part 1 - General definition of dharmakṣānti (patience toward the Dharma) < [Chapter XXV - Patience Toward the Dharma]
Appendix 1 - The legend of Mañjuśrī < [Chapter XLVII - Praises made by the Buddhas]