evolution of the soul: Adhyatma prasara.

In Saiva Siddhanta, the soul's evolution is a progressive unfoldment, growth and maturing toward its inherent, divine destiny, which is complete merger with Siva. In its essence, each soul is ever perfect. But as an individual soul body emanated by God Siva, it is like a small seed yet to develop. As an acorn needs to be planted in the dark underground to grow into a mighty oak tree, so must the soul unfold out of the darkness of the malas to full maturity and realization of its innate oneness with God.

The soul is not created at the moment of conception of a physical body. Rather, it is created in the Sivaloka. It evolves by taking on denser and denser sheaths-cognitive, instinctive-intellectual and pranic-until finally it takes birth in physical form in the Bhuloka. Then it experiences many lives, maturing through the reincarnation process. Thus, from birth to birth, souls learn and mature. Evolution is the result of experience and the lessons derived from it. There are young souls just beginning to evolve, and old souls nearing the end of their earthly sojourn. In Saiva Siddhanta, evolution is understood as the removal of fetters which comes as a natural unfoldment, realization and expression of one's true, self-effulgent nature. This ripening or dropping away of the soul's bonds (mala) is called malaparipaka.

The realization of the soul nature is termed svanubhuti (experience of the Self). Self Realization leads to moksha, liberation from the three malas and the reincarnation cycles. Then evolution continues in the celestial worlds until the soul finally merges fully and indistinguishably into Supreme God Siva, the Primal Soul, Parameshvara. In his Tirumantiram, Rishi Tirumular calls this merger vishvagrasa, "total absorption. The evolution of the soul is not a linear progression, but an intricate, circular, many-faceted mystery. Nor is it at all encompassed in the Darwinian theory of evolution, which explains the origins of the human form as descended from earlier primates.

See: Darwin's theory, mala, moksha, reincarnation, samsara, vishvagrasa.

(See also: Evolution of the soul , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Principalities The seventh order of angels in the celestial hierarchy of the pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. This hierarchy is recognized in the New Testament: "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, . . . shall be able to separate us from the love of God" (Rom 8:38-9).

Principality here translates the Greek arche (beginning, first principle, province ruled over, ruler, and rule in the abstract); the Latin version gives principatus (beginning, sovereignty). The allusion is to recognized names in the Gnostic hierarchical systems of aeons or emanations. "From Mind proceeded the word, Logos, from the word, Providence [Divine Light, rather], then from it Virtue and Wisdom in Principalities, Power, Angels, etc." (Basilidean teaching). All these various denizens of the sidereal world are copies of archaic prototypes.

In a passage relating to the ancient Syrian scheme of hierarchies, the lowest or sublunary world -- Earth -- is ruled by Angels; the sphere of Mercury by Archangels; that of Venus by Principalities; that of the Sun by solar gods termed Powers; that of Mars by Virtues; Jupiter, Dominions; Saturn, Thrones.

The ninefold hierarchy divided into three triads, as given by Dionysius the Areopagite, is but a Christianized copy of ancient occult teaching taken over from Neoplatonic and Neopythagorean thought so widely current in the countries around the Mediterranean around the beginning of the Christian era and for some centuries afterwards.

The ancient wisdom, from which all these various systems of thought originally sprang, likewise has its system of hierarchies which falls naturally into a similar range of nine, ten, or even twelve grades or divisions of cosmic power and substance. These different classes of celestial or angelic beings are the various grades of entities which infill and indeed make our solar system, and to which theosophy gives other titles than those used by Dionysius.

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

Humanity. Occultly and Kabbalistically, the whole of mankind is symbolised, by Manu in India; by Vajrasattva or Dorjesempa, the head of the Seven Dhyani, in Northern Buddhism; and by Adam Kadmon in the Kabbala.

All these represent the totality of mankind whose beginning is in this androgynic protoplast, and whose end is in the Absolute, beyond all these symbols and myths of human origin.

Humanity is a great Brotherhood by virtue of the sameness of the material from which it is formed physically and morally. Unless, however, it becomes a Brotherhood also intellectually, it is no better than a superior genus of animals.

