A Theosophical definition of Arupa :

Arupa

(Sanskrit) A compound word meaning "formless," but this word formless is not to be taken so strictly as to mean that there is no form of any kind whatsoever; it merely means that the forms in the spiritual worlds (the arupa-lokas) are of a spiritual type or character, and of course far more ethereal than are the forms of the rupa-lokas.

Thus in the arupa-lokas, or the spiritual worlds or spheres or planes, the vehicle or body of an entity is to be conceived of rather as an enclosing sheath of energic substance. We can conceive of an entity whose form or body is entirely of electrical substance  - as indeed our own bodies are in the last analysis of modern science. But such an entity with an electrical body, although distinctly belonging to the rupa worlds, and to one of the lowest rupa worlds, would merely, by comparison with our own gross physical bodies, seem to us to be bodiless or formless. (See also Rupa, Loka)

See also: Arupa, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Arupa (Sanskrit) (from a not + rupa form, body probably from the verbal root rup to form, figure, represent)

Formless, bodiless; in Buddhism, used in a number of compounds, such as arupa-dhatu (the formless element), arupa-loka (world of the formless), and arupa-tanha (desire for rebirth in the formless sphere). Arupa, however, does not mean there is no form of any kind, but that the forms in the spiritual worlds are nonmaterial, highly ethereal and spiritual in type.

In the theosophic scheme of the septenary cosmos, the three higher planes are termed arupa planes, formless worlds, where form as we humans perceive it ceases to exist on our objective planes, while the four lower cosmic planes are called rupa-lokas or manifested planes (OG 6, 149). If the cosmos is viewed as a denary, then the three highest planes may be called arupa, while the seven manifested planes are the rupa worlds (Fund 240).

"The Formless ('Arupa') Radiations, existing in the harmony of Universal Will, and being what we term the collective or the aggregate of Cosmic Will on the plane of the subjective Universe, unite together an infinitude of monads -- each the mirror of its own Universe -- and thus individualize for the time being an independent mind, omniscient and universal; and by the same process of magnetic aggregation they create for themselves objective, visible bodies, out of the interstellar atoms" (SD 1:632-3).

See also DHATU, LOKA, RUPA

(See also: Arupa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Arupa (Sanskrit). "Bodiless", formless, as opposed to rupa, "body", or form.

Arvaksrotas (Sanskrit). The seventh creation, that of man, in the Vishnu Purana.

(See also: Arupa, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Religious ecstasy is a trance-like state characterized by expanded mental and spiritual awareness and is frequently accompanied by visions, hallucinations, and physical euphoria. Such an experience usually lasts about a half-hour. However, there are many records of such experiences lasting several days, and some people claim to have experienced ecstasy over a period of over three decades, or to have recurring experiences of ecstasy during their lifetime. Religious ecstasy can be distinguished from spirit possession and hypnosis ...

Including:

• Religious ecstasy - Notable individuals or movements

Read more here: » Religious ecstasy: Encyclopedia - Religious ecstasy

Arupa-devas (Sanskrit) (from a not + rupa form, body + deva divine being)

Formless celestial beings; suggested in The Mahatma Letters (p. 107) to refer to beings who were once men as we now are, but who have graduated out of the human sage into one of the two main classes of dhyani-chohans. According to this scheme, there are men; those superior to men who nevertheless were formerly men, divided into the rupa and arupa; and beneath men two classes who will be men in the future, such as asuras (elementals having a more or less human form) and beasts or elementals of a less advanced class which can be called animal elementals.

When used alone, deva is vague and indefinite, as there are celestial beings named devas who are neither ex-men, asuras, nor beasts, but may be looked upon as celestial spirit-elementals.

(See also: Arupa-devas, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

samyojana, sanyojana (sa"myojana): Fetter that binds the mind to the cycle of rebirth (see vatta) - self-identification views (sakkaya-ditthi), uncertainty (vicikiccha), grasping at precepts and practices (silabbata-paramasa); sensual passion (kama-raga), resistance (vyapada); passion for form (rupa-raga), passion for formless phenomena (arupa-raga), conceit (mana), restlessness (uddhacca), and unawareness (avijja).

Compare anusaya.

 (See also: Samyojana, sanyojana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

jhana (jhaana; Skt. dhyana): Mental absorption. A state of strong concentration focused on a single physical sensation (resulting in rupa jhana) or mental notion (resulting in arupa jhana). Development of jhana arises from the temporary suspension of the five hindrances (see nivarana) through the development of five mental factors:

á      vitakka (directed thought),

á      vicara (evaluation),

á      piti (rapture),

á      sukha (pleasure), and

á      ekaggatarammana (singleness of preoccupation).

 (See also: Jhana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Loka :

Loka

(Sanskrit) A word meaning "place" or "locality" or, as much more frequently used in theosophy, a "world" or "sphere" or "plane."

The lokas are divided into rupa-lokas and arupa-lokas  - "material worlds" and "spiritual spheres." There is a wide range of teaching connected with the lokas and talas which belongs to the deeper reaches of the esoteric philosophy. (See also Arupa, Rupa,  Tala)

See also: Loka, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Formless Equivalent to the Sanskrit arupa (without body or form). Because an absolutely formless thing on its own plane would have no qualities by which it could be distinguished from any other entity or thing there, the word seems rather to mean without body or form as seen from our earthly point of view.

Hence it implies that entities in the arupa spheres exist as what Plato would call ideas, which will become imbodied in the various lower planes in one or another period during the immensely long cosmic existence.

Cosmic pralaya is not such for arupa entities, as only the rupas are dissolved; but this statement, while true, is made from our earthly standpoint.

