9/25/13 Chakravartin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakravarti 1/4
A Chakravatin (possibly Ashoka the great), 1st
century BCE/CE. Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati.
Preserved at Musee Guimet
Chakravartin (H cakravartin; Pali cakkavatti), is an ancient Indian term used to refer to an ideal universal
ruler, who rules ethically and benevolently over the entire world. Such a ruler's reign is called sarvabhauma. It is
a bahuvrhi, literally meaning "whose wheels are moving", in the sense of "whose chariot is rolling everywhere without
obstruction". It can also be analyzed as an 'instrumental bahuvrhi: "through whom the wheel is moving" in the
meaning of "through whom the Dharmacakra ("Wheel of the Dharma) is turning" (most commonly used in Buddhism
and Hinduism).
In Buddhism and Jainism, three types of Chakravartins are
distinguished:
[1]
Chakravala Chakravartin: a ruler over all four continents
postulated in ancient Indian cosmography
Dvipa Chakravartin: a ruler over only one of four continents
Pradesa Chakravartin: a ruler over only part of a continent.
The first references to a cakravala cakravartin appear in monuments
from the time of the Maurya Empire (322185 BCE), dedicated
to Chandragupta Maurya and his grandson Ashoka Maurya. It has
not been generally used for any other historic figure.
The cakravartin in Buddhism came to be considered the secular
counterpart of aBuddha. In the Majjhima Nikaya, Gautama Buddha is
quoted as stating that a woman can never be(come) a
chakravartin.
[2]
In general, the term applies to temporal as well as spiritual kingship
and leadership, particularly in Buddhism and Jainism. In Hinduism,
the term generally denotes a powerful ruler, whose dominion
extended to the entire earth.
Contents [hide]
1 Maitrayaniya Upanishad
2 Mahabharata
3 Jainism
4 Important quotes
5 Notes
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Maitrayaniya Upanishad [edit source]
The Maitrayaniya Upanishad (1.5) uses the term for kings who had renounced their royal prerogatives in favour
of asceticism.
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[3]
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IAST:
atha kimetairv pare'nye mahdhanurdharcakravartina
kecitsudyumnabhridyumnendradyumnakuvalayvayauvanvavaddhiy
vvapati aabindurhricandro'mbaro
nanktasvaytiryaytinarayokasenotthamaruttabharataprabhtayo
rjno miato bandhuvargasya mahat riya
tyaktvsmllokdamu loka praynti 5
Mahabharata [edit source]
In the Mahabharata, twelve princes beginning with Bharata are considered Chakravartins.
Ikshvaku, the son of Ila of the Suryavanshi lineage after whom India was named as Ilavarta and Eelam.
[4]
In Hindu
mythology he is said to have conquered the world.
Bharat was the son of the Puru Dynasty. The official name of the Republic of India,Bhrat () in Hindi
and Bhratam ( ) in Sanskrit is named after him. He was able to conquer the whole Indian subcontinent.
Legend holds that he even conquered regions outside of the Subcontinent such as Afghanistan (then referred to
as Gandhara) and Tibet (then referred to as Bhta).
Shibi
[citation needed]
, famous in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He sacrificed his flesh. There have been several
dynasties which have claimed heritage from Emperor Shibi's line. The Cholas were one of the dynasties and they
referred to him as Sembiyan.
Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan, a Sangam age king said in inscriptions to have conquered up to
the Himalayas.
[5]
Jainism [edit source]
During the each motion of the half-cycle of the wheel of time, 63 alkpurua or 63 illustrious men, consisting of the
24 Trthakaras and their contemporaries regularly appear.
[6]
The Jain universal or legendary history is basically a
compilation of the deeds of these illustrious men. As per Jain cosmology, out of these 63, twelve are Chakravartins,
who are Universal Monarch or World Conquerors. The Jaina Puranas give a list of twelve such Cakravartins who
flourished in this Avasarpini. Golden in complexion, they all belonged to the Kasyapa gotra. The mother of a
Cakravartin sees some dreams at the time of conception. According to the Adipurana, Bharata's mother saw the sun
and the moon, the mount Meru, the lake with swans, earth and the ocean. According to Acharya Hemachandra,
Marudevi, mother of Bharata, sees fourteen great dreams.
[7]
A chakravartin is considered an ideal human being
endowed with thirty-two major signs of excellence and many minor signs of excellence.
The list of 12 Chakravartins as per Jainism is as follows:
[8]
1. Bharata, son of Tirthankara Rishabha
2. Sagara, ancestor of Bhagiratha as in the Puranas
3. Maghavan
4. Sanatkumara
5. Tirthankara Shantinath
6. Tirthankara Kunthunath
7. Tirthankara Aranath
8. Subhauma
9. Padmanabha
10. Harishena
11. Jayasena
12. Brahmadatt
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Tibetan mandala of the Six Chakravartins
In Jainism, a chakravartin was characterized by possession of saptaratna, or "seven jewels":
1. chakram
2. queen
3. chariot
4. jewel
5. wealth
6. horse
7. elephant
Some lists cite navaratna or "nine jewels" instead, adding "prime minister" and "son".
Important quotes [edit source]

