Prasankhyana, Prasamkhyana, 笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补, Prasa峁卥hy膩na, Pra-sankhyana: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Prasankhyana means something in 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.
In Hinduism
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
: archive.org: Preceptors of AdvaitaPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) refers to 鈥渞epeated contemplation鈥� (on the import of the principal texts), according to Ma峁囜笉ana-Mi艣ra, the author of the Brahmasiddhi and one of the best known figures in the literature of Advaita Ved膩nta.鈥擜ccording to Ma峁囜笉ana, the knowledge which we get from the Upani峁ds is indirect and mediate (辫补谤辞办峁) and necessarily involves relation in some manner like any other cognition arising from a valid verbal testimony. Meditation upon the content of the verbal cognition is necessary in order to transform the indirect and mediate knowledge into direct and immediate experience. So repeated contemplation (辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补) on the import of the principal texts (尘补丑腻惫腻办测补蝉) is a 鈥榤ust鈥� in order to attain, the direct intuition of Brahman. V膩chaspati who is greatly indebted to Ma峁囜笉ana follows him in this respect, as in many others.
: Academia: ture and the Hermeneutics of Liberation in Early Advaita VedantaPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) in Vedantic meditation revolves around achieving full identity with Brahman (that implied the loss of one鈥檚 separate existence).鈥擯rasa峁卥hy膩na is deeply integrated with Yoga psychology and practice, focusing explicitly on removing ignorance that separates the Self from Brahman鈥擨n the unitary 产谤补丑尘补-惫颈诲测腻 doctrine of the Brahma-S奴tra, meditation was the key soteriological practice. There was, however, another Ved膩ntic doctrine of meditation, one which directly concerned 艢a峁卥ara鈥檚 favorite Upani峁dic texts鈥攖he negative descriptions of the Self鈥攁nd occasionally the future 尘补丑腻-惫腻办测补蝉. [...] In some cases, this type of meditation was called 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补, and it was not a Ved膩ntic innovation: it was appropriated from the tradition of Yoga.
: ResearchWorks at the University of Washington: Niscaldas and his Vrttiprabhakar: Advaita Vedanta in the VernacularPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) refers to 鈥渃ontinued meditation鈥� which is the means as an instrument for Brahman-realization, according to several Advaita texts.鈥� There are two means for Brahman-realization by which the cessation of ignorance takes place. According to all Advaita texts, 1) for the best aspirant, 艣谤补惫补峁嘺 (listening to scriptures), etc., alone are the means; and 2) for the middling aspirant, the contemplation of the self as attribute-less Brahman is a means of Brahman-realization. But, according to several authors, in both alternatives, continued meditation (辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补) is the means (辫谤补尘腻峁嘺) as an instrument (办补谤补峁嘺) for Brahman-realization. A continuous, ceaseless (nirantara) stream of 惫峁泃迟颈蝉 is called 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补. Just as the middling aspirant is required to perform contemplation as ceaseless 惫峁泃迟颈蝉 in the form of attribute-less Brahman, and that alone is considered 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 for that aspirant, similarly, for the best aspirant too, after contemplation, 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 in the form of 苍颈诲颈诲丑测腻蝉补苍补, 鈥減rofound and continuous meditation on 艣谤耻迟颈,鈥� is the means for immediate cognition of鈥� Brahman.
Although 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 is not present in the six-fold means of cognition, and so it cannot possibly be considered as a means [of cognition], nevertheless, is well known in all 艣谤耻迟颈 and 蝉尘峁泃颈 texts that contemplation of Brahman with attributes (蝉补驳耻峁嘺 Brahman) is the means for immediate cognition of 蝉补驳耻峁嘺 Brahman, and contemplation of Brahman without attributes (苍颈谤驳耻峁嘺 Brahman), the means for the immediate cognition of 苍颈谤驳耻峁嘺 Brahman. Similarly, the 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 of a distant lover is well known in worldly life as the cause for the immediate perception of the lover; hence, 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 in the form of 苍颈诲颈诲丑测腻蝉补苍补 is also possible as a means of immediate cognition of Brahman.
Note: Ni艣cald膩s appears to be using 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 to mean 辫补谤颈蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补鈥攊.e., the form of meditation taught by 艢a峁卥ara in his Upade艣a-s膩hasr墨, for seekers intent on destroying accumulated merit and demerits and preventing any further accumulation.鈥擨n his V峁泃tiprabh膩kar, Ni艣cald膩s does not mention 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 at all, and defines 苍颈诲颈诲丑测腻蝉补苍补 as 鈥渢he continued state of the 惫峁泃迟颈 in the form of Brahman, without any鈥� intervention from the 惫峁泃迟颈蝉 of non-腻迟尘腻 forms [an腻迟尘腻k膩ra-惫峁泃迟颈 k膩 vyavadh膩na rahita brahm膩k膩ra-惫峁泃迟颈 k墨 sthiti]鈥濃��(Cf. V峁泃tiprabh膩kar 1.18, 10-11).
