Caitya, Chaitya: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Caitya means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, Hindi. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Caitya.
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In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Mah膩bh膩rataOne of the five large hills protecting the city of Girivraja. Mentioned in the Mahabharata, Second book, Section XXI; The other hills being: Varaha, Vaihara, Vrishava, Rishigiri;
: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�) refers to a 鈥渟anctuary鈥� which makes a preferable site for the performance of a sacrifice, as mentioned in the 艢ivapur膩峁嘺 1.18.鈥擜ccordingly, 鈥淸...] the precincts of a temple, a cowshed, a sanctuary (caitya) or one鈥檚 own court-yard shall be selected for the performance of sacrifice. It shall be on a raised platform at least two hastas high. It shall be well decorated. Paddy weighing a Bh膩ra shall be spread on the ground to make a large circle. Diagrams of lotuses shall be made in the middle and in the eight quarters on the border of the circle. [...]鈥�.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥擣unerary mound; found in Ayodhy膩; its trees as frequented by Pi艣膩cas;1 a householder to avoid Caitya.2
- 1) Bh膩gavata-pur膩峁嘺 IX. 11. 27; Brahm膩峁囜笉a-pur膩峁嘺 III. 7. 415; Vi峁ａ箛u-pur膩峁嘺 III. 12. 13.
- 2) Vi峁ａ箛u-pur膩峁嘺 III. 11. 122.
1b) A Marut of the first g补峁嘺.*
- * Brahm膩峁囜笉a-pur膩峁嘺 III. 5. 92.
The Purana (啶啶班ぞ啶�, pur膩峁嘺s) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India鈥檚 vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: Wisdom Library: V膩stu-艣膩straCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�) refers to a 鈥渢emple鈥�, and in a broader sense represents 鈥渄evotional place鈥� or 鈥渞esidence of God鈥�. It is one of commonly used names for a temple, as found in V膩stu艣膩stra literature such the Mayamata and the 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补.
: Digital Library of India: Bharatiya Vastu-sastra volume 1Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�) is a sacred monument which is piled up like the Vedic Agni (etymologically Caitya is derived from citi).
Vastushastra (啶掂ぞ啶膏啶む啶多ぞ啶膏啶む啶�, v膩stu艣膩stra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
Ayurveda (science of life)
: archive.org: Vagbhata鈥檚 Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�) refers to a 鈥渢ope鈥�, and is mentioned in verse 2.33 of the 础峁ａ弓腻峁単补丑峁沝补测补蝉补峁僪颈迟腻 (S奴trasth膩na) by 痴腻驳产丑补峁璦.鈥擜ccordingly, 鈥淸...] one shall not tread on the shadow of a tope [viz., caitya], respectable (person), flag, and inauspicious (object) or on ashes, chaff, and impure (places), nor (shall one tread) on gravel, clods, and offering and bathing sites鈥�.
Note: Caitya may be a tope as well as a sacred tree (usually the Pipal or Bodhi tree, Ficus religiosa L.) in Buddhist terminology. The Tibetan equivalent mchod-rten denotes only the former, its etymology being 鈥渞eceptacle of oblations鈥�; the latter is called 尘肠丑辞诲-谤迟别苍-艣颈峁�, which corresponds to Sanskrit Caityadruma.
: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�):鈥擱eligious or sacred tree.
膧yurveda (啶嗋く啷佮ぐ啷嵿さ啷囙う, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of 膧yurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganaga帽japarip峁沜ch膩Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�) refers to 鈥渟hrines鈥� (dedicated to the Victorious One鈥擩ina), according to the Gaganaga帽japarip峁沜ch膩: the eighth chapter of the Mah膩sa峁僴ip膩ta (a collection of Mah膩y膩na Buddhist S奴tras).鈥擜ccordingly, 鈥淭hen the Lord spoke the following verses to the Bodhisattva Pu峁噛膩la峁僰膩ra: 鈥榌...] (235) Even though the Bodhisattva places a lamp on shrines (caitya) dedicated to the Victorious One, which is filled with perfumed oil like the ocean in ten directions and made of a wick like the Mount Sumeru, if there is someone who, having known that the whole world is covered by darkness, upholds this dharma taught by the Victorious One when the lamp of the dharma is extinguished, then his merit would be better. [...]鈥欌��
Mahayana (啶す啶距く啶距え, mah膩y膩na) 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 蝉奴迟谤补蝉 of which some of the earliest are the various Praj帽膩p膩ramit膩 蝉奴迟谤补蝉.
