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deva
deva (Skt.; Pāli, bright, shining). A god or supernatural being, normally resident in one of the numerous heavens and reborn there as the result of good karma. Buddhism inherited the vedic concept of a pantheon of gods, originally 33, but which rapidly expanded in number. The gods are thought to reside on or over Mt. Meru, the cosmic mountain, and to be frequent visitors to the human world, especially to hear the Buddha's teachings. Offerings and sacrifices are made to the gods, and they may be appealed to for help or protection. They enjoy lifespans of hundreds of thousands of years, but are eventually reborn when their good karma is exhausted, and are thus (in contrast to the Buddha) still within the realm of saṃsāra.
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DAMIEN KEOWN. "deva." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "deva." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-deva.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "deva." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-deva.html |
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Deva
Deva (Skt., perhaps connected with dyaus, ‘bright sky’). ‘Shining One’. In Hinduism, a deva is a celestial power (cf. Chandogya Upaniṣad 6.3), and particularly a manifestation (not a personification) of a natural power, generally beneficent, especially if propitiated through offerings (see SACRIFICE, HINDU). In that way, it became a term for all the Vedic gods, generally reckoned as thirty-three (Ṛg Veda 1. 139. 11, 1. 45. 2). The introduction of goddesses, devīs, appears to have been secondary.
In Buddhism, devas are manifest forms of reappearance (punabbhāva) in ‘heaven’, i.e. in one of the good domains of manifestation (gati). |
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JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deva.html JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deva.html |
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Dēva
Dēva, Deva [L goddess]. Roman name for the Celtic river-goddess who gives her name to the River Dee of North Wales and Chester, England.
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JAMES MacKILLOP. "Dēva." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES MacKILLOP. "Dēva." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-Dva.html JAMES MacKILLOP. "Dēva." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-Dva.html |
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Deva
Deva (Buddhist Madhyāmaka philosopher): see ĀRYADEVA.
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Cite this article
JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deva1.html JOHN BOWKER. "Deva." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deva1.html |
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deva
deva
•cadaver, slaver
•halva, salver, salvor
•balaclava, Bratislava, carver, cassava, Costa Brava, guava, Java, kava, larva, lava, palaver
•woodcarver
•clever, endeavour (US endeavor), ever, forever, however, howsoever, never, never-never, sever, Trevor, whatever, whatsoever, whenever, whensoever, wheresoever, wherever, whichever, whichsoever, whoever, whomever, whomsoever, whosoever
•delver, elver
•Denver
•Ava, caver, craver, deva, engraver, enslaver, favour (US favor), flavour (US flavor), graver, haver, laver, paver, quaver, raver, saver, savour (US savor), shaver, vena cava, waiver, waver
•lifesaver • semiquaver
•achiever, beaver, believer, cleaver, deceiver, diva, Eva, fever, Geneva, griever, heaver, leaver, lever, Neva, perceiver, receiver, reiver, reliever, retriever, Shiva, underachiever, viva, weaver, weever
•cantilever
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"deva." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "deva." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-deva.html "deva." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-deva.html |
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