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{{Short description|Nectar referred to in ancient Indian texts}}
{{other uses}}
{{about||the Japanese novel by Banana Yoshimoto|Amrita (Yoshimoto novel)|the Gujarati language novel by Raghuveer Chaudhari|Amrita (Gujarati novel)}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2013}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]}}
[[File:Lord Vishnu took the form of Beauty Mohini and distributed the Amrita (Ambrosia, Elixir) to Devas. When Rahu (snake dragon) tried to steal the Amrita, his head was cut off.jpg|thumb|Lord Vishnu took the form of Beauty Mohini and distributed the Amrita (Ambrosia, Elixir) to Devas. When Rahu (snake dragon) tried to steal the Amrita, his head was cut off]]
'''''Amrita''''' ({{lang-sa|अमृत}}, [[IAST]]: ''amṛta''), '''''Amrit''''' or '''''Amata''''' in [[Pali language|Pali]], also called ''Sudha'', ''Amiy'', ''Ami'', literally means "immortality" and is often referred to in ancient [[India]]n texts as [[nectar]], [[ambrosia]]<ref>[[Walter W. Skeat]], ''Etymological English Dictionary''</ref> and carries the same meaning.<ref name=Chambers>"Ambrosia" in ''[[Chambers's Encyclopædia]]''. London: [[George Newnes Ltd|George Newnes]], 1961, Vol. 1, p. 315.</ref> Its first occurrence is in the [[Rigveda]], where it is considered one of several synonyms for ''[[soma (drink)|soma]]'', the drink of the devas.

Amrit has varying significance in different [[Indian religions]]. The word ''Amrit'' is also a common first name for Sikhs and [[Hindu]]s, while its feminine form is ''Amritā''.

== Hinduism ==
[[File:Mohini with amrit.jpg|thumb|[[Mohini]], the female form of [[Vishnu]], holding the pot of amrita which she distributes amongst all the [[deva (Hinduism)|devas]], leaving the [[asura]]s without. [[Darasuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India|alt=A stone carving of a standing woman with a pot in her left hand and lotus in right]]

Amrita is repeatedly referred to as the drink of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]], which grants them immortality. Despite this, the nectar does not actually offer true immortality. Instead, by partaking it, the devas were able to attain a higher level of knowledge and power, which they had lost due to the curse of Sage [[Durvasa]], as described in the [[samudra manthan]]a legend. It tells how the devas, after the curse, begin to lose their immortality. Assisted by their rivals, the [[asura]]s, the devas begin to churn the ocean, releasing (among other extraordinary objects and beings) the amrita.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= 66|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref>

Amrita is sometimes said to miraculously form on, or flow from, statues of Hindu gods. The substance is consumed by worshippers and is alleged to be sweet-tasting and not at all similar to honey or sugar water. Amrita was the last of the fourteen treasures that emerged from the churning of the ocean and contained in a pot borne by [[Dhanvantari]], the physician of the devas.

== Sikhism ==
In [[Sikhism]], amrit ({{lang-pa|ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ}}) is the name of the holy water used in [[Amrit Sanchar]], a ceremony which resembles [[baptism]]. This ceremony is observed to initiate the Sikhs into the [[Khalsa]] and requires drinking amrit. This is created by mixing a number of soluble ingredients, including sugar, and is then rolled with a [[Khanda (sword)|khanda]] with the accompaniment of scriptural recitation of five sacred verses.

Metaphorically, God's name is also referred to as a nectar:
<poem>ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ 
{{transl|pa|Amrit sabad amrit har baṇi.}}
The [[Shabda]] is Amrit; the Lord's ''bani'' is Amrit. 
 
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ 
{{transl|pa|Satgur seviai ridai samāṇi.}}
Serving the True Guru, it permeates the heart. 
 
ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਪੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ
{{transl|pa|Nānak amrit nām sadā sukhdāta pi amrit sabh bhukh lėh jāvaṇia.}}
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Naam is forever the Giver of peace; drinking in this Amrit, all hunger is satisfied.<ref>[[Guru Granth Sahib]], page 119</ref></poem>

== Buddhism ==
Buddha is called as "''Amata Santam"'' in Pali Literature.

=== Theravada Buddhism ===
According to [[Thanissaro Bhikkhu]], "the deathless" refers to the deathless dimension of the mind which is dwelled in permanently after [[nibbana]].<ref>"All About Change", by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 5 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/change.html</ref>

In the Amata Sutta, [[the Buddha]] advises monks to stay with the four [[Satipatthana]]: "Monks, remain with your minds well-established in these four establishings of mindfulness. Don't let the deathless be lost to you."<ref>"Amata Sutta: Deathless" (SN 47.41), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 17 February 2012, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn47/sn47.041.than.html</ref>

In the [[Milinda Panha|questions for Nagasena]], King Milinda asks for evidence that the Buddha once lived, wherein Nagasena describes evidence of the Dhamma in a simile:

{{quote|"Revered Nagasena, what is the nectar shop of the Buddha, the Blessed One?"

"Nectar, sire, has been pointed out by the Blessed One. With this nectar the Blessed One sprinkles the world with the [[Deva (Buddhism)|deva]]s; when the devas and the humans have been sprinkled with this nectar, they are set free from birth, aging, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. What is this nectar? It is [[Kayagatasati Sutta|mindfulness occupied with the body]]. And this too, sire, was said by the Blessed One: 'Monks, they partake of nectar (the deathless) who partake of mindfulness that is occupied with the body.' This, sire, is called the Blessed One's nectar shop."

