Kunala, Kuṇāla, Kunāla, Kunālā: 18 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Purana
In Buddhism
In Jainism
1. General definition
India history
Languages
1. Pali
2. Sanskrit
3. Prakrit
See also
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Introduction:

Kunala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. 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

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Kunāla (कुनाल).—A son of Aśoka; ruled for eight years.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 333.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s 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.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Kunala - One of the seven great lakes in the region of the Himalaya. The Buddha once visited it with a large concourse of Sakiyan youths who had joined the Order, and on that occasion he preached the Kunala Jataka (J.v.415; MA.ii.692, 1021; AA.ii.759, etc.). The suns rays never reached the waters of the lake, which were therefore never warm (SnA.ii.407). According to Buddhaghosa (SnA.i.358; DA.ii.675), the Kunala Jataka was actually preached on the banks of the Kunaladaha.

2. Kunala - The Bodhisatta, born as the king of the Citrakokilas. He lived in a beautiful forest in the Himalaya, attended by three thousand five hundred hen birds. He was carried about on a stick by two birds while in front, behind, above and below flew his vast retinue, guarding him from all harm and providing for all his needs. He distrusted and despised all womankind, and his stories of their wiles, as related by him to his friend Punnamukha, are given in the Kunala Jataka.

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The name of a river (mahanadi) which flows out of the Kunaladaha. It dries up when, at the end of the kappa, the fourth sun rises. A.iv.101.

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: archive.org: Bulletin of the French School of the Far East (volume 5)

Kunāla (कुनाल) is the name of a Mahāyakṣa appointed as one of the Divine protector deities of Magadha, according to chapter 17 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—In the Candragarbhasūtra, the Bhagavat invites all classes of Gods and Deities to protect the Law [dharma?] and the faithful in their respective kingdoms of Jambudvīpa [e.g., the Mahāyakṣa Kunāla in Magadha], resembling the time of the past Buddhas.

Kunāla (कुनाल) is also the name of a Yakṣa appointed as one of the Divine protector deities of Mahārāṣṭra.

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.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: The Chronological History of Buddhism

Kunalavadana of Divyavadana records that Ashoka had a son named Kunala from his queen Padmavati. Ashoka’s chief queen Asandhimitrā raised Kunala because Padmavati died when Kunala was in his infancy. Once Ashoka sent Kunala to suppress the rebellion in Takshashila. He succeeded in his mission. Ashoka’s another queen Tishyarakshita did not like the political rise of Kunala and she treacherously blinded him. After knowing the conspiracy of Tishyarakshita, Ashoka put her to death.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: The Jaina Iconography

Kuṇāla (कुणाल) is the name of the chowrie-bearer accompanying Kunthanātha: the seventeenth of twenty-four Tīrthaṃkaras or Jinas, commonly depicted in Jaina iconography.—Jaina tradition as preserved in their literature, has always connected the symbol of a goat with this Tīrthaṃkara. He has as his Yakṣa Gandharva and Yakṣiṇī Balā (Digambara: Vijayā). The contemporary King, who carries his Chowrie-bearer is called Kuṇāla. The tree selected by him to sit under for attaining the Kevala knowledge is Tilaka-taru.

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.

India history and geography

Source: archive.org: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions

Kunāla (कुनाल).—Kurāla is taken by Kielhorn to be the same as Kunāla mentioned in the Aihole inscription of Pulakeśin II and identified with the Kolleru lake between the Godavari and the Krishna. Kurāla is a place-name without suffix and is mentioned in the Gupta inscription No. 1. The Gupta empire (r. 3rd-century CE), founded by Śrī Gupta, covered much of ancient India and embraced the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Source: Ancient Buddhist Texts: Geography of Early Buddhism

Kuṇāla (कुणाल) is the name of a lake situated in Majjhimadesa (Middle Country) of ancient India, as recorded in the Pāli Buddhist texts (detailing the geography of ancient India as it was known in to Early Buddhism).—Kuṇāla has been described as a lake in the Kunāla Jātaka but has not yet been identified.