General definition (in Buddhism)
: WikiPedia: BuddhismA chaitya is a Buddhist or Jain shrine including a stupa. In modern texts on Indian architecture, the term chaitya griha is often used to denote assembly or prayer hall that houses a stupa. Architecturally they show similarities to Roman design concepts of column and arch.
: eBooks@Adelaide: A Record of Buddhistic KingdomsTo the east of the Abhayagiri-vihara there is a hill, with a vihara on it, called the Chaitya, where there may be 2000 monks.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
: HereNow4u: Jain Dharma ka Maulika Itihasa (2)Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�) refers to 鈥渁uspicious installations鈥� and is one of the topics treated in the J帽膩t膩dharmakath膩, one of the Dv膩da艣膩峁単墨 (twelve A峁単as) of Jainism.鈥擳he J帽膩t膩dharmakath膩 is the sixth text of the A峁単a series. The text narrates religious stories, citing examples. It deals with a multitude of topics like鈥攖he cities, gardens, auspicious installations (caityas), forests, kings, parents, 蝉补尘补惫补艣补谤补峁嘺蝉 (holy conference / congregation hall), 诲丑补谤尘腻肠腻谤测补蝉 (religious preceptors / leaders), religious parables, mundane and spiritual prosperity, luxury (bhoga), 辫补谤颈迟测腻驳补 (sacrifice), 辫谤补惫谤补箩测腻 (initiation), severe austerities, achieving pious death (e.g. pary膩ya sa峁僱ekhan膩s, bhakta praty膩khy膩na, 辫腻诲辞辫补驳补尘补苍补, (going to heaven)), birth in high family, enlightenment, last-rites (antaha) of Meghakum膩ra etc. [...]
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, 鈥榮elf-reliance鈥�) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryCaitya.鈥�(EI 22, 33; BL), a prayer hall; usually, a place of worship in a Buddhist monastery; same as caitya-g峁沨a. (EI 6, CII 4), same as st奴pa. Note: caitya is defined in the 鈥淚ndian epigraphical glossary鈥� as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥�a. Relating to a pile.
-迟测补岣� The individual soul.
-tyam 1 The ant-hill; 啶ㄠぞ啶椸す啷囙い啷嬥 啶膏啶ぐ啷嵿ぃ啷囙え 啶氞啶む啶ぎ啷佮え啷嵿ぎ啶ムた啶む 啶ぅ啶� (n膩gaheto岣� supar峁噀na caityamunmathita峁� yath膩) 搁腻尘.4.19.24.
2) A pile of stones forming a landmark.
3) A monument, tomb-stone.
4) A sacrificial shed; 啶︵啶掂じ啷嵿ぅ啶距え啷囙し啷� 啶氞啶む啶啶粪 啶ㄠぞ啶椸ぞ啶ㄠぞ啶ぞ啶侧く啷囙し啷� 啶� (devasth膩ne峁 caitye峁 n膩g膩n膩m膩laye峁 ca) Mah膩bh膩rata (Bombay) 3.19.67; 啶曕啷嵿啶苦啷嵿啷堗い啷嵿く啶多い啷堗ぐ啷嵿啷佮し啷嵿啶� (办补肠肠颈肠肠补颈迟测补艣补迟补颈谤箩耻峁ａ弓补岣�) 搁腻尘.2.1.43; 啶啶班ぞ啶膏ぞ啶︵啷嬥お啷佮ぐ啶膏き啶距啷堗い啷嵿く啶︵啶�- 啶椸啶灌ぞ啶︵た啶粪 (pr膩s膩dagopurasabh膩caityadeva- g峁沨膩di峁) Bh膩gavata 9.11.27.
5) A place of religious worship, altar, sanctuary.