— Miln 335<ref>"The Blessed One's City of Dhamma: From the Milindapañha", based on the translation by I.B. Horner. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/horner/bl130.html</ref>}}

=== Chinese Buddhism ===
Chinese Buddhism describes Amrita ({{zh|t=甘露|p=gānlù}}) as blessed water, food, or other consumable objects often produced through merits of chanting mantras.

=== Vajrayana Buddhism ===
{{See also|Pre-sectarian Buddhism#Ideas and practices}}
Amrita ({{bo|t=བདུད་རྩི་|w=bdud rtsi|s=dütsi}}) also plays a significant role in [[Vajrayana|Vajrayana Buddhism]] as a sacramental drink which is consumed at the beginning of all important rituals such as the [[abhisheka]], [[ganachakra]], and [[Homa (ritual)|homa]]. In the Tibetan tradition, ''dütsi'' is made during {{transl|xct|[[drubchen]]s}} - lengthy ceremonies involving many high [[lama]]s. It usually takes the form of small, dark-brown grains that are taken with water, or dissolved in very weak solutions of alcohol and is said to improve physical and spiritual well-being.<ref name="dutsi">[https://archive.org/details/dutsi Dutsi], A Brief Description of the Benefits of the Sacred Ambrosial Medicine, The Unsurpassable, Supreme Samaya Substance that Liberates Through Taste.</ref>

The foundational text of [[traditional Tibetan medicine]], the Four Tantras, is also known by the name ''The Heart of Amrita'' ({{bo|w=snying po bsdus pa}}).

''The Immaculate Crystal Garland'' ({{bo|w=dri med zhal phreng}}) describes the origin of amrita in a version of the [[samudra manthan]]a legend retold in Buddhist terms. In this Vajrayana version, the monster [[Rahu]] steals the amrita and is blasted by [[Vajrapani]]'s thunderbolt. As Rahu has already drunk the amrita he cannot die, but his blood, dripping onto the surface of this earth, causes all kinds of medicinal plants to grow. At the behest of all the Buddhas, Vajrapani reassembles Rahu who eventually becomes a protector of Buddhism according to the [[Nyingma]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]].

''Inner Offering'' ({{bo|w=Nang chod}}, {{zh|t=内供}}) is the most symbolic amrita offering assembly, and the ''Inner Offering Nectar Pill'' ({{bo|w=Nang chod bdud rtsi rilbu}}, {{zh|t=内供甘露丸}}) is a precious and secret medicine of Tibetan Buddhism, which are only used internally for higher ranking monks in Nyingma school. Its ingredients including Five Amrita and Five Meat, which represents five buddha, and five elements respectively. According to ''[[Tantras]] of [[Chakravarti (Sanskrit term)|Chakravarti]]'', and ''Tantras of [[Vajravārāhī]]'', a ceremony needs to be held for melting and blessing the Inner Offering Nectar. Five Nectar needs to be arranged in four directions: yellow excrement in the east, green bone marrow in the north, white semen in the west and red blood in the south, blue urine is placed in the center. Four Nectar should come from [[Lama|wise monks]] and the ova should be collected from the first menstruation of a blessed woman. The Five Meats are arranged similarly, meat of black bull in the southeast, the meat of the blue dog in the southwest, the meat of the white elephant in the northwest, the meat of the green horse in the northeast, and the meat of a red human corpse in the center. After the ceremony, these ingredients will transform into a ''one taste'' (''ekarasa'') elixir, which bestows bliss, vitality, immortality and wisdom. Actual modern practitioner will take a 'synthesized essence' of the Nectar Pill and combined it with black tea or alcohol, but mostly the "Nectar Pill" are derived from plants.<ref>The handbook of Tibetan Buddhist symbols, Robert Beer. {{ISBN|1590301005}}, Boston, MA. :Shambhala, 2003.</ref>

== See also ==
{{col div|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Ameretat]]
* [[Ambrosia]]
* [[Elixir of Life]]
* [[Panchamrita]]
* [[Peaches of Immortality]]
* [[Potion]]
* [[Soma (drink)|Soma]]
* [[Traditional Tibetan medicine]]
*{{lookfrom|Amrit}}
*{{lookfrom|Amrut}}
{{colend}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Sources==
*Dallapiccola, Anna L. ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend''. {{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|Amrita}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080531042837/http://www.mapi.com/en/newsletters/ayurvedic_rasayana.html Ayurvedic Rasayana - Amrit]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120222231026/http://www.baisakhi1999.org/amrit2.htm Immortal Boons of Amrit and Five Kakars]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090401081833/http://angkorblog.com/_wsn/page8.html Depictions in stone at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (Cambodia) of how the gods dredged amrit from the bottom of the ocean] 
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110110035820/http://earthrites.org/magazine_article_crowley.htm 
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110707061343/http://www.20kweb.com/etymology_dictionary_A/origin_of_the_word_ambrosia.htm

[[Category:Buddhist mythology]]
[[Category:Buddhism and medicine]]
[[Category:Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Sikh practices]]
[[Category:Mythological medicines and drugs]]
[[Category:Mythological food and drink]]
[[Category:Indian feminine given names]]
[[Category:Immortality]]
[[Category:Sanskrit words and phrases]]