An asaṃkhyeya (Sanskrit: असंख्येय) is a Buddhist name for the number 10140, or alternatively for the number as it is described in the Avatamsaka Sutra.[1] The value of the number is different depending upon the translation. It is in the translation of Buddhabhadra, in that of Shikshananda and in that of Thomas Cleary, who may have made an error in calculation.[citation needed] In these religious traditions, the word has the meaning of 'incalculable'.[2]
Asaṃkhyeya is a Sanskrit word that appears often in the Buddhist texts. For example, Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have practiced for 4 great asaṃkhyeya kalpas before becoming a Buddha.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Garg, Ganga Ram (October 1, 1992). Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World: Ar-Az. South Asia Books. ISBN 8170223768.
- ^ Yong, Bhikshu Jin. "How Large is One Asamkhyeya" (PDF). Vajra Bodhi Sea (November 2008): 42–44. Retrieved 24 November 2013.