6) A temple.
7) A reflection.
8) A religious fig-tree or any tree growing by the side of streets; 啶氞啶む啶く啷傕お啶距啷嵿啶苦い啶� 啶啶た啶班啶じ啷嵿く啷囙く啶� 啶膏さ啶ㄠぞ啶曕ぐ啶� (caityay奴p膩峁卥it膩 bh奴miryasyeya峁� savan膩kar膩) Mah膩bh膩rata (Bombay) 1.1.229; Meghad奴ta 23 (谤补迟丑测腻惫峁沰峁 Malli.)
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�) or Ceti or Cetika or Cetiya.鈥攓q.v. (see 搂 3.115): ceti bhu (mss. bh奴, Lefm. em. m.c., printing cetibhu as one word) trisahasra岣� ki峁� punas tubhya k膩ya岣� Lalitavistara 368.18 (verse), the 3000-fold world has become (= abh奴t) an [Page233-a+ 71] object of reverence (a shrine)鈥o Tibetan: sto峁� gsum (= 3,000) mchod rten (= caitya) gyur na (become)鈥�
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Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥�nt., like its MIndic substitutes ceti, cetika, cetiya (also caityaka), seems to be used more broadly than in Sanskrit, as any object of veneration: lokasya caityam 艢颈办峁Ｄ乻补尘耻肠肠补测补 56.11 (said of any ornament of a st奴pa); 136.2 (of the monkish robes); caitya-bh奴ta岣� 痴补箩谤补肠肠丑别诲颈办腻 34.12, of the nature of an object of veneration (said of any place where 鈥榯his s奴tra鈥� shall be proclaimed). See mah膩caitya.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥攎.
(-迟测补岣�) A sacred tree, a religious fig tree, &c. growing in a village or near it, and held in veneration by the villagers. n.
(-迟测补峁�) 1. A place of sacrifice or religious worship, an altar, a shed kept for sacrifices, &c. 2. A religious building peculiar to the Jainas, a Jaina temple. 3. A Jaina or Baud'dha image, &c. 4. A monument a tomb-stone, a column, &c. erected in memory of some deceased person, or on the site of a funeral pile. 5. A pile of stones forming a land-mark or boundary. E. ci to collect, deriv. irr.; or cit to consider, affix kyap; citya and 补峁� aff. cittasya idam 补峁� .
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥擨. probably citi + ya, m. The individual soul, [Bh膩gavata-Pur膩峁嘺, (ed. Burnouf.)] 3, 26, 61. Ii. 肠颈迟腻 + ya, m. and n. 1. A tomb, Mah膩bh膩rata 12, 914. 2. An altar, [R膩m膩y补峁嘺] 1, 13, 30. 3. A religious building, [R膩m膩y补峁嘺] 5, 17, 20. 4. A sacred tree; a religious fig-tree growing in a village, or near it, and held in veneration by the villagers, [贬颈岣峣尘产补惫补诲丑补] 1, 40.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥�1. [masculine] the individual soul.
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Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�).鈥�2. [adjective] relating to the funeral pile; [masculine] monument, tombstone, temple, also = seq.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�):鈥擺from caitaki] 1. caitya m. ([from] 5. cit or 2. citi) the individual soul, [Bh膩gavata-pur膩峁嘺 iii, 26; 28, 28; 31, 19; Sarvadar艣ana-sa峁僩raha ii, 198f.]
2) 2. caitya mfn. relating to a funeral pile or mound (肠颈迟腻), [膧艣val膩yana-g峁沨ya-s奴tra iii, 6; G峁沨y膩sa峁僩raha ii, 4]
3) m. n. a funeral monument or St奴pa (q.v.) or pyramidal column containing the ashes of deceased persons, sacred tree ([especially] a religious fig-tree) growing on a mound, hall or temple or place of worship ([especially] with, [Buddhist literature] and, [Jaina literature] and generally containing a monument), a sanctuary near a village, [膧艣val膩yana-g峁沨ya-s奴tra i, 12; Par膩艣ara-sm峁泃i; Y膩j帽avalkya ii, 151 & 228; Mah膩bh膩rata] etc.