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

Dawn Frequently denotes the beginning of a new cycle, of greater or less extent. Venus-Lucifer is called the luminous son of morning or of manvantaric dawn; and the builders are the luminous sons of manvantaric dawn.

In Greek mythology Apollo (the sun) has two daughters, Hilaira and Phoebe (evening twilight and dawn); Eos is the dawn, as is Aurora in Latin. In Hindu mythology, the wife of Surya (the sun) is Ushas (dawn), and she is also his mother. In the Vishnu-Purana, Brahma, for purposes of world formation, assumes four bodies -- dawn, night, day, and evening twilight.

Man is said to come from the body of dawn, for dawn signifies light, the intelligence of the intellect of the universe often called mahat, the ultimate progenitor, and indeed the final cosmic goal, of the Hierarchy of Light of which the human hierarchy is a small portion.

See also SANDHI

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

Frog One of the oldest symbols in Egypt, for although associated particularly with the frog goddess Heqet, the four primeval gods of Egypt -- Heh, Kek, Nau, and Amen -- were each depicted with a frog's head, the reference here being to the cosmic waters of space, out of which all things arose in the beginnings. Frog gods and goddesses were associated with the beginning or formation of the world, the symbol of the frog itself being that of resurrection and hence of renewed birth.

"There must have been some very profound and sacred meaning attached to this symbol, since, notwithstanding the risk of being charged with a disgusting form of zoolatry, the early Egyptian Christians adopted it in their Churches. A frog or toad enshrined in a lotus flower, or simply without the latter emblem, was the form chosen for the Church lamps, on which were engraved the words 'I am the resurrection" . . . These frog goddesses are also found on all the mummies" (SD 1:386).

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

Expedient Means chapter

(Jpn.: Hoben-bon)

The second chapter of the Lotus Sutra, in which Shakyamuni Buddha reveals that the purpose of a Buddha's advent in the world is to lead all people to enlightenment. Shakyamuni shows that all people have the potential for Buddhahood, namely, that Buddhahood is not separate from ordinary people but is inherent in their lives.

This principal chapter of the theoretical teaching (first half of the Lotus Sutra), together with the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching (latter half ), constitutes one of the two pivotal chapters of the entire sutra. At the beginning of this chapter, Shakyamuni arises from the deep meditation he had entered in the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra, the prologue to the Lotus Sutra, and addresses Shariputra, declaring that the wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable, far beyond the comprehension of voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones. Only Buddhas, he says, can realize the true aspect of all phenomena, which consists of appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent effect, manifest effect, and consistency from beginning to end.

This revelation that all living beings of the Ten Worlds are innately endowed with and can manifest the true aspect identified as "the ten factors of life" establishes a theoretical basis for the subsequent assertion that all people have the potential to attain Buddhahood. Based on this passage, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) established the principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life.

Shakyamuni then reveals that the Buddhas make their advent for "one great reason": to enable all people to attain the same enlightenment as themselves. According to the chapter, their purpose is "to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings, to cause living beings to awaken to the Buddha wisdom, and induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom." Shakyamuni goes on to state that the three vehicles, or the teachings for voicehearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas, are not ends in themselves, but are expedient means by which he leads people to the one Buddha vehicle. This concept is referred to as "the replacement of the three vehicles with the one vehicle."

(See also: Expedient Means chapter , Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Definition and meaning of Redeemers:

Redeemers

Redeemers were Southern Democrats who wrested control of govenrments in the former Confederacy, often through electoral fraud and violence, from Republicans beginning in 1870.

(Source: Madrid Waddington High School )

Also see these pages:  American History, American History Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

Neo-Confucianism: Broad Confucian movement beginning in the 11th century CE which developed metaphysical doctrines at times borrowing from Buddhism and Taoism; founded by Chou Tun-i, other leading Neo-Confucianists were Chu Hsi, Lu Hsiang-shan, and Wang Yang Ming.

 (See also: Neo-Confucianism , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Zen Buddhism: Zen Buddhist Dictionary

A dictionary of Zen Buddhism terms. Please note that all words in grey like " Buddhism " are links to an archive with related articles.

