What are gandavas?

Jeffrey

This is in the heart sutra which is a beginners crash course for the mahayana. What are Gandavas? They rejoice when sariputra realizes the prajnaparamita (emptiness).

zenff

They are low-ranking devas. But they are good singers!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharva

Citta

Crikey @Jeffrey. Some crash course. Some beginners.......

pegembara

Gandhabba (?gandavas) is supposed to be beings waiting to be born or in the intermediate state and celestial beings (linked to fragrance).

"Bhikkhus, a descent to the womb comes about with the coming together of three things: If there is the union of mother and father, but it is not the season of the mother and the one to be born is not present - then there is no descent to the womb. If there is the union of mother and father and it is the season of the mother but the one to be born is not present - then there is no descent to the womb. If there is the union of mother and father and it is the season of the mother and the one to be born is present - then there is a descent to the womb.
http://www.leighb.com/mn38.htm

"Monks, the descent of the embryo occurs with the union of three things. There is the case where there is no union of the mother & father, the mother is not in her season, and a gandhabba [8] is not present, nor is there a descent of an embryo. There is the case where there is a union of the mother & father, and the mother is in her season, but a gandhabba is not present, nor is there a descent of an embryo. But when there is a union of the mother & father, the mother is in her season, and a gandhabba is present, then with this union of three things the descent of the embryo occurs.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.038.than.html

Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far,
born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.than.html

Victorious

Gandha means smell in Singhala and therefore probably has a related meaning in Pali. Gandhabbas are the subjects of king Dhatarattha. He is one of the four Heavenly Kings.

See the Atanatiya Sutta.


7-8. "When the resplendent sun — offspring of Aditi — with its full orb, arises, then the night ceases, and it is called the day. The direction from which the sun rises (is the East). There exists the ocean deep and vast.

9. "This — a spreading sheet of water — they know as the ocean. Where there is East (to the East of Mount Meru) they say that quarter is East.

10. "Custodian of this quarter is a great king named Dhatarattha who has a retinue of attendants, and is sovereign lord of the Gandhabbas.

11. "Attended by Ghandhabbas he enjoys their song and dance. Many are his (Datharatta's) sons, all of one name, so have I heard.

@pegembara

DD proposed that Ghandhabba in that Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta you quoted referes the male seed, which indeed has a particular smell... .

Also according to the commentary in that sutta...

Usually in the Canon, the term gandhabba means a being on the lowest level of the celestial devas — devas who are often represented as obsessed with lust.

Last but not least. Reading the sutta with that meaning on the word Ghandabba does make it pretty understandable ne?

Monks, the descent of the embryo occurs with the union of three things. There is the case where there is no union of the mother & father, the mother is not in her season, and male seed is not present, nor is there a descent of an embryo. There is the case where there is a union of the mother & father, and the mother is in her season, but male seed is not present, nor is there a descent of an embryo. But when there is a union of the mother & father, the mother is in her season, and male seed is present, then with this union of three things the descent of the embryo occurs.


/Victor