Encyclopedia - Sacred Text: Encyclopedia - Sacred Text
Many religions and spiritual movements believe that their sacred texts (or scriptures) are the "Word of God", often feeling that the text...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Sacred: Encyclopedia - Sacred
In various religions, sacred (from Latin, sacrum, "sacrifice") or "holy", objects, places or concepts are believed by followers to be int...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Hindu Sacred Texts
The overwhelming majority of Hindu sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language. Indeed, much of the morphology and linguistic phil...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Universal Sufism: Encyclopedia - Universal Sufism
Universal Sufism is an order of Sufism founded by Hazrat Inayat Khan in the early 20th century. The philosophy of Universal Sufism revolv...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Analects Of Confucius: Encyclopedia - Analects Of Confucius
The Analects (Traditional: 論語; Simplified: 论语; Hanyu Pinyin: Lùn Yǔ, or Lún Yǔ as some might insist), also known as the Anale...   » Read the article

Article - Yoga: Hindu Philosophy - The Yoga
The word Yoga comes from the root Yuj which means to join. Yoga is restraint of the activities of the mind, and is the union of the indiv...   » Read the article

Article - Hindu Scriptures: A Full Overview Of The Hindu And Vedic Scriptures
Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative s...   » Read the article

Article - Sakta Agamas : The Sakta Agamas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Sakta Agamas: There is another group of scriptures known as the Tantras. They belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the Wor...   » Read the article

Article - Itihasas: The Itihasas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Friendly Treatises and the Commanding Treatises : There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana, the Yogavasishtha, T...   » Read the article

Article - Ramayana: The Ramayana In The Hindu Scriptures
The Ramayana, the Adi-Kavya or the first epic poem, relates the story of Sri Rama, the ideal man. It is the history of the family of the ...   » Read the article

Article - Mahabharata: The Mahabharata In The Hindu Scriptures
The Mahabharata is the history of the Pandavas and the Pandavas. It gives a description of the great war, the Battle of Kurukshetra, whic...   » Read the article

Article - Bhagavad-gita: The Bhagavad-gita In The Hindu Scriptures
The Bhagavad-Gita: The most important part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad-Gita. It is a marvellous dialogue between Lord Krishna and ...   » Read the article

Article - Puranas: The Puranas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Puranas are of the same class as the Itihasas. They have five characteristics (Pancha-Lakshana) viz., history, cosmology (with variou...   » Read the article

Article - Eighteen Puranas: The Eighteen Puranas: In The Hindu Scriptures
The Eighteen Puranas: There are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary Puranas or Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: Vis...   » Read the article

Article - Srimad Bhagavata Purana: The Srimad Bhagavata Purana And The Ten Avataras In The Hindu Scriptures
The Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten Avataras The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle of the various Avataras of Lord Vishnu. The...   » Read the article

Article - Tamil Puranas: The Tamil Puranas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Tamil Puranas: Lord Siva incarnated himself in the form of Dakshinamurti to impart knowledge to the four Kumaras. He took human form ...   » Read the article

Article - Upa-puranas: The Upa-puranas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Upa-Puranas : The eighteen Upa-Puranas are: Sanatkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya, Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, V...   » Read the article

Article - Mantra-samhitas: The Mantra-samhitas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Mantra-Samhitas : The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, whi...   » Read the article

Article - Upanishads: The Upanishads In The Hindu Scriptures
The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas or the end of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanis...   » Read the article

Article - Upa-vedas: The Upa-vedas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Upa-Vedas: There are four Upa-Vedas or subsidiary Vedas, viz., the Ayurveda, the Dhanurveda, the Gandharva Veda and the Arthasastra, ...   » Read the article

Article - Vedangas: The Vedangas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Vedangas: There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the Siksha and Vyakarana of Panini, the Chhandas of Pingalacharya, ...   » Read the article

Article - Smritis: The Smritis In The Hindu Scriptures
The Smritis : Next in importance to the Sruti are the Smritis or secondary scriptures. These are the ancient sacred law-codes of the Hind...   » Read the article

Article - Hindu Law-givers: The Hindu Law-givers In The Hindu Scriptures
The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would codify the existing laws and remove...   » Read the article

Article - Inner Voice Of Dharma: Inner