Sulasa, Sulasā, Sulaśā: 8 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Prakrit
See also

Introduction:

Sulasa means something in Buddhism, Pali, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.

The Sanskrit term Sulaśā can be transliterated into English as Sulasa or Sulasha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

1. Sulasa. A nagarasobhini (courtezan) of Benares; See the Sulasa Jataka.

2. Sulasa. A nagarasobhini (courtezan) of Rajagaha. One day she saw the son of Mahadhanasetthi being led to execution for his crimes and, feeling compassion for him because she had once enjoyed his patronage, she sent him four cakes and some drink. Moggallana appeared before him as soon as the cakes were given to him, and the condemned man offered them to the Elder. After death he was born as a devata on a nigrodha tree in the park near the city. One day, when Sulasa entered the park, the deity, creating a great darkness, carried her away. Seven days later he took her to Veluvana and left her there on the edge of the crowd who were listening to the Dhamma. When she related her experiences, the people were at first inclined to laugh at her; but her story was verified, and they were amazed. The story was reported to the Buddha, who made it the subject for a sermon. Pv.i.1; PvA.4f. It is probably this story which is repeated at Milinda, p.350, as the assembly of Sulasa.

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).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

1) Sulasa (सुलस) is the tree associated with the Bhūtas, one of the eight divisions of the Vyantaras: a group of deities living above the Ratnaprabhā-earth in the “lower world” (adhaloka), according to chapter 2.2 [ajitanātha-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: “[...] One thousand yojanas above Ratnaprabhā, with the exception of 100 yojanas above and below, live the eight classes of the Vyantaras in northern and southern rows within the 800 yojanas. In these are: [viz., the Bhūtas with the sulasa tree as lāñchana; ...]”.

2) Sulasā (सुलसा) is the daughter of Diti and Ayodhana (king from Cāraṇayugala), according , according to the Jain Ramayana and chapter 7.2 [Rāvaṇa’s expedition of conquest].—Accordingly, as Muni Nārada said to Rāvaṇa: “There is a city here, Cāraṇayugala. Its king was Ayodhana and his wife’s name was Diti, and they had a beautiful daughter, Sulasā. Summoned by her father to her svayaṃvara, all the kings came and King Sagara was first among them. At Sagara’s command a woman door-keeper, named Mandodarī, went to King Ayodhana’s palace every day. One day Diti went into a plantain-house in the palace-garden with Sulasā and Mandodarī went also. [...]”.

Source: JAINpedia: Women in the Jain tradition: Soḷ satī

Sulasā (सुलसा) refers to one of the 16 Satīs mentioned in the Brāhmī Candanbālikā.—In Jain contexts “Satī” revolves around fidelity to the Jain religion. Although Jains call many virtuous Jain women satīs, among Śvetāmbara Jains there is a group of satīs called the soḷ satī or 16 Satīs (i.e., Sulasā). These Jain Satīs are revered as role models for women and their stories are widely known. Even though the general group of Satī grows over time, the group of 16 Satīs is unchanging.

Source: academia.edu: Tessitori Collection I

1) Sulasā (सुलसा) is the name of a Yoginī, according to the Ṛṣidattārāsa (dealing with the lives of Jain female heroes), which is included in the collection of manuscripts at the ‘Vincenzo Joppi’ library, collected by Luigi Pio Tessitori during his visit to Rajasthan between 1914 and 1919.—Accordingly, “[...] In the meantime, Rukmiṇī and her father were furious. Rukmiṇī appointed a Yoginī named Sulasā, hoping to provoke the disgrace of Ṛṣidattā by accusing her of being a Rākṣasī. After various incidents, she was taken to be put to death, but fainted at this very moment so that the executioners leaft her, thinking she was dead. She ran away and lived as a hermit in the forest. [...]”.

2a) Sulasa (सुलस) or Sulasakathā refers to one of the 157 stories embedded in the Kathāmahodadhi by Somacandra (narrating stories from Jain literature, based on the Karpūraprakara).—The Kathāmahodadhi represents a repository of 157 stories [e.g., Sulasa-kathā] written in prose Sanskrit, although each of them is preceded by a verse. Together, they stage a large number of Jain characters (including early teachers). [...]

2b) Sulaśā (सुलशा) or Sulaśākathā refers to another one of the 157 stories embedded in the Kathāmahodadhi.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Sulasa (सुलस):—[=su-lasa] [from su > su-yaj] m. Name of a man, [Hemacandra’s Yoga-śāstra]

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

Sulasa (सुलस) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Sulasa, Sulasā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Sulasa 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) Sulasa (सुलस) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Sulasa.

2) Sulasā (सुलसा) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Sulasā.

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 8 books and stories containing Sulasa, Su-lasa, Sulasā, Sulaśā; (plurals include: Sulasas, lasas, Sulasās, Sulaśās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 14: Story of the goat < [Chapter II - Marriages of Vasudeva with maidens]

Part 10: Story of Mahākāla < [Chapter II - Rāvaṇa’s expedition of Conquest]

Part 8: Ambaḍa and Sulasā < [Chapter IX - Stories of the ploughman]

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(4) Fourth Pāramī: The Perfection of Wisdom (paññā-pāramī) < [Chapter 6 - On Pāramitā]

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Epigraphs from Amarāvatī (a) The Gahapati and Setti classes < [Chapter 4 - Survival of Amarāvatī in the Context of Andhra Art]

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Jataka 419: Sulasā-jātaka < [Volume 3]

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Part 3 - On patriarchs < [Chapter 5]

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