I found this expression “pañcapatiṭṭhitena vanditvā”, fivefold prostration, in the Aṭṭhakathā of the first Itthi Vimāna. Does someboby know what that means?
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Context of the above:
After reverentially circumambulating him three times,
worshipping with the five-fold prostration on all four sides,
extending a reverential salutation with the ten fingernails joined together,
° saying: “Our friendship and fellowship that ran over a measure of one hundred thousand aeons
is broken today,”
"The commentary gives an abbreviated version of Bhaddā’s final life story, referring the reader to the identical story given for her husband Pippali who would become famous as Mahā Kassapa. "—Ancient Buddhist Texts
fivefold prostration = (with forehead, waist, elbows, knees and feet).
Thank you Paul, I guesst it might mean that: all the limbs plus forehead.
Greetings in Dhamma!
Saw your question while just now having finished this translation of a commentarial passage from the Vinayālaṅkāraṭīkā that explains what exactly is meant by the “five-point prostration” (pañcapatiṭṭhitena abhivādanaṃ), importantly, first “having put down conceit and self-importance” (mānātimānaṃ akatvā; Sāratthadīpanīṭīkā: 438):
If one would venerate while being seated, one should do so having first positioned the two soles of the feet evenly on the ground, evenly raised the knee disks, evenly placed the elbows on top of the two knees, made the two palms of the hands to evenly touch [each other] and having positioned the folded hands in so-called añjali on the forehead, what is reckoned the head. Bending down from that, having positioned the two knee disks and the two elbows evenly on the ground, stretched out the two palms of the hands, having placed them evenly on the ground, and having positioned the head on the ground on top of the back of both hands, one would venerate. This method is not found in the canon or commentaries.
Yadi nisīditvā vandatha, paṭhamaṃ dve pādatalāni bhūmiyaṃ samaṃ patiṭṭhāpetvā dve jāṇumaṇḍalāni samaṃ ussāpetvā dve kapparāni dvinnaṃ jāṇūnaṃ upari samaṃ ṭhapetvā dve hatthatalāni samaṃ phusitāni katvā añjalisaṅkhātaṃ karapuṭaṃ sirasaṅkhāte nalāṭe patiṭṭhāpetvā vandatha. Tato onamitvā dve jāṇumaṇḍalāni ca dve kapparāni ca bhūmiyaṃ samaṃ patiṭṭhāpetvā dve hatthatalāni pasāretvā samaṃ bhūmiyaṃ ṭhapetvā sīsaṃ ubhinnaṃ hatthapiṭṭhīnaṃ upari katvā bhūmiyaṃ patiṭṭhāpetvā vandathāti. Ettha tu dve pādatalāni ekaṃ katvā, tathā dve jāṇumaṇḍalāni ekaṃ, dve kapparāni ekaṃ, dve hatthatalāni ekaṃ, sīsaṃ ekaṃ katvā pañcapatiṭṭhitasarūpaṃ kathenti. Esa nayo pāḷiaṭṭhakathāṭīkāsu na diṭṭho (Pālim-nṭ: 182).
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Why is it called “five-point prostration” with all these various touching points ? It is because (1) the two soles of the feet, (2) two knee disks, (3) two elbows, (4) two palms of the hands and (5) the head each count as one (Pālim-nṭ: 182). As a beautiful alternative, the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī-abhinavaṭīkā II (p. 18) commentary says, this five-point prostration may refer to (1) arranging the upper robe over one shoulder, (2) the stretching out the hands in añjali, (3) the massaging of the feet, attendance with (3) affection and (5) respect. This alternative is actually the canonical meaning.
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Is this five-point prostration only found in Buddhis tradition?
Cf.: Prostration (Buddhism) - Wikipedia.