Yoga Vidya (Sanskrit) [from yoga union + vidya knowledge, science]

Spiritual knowledge, the attaining of liberation, moksha, or initiation. Practically identical with jnana-vidya.

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

Mukta and Mukti (Sanskrit). Liberation from sentient life; one beatified or liberated; a candidate for Moksha, freedom from flesh and matter, or life on this earth.

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

purushartha

The four standard goals of human life: dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification), and moksha (liberation).

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

Jivan-mukta:

Jivan-mukta ("he who is liberated while alive"): an adept who, while still embodied, has attained liberation (moksha)

(See also: Jivan-mukta, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Dakshinamurti: A name for Lord Shiva as the silent teacher. Vedic Religion declares that in every cycle of creation God manifests as Dakshinamurti and becomes the guru of the first human beings-those who were most spiritually evolved in the previous creation-teaching them the path to liberation (moksha).

(See also: Dakshinamurti, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Kama:

Kama: Endeavour, moral desire; one of the Four Goals of Human Life together with Dharma, Artha, Moksha (Righteousness, Welfare and Liberation), (RRV-5), (Leela Kaivalya Vahini).

(See also: Kama, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Bandha (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root bandh to enchain, bind, fetter)

A bond, fetter, confinings; in philosophy applied to life on earth, mundane bondage or attachment to this world, as opposed to mukti or moksha (final emancipation).

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

Paramapadha (Sanskrit). The place where - according to Visishtadwaita Vedantins - bliss is enjoyed by those who reach Moksha (Bliss). This "place" is not material but made, says the Catechism of that sect,

"of Suddhasatwa, the essence of which the body of Iswara", the lord, "is made".

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

Sushumna-nadi:

Sushumna-nadi ("very gracious channel"): the central prana current or arc in or along which the serpent power (kundalini-shakti) must ascend toward the psychoenergetic center (cakra) at the crown of the head in order to attain liberation (moksha)

(See also: Sushumna-nadi, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Kaivalya:

Kaivalya ("isolation"): the state of absolute freedom from conditioned existence, as explained in ashta-anga-yoga; in the nondualistic (advaita) traditions of India, this is usually called moksha or mukti (meaning "release" from the fetters of ignorance, or avidya)

(See also: Kaivalya, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Paramatma:

Paramatma: The Absolute from which all this has emanated, in which all this exists, into which all this merges. It is the prop for achieving Liberation ( see also Moksha), (BV-34) (RRV2-2) Supreme soul, representing Krishna personally in every heart as the silent witness and friend and Who, if required, acts as the inner teacher.

(See also: Paramatma, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Paramavadhi (Sanskrit) [from parama highest + avadhi a termination, limit]

Highest ranges; a place or loka of purely spiritual character where, according to Visishtadvaita Vedantists, bliss is enjoyed by those who reach moksha or freedom in spirit and complete liberation from the manifested worlds. This place "is not material but made . . . 'of Suddhasatwa, the essence of which the body of Iswara,' the lord, 'is made' " (TG 249).

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

Aparavidya (Sanskrit) (from a not + para supreme + vidya knowledge from the verbal root vid to see, know, percieve)

Nonsupreme knowledge; in Vedanta philosophy the lower wisdom of Brahman, relative knowledge acquired by the intellect and through the performance of ritual worship and duties, in contradistinction to paravidya (supreme wisdom), the transcendental knowledge of Brahman attainable by him who has achieved moksha (liberation) during life. This distinction between the exoteric and esoteric tradition and doctrine is found in practically all cultures.

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

Mukta (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root much to set free, release]

Freed; one who is liberated from sentient life, freed from matter and karma connected with the earthly plane; one who already has entered into the state of moksha, being thus a candidate for future freedom from flesh and matter, or life on this earth.

See also JIVANMUKTA

(See also: Mukta, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Dharma:

Dharma: Religious principles; one's eternal, natural occupation (i.e. devotional service to the Lord) [Sastras] (Bhagavatha Vahini), Righteous conduct, justice, morality, duty. Karma along the lines of Dharma cannot be sinful, (BV-4), (RRV-1), Justice, Righteousness, Morality, Virtue, (BV-32), Righteousness (BV-35); one of the Four Goals of Human Life together with Artha, Kama, Moksha (Welfare, Endeavour and Liberation), Rightful duties (RRV-5), Dharma Vahini. The regulated life of the spirit affecting every detail of the process of living, with liberation from the consequences of ignorance always in view (SSS-II)

(See also: Dharma, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

path: Marga or pantha. A trail, road or way. In Hinduism there are various ways that the term path is used.

-       path of enlightenment salvation moksha: The way to the ultimate goals of Self Realization and liberation.

-       universal path: The spiritual path conceived as being followed by all of existence, marching on its way to Godhood.

-       path of dharma: Following principles of good conduct and virtue.

-       the two paths: The way of the monk and that of the householder, a choice to be made by each Hindu young man.

-       Peerless highest path: The spiritual path (or the path of renunciation) as the noblest of human undertakings.

-       the straight path: The way that goes directly to the goal, without distraction or karmic detour.

-       on the path: someone who is seriously studying, striving and performing sadhana to perfect the inner and outer nature.

-       our right path in life: The best way for us personally to proceed; personal dharma, svadharma. -

-       "Truth is one, paths are many:" Hinduism's affirmation for tolerance. It accepts that there are various ways to proceed toward the ultimate goal.

See: dharma, pada.

