# महायान (mahāyāna)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mahayana

महायान (mahāyāna) is a Sanskrit word meaning the later system of Buddhist teaching, the name of a king of the Vidyadharas.

- **SLP1:** `mahAyAna`  **IAST:** mahāyāna  **Devanagari:** महायान
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/mahayana/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Other (2 definitions)
- The later system of Buddhist teaching  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 799,2] महा (mahā) — यान (—yāna) n. ‘great vehicle’ ( opp. to हीन - य् (hīna-y) ° (°) ), N. of the later system of Buddhist teaching said to have been first promulgated by Nāgārjuna and treated of in the Mahā-yāna-sūtras, Monier-Williams’ Buddhism in its connexion with Brāhmaṇism and Hindūism: and in its contrast with Christianity (Title) 66; 158 - 160 &c. [ ID=160503 ]
- the name of a king of the Vidyadharas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > महा (mahā) — यान (—yāna) m. ‘having a gr° chariot’, N. of a king of the Vidyādharas, Kathāsaritsāgara (Title) [ ID=160504 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899).
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546