Samantacandra: 2 definitions
Introduction:
Samantacandra 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Samantachandra.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: LokottaravādaSamantacandra (समन्तचन्द्र, “full-moon”) refers to a stone in which one is supposed to see the full moon. It is a type of gemstone described in the “the second Avalokita-sūtra” of the Mahāvastu. Accordingly, when the Buddha (as a Bodhisattva) visited the bodhi-tree, several hunderd thousands of devas, in their place in the sky, adorned the Bodhisattva with several celestial substances. Then some of them envisioned the bodhi-tree as sparkling with samantacandra gems.
The stories found in this part of the Mahāvastu correspond to the stories from the avidūre-nidāna section of the Nidāna-kathā. The Mahāvastu is an important text of the Lokottaravāda school of buddhism, dating from the 2nd century BCE.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionarySamantacandra (समन्तचन्द्र).—some sort of jewel: °drā maṇira-tanāṃ grahetvā…alaṃkaronti bhagavato bodhivṛkṣaṃ Mahāvastu ii.317.19 (verse); °drehi samalamkṛtaṃ bodhivṛkṣaṃ saṃjānanti Mahāvastu ii.310.13 (prose).
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)
Relevant text
Search found 1 books and stories containing Samantacandra; (plurals include: Samantacandras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Mahavastu (great story) (by J. J. Jones)
Chapter XXX - The second Avalokita-sūtra < [Volume II]