According to the Kunāla Jātaka, once there broke out a quarrel between the Koliyas and the Sakiyas regarding the possession of the river Rohiṇī which flows between the Sākiya and Koliya countries. Buddha, however, succeeded in settling the dispute. Many Koliya and Sakiya people were ordained. But spiritual discontent sprang up among them. The Blessed one conducted these brethren to the Himalayas and after illustrating the sins connected with woman-kind by the Kunāla story, and removing their discontent, bestowed upon them the stage of sanctification. The Master transported them to the Himalayas and standing in the sky pointed out to them in a pleasant tract of the Himalayas various mountains: Golden mount, Jewel mount, Vermillion mount, Collyaium mount, Tableland mount, Crystal mount, and five great rivers, and the seven lakes, Kaṇṇamuṇḍaka, Rathakāra, Sīhappapāta, Chaddanta, Tiyaggala, Anotatta, and Kunāla.

context information

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

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

kuṇāla : (m.) the Indian cuckoo.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Kuṇāla, N. of a bird (the Indian cuckoo) J. V, 214 sq. (kuṇāla-jātaka). Kuṇāla-daha “cuckoo-lake, ” N. of one of the seven great lakes in the Himavant Vism. 416. (Page 220)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kuṇāla (कुणाल).—

1) A kind of bird.

2) Name of a son of Aśoka.

Derivable forms: kuṇālaḥ (कुणालः).

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

Kuṇāla (कुणाल).—or kunāla; see also koṇāla; m., (1) (= Pali kuṇāla; not in Prakrit or Sanskrit in this sense), a kind of bird, in Pali apparently the Indian cuckoo, Sanskrit kokila: kuṇ° Mahāvyutpatti 4880; Lalitavistara 40.5; 286.13; 301.14; Avadāna-śataka ii.201.2, 4; Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 26.15; Śikṣāsamuccaya 329.6; Gaṇḍavyūha 100.26; 194.12; kun° Lalitavistara 162.19—20 (most mss. kuṇ°) and in a passage found only in ms. H but confirmed by Tibetan (ku na la; ms. H kunāra), see Crit. App. on Lalitavistara 11.3; Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 41.9; Divyāvadāna 406.6 ff.; (2) (in this sense not recorded in Pali or Sanskrit, but AMg. Kuṇāla), name of a son of King Aśoka, so named because his eyes were like those of the bird according to Avadāna-śataka ii.201.4 ff. (Kuṇ°) and Divyāvadāna 406.14 ff.; other occurrences Divyāvadāna 403.8 ff.; 405.14 (in Divyāvadāna always Kun°); Kunālāvadāna, colophon to Divyāvadāna chapter 27, Divyāvadāna 419.13.

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Kunāla (कुनाल).—see kuṇāla.

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

Kuṇāla (कुणाल).—m.

(-laḥ) The name of a country. E. kvaṇ to sound, kālan Unadi affix; va becomes u.

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

1) Kuṇāla (कुणाल):—m. a kind of bird, [Lalita-vistara]

2) Name of a son of Aśoka (whose eyes were put out in consequence of a rivalry between Aśoka’s wives)

3) Name of a place, [Uṇādi-sūtra iii, 75.]

4) Kunāla (कुनाल):—m. a kind of bird (living on the Himālaya), [Buddhist literature]

5) Name of a son of king Aśoka (named after the eyes of that bird), [ib.] (cf. kuṇāla.)

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

Kuṇāla (कुणाल):—(laḥ) 1. m. Name of a country.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Kuṇāla (कुणाल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Kuṇāla, Kuṇālā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Kunala 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.

Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

1) Kuṇāla (कुणाल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Kuṇāla.

2) Kuṇālā (कुणाला) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Kuṇālā.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

Relevant text

Search found 14 books and stories containing Kunala, Kuṇāla, Kunāla, Kunālā, Kuṇālā; (plurals include: Kunalas, Kuṇālas, Kunālas, Kunālās, Kuṇālās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Jataka 464: Culla-Kuṇāla-jātaka < [Volume 4]

Jataka 341: Kaṇḍari-jātaka < [Volume 3]

Jataka 536: Kuṇāla-jātaka < [Volume 5]

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‘The Triple Stream’ < [October 1939]

Reviews < [January 1968]

Taxila < [May 1939]

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Discourse on Kuṇāla Jātaka < [Chapter 22 - Founding of Vesali]

Biography (36): Nandaka Mahāthera < [Chapter 43 - Forty-one Arahat-Mahatheras and their Respective Etadagga titles]

Supplement (c): Fulfilment of the Ten Perfections < [Chapter 9 - The chronicle of twenty-four Buddhas]

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