(See also: Formless, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Rupa (Sanskrit) Form, image, similitude; body, vehicle; contrasted with arupa (formless). Also the first skandha, the material properties or attributes in relation to the skandhas.

(See also: Rupa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Rupa-loka (Sanskrit) [from rupa form, body + loka world]

Form-world; planes of existence where the substance or vehicles are more material and definite, in contrast to the arupa-lokas (formless worlds) where the body-forms are less definite from our current perspective and sense faculties. In theosophical literature, the four lowest cosmic planes with the seven globes are usually called rupa worlds, while the three higher cosmic planes with their five globes are called arupa.

(See also: Rupa-loka, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Asomatous (from Greek a not + soma body)

Incorporeal; applied to beings having no physical or material body, corresponding to the Sanskrit arupa.

(See also: Asomatous, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Paramatman (Sanskrit) [from parama highest + atman self]

Supreme self; the self which is higher than the self of the human ego. In the human constitution, the paramatman is the three highest principles, with special emphasis on the atman; hence this arupa triad is collectively called the paramatman, the summit or flower of the hierarchy that is man.

It is likewise the root-base or source of the atman of the arupa triad. Thus paramatman is that which is beyond or above even the atman (highest self) of any hierarchy, the First or Unmanifest Logos of the universe.

(See also: Paramatman, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Chiliocosm (Greek) (from chilioi thousand + kosmos world)

In Northern Buddhism, a world made up of a thousand regions; spoken of as equivalent to Sahalo-Kadhatu (Saha-lokadhatu)

(ML 199), out of the many regions of which only three are named: kama-loka, rupa-loka, and arupa-loka. It is also stated that kama-loka has many subdivisions or subregions, so that the threefold enumeration is a rough summary of a manifold classification.

It might be said that the universe is infilled with chiliososms, each one corresponding more or less to a hierarchy with its own integral system of worlds, regions, or divisions, each division again being subdivided to form the vast complexity of universal nature we see around us. Further, each such hierarchy from another standpoint consists of divine, spiritual, intellectual, astral, or astral-physical divisions running from the higher downwards to the lowest; and the three lowest of each such chiliocosm bear the names kama-loka (or kama-dhatu), rupa-loka (or rupa-dhatu), and arupa-loka (or arupa-dhatu), these three commonly spoken of as the trailokya, the name applying to whatever universe, hierarchy, or chiliocosm they may be in or belong to.

With regard to the trailokya, the lowest or kama-dhatu is generally the various subordinate or lowest regions of desire; the second or rupa-dhatu, while worlds of form, are of such ethereal and subtle character that they may be defined as worlds or regions of a purely intellectual or mental character; whereas the highest or arupa-dhatu comprises regions of so purely spiritual -- not merely ethereal -- character that the words states or divisions can alone give some idea of their character.

(See also: Chiliocosm, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Rupa :

Rupa

(Sanskrit) A word meaning "form," "image," "similitude," but this word is employed technically, and only rarely in the popular sense in which it is commonly used in English. It signifies rather an atomic or monadic aggregation about the central and indwelling consciousness, forming a vehicle or body thereof.

Thus the rupa-lokas are lokas or worlds where the body-form or vehicle is very definitely outlined in matter; whereas the arupa-lokas are worlds where the body-forms or "images" are outlined in a manner which to us humans is much less definite. It should be noted that the word rupa applies with equal force to the bodies or vehicles even of the gods, although these latter to us are purely subjective or arupa. (See also Loka)

See also: Rupa, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Kama-dhatu (Sanskrit) Desire world; first of the Buddhist trailokya (three regions), called kama (desire), rupa (form), and arupa (formless). In the theosophic scheme, kama-dhatu is composed of the seven manifested globes of the earth-chain on the four lowest cosmic planes. Rupa-dhatu (form or image world) is composed of the five superior globes on the higher three cosmic planes. Arupa-dhatu (formless or imageless world), composed of the three highest of the ten cosmic planes, is to us a purely subjective world, a state rather than a place. The dhatus correspond in meaning with the Hindu lokas.

(See also: Kama-dhatu, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Kamu-mi-musubi-no-kami (Japanese) Offspring of the gods; third and lowest of the arupa triad in Japanese cosmogony, arising out of kon-ton (chaos). It was without form or substance since no substance had yet emerged. (SD 1:214)

(See also: Kamu-mi-musubi-no-kami, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Ame No Mi Naka Nushi No Kami (Japanese) Divine monarch of the central heaven; the first of three arupa (formless) spiritual beings to appear from kon-ton (chaos) in Japanese cosmogony (SD 1:214).

(See also: Ame No Mi Naka Nushi No Kami, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Sanskrit) The unsurpassingly merciful and enlightened heart; applied to jivanmuktas or liberated, perfected beings collectively, who then may "pass through all the six worlds of Being (Rupaloka) and get into the first three worlds of Arupa" (BCW 14:409).

(See also: Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Sacred Four Used in the Stanzas of Dzyan in speaking of the primordial principles in cosmogenesis as numbers:

"I. The Adi-Sanat, the Number, for he is One.

II. The Voice of the Word, Svabhavat, the Numbers, for he is One and Nine.

III. The 'Formless Square.' (Arupa).

And these three enclosed within the O (boundless circle), are the sacred four" (SD 1:98).

The triad forms within the circle the tetraktys or sacred four, the square within the circle being the most potent of all magical figures.

The kumaras, though seven in number, are called the four, because the four chief of them sprang from the fourfold mystery. It is one of the several meanings of the swastika. This sacred four has to be distinguished from the manifested four or quaternary.

The most sacred oath of the Pythagoreans was "by the Sacred Four," or tetraktys.

See also ADI-NIDANA; ADI-SANAT; ARUPA; SVABHAVAT

(See also: Sacred Four, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)