Viryaparamita, Vīryapāramitā, Virya-paramita: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Viryaparamita 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.
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In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता) refers to the “virtue of exertion” and represents one of the six perfections (pāramitā). How does the Bodhisattva fulfill the virtue of exertion (vīryapāramitā)? Answer: When he possesses great exertion of mind. Thus the Bodhisattva Mahātyāgavat, putting his life at the disposal of all his friends, swore to empty the water of the ocean until it was completely dry, and his resolve was firm. Here again, the Bodhisattva praised the Buddha Puṣya for seven days and seven nights standing on one leg without blinking his eyes.
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता) refers to the “perfection of vigour”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “How then, son of good family, does the Bodhisattva collect all qualities of the Buddha by thorough practice (yoniśas-prayoga)? [...] The vigour (vīrya) is the cause of collecting all Buddha learning; The Bodhisattva makes an effort, attains all roots of good (kuśalamūla), transfers the vigour of attaining all roots of good into omniscience, and fulfils the perfection of vigour (vīryapāramitā). [...]”.
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)
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता) refers to one of twelve Pāramitā Goddesses in human form, as commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—Her Colour is green; her Symbol is a blue lotus; she has two arms.
Vīryapāramitā is described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī (dharmadhātuvāgīśvara-maṇḍala) as follows:—
“Vīryapāramitā is of the colour of emerald and holds in her left hand the blue lotus”.
[She holds the cintāmaṇi banner as usual. A statue of this deity is found in China.
The twelve deities collectively have their spiritual father in Ratnasambhava. [...] According to a statement in the maṇḍala all the deities [viz., Vīryapāramitā] are two-armed, and they hold in the right hand the flag marked with the Cintāmaṇi jewel, and in the left their special symbols. Prajñāpāramitā is an exception since she has two more hands.]
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)
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता) or simply vīrya refers to the “perfection of energy” and represents the fourth of the “six perferctions” (ṣaṭpāramitā) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 17). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., ṣaṣ-pāramitā and vīrya-pāramitā). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Vīryapāramitā forms, besides a part of the “six perferctions” (ṣaṭpāramitā), also a part of the “ten perfections” (daśa-pāramitā).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता):—[=vīrya-pāramitā] [from vīrya > vīr] f. (with Buddhists) highest degree of fortitude or energy (one of the 6 perfections), [Kāraṇḍa-vyūha; Dharmasaṃgraha 17] ([Monier-Williams’ Buddhism 128]).
Vīryapāramitā (वीर्यपारमिता):—s. u. pāramitā .
Vīryapāramita (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 精進度 [jīng jìn dù]: “perfection of zeal”.
Note: vīryapāramita can be alternatively written as: vīrya-pāramita.
2) Vīryapāramitā (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 毘梨耶波羅蜜 [pí lí yé bō luó mì]: “perfection of zeal”.
2) 精進波羅蜜 [jīng jìn bō luó mì]: “perfection of effort”.
3) 精進波羅蜜多 [jīng jìn bō luó mì duō]: “perfection of effort”.
4) 進滿 [jìn mǎn]: “perfection of zeal”.
Note: vīryapāramitā can be alternatively written as: vīrya-pāramitā.
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 (+0): Virya, Paramita.
Full-text (+9): Jing jin bo luo mi, Pi li ye bo luo mi, Li bo luo mi pu sa, Jin bo luo mi, Jing jin du wu ji, Li bo luo mi, Jing jin du, Luc ba la mat bo tat, Jin man, Shatparamita, Jing jin bo luo mi duo, Samvardhaka, Paramita, Ten Perfections, Dashaparamita, Jing jin bo luo mi pu sa, Six Perfections, Virya, Shi bo luo mi pu sa, Da shi tai zi.
Relevant text
Search found 16 books and stories containing Viryaparamita, Vīryapāramitā, Virya-paramita, Vīrya-pāramitā, Vīryapāramita, Vīrya-pāramita; (plurals include: Viryaparamitas, Vīryapāramitās, paramitas, pāramitās, Vīryapāramitas, pāramitas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Part 2 - Practicing the six perfections < [Chapter XLV - Application of Merit]
Part 2 - The virtue of exertion (vīryapāramitā) < [Chapter XXVII - The Virtue of Exertion]
4. Generosity and the virtue of exertion < [Part 14 - Generosity and the other virtues]
The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Page 100 < [The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal (pages)]
Page 64 < [The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal (pages)]
Dasabhumika Sutra (translation and study) (by Hwa Seon Yoon)
Stage 4: Arcismati Bhumi < [Chapter 2 - Study: Summary of the Ten Stages]
Part 1.5 - Viriya or Virya Paramita (the perfection of vigour) < [Chapter 3 - Study: Paramitas or Perfections]
Part 4 - The Fourth Stage named Arcismati < [Chapter 4 - Annotated Translation of the Dasabhumika-Sutra]
Vimalakirti Sutra (by John R. McRae)
Chapter IV - Bodhisattvas < [Fascicle One]
Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (by Charles Luk)
Karandavyuha Sutra (by Mithun Howladar)
Part 3 - Significance of the [Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ] Mantra < [Appendix 3 - Six-Syllabled Mantra]