Vedanta (啶掂啶︵ぞ啶ㄠ啶�, ved膩nta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Yoga (school of philosophy)
: Shodhganga: Patanjalayogasutra Bhasyavivarana鈥攁 studyPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) in Pata帽jali鈥檚 Yogas奴tra is used in the sense of 鈥渟upreme knowledge鈥�.鈥擵y膩sa uses the same term in the same meaning in VBh. The Mah膩bh膩rata mentions S膩峁僰hya and Yoga as 鈥渢wo eternal systems of thought鈥�. All the above references show that, S膩峁卥hya and Yoga, which pass for philosophical systems, are derived from a broader stream of philosophy which concentrates on the spiritual knowledge and spiritual practice respectively.
: Shodhganga: Comparative study of spiritual practices in Jainism and Patanjala yoga (Y)Prasankhyana refers to 鈥渦ltimate knowledge鈥�, according to the Patanjali Yogasutra 4.29.鈥擜ccordingly, avidya, the root cause of klesas can not manifest if the aspirant can develop discriminative power through pratiprasava (counter evolution) and his regular practices of Yoga as explained earlier. Such aspirant or Yogi stops taking interest even in the ultimate knowledge (prasankhyana) and has already reached the state of viveka-khyati as explained above is designated to be in dharmamegha-samadhi means cloud of virtue. This is the highest kind of samadhi one can think of. At this stage, one remains detached all the time towards the most exalted state of enlightenment inspite of having mastery over samyama on all objects. Now, this person reaches to the state of culmination of renunciation which he has been practicing since he entered into the path of Yoga. This journey is not returnable.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as 膩sanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Dharmashastra (religious law)
: Shodhganga: Devalasmrti reconstruction and critical studyPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) in the Yogas奴tra refers to 鈥渄iscriminative knowledge of 24 principles and the self鈥� which most probably aligns with the views of Devala鈥攁n ancient Vedic sage and author of the Devala蝉尘峁泃颈, a lost work dealing with Dharma艣膩stra.鈥擳he term S膩峁卥hya, according to Devala means 鈥渞ight understanding of 25 principles鈥�. The knowledge of these principles is very necessary for understanding the difference between the self and not-self and consequently for obtaining the final release or emancipation. There is a famous verse, declaring that the knower of 25 principles, in whatever stages and conditions of life he may be, is liberated. The person, who has realized such a distinction between self and not-self can understand the 24 principles as distinct from his self. Hence he is described as a S膩峁卥hya [s膩峁卥hy膩yante 鈥� ga峁噕antepad膩rth膩岣� vena sa岣�]. [...] The Yogas奴tra (IV.29) and the commentator Vy膩sa (on Yogas奴tra I.15 and II.2) most probably seem to use the word 辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补 in the sense of 鈥渄iscriminative knowledge of 24 principles and the self鈥� like Devala. While the 鈥渞eal knowledge of the pure nature of self鈥� is also represented as S膩峁卥hya in the quotation of Vy膩sa Here there is no reference to the knowledge of 24 principles. [...]
Dharmashastra (啶оぐ啷嵿ぎ啶多ぞ啶膏啶む啶�, dharma艣膩stra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
: VedaBase: 艢r墨mad Bh膩gavatamPrasa峁卥hy膩na (啶啶班じ啶權啶栢啶ぞ啶�) refers to the 鈥渃ounting鈥� or 鈥渃alculation鈥� (of the number of basic material elements), according to the 艢r墨mad Bh膩gavatam (Bh膩gavata-pur膩峁嘺) chapter 11.22.鈥擜ccordingly, as K峁涐梗峁嘺 said: 鈥淏ecause all material elements are present everywhere, it is reasonable that different learned Br膩hma峁嘺s have analyzed them in different ways. [...] By interaction of My energies different opinions arise. But for those who have fixed their intelligence on Me and controlled their senses, differences of perception disappear, and consequently the very cause for argument is removed. O best among men, because subtle and gross elements mutually enter into one another, philosophers may calculate (辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补) the number of basic material elements in different ways, according to their personal desire. All subtle material elements are actually present within their gross effects; similarly, all gross elements are present within their subtle causes, since material creation takes place by progressive manifestation of elements from subtle to gross. Thus we can find all material elements within any single element. Therefore, no matter which of these thinkers is speaking, and regardless of whether in their calculations (辫谤补蝉补峁卥丑测腻苍补) they include material elements within their previous subtle causes or else within their subsequent manifest products, I accept their conclusions as authoritative, because a logical explanation can always be given for each of the different theories. [...]鈥�.
