Meaning of Words

[pelletboy]

Just came across three words in the DHamma wondering if you know the meaning of them. They are :játikkhetta, asterism (nakkhatta), and samvattamanakappa Context on where they are used are:
-"A Buddha is born only in this Cakkavála out of the ten thousand Cakkaválas which constitute the játikkhetta (AA.i.251; DA.iii.897)."
-"Gotama was conceived under the asterism (nakkhatta) of Uttarāsālha, under which asterism he also made his Renunciation (DA.ii425), preached his first sermon and performed the Twin Miracle. Under the asterism of Visākha he was born, attained Enlightenment and died; under that of Māgha he held his first assembly of arahants and decided to die; under Assayuja he descended from Tāvatimsa."
-AND "No Buddha is born during the samvattamánakappa, but only during the vivattamánakappa (SNA.i.51)."

[Ben]

I'll just move this thread to the Pali forum.

[David N. Snyder]

That appears to be from the Commentaries? Do you have an online source for those texts?

[Kare]

Just came across three words in the DHamma wondering if you know the meaning of them. They are :játikkhetta, asterism (nakkhatta), and samvattamanakappa Context on where they are used are:
-"A Buddha is born only in this Cakkavála out of the ten thousand Cakkaválas which constitute the játikkhetta (AA.i.251; DA.iii.897)."
-"Gotama was conceived under the asterism (nakkhatta) of Uttarāsālha, under which asterism he also made his Renunciation (DA.ii425), preached his first sermon and performed the Twin Miracle. Under the asterism of Visākha he was born, attained Enlightenment and died; under that of Māgha he held his first assembly of arahants and decided to die; under Assayuja he descended from Tāvatimsa."
-AND "No Buddha is born during the samvattamánakappa, but only during the vivattamánakappa (SNA.i.51)."

The meaning of those words is fairly straightforward:

játikkhetta - birth-field
nakkhatta - constellation
samvattamánakappa - the era when the world is contracting
vivattamánakappa - the era when the world is evolving

These two last words must be understood in relation to ancient Indian cosmology, not in relation to modern Big Bang cosmology.

[pelletboy]

Just came across three words in the DHamma wondering if you know the meaning of them. They are :játikkhetta, asterism (nakkhatta), and samvattamanakappa Context on where they are used are:
-"A Buddha is born only in this Cakkavála out of the ten thousand Cakkaválas which constitute the játikkhetta (AA.i.251; DA.iii.897)."
-"Gotama was conceived under the asterism (nakkhatta) of Uttarāsālha, under which asterism he also made his Renunciation (DA.ii425), preached his first sermon and performed the Twin Miracle. Under the asterism of Visākha he was born, attained Enlightenment and died; under that of Māgha he held his first assembly of arahants and decided to die; under Assayuja he descended from Tāvatimsa."
-AND "No Buddha is born during the samvattamánakappa, but only during the vivattamánakappa (SNA.i.51)."

The meaning of those words is fairly straightforward:

játikkhetta - birth-field
nakkhatta - constellation
samvattamánakappa - the era when the world is contracting
vivattamánakappa - the era when the world is evolving

These two last words must be understood in relation to ancient Indian cosmology, not in relation to modern Big Bang cosmology.

-What's a birth-field?
-What does it mean the Gotama was conceived, made His Renunciation, preached His first sermon, etc. under "Constellations?"
-I know of aeons and the Buddhist concept of the universe, but I'm not sure if samvattamánakappa and vivattamánakappa happen in one aeon or do they happen in one aeon each?