Mara

Thân thiện

Definition

Noun 1. A large, hare-like rodent: A mammal (Dolichotis patagonum) native to the grasslands (pampas) of Argentina and other parts of South America. It is a member of the cavy family, has long legs, and resembles a hare or small deer in appearance and running gait. 2. A Hindu deity: In Hinduism, the god of death, representing desire, temptation, and the cycle of rebirth. He is often depicted as the antagonist who distracts beings from spiritual pursuits, and is considered the opposite of Kama, the god of love and desire.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Animal):
  • The mara is the fourth-largest rodent in the world.
  • We observed a pair of maras grazing on the open plains.
• Noun (Deity):
  • In Buddhist lore, Mara attempted to distract the Buddha from attaining enlightenment.
  • The concept of Mara symbolizes the inner obstacles on the spiritual path.

Advanced Usage

• "The Mara": When capitalized and used with the definite article, it most commonly refers to the deity in religious or philosophical contexts.
  • The Buddha triumphed over the Mara and his armies of temptation.

Variants and Related Words

• Patagonian cavy: Another common name for the animal .
• Dolichotis: The biological genus to which the mara belongs.

Synonyms

• For the animal: Patagonian hare, Patagonian cavy.
• For the deity: The Tempter, the Lord of Death (in specific contexts), the personification of obstruction (in Buddhist contexts).

Notes on Different Meanings

The two meanings of "mara" are homographs (spelled the same) but are entirely unrelated, originating from different languages and cultures. 1. The rodent's name comes from the indigenous Guarani word. 2. The deity's name comes from Sanskrit (मार), meaning "death" or "killing."

Học thuật

Noun

1. hare-like rodent of the pampas of Argentina
2. Hindu god of death; opposite of Kama

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Dolichotis patagonum
• Mara