Buddhist and Jain literatures describe their enlightened

founders (the Buddha or Buddhas and the trthakaras,
respectively) in similar terms, the notion being that
religious truth transcends local or national limitations
and applies to all people everywhere. This idea is
particularly evident in Buddhist oral and scriptural
traditions, which frequently refer to Gautama as a
cakravla cakravartin, an illuminator of dharma (life in
adherence to compassionate truth) in all regions of the
world.
from External Links.

What do you think, Subhuti, is the Tathagata to be seen

by means of his possession of marks? -Subhuti replied:
No indeed, O Lord. -The Lord said: If, Subhuti, the
Tathagata could be recognized by his possession of
marks, then also the universal monarch would be a
Tathagata.
from Buddhist Wisdom Books, The Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, translated and explained by Edward Conze.

"What do you think Subhuti? Can someone meditate on the Tathagata by means of the thirty-two
marks? Subhuti said, "Yes, World-Honored One. We should use the thirty-two marks to meditate
on the Tataghata." The Buddha said, "If you say that you can use the thirty-two marks to see the
Tathagata, then the Cakravartin is also a Tathagata?" Subhuti said, "World-Honored One, I
understand your teaching. One should not use the thirty-two marks to meditate on the Tathagata."
from The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion,
[9]
commentaries on the PrajaparamitaDiamond Sutra, Thich Nhat
Hanh

Monks, I don't envision any other single strength so hard to overcome as this: the strength of Mara.
And the adopting of skillful qualities is what causes this merit to increase.
[10]

from Cakkavatti Sutta.
Notes [edit source]
1. ^ TheFreeDictionary
9/25/13 Chakravartin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakravarti 4/4
2. ^ MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA III III. 2. 5. Bahudhaatukasutta.m-(115) The Discourse on Many Elements "It is impossible
that a woman should be the perfect rightfully Enlightened One. It is possible that a man should be the perfect rightfully
Enlightened One. It is impossible that a woman should be the Universal Monarch. It is possible that a man should be
the Universal Monarch. It is impossible that a woman should be the King of Gods. It is possible that a man should be
the King of Gods. It is impossible that a woman should be the King of Death. It is possible that a man should be the
King of Death. It is impossible that a woman should be Brahmaa. It is possible that a man should be Brahmaa."
3. ^ Source: Maitrayaniya Upanishad @ Wikisource in Unicode (accessed: Saturday March 6, 2010)
4. ^ Charles Somasundrum: The continent of Ilamuridesam (Lemuria)
5. ^ The Great Chronicle of Lanka
6. ^ Jaini, Padmanabh (1998)
7. ^ Umakant Premanand Shah (1987) Jaina-Rupa Mandana: Jaina Iconography:, Volume 1Abhinav Publications ISBN
978-81-7017-208-6 p.72
8. ^ Jagmanderlal Jaini Outlines of Jainism edited by F.W. Thomas. Appendix III
9. ^ The Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra
10. ^ Translator's note:4. This is the refrain repeated with each stage in the account of how human life will improve in the
aftermath of the sword-interval. Here, "merit" seems to have the meaning it has in Iti 22: "Don't be afraid of acts of
merit." This is another way of saying what is blissful, desirable, pleasing, endearing, charming i.e., acts of merit."