| 释义 |
‖ Veda|ˈveɪdə|
Also 8 Beda; Vidam, Viedam, Vedam.
[a. Skr. vēda knowledge, sacred knowledge, sacred book, from the root vid- to know: see wit v. The α-forms are from the Skr. nom. and acc. vēdam, perh. partly through Tamil. The Urdū form bed (Hindī ved) is also represented in older use by Bead (1698), Beid (1776), and Bede (1789).]
One or other of the four ancient sacred books of the Hindus (called the Rig-, Yajur-, Sāma-, and Atharva-vēda); the body of sacred literature contained in these books.
α1734Picart tr. Roger's Relig. & Manners Bramins in Cerem. & Relig. Customs Var. Nations III. 353 The Vedam is the Book of the Law among these People, and contains all they are to believe or practise. 1763Scrafton Indostan (1770) 4 The Bramins say, that Brumma, their law-giver, left them a book, called the Vidam, which contains all his doctrines and institutions. 1766J. Z. Holwell Interesting Hist. Events (ed. 2) I. 12 The great absurdities and impurities of the Viedam. 1778Orme Hist. Milit. Trans. vi. II. 5 The Shaster..they assert to be the genuine scripture of Bramah, in preference to the Vidam. 1794R. J. Sulivan View Nat. IV. 295 The Vedams, or texts of scripture, were published by Brahma, together with the Shasters, or commentaries, about six hundred years afterwards.
β1776Justamond tr. Raynal's Hist. Ind. I. 33 The Bramin..promised to pardon him on condition that he should swear never to translate the Bedas, or sacred volumes. 1788Asiatic Researches I. 340 The first four [parts of knowledge] are the immortal Véda's evidently revealed by God. 1808Colebrooke Ibid. VIII. 387 It may be here proper to remark, that each Véda consists of two parts, denominated the Mantras and the Bráhmanas; or prayers and precepts. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. I. 71 The religion taught in the Institutes is derived from the Védas, to which scriptures they refer in every page. 1871S. Mateer Travancore 35 Accordingly, as a matter of fact, the Sudras never do read the Sanscrit Vedas.
attrib.1841Penny Cycl. XX. 403/1 In like manner, the Veda-hymns..led to the consideration of the laws of metre. 1843Ibid. XXVI. 171 These various schools of the Veda theology.
Hence Veˈdaic a., = Vedic a.; ˈVedaism, = Vedism.
1865Baring-Gould Werewolves x. 176 In ancient Indian Vedaic mythology the upsaras were heavenly damsels who dwelt in the æther, between Earth and Sun. 1887L. Parks Star in East viii. 202 Their religion sprung from the same root as Vedaism. |