Muni (Sanskrit: मुनि, "silent") is a term for types of ancient Indian sages and hermits or ancient Indian ascetics.[1] Sages of this type are said to know the truth of existence not on the basis of scientific or religious texts but through their own realization.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Buddha_Sakyamuni_on_the_Rummindei_pillar_of_Ashoka.jpg/220px-Buddha_Sakyamuni_on_the_Rummindei_pillar_of_Ashoka.jpg)
Buddhism
editIn Buddhism the term "Muni" is used as a title of Gautama Buddha — who, being born among the tribe of the Shakyas, is called Śākyamuni (sage of the Shakyas).[2] Various other titles like Munindra(Sanskrit; Pali: Muninda; meaning "lord of Munis"), Munivar(Greatest among Munis), Muniraj(King of Munis), Muniśvara(Sanskrit; Pali: Munissaro; meaning "god of Munis") Mahamuni(The greatest Muni) are also given to the Buddhas. The Mahamuni temple in Mandalay, Myanmar is named after the title of the Buddha.
Hinduism
edit- In Rigveda the name mūni refers to a known Vedic Rishi who were Keśin[3]
- In a much later work, the Laghu-yoga-vasistha,[4] mūnis are divided into two types:
- kaṣtha tapasvin - ascetics permanently residing in stillness
- Jivanmukta - those liberated for life in a physical body
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Muni.
- ^ Buswell, Robert E. Jr.; Lopez, Donald S. Jr. (2013). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. p. 741. ISBN 9781400848058.
- ^ Muni.
- ^ ( 6.7.3 )
External links
edit- Media related to Muni (Saint) at Wikimedia Commons