A Theosophical definition of Ahankara :

Ahankara

(Sanskrit) A compound word: aham, "I"; kara, "maker" or "doer," from the verb-root kri, "to do," "to make"; egoism, personality. The egoistical and mayavi principle in man, born of the ignorance or avidya which produces the notion of the "I" as being different from the universal One-Self.

See also: Ahankara , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

asava (aasava): Mental effluent, pollutant, or fermentation. Four qualities - sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance - that "flow out" of the mind and create the flood of the round of death and rebirth.

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

Guru:

spiritually enlightened soul, who can dispel darkness, ignorance and illusion from the mind and enlighten the consciousness of a devotee/disciple

(See also: Guru ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Bhutesa or Bhutesvara (Sanskrit) (from bhuta living being + isa, isvara lord)

Lord of beings, lord of manifested entities and things; a name applied to each member of the Hindu Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, Siva). Siva in exoteric mythology and popular superstition is supposed to possess the special status of lord of the bhutas or kama-lokic spooks, and is the special patron of ascetics, students of occultism, and of those training themselves in mystical knowledge; so that this superstitious characterization of Siva is an entirely exoteric distortion of a profound esoteric fact.

The real meaning is that Siva, often figurated as the supreme initiator, is the lord of those who "have been," but who now are become regenerates through initiation -- the mystical idea here being of the preservation of self-conscious effort through darkness into light, from ignorance to wisdom, and from selfishness into the divine compassion of the cosmic heart. In view of the karmic past of such progressed entities, their former selves in this cosmic time period are the bhutas (have-beens) of what now they are. Bhutesa is also applied to Krishna in this sense.

(See also: Bhutesa, Bhutesvara , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Ahammana (Sanskrit) (from aham ego + mana from the verbal root man to think, reflect upon)

Egoism, self-illusion; hence spiritual ignorance, the maya produced by reflecting upon or imagining one's "I" as of primary importance. "When soul is associated with prakriti, it is vitiated by egotism (ahammana)

and the rest, and assumes the qualities of grosser nature, although essentially distinct from them, and incorruptible (avyaya)

" (VP 6:7).

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

Abhijna (Sanskrit) (from abhi towards + the verbal root jna to know, have special knowledge of, mastery over; cf Pali abhinna)

Inner perception; in Buddhism the five or six transcendental powers, faculties, or superknowledges attained on reaching buddhahood. Gautama Buddha is said to have acquired the six abhijnas the night he attained enlightenment. Generally enumerated as: 1) divyachakshus (divine eye) instantaneous perception of whatever one wills to see; 2) divyasrotra (divine ear) instantaneous comprehension of all sounds on every plane; 3) riddhisakshatkriya, power of becoming visibly manifest at will, intuitive perception; 4) purvanivasajnana (power to know former existences) also called purvanivasanu-smritijnana (recollection of former existences); and 5) parachittajnana (knowledge of others' thoughts) understanding of their minds and hearts.

In China a sixth is listed as asravakshaya (stream-mastery, pain destruction), destruction of all ignorance and the entering of the stream of supernal knowledge. While these aghijnas may be acquired in the process of achieving spiritual progress, the Buddha frowned upon any attempt to develop them; and if they should spontaneously become manifest, then one must avoid any display of such extranormal powers.

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

avijja (avijjaa): Unawareness; ignorance; obscured awareness; delusion about the nature of the mind.

See also moha.

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

Ajnana (Sanskrit) or Agyana (Bengali). Non-knowledge; absence of knowledge rather than "ignorance" as generally translated. An Ajnani means a "profane".

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

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