4) m. a Jain or, [Buddhist literature] image, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasi峁僪a, hal膩yudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) = tyaka, [ii, 814].
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�):鈥�(迟测补峁�) 1. n. A place of sacrifice; a monument. m. Ficus religiosa.
2) (迟测补岣�) 1. m. Spirit.
: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Caitya (啶氞啶む啶�) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Cei, Ceia, Cetta.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled 啶膏啶膏啶曕啶むぎ啷� (蝉补峁僺办峁泃补尘), 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.
Hindi dictionary
: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryCaitya (啶氞啶む啶�) [Also spelled chaity]:鈥�(nm) a monastery, (esp. Buddhist) shrine.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
: Alar: Kannada-English corpusCaitya (嗖氞硤嗖む硩嗖�):鈥擺adjective] relating to the pyre.
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Caitya (嗖氞硤嗖む硩嗖�):鈥�
1) [noun] a monument erected at a place where the ashes of a corpse burn, is buried.
2) [noun] a sacrificial shed.
3) [noun] a place of worship for Buddhists or Jainas; a building containing some relic赂脌 of Buddha or Jaina.
4) [noun] the individual soul.
5) [noun] the fig tree Ficus religiosa of Moraceae family; peepul; bo-tree.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+6): Caitya-patta, Caitya-shaila, Caityabhuta, Caityadru, Caityadruma, Caityageha, Caityagni, Caityagriha, Caityaka, Caityaka-shaila, Caityalaya, Caityamandira, Caityamukha, Caityapala, Caityaparipati, Caityapurusha, Caityasailah, Caityasthana, Caityataru, Caityavandana.
Full-text (+386): Caityavriksha, Caityadruma, Caityamukha, Mahacaitya, Caityapala, Gramacaitya, Caityataru, Caityadru, Caitya-shaila, Caityagriha, Keshacaitya, Caityayajna, Lalitacaitya, Caityasthana, Kashayagrahana, Chandakanivartana, Cudapratigrahana, Caityaka, Caityavandana, Caitika.
Relevant text
Search found 128 books and stories containing Caitya, Chaitya, Chaityas; (plurals include: Caityas, Chaityas, Chaityases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Vastu-shastra (Introduction to Indian architecture) (by D. N. Shukla)
(vi) Rise of Art < [Chapter 4 - An outline History of Hindu Architecture]
(v,2) V膩stu in Epic literature < [Chapter 4 - An outline History of Hindu Architecture]
St奴pas (Shrines for Devotion) < [Chapter 12 - History of Hindu Temples (Pr膩s膩das and Vim膩nas)]
The Structural Temples of Gujarat (by Kantilal F. Sompura)
1. The Concept of Caitya Worship and the Erection of the Stupa < [Chapter 2 - The evolution of the Caitya-griha]
3. Caitya-grihas Enshrining The Stupa < [Chapter 2 - The evolution of the Caitya-griha]
3. The Period of the Ksatrapa Rule (c. 78-400 A.D.) < [Chapter 3 - Temples of pre-Caulukyan times]
Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology (by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri)
Lower K峁涐梗峁嚹� Valley (11): Gun峁璾palli < [Chapter 2 - Amar膩vat墨 and other Archaeological Sites of Ancient Andhra Pradesh]
The rule of the S膩tav膩hanas < [Chapter 4 - Survival of Amar膩vat墨 in the Context of Andhra Art]
Lower K峁涐梗峁嚹� Valley (30): Chejarla < [Chapter 2 - Amar膩vat墨 and other Archaeological Sites of Ancient Andhra Pradesh]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Nagarjunikonda < [April 1955]
Buddhist Vestiges of Andhradesa < [July 鈥� September, 1994]
South Indian Portraits < [January, 1928]
Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad (by Prasanna Kumar Acharya)
Hindu Architecture in Nepal < [Chapter 8 - Hindu Architecture m Border Lands]
Introduction to Buddhist Architecture < [Chapter 3 - Classical or post-Vedic Architecture]
Hindu Architecture in Insulindia and Burma < [Chapter 10 - Hindu Architecture in Insulindia]
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