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

Arya (Sanskrit) Lit., "the holy"; originally the title of Rishis, those who had mastered the "Aryasatyani" (q.v.) and entered the Aryanimarga path to Nirvana or Moksha, the great "four-fold" path.

But now the name has become the epithet of a race, and our Orientalists, depriving the Hindu Brahmans of their birth-right, have made Aryans of all Europeans. In esotericism, as the four paths, or stages, can be entered only owing to great spiritual development and "growth in holiness ", they are called the "four fruits". The degrees of Arhatship, called respectively Srotapatti, Sakridagamin, Anagamin, and Arhat, or the four classes of Aryas, correspond to these four paths and truths.

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

Arya (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root ri to rise, tend upward)

Holy, hallowed, highly evolved or especially trained; a title of the Hindu rishis. Originally a term of ethical as well as intellectual and spiritual excellence, belonging to those who had completely mastered the aryasatyani (holy truths) and who had entered upon the aryamarga (path leading to moksha or nirvana).

It was originally applicable only to the initiates or adepts of the ancient Aryan peoples, but today Aryan has become the name of a race of the human family in its various branches. All ancient peoples had their own term for initiates or adepts, as for instance among the ancient Hebrews the generic name Israel, or Sons of Israel.

Also applied as a title by the ancient Hindus to themselves in distinction from the peoples whom they had conquered.

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

Non-ego In European metaphysics, that which is external to or other than the ego; the object as opposed to the subject.

Non-ego means both that which has risen above all lower egoities and become universal in its consciousness -- in other words a jivanmukta, a monad which has attained mukti or moksha; and that which is beneath the state of egoity in its evolutionary development, in which this egoity has not yet been emanated or brought forth, such as the minerals, plants, and nearly all of the animal.

Non-ego, therefore, in another sense corresponds to the term Absolute, that which is freed or above the circumscribing limitations of even egoity, which nevertheless is the abstract self or individual; or paradoxically enough the monad or ego in its jivanmukta form, where the ego becomes one with the surrounding cosmic spirit, while retaining its own individuality.

(See also: Non-ego, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Liberation In theosophy, freedom from conditioned existence; in its strictest sense the state of a monad which has become the Brahman of its hierarchy, and therefore is free, released, perfected -- a jivanmukta -- for what seems to us an eternity. Synonymous with moksha, nirvana, emancipation.

Liberation of the self from the causes of illusion is sometimes spoken of in relation to the seven sensitive and sensory veils, especially with reference to the human manas principle. Emancipation consists in recognizing that these veils, of which the lower four are by far the most illusory, are the perceivers, and that the function of the true self is those higher faculties which collate and discriminate among perceptions of all kinds and which reach final and true judgment. The self sees or ascertains truth; the veils perceive and are caught by the webs of illusion.

The one who has achieved this is said to have attained the fire of knowledge, which destroys not only illusion but even destroys the causes leading to the planes of illusion. Vishnu, among the Vaishnavas in India, and Siva among the Saivas, or indeed of any other divinity, can be considered the cause of final emancipation when used for the true self, exactly as Christians may claim with perfect truth that the Christ (in man) is the shower of final emancipation. The successive emancipation from the seven veils marks seven stages of initiation. Buddhi, from this standpoint the highest, most diaphanous, and therefore the closest to reality of the veils, is said to be transformed into the tree whose fruit is emancipation.

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

EVOLUTION

For the past hundred years or more a war has been going on in academic circles between the theory of evolution and the belief in Creation. Darwinian evolution, however, must not be applied to history. Nor must we think of Creation as anything less than ongoing at all times, including the present moment.

Every plant, every animal, even matter itself is conscious, not merely sentient. Consciousness, however, assumes many modalities, each having the same goal, which is self-transcendance. The difference between an elephant and a fly is not that the one is more conscious or transcending than the other, but that the fly's attention is focused and fixed, whereas the elephant's is generalized and reprogrammable for adapting to new circumstances. Everything is creatively evolving upward in an infinite spiral. All Being necessarily undergoes many transitions and existence must encompass all experience.

Ultra-Darwinist theories no longer see biological evolution as "survival of the fittest" nor as random happenstance. Alien cells tend, if given time, to merge cooperatively with their host. Variations of species are not preceded by steps, but by quantum "leaps" (punctuations) that suggest recognition of environmental exigencies and co-evolutionary trends. There is also macro-evolution. The entire world is approaching its own evolutionary acme (Moksha). When the Bodhi-culmination transpires, Nirvana will become available to all.

(See also: EVOLUTION, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Non-being Used to express the condition of things in pralaya, preceding manifestation. It corresponds to the Sanskrit asat, while sat corresponds to Being. Yet both non-being and a-sat are frequently used for non-existence.

It is philosophically questionable to bracket non-being with the Absolute, or again to bracket Absolute with Being (though the latter is often justifiable) as the words absolute, being, and non-being do not correspond to infinity; for Absolute corresponds to the Sanskrit mukti or moksha, that which is freed from manifested existence; whereas infinitude comprehends both nonmanifestation and manifestation, being and non-being, sat and asat, the absolute and the bound. One of the best correspondences to infinity is the term coined by Blavatsky: Be-ness, or pure abstract attributeless esse.

Non-being signifies the condition of the universe during pralaya, and the spiritual principles of the universe may then be said to be in their absolute condition or state, or in paranirvana; equally being in its most abstract sense can correspond to absolute. Hence it is correct to use non-being as the state of high spirituality of a being or entity in paranirvana; thus the phrase "the bliss of non-being."

(See also: Non-being, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)