AGE OF HORUS

Another 2000-year cycle beginning in 1904 when Crowley received the Book of the Law from Aiwass (some say the age began with the birth of Crowley's son). Stands for constant progress. Horus grows from a helpless infant to the highest seat of the gods, whence integrating with Ra. Horus, as the impulse to manifest, is the constant enemy of his brother, Seth, who represents the inexorable dragging down of negation and nothingness.

(See also: AGE OF HORUS , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

Aldebaran A first magnitude ruddy star, the principal star in Taurus the Bull. It is one of the four Royal Stars of the ancient Persians, which approximately marked the solstices and equinoxes about 4000 BC. It represented the spring equinox; the others being Antares in Scorpius (summer solstice), Regulus in Leo (autumnal equinox), and Fomalhaut in the Southern Fish (winter solstice).

They have been connected from an early time in India with the legends concerning the four Maharajas (regents of the cardinal points) and the four primitive elements, and have come down to us in connection with Hebrew and Shemitic writings as the archangels Uriel, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael, as well as in the Christian symbols of the four evangelists: the bull, the eagle (Scorpio), the lion, and the angel or man.

Blavatsky says that the spring equinox was in Taurus at the beginning of the kali yuga (3102 BC), though it was approaching Aries. Aldebaran symbolizes the Hebrew aleph (A or 1).

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

Ajita (Sanskrit) (from a not + the verbal root ji to conquer, triumph)

The invisible, unsurpassed; in the Vayu-Purana, the highest of twelve gods, named jayas, who were created by Brahma to aid him at the beginning of the manvantara. But because they neglected his directives, Brahma "cursed" them to be born in each succeeding manvantara until the seventh, the Vaivasvata-manvantara (cf VP 1:15; n2, p. 26). These twelve jayas are the Hindu equivalent of the twelve great gods of Greco-Roman mythology. Because of their all-permeant character, on a lower scale these divinities are identical with the manasa, the jnana-devas, the rudras, and other classes of manifested deities. In these lower manifestations of their functions, they are identical with those dhyani-chohanic groups which "refuse to incarnate," spoken of in The Secret Doctrine.

Also the name of the second of the 24 Tirthankaras or Jain teachers.

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

Sadgurunath maharaj ki jay:

A Hindi phrase that means "I hail the Master who has revealed the Truth to me!" An exalted, joyful expression of gratitude to the Guru for all that has been received, often repeated at the beginning or end of an action.

(See also: Sadgurunath maharaj ki jay , Yoga, Yoga Dictionary, Siddha Yoga, Siddha Yoga Dictionary)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Y Z

Dasyam - one of the angas of sadhana-bhakti; to render service with the pure egoism of being a servant of Krsna. Only when one renders service with this attitude, giving up false conceptions of the self, can one’s bhajana practices attain perfection.

According to Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.183) there are two kinds of dasya: in its beginning form, dasya means to offer all of one’s activities to Sri Bhagavan, and in its mature stage, dasya means to render all kinds of services to Him with the feeling that ‘I am a servant of Sri Krsna, and He is my master.’ This attitude is called kainkarya. Dasyam is one of the nine primary angas of bhakti.

(See also: Dasyam , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Adhiyajna (Sanskrit) (from adhi above, paramount + the verbal root yaj to consecrate, offer, sacrifice)

Paramount sacrifice or sacrifice from above; synonymous with the cosmic Logos which, by coming into manifestation, "sacrifices" itself for the benefit of all sentient beings, thereby giving an opportunity to the waiting hosts of monads to undergo their own evolutionary course as they live and move and have their being within the Logos.

Every avatara repeats in the small the primordial history of the cosmic Logos: the divinity sacrificing itself for the sake of all the hierarchies within it. This is the sacrifice which took place "before the beginning of the world," the core of the mythologic story of the Christos, the Logos or cosmic Word incarnate as man.

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

Annunciation Announcing; in Christianity, the foretelling to Mary of Jesus' birth by the angel Gabriel, celebrated on Lady Day, March 25. The fire and lamps used in this ceremony apparently point back to the marriage of Vulcan with Venus, to the Magi watching over the sacred fire in the East, to the Vestal Virgins in the West, and to the marriage of Father Sun with Mother Nature.

