The Sanskrit term Vītaśoka can be transliterated into English as Vitasoka or Vitashoka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

A younger brother of Dhammasoka and a lay pupil of Giridatta Thera. One day he saw grey hairs on his head as he was being dressed and, seated as he was, he became a sotapanna. Later he entered the Order and became an arahant.

In the time of Siddhattha Buddha he was a brahmin, skilled in various branches of learning, and later became an ascetic. On his way to see the Buddha he died, and was reborn in the deva world. (ThagA.i.295f.; two verses attributed to him are given in Thag.169 70). He is probably identical with Buddhasannaka Thera of the Apadana. Ap.ii.419f.; cf. Dvy.366f.

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).

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक) is the younger brother of king Aśoka, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 32.—Accordingly, “when Vītaśoka, the younger brother of King Aśoka, was king of Jambudvīpa for seven days, he was permitted to indulge in the five objects of enjoyment (pañcakāmaguṇa) on a grand scale. At the end of the seven days, king Aśoka asked him: ‘As king of Jambudvīpa, did you experience happiness (sukha) and joy (muditā)?’ Vītaśoka answered: ‘I saw nothing, heard nothing, noticed nothing...’”

Note: The story of Vītaśoka, also called Vigataśoka, Sudatta or Sugātra, is told fully in Aśokavadāna, Aśokasūtra, Divyāvadāna, Tchou yao king, Fen pie kong tö louen.—“Vītaśoka, the younger brother of king Aśoka, had faith in heretical doctrines and jeered at the disciples of the Buddha whose easy life he begrudged. In order to convert him to the Holy Dharma, Aśoka resorted to a trick. While the king was bathing, his ministers, in connivance with him, invited Vītaśoka to try on the royal crown which the chances of succession might someday lead him to wear”.

Note: In the Ceylonese tradition, the hero of this story is Tissa-kumāra, brother of Aśoka and his vice-regent (Mahāvamśa); for Hiuan-tsang, it was Mahendra (the Maninda of the Pāli sources), wrongly presented as the king’s brother, whereas he was his son (Si-yu-ki).

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक) is the name of a Vidyādhara-city, situated on mount Vaitāḍhya (in the northern row), according to chapter 1.3 [ādīśvara-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, “[...] Taking their families and all their retinue and ascending the best of cars, they went to Vaitāḍhya. [...] Ten yojanas above the earth, King Vinami made at once sixty cities in a northern row at the command of the Nāga-king. [viz., Vītaśoka]. Vinami himself, who had resorted to Dharaṇendra, inhabited the city Gaganavallabha, the capital of these. [...] The two rows of Vidyādhara-cities looked very magnificent, as if the Vyantara rows above were reflected below. After making many villages [viz., Vītaśoka] and suburbs, they established communities according to the suitability of place. The communities there were called by the same name as the community from which the men had been brought and put there. [...]”.

context information

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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

Vitashoka in India is the name of a plant defined with Saraca indica in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Jonesia asoca sensu auct. (among others).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Mantissa Plantarum (1767)
· Flora Indica (1768)
· Species Plantarum.

If you are looking for specific details regarding Vitashoka, for example side effects, chemical composition, extract dosage, health benefits, diet and recipes, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.

context information

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक).—(= aśokaḥ) the Aśoka tree.

Derivable forms: vītaśokaḥ (वीतशोकः).

Vītaśoka is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vīta and śoka (शोक).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक).—(= Pali °soka), name of a brother of Aśoka: Divyāvadāna 419.19 ff.; Vītaśokāvadāna = Divyāvadāna xxviii, colophon 429.5 (story of how he was converted to Buddhism after originally being an adherent of heretics).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक).—mfn.

(-kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) Free from care or sorrow. m.

(-kaḥ) The Aśoka tree, (Jonesia Aśoka.) E. vīta gone, and śoka sorrow.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vitaśoka (वितशोक).—i. e.

Vitaśoka is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vita and śoka (शोक).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक).—[adjective] sorrowless, [abstract] tā [feminine]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Vītaśoka (वीतशोक):—[=vīta-śoka] [from vīta > vī] mfn. free from sorrow, [Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad; Mahābhārata]

2) [v.s. ...] m. the Aśoka tree, Jonesia Asoka, [Mahābhārata]

3) Vītaśokā (वीतशोका):—[=vīta-śokā] [from vīta-śoka > vīta > vī] f. Name of a town, [Hemacandra’s Pariśiṣṭaparvan]

4) Vītāśoka (वीताशोक):—[from vīta > vī] m. a proper Name (= vigatāśoka), [Buddhist literature]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Vītaśoka (वीतशोक):—[vīta-śoka] (kaḥ-kā-kaṃ) 1. m. The Ashoka tree. a. Free from sorrow.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vitasoka in German

context information

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: Shoka, Vita, Coka.

Starts with: Vitashokabhaya, Vitashokabhayabadha, Vitashokata.

Full-text (+4): Vigatashoka, Vitashokata, Vitashokabhaya, Vitashokabhayabadha, Giridatta, Pradanaruci, Sugatra, Sudatta, Shirasitah, Abadha, Purana, Salilavati, Kamalashri, Kritartha, Vaishravana, Bala, Balabhadra, Dharini, Acala, Abhicandra.

Relevant text

Search found 10 books and stories containing Vitasoka, Vita-shoka, Vīta-śoka, Vita-soka, Vita-śoka, Vīta-śokā, Vitashoka, Vītaśoka, Vitaśoka, Vītaśokā, Vītāśoka; (plurals include: Vitasokas, shokas, śokas, sokas, śokās, Vitashokas, Vītaśokas, Vitaśokas, Vītaśokās, Vītāśokas). 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)

The story of Vītaśoka < [Class 3: The four immeasurables]

II. Aspects of the immeasurables (apramāṇa) < [Class 3: The four immeasurables]

Introduction to third volume < [Introductions]

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Mandukya Upanishad (Gaudapa Karika and Shankara Bhashya) (by Swami Nikhilananda)

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.78 < [Chapter IV - Alatashanti Prakarana (Quenching the firebrand)]

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Mundaka Upanishad with Shankara’s Commentary (by S. Sitarama Sastri)

Verse 3.1.2 < [Mundaka III, Khanda I]

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Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)

Part 2: Incarnation as Mahābala < [Chapter VI - Śrī Mallināthacaritra]

Part 4: Former births of Induṣeṇa and Binduṣeṇa < [Chapter I - Five previous incarnations]

Part 5: Description of Vaitāḍhya < [Chapter III]

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Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study) (by Sadhu Gyanananddas)

4.4c. The Divine Sight < [Chapter 2 - Analysis on the Basis Of Epistemology]

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Mimamsa interpretation of Vedic Injunctions (Vidhi) (by Shreebas Debnath)

Chapter 9.3d - Niyamavidhi in Śravaṇa by the Second Manner

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Click here for all 10 books