Vaishnava (啶掂啶粪啶｀さ, vai峁ａ箛ava) or vaishnavism (vai峁ａ箛avism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (鈥榯en avatars of Vishnu鈥�).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补 (啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え).鈥擯ayment, liquidation; 啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え啶距え啶膏啶栢啶啶ぞ啶ㄠ 啶啶班い啷嵿く啶椸啶灌啶｀え啷� 啶︵啶掂た啶溹ぞ啶むく啶� (prasa峁僰hy膩n膩nasa峁僰hyey膩n pratyag峁沨峁嘺n dvij膩taya岣�) Mah膩bh膩rata (Bombay) 3.121.8.
-nam 1 Enumeration.
2) Reflection, meditation; deep meditation, abstract contemplation; 啶灌ぐ啶� 啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え啶ぐ啷� 啶き啷傕さ (hara岣� prasa峁僰hy膩naparo babh奴va) Kum膩rasambhava 3.4.
3) Fame, reputation; 啶 啶� 啶ぞ啶むた 啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え啶じ啷嵿お啶粪啶熰 啶啶た啶掂ぐ啷嵿ぇ啶ㄠ (yo na y膩ti prasa峁僰hy膩namaspa峁ａ弓o bh奴mivardhana岣�) Mah膩bh膩rata (Bombay) 3.35.7.
Derivable forms: 辫谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补岣� (啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え啶�).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补 (啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え).鈥攎.
(-苍补岣�) Payment, liquidation. n.
(-苍补峁�) 1. Enumeration. 2. Renown, reputation. 3. Reflection, meditation. E. pra + sam-khy膩-lyu峁� .
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补 (啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え).鈥攊. e. pra -sam-khy膩 + ana, n. Meditation, [Kum膩rasa峁僢hava, (ed. Stenzler.)] 3, 40.
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) 笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补 (啶啶班じ啶傕啷嵿く啶距え):鈥擺=辫谤补-蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补] [from 辫谤补蝉补峁�-办丑测腻] mfn. collecting or gathering (only for present needs), [Mah膩bh膩rata xiv, 2852] [varia lectio] ([N墨laka峁囜弓ha])
2) [v.s. ...] m. payment, liquidation, a sum of money, [ib. iii, 10298] ([N墨laka峁囜弓ha] 鈥榓 measure to mete out anything鈥�)
3) [v.s. ...] n. counting, enumeration, [Bh膩gavata-pur膩峁嘺]
4) [v.s. ...] reflection, meditation, [Mah膩bh膩rata; Tattvasam膩sa]
5) [v.s. ...] reputation, renown, [Mah膩bh膩rata iii, 1382] ([N墨laka峁囜弓ha])
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Samkhyana, Pra.
Full-text: Prasamkhyanapara, Mapaka, Nididhyasana, Paroksha, Mahavakya, Pratiprasava.
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Search found 10 books and stories containing Prasankhyana, Prasamkhyana, 笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补, Pra-samkhyana, Pra-sa峁僰hy膩na, Prasa峁卥hy膩na, Pra-sa峁卥hy膩na, Pra-sankhyana; (plurals include: Prasankhyanas, Prasamkhyanas, 笔谤补蝉补峁僰丑测腻苍补s, samkhyanas, sa峁僰hy膩nas, Prasa峁卥hy膩nas, sa峁卥hy膩nas, sankhyanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Liberation in early Advaita Vedanta (by Aleksandar Uskokov)
3. Prasa峁卥hy膩na in P膩ta帽jala-Yoga-艢膩stra < [Chapter 5 - The Doctrine of Prasa峁卥hy膩na]
4. The Ved膩ntic Prasa峁卥hy膩na < [Chapter 5 - The Doctrine of Prasa峁卥hy膩na]
5. The 鈥淎nother Cognition鈥� Meditation < [Chapter 5 - The Doctrine of Prasa峁卥hy膩na]
Devala-smriti (critical study) (by Mukund Lalji Wadekar)
3.1. Interpretation of the term 鈥楽ankhya鈥� < [Chapter 10 - Philosophical aspect of the Devalasmriti]
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The concept of Klesas (afflictions) (in Yoga) < [Chapter 4 - Textual Examination of the Text]
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Pratyabhijna and Shankara鈥檚 Advaita (comparative study) (by Ranjni M.)
4.1. The Krama school of philosophy < [Chapter 2 - Historical and Cultural background of Pratyabhij帽膩 and Advaita Ved膩nta]
Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study) (by Sujatarani Giri)
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