Some parallels from other religions are the luminous San-tusita (Bodhisat) appearing to Maya and announcing the coming birth of Gautama Buddha; the Hindu legend that there would be born the son of the Virgin (Krishna), the date of whose death marked the beginning of kali yuga; and in Egypt where scenes of an annunciation appear in the temple of Luxor.

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

upanayana: (Sanskrit) "Bringing near."

A youth's formal initiation into Vedic study under a guru, traditionally as a resident of his ashrama, and the investiture of the sacred thread (yajnopavita or upavita), signifying entrance into one of the three upper castes.

The upanayana is among twelve samskaras prescribed in the Dharma Shastras and explained in the Grihya Sutras. It is prescribed between ages 8-16 for brahmins (who received a white thread), 11- 22 for kshatriyas (red thread), and 12-24 for vaishyas (yellow thread). At present the color white for the sacred thread has been adopted universally.

The upanayana is regarded as a second or spiritual birth, and one so initiated is known as dvija, "twice-born." Until about the beginning of the common era, the upanayana was also afforded to girls. Great value was placed on their learning the Vedas in preparation for the duties of married life.

See: samskaras of childhood.

(See also: Upanayana , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Voluspa (Icelandic) [from volva, vala sibyl + spa see clairvoyantly]

The foremost lay of the poetic or Elder Edda, sung by the "wise sibyl" in response to Odin's quest for knowledge. The vala represents the indelible record of the past, which here is consulted by the god Odin. Odin Allfather is the central character in Norse myths, and represents evolving consciousness, whether human, solar, planetary, or cosmic. Odin questions the vala and she responds with an account of creation and foretells the future destiny of conscious beings. From this record of the past history of the world, Odin learns about our planet's destiny and of nine former worlds that preceded the present one. The entire process of cosmic evolution is here comprised in a thumbnail sketch, which is all but incomprehensible unless amplified by the other lays of the Elder Edda.

The Wagner opera cycle "The Ring of the Nibelungen" is based on the Volsupa, which relates the beginning and end of the world, and the fresh, new creation to follow. The sibyl speaks of Ragnarok, when the gods retreat from existence into their own celestial spheres, presenting a grim and fearsome prospect, but the narrative ends with a note of hope for a serene future world to follow.

(See also: Voluspa , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Aroueris (Ancient Greek). The god Harsiesi, who was the elder Horus. He had a temple at Ambos. if we bear in mind the definition of the chief Egyptian gods by Plutarch, these myths will become more comprehensible; as he well says: "Osiris represents the beginning and principle; Isis, that which receives; and Horus, the compound of both. Horus engendered between them, is not eternal nor incorruptible, but, being always in generation, he endeavours by vicissitudes of imitations, and by periodical passion (yearly re-awakening to life) to continue always young, as if he should never die."

Thus, since Horus is the personified physical world, Aroueris, or the "elder Horus", is the ideal Universe; and this accounts for the saying that "he was begotten by Osiris and Isis when these were still in the bosom of their mother" - Space. There is indeed, a good deal of mystery about this god, but the meaning of the symbol becomes clear once one has the key to it.

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

Annus Magnus (Latin) Great year; the precessional cycle of 25,920 years. Also, the interval between two successive ecliptic conjunctions of all the planets, including sun and moon. The Hindus date the beginning of the kali yuga from such a conjunction said to have taken place in 3102 BC. It was a general belief in antiquity that cycles of varying lengths marked the terminal or initial points of eras, the occurrence or recurrence of cataclysms, and the consequent recurrence of similar events.

(See also: Annus Magnus , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Jiva (Sanskrit) A living being, or center of potential vitality and intelligence, equivalent to monad as well as life-atom.

"Beginning its career as an unself-conscious god-spark, a jiva -- a cosmic elemental born from the cosmic element -- its destiny is to pass through all intermediate stages of evolution until finally it becomes a full-blown god, a jivanmukta" (FSO 225).

Jiva is also used for the cosmic life principle or force and is sometimes used interchangeably with prana, the life principle of the human constitution.

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