Perfections Dictionary

Upaya: "Means-to-ends ability," or "useful means," one of the ten perfections (paramitas) of Mahayana Buddhism; upaya typically involves the use of differing (and sometimes inferior) approaches to enlightenment.

 (See also: Upaya , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

mahapralaya: (Sanskrit) "Great dissolution."

Total annihilation of the universe at the end of a mahakalpa. It is the absorption of all existence, including time, space and individual consciousness, all the lokas and their inhabitants into God Siva, as the water of a river returns to its source, the sea. Then Siva alone exists in His three perfections, until He again issues forth creation. During this incredibly vast period there are many partial dissolutions, pralayas, when either the Bhuloka or the Bhuloka and the Antarloka are destroyed.

See: cosmic cycle, pralaya.

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

upekkha (upekkhaa): Equanimity. One of the ten perfections (paramis) and one of the four "sublime abodes" (brahma-vihara).

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

Rasollasa (Sanskrit) [from rasa fluid, liquid + ud-las to come forth, appear]

Also rasollasa. "The first of the eight physical perfections, or Siddhis (phenomena), of the Hatha Yogis. Rasollasa is the prompt evolution at will of the juices of the body independently of any nutriment from without" (TG 276).

(See also: Rasollasa , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Perfection of Wisdom (prajnaparamita): In Mahayana Buddhism, an early collection of writings beginning about 100 BCE which focuses on the importance of wisdom among the ten ideal perfections (paramitas); emphasizing the notion of emptiness (sunyata), the most famous of these works are the Diamond Cutter Sutra (vajracchedika-prajnaparaita) and the Heart Sutra (prajnaparamita-hydaya).

 (See also: Perfection of Wisdom , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

soul: The real being of man, as distinguished from body, mind and emotions. The soul - known as atman or purusha - is the sum of its two aspects, the form or body of the soul and the essence of the soul (though many texts use the word soul to refer to the essence only). -

-       essence or nucleus of the soul: Man's innermost and unchanging being - Pure Consciousness (Parashakti or Satchidananda) and Absolute Reality (Parasiva). This essence was never created, does not change or evolve and is eternally identical with God Siva's perfections of Parashakti and Parasiva.

-       soul body: anandamaya kosha ("sheath of bliss"), also referred to as the "causal body" (karana sharira), "innermost sheath" and "body of light." Body of the soul, or soul body, names the soul's manifest nature as an individual being - an effulgent, human-like form composed of light (quantums).

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It is the emanational creation of God Siva, destined to one day merge back into Him. During its evolution, the soul functions through four types of outer sheaths that envelope the soul form - mental, instinctive-intellectual, vital and physical - and employs the mental faculties of manas, buddhi and ahamkara, as well as the five agents of perception (jnanendriyas), and five agents of action (karmendriyas).

 The "soul body" is not a body in sense of a case, a vessel, vehicle or enclosure for something else. The soul body is the soul itself - a radiant, self-effulgent, human-like, super-intelligent being. Its very composition is Satchidananda in various subtle levels of manifestation. It is the finest of subatomic forms, on the quantum level.

The soul form evolves as its consciousness evolves, becoming more and more refined until finally it is the same intensity or refinement as the Primal Soul, Parameshvara. The experiences of life, in all the various planes of consciousness, are "food for the soul," reaping lessons that actually raise the level of intelligence and divine love. Thus, very refined souls, whether embodied or in the disembodied, ajiva, state, are like walking intelligences with inventive creativeness and powers of preservation, beaming with love and luminosity in their self-effulgent bodies of quantum light particles.

See: atman, evolution of the soul, indriya, kosha, Parashakti, Parasiva, purusha, quantum, Satchidananda, spiritual unfoldment.

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

vishvagrasa: (Sanskrit) "Total absorption."

The final merger of the soul in Siva at the fulfillment of its evolution. It is ultimate union of the individual soul body with the body of Siva - Parameshvara - within the Sivaloka, from whence the soul was first emanated.

This occurs at the end of the soul's evolution, after the four outer sheaths- -annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha and vijnamaya kosha - have been dropped off. Finally, anandamaya kosha, the soul form itself, merges in the Primal Soul. Individuality is lost as the soul becomes Siva, the creator, preserver, destroyer, veiler and revealer. Individual identity expands into universality.

Having previously merged in Parasiva and Parashakti in states of samadhi, the soul now fully merges into Parameshvara and is one with all three of Siva's perfections. Jiva has totally become Siva - not a new and independent Siva, as might be construed, for there is and can only be one Supreme God Siva.

This fulfilled merger can happen at the moment the physical body is dropped off, or after eons of time following further unfoldment of the higher chakras in the inner worlds - all depending on the maturity, ripeness and intentions of the soul, by which is meant the advanced soul's choice to be either an upadeshi or a nirvani.

See: atman, evolution of the soul, nirvani and upadeshi, samadhi, soul.

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

Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on B

Compassion: Cultivating Positive Emotions

All major traditions in the world agree that negative emotions cause both physical and mental suffering. To be happy and free of suffering we need to cultivate positive attributes like compassion, generosity and loving-kindness. Buddhism acknowledges that outer circumstances are often beyond our control.

Read more here: » Compassion: Cultivating Positive Emotions

God and Gods of Hinduism

The most prevalent expression of worship for the Hindu comes as devotion to God and the Gods. In the Hindu pantheon there are said to be three hundred and thirty-three million Gods. Hindus believe in one Supreme Being. The plurality of Gods are perceived as divine creations of that one Being. So, Hinduism has one supreme God, but it has an extensive hierarchy of Gods. Many people look at the Gods as mere symbols, representations of forces or mind strata, or as various Personifications generated as a projection o of man's mind onto an impersonal pure Beingness.

Read more here: » Hinduism: God and Gods of Hinduism

Mystical Experiences: Mystical Experiences during meditation

These are short explanations of various categories of mystical experiences that Sadhakas will experience in meditation. Includes:

Anahata Sounds: The Mystical Internal Sounds Heard During Meditation

Movement of the Mind

Astral Journey and the Astral Body

Separation from the Physical Body

Visions of Lights in Meditation

Dazzling Mystical Lights in Meditation

Read more here: » Mystical Experiences: Mystical Experiences during meditation