tithing: The spiritual discipline, often a vrata, of giving one tenth of one's gainful and gifted income to a religious organization of one's choice, thus sustaining spiritual education and upliftment on earth. The Sanskrit equivalent is dashamamsha, called makimai in the Tamil tradition.

Tithing is given not as an offering, but as "God's money." In olden days it was a portion of one's crops, such as one coconut out of ten. Tithing immediately as soon as income is received sanctifies the remaining portion and reaps the greatest punya. It is an acknowledgement by faithful Hindus of God's providential care, bringing a greater awareness of God's power in the world. Because tithers are thus uplifted to a purer, spiritual consciousness, abundance naturally floods into their lives. Additional offerings should be given after this minimal obligation is paid.

See: tithing, dashamamsha.

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

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Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

Id-ul-Azha is the second most important festival of Muslims across the world. Today's celebration comes almost two months after Eid-ul-Fitr, the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan. The spirit of Eid- ul-Azha is incorporated in Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah. The underlying flavour is the spirit of sacrifice or qurbani, commemorating Abraham's great act of faith many centuries ago.

Eid-ul-Azha, also known as Eid-e-Qurban, is a time for Muslims to learn the value of self-denial by making a sacrifice of something living to God.

(See also: Id-ul-Azha , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Id-ul-Azha: Faith And Qurbani - Spirit of Eid  

The teaching which is written on paper is not the true teaching. Written teaching is a kind of food for your brain. Of course, it is necessary to take some kind of food for your brain, but it is more important to be yourself by practicing the right kind of life.

Shunryu Suzuki

In the 'modern' era, eating has become a sensual activity. We eat more for pleasure than to keep our body temples healthy. Living to eat rather than eating to live has become the norm. Judicious use of colours, fragrances, and aromatic ingredients in food has only encouraged restless minds to move even further away from the truth inherent in creation.

(See also: Essence of Meditation , Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)

Read more here: » Essence of Meditation: Food For Thought

Soma and Ananda

The Vedic ritual reaches its climax in the Soma offering, in which specially prepared plant juices are offered into the sacred fire (Agni) as the drink of the Gods. But this ancient ritual reflects a deeper internal ritual or alchemy of awareness that is its real import. In exploring this process, we will discover many secrets of the practice of Yoga, including the path of Self-inquiry or Jnana Yoga.

Read more here: » Soma and Ananda: The Flow of Soma

purushartha: (Sanskrit) "Human wealth or purpose."

The four pursuits in which humans may legitimately engage, also called chaturvarga, "four-fold good" - a basic principle of Hindu ethics.

-       dharma: "Righteous living." The fulfillment of virtue, good works, duties and responsibilities, restraints and observances - performing one's part in the service and upliftment of society. This includes pursuit of truth under a guru of a particular parampara and sampradaya. Dharma is of four primary forms. It is the steady guide for artha and kama.

-       See: dharma.

-       artha: "Wealth." Material welfare and abundance, money, property, possessions. Artha is the pursuit of wealth, guided by dharma. It includes the basic needs - food, money, clothing and shelter - and extends to the wealth required to maintain a comfortable home, raise a family, fulfill a successful career and perform religious duties. The broadest concept of wealth embraces financial independence, freedom from debt, worthy children, good friends, leisure time, faithful servants, trustworthy employees, and the joys of giving, including tithing (dashamamsha), feeding the poor, supporting religious mendicants, worshiping devoutly, protecting all creatures, upholding the family and offering hospitality to guests. Artha measures not only riches but quality of life, providing the personal and social security needed to pursue kama, dharma and moksha. It allows for the fulfillment of the householder's five daily sacrifices, pancha mahayajna: to God, ancestors, devas, creatures and men.

-       See: yajna.

-       kama: "Pleasure, love; enjoyment." Earthly love, aesthetic and cultural fulfillment, pleasures of the world (including sexual), the joys of family, intellectual satisfaction. Enjoyment of happiness, security, creativity, usefulness and inspiration.

-       See: Kama Sutras.

-       moksha: "Liberation." Freedom from rebirth through the ultimate attainment, realization of the Self God, Parasiva. The spiritual attainments and superconscious joys, attending renunciation and yoga leading to Self Realization. Moksha comes through the fulfillment of dharma, artha and kama (known in Tamil as aram, porul and inbam, and explained by Tiruvalluvar in Tirukural) in the current or past lives, so that one is no longer attached to worldly joys or sorrows. It is the supreme goal of life, called paramartha.

See: liberation, moksha.

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

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"Sacrifice" is a word that has many unpleasant connotations for people, especially in the workplace. When a manager says, "We have to make some sacrifices around here," it usually means giving something up, or doing without something, either of which would make things more difficult.

But there's an entirely different way to look at sacrifice, from a spiritual point of view. From its Latin roots, the word sacrifice actually means "to make sacred." Following the chain of original meanings, sacred means "holy," holy means "whole," and whole means "healthy." Thus, sacrifice is anything that takes a situation and makes it sacred, holy, whole and healthy.

See also: Spirituality At Work, Work As A Spiritual Practice, Spiritual Based Leadership

Read more here: » Work As A Spiritual Practice: Practising Sacrifice at Work  

The first new child that we will explore is the Indigo Child. Below is what I wrote about them in my second book. To learn what is happening now, you will find in this issue a preview from Lee Carroll and Jan Tober's soon-to-be-published new book on the the Indigo Children.

We also are offering the perspectives of two doctors and a psychologist on the issue of so-called Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, which in many cases may be the application of a disease label to a perfectly healthy, creative Indigo Child. Drs. Virtue, Upledger, and Baughman propound sane, humane alternatives that can actually help our children, instead of using addictive, mind-altering drugs to make them ''behave," and they describe the shocking effect of Ritalin and other prescription drugs, including a horrific toll in childhood death by heart failure.

(See also: Indigo Children, What is Indigo Children, Parenting Indigo Children, Adult Indigo, Indigo Children Channeling)

Read more here: » Indigo Children: The Indigo Children  

Christ and Budda: Jesus Through Buddhist Eyes

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, speaking to a capacity audience in the Albert Hall in 1984 united his listeners instantly with one simple statement: "All beings want to be happy; they want to avoid pain and suffering." I was impressed at how he was able to touch what we share as human beings. He affirmed our common humanity, without in any way dismissing the obvious differences.

When invited to look at 'Jesus through Buddhist eyes', I had imagined that I would use a 'compare and contrast' approach, rather like a school essay. I was brought us as a Christian and turned to Buddhism in my early thirties, so of course I have ideas about both traditions: the one I grew up in and turned aside from, and the one I adopted and continue to practise within. But after re-reading some of the gospel stories, I would like to meet Jesus again with fresh eyes, and to examine the extent to which he and the Buddha were in fact offering the same guidance, even though the traditions of Christianity and Buddhism can appear in the surface to be rather different.

Read more here: » Christ and Budda: Jesus Through Buddhist Eyes

A Christian theological definition of Tabernacle according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

"

Tabernacle

See also: Tabernacle , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

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Chai

(Chinese, "fast") In Taoism, rites of fasting, repentance, or purification. The term refers to rites on behalf of the living and the dead, including exorcism, protection from illness, securing houses, and recitations for salvation. Unlike related folk rites involving animal sacrifice and alcohol, the Taoist rite stresses the offering of petitions and confessing of sins.

(See also: Chai , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

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Purva Mimamsa or Karma-Mimamsa is an enquiry into the earlier portion of the Vedas, an enquiry into the ritual of the Vedas or that portion of the Vedas which is concerned with the Mantras and the Brahmanas only. The Purva Mimamsa is so called, because it is earlier (Purva) than the Uttara Mimamsa, not so much in the chronological as in the logical sense.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Purva Mimamsa: Hindu Philosophy - The Purva Mimamsa

Samanya Dharma is the general Dharma or law for all men. Varnasrama Dharmas are special Dharmas which are to be practised by particular castes and by men in particular stages of life. The Samanya Dharmas must be practised by all, irrespective of distinctions of Varna and Asrama, creed or colour. Goodness is not the property of any one class, creed, sect or community. Every man should possess this virtue.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma: Samanya Dharma

homa: (Sanskrit) "Fire-offering."

A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakunda, usually made of earthen bricks.

Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Agamas and Dharma and Grihya Shastras. Many domestic rites are occasions for homa, including upanayana and vivaha. Major pujas in temples are often preceded by a homa.

See: agni, havana, yajna, homa.

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

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Paul G. Mosca'a dissertation "Child Sacrifice in Canaanite and Israelite Religion: A Study in Mulk and Molech", 1975, revived and extended earlier theories that the sacrifice of children to Yahweh was accepted until late in Judah's history, an idea largely based on the problematic passage Ezekiel 20.25–26 in which Ezekiel has Yahweh say: Moreover I gave them laws which are not good and rules by which they cannot live: When they set aside every first issue of the womb, I defiled them by their very gifts – in that they caused to pass through fire all that opens the womb, that ...

See also:

Moloch, Moloch - Forms and grammar, Moloch - Traditional accounts and theories, Moloch - Eissfeldt's theory: a type of sacrifice, Moloch - Biblical texts, Moloch - Mosca's theories about offerings to Yahweh, Moloch - Discussion of Eissfeldt's theory, Moloch - Moloch in medieval texts, Moloch - Flaubert's conception, Moloch - Moloch as metaphor in modern art, Moloch - Paradise Lost, Moloch - Moloch in popular culture

Read more here: » Moloch: Encyclopedia II - Moloch - Mosca's theories about offerings to Yahweh

Incense

Aromatic herb or wood made into a fine powder to be burned for enjoyment of its pleasant fragrance; used as an offering at rituals or during religious ceremonies.

(See also: Incense , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

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Syntel's rapid growth during the early years prompted its leadership to begin exploring additional service offerings to augment its core staffing business. In 1988, Syntel began providing application development and maintenance outsourcing services to its clients. With the opening in 1992 of its first wholly-owned development centers in India, Syntel began offering software outsourcing services based on an onsite/offshore model, which connected software developers in India to project managers at the client's location via a dedicated ...

See also:

Syntel, Syntel - Global Delivery, Syntel - Worldwide Offices, Syntel - Company History, Syntel - Fact Sheet

Read more here: » Syntel: Encyclopedia II - Syntel - Global Delivery

shraddha

1. Faith. 2. The offering of worship and food to one’s departed parents and forefathers, normally done once a year.

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

For more dictionary entries, see » Offering Dictionary

There are four Asramas or stages in life, viz., Brahmacharya or the period of studentship, Grihastha or the stage of the householder, Vanaprastha or the stage of the forest-dweller or hermit, and Sannyasa or the life of renunciation or asceticism. Each stage has its own duties. These stages help the evolution of man

The four Asramas or orders of life are Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Dharma in Hinduism: The Four Asramas in Hindu Dharma

adya:

adya (adhya). Person receiving an offering, the offeree.

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

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Introduction to Hinduism

Statistically, there are over 700 million Hindus, mainly in Bharat (India), and Nepal. Hinduism is referred to as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal faith. Hinduism is not strictly a religion. It is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. Since Hinduism has no founder, anyone who practices Dharma can call himself a Hindu. He can question the authority of any scripture, or even the existence of the Divine.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Introduction to Hinduism

Purnahuti:

(lit., full or complete offering) The culmination of any celebration, especially a saptah or a yajna. The final chant of a purnahuti is an arati, an invocation to the Guru entreating him to kindle the flame of divine love in the disciple's heart. Tradition states that to attend a purnahuti is to gain the merit of the entire celebration.

(See also: Purnahuti , 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

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