Muni (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
मुनि , "silent",
[Marta Kudelska: ''Dlaczego istnieje raczej "Ja" niż "to"? ''] the "Mauna" - pause) – a term for types of
ancient India
According to consensus in modern genetics, anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. Quote: "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by ...
n sages and hermits or ancient Indian ascetics.
Sages of this type are said to know the truth of existence not on the basis of scientific texts but through self-realization.
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Buddhism
In Buddhism the term "Muni" is used as a title of Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
— who, being born among the tribe of the Shakyas
Shakya (Pāḷi: ; sa, शाक्य, translit=Śākya) was an ancient eastern sub-Himalayan ethnicity and clan of north-eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, whose existence is attested during the Iron Age. The Shakyas were organised ...
, is called ''Śākyamuni'' ( sage of the Shakyas). 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
* In ''Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...
'' the name ''mūni'' refers to a known Vedic Rishi
''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" o ...
who was prosperous beyond ritualistic orthodoxy, i.e., Brahmanism
The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subc ...
* In a much later work, the '' Laghu-yoga-vasistha'',[( 6.7.3 )] mūnis are divided into two types:
# ''kaṣtha tapasvin'' - ascetics permanently residing in stillness
# Jivanmukta - those liberated for life in a physical body
See also
* Keśin
The Keśin were ascetic wanderers with mystical powers described in the Keśin Hymn (RV 10, 136) of the ''Rigveda'' (an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns). Werner 1995, p. 34. The Keśin are described as homeless, traveling ...
* Sage (philosophy)
A sage ( grc, σοφός, ''sophos''), in classical philosophy, is someone who has attained wisdom. The term has also been used interchangeably with a 'good person' ( grc, ἀγαθός, ''agathos''), and a 'virtuous person' ( grc, σπουδα� ...
* Saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...
References
External links
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Titles and occupations in Hinduism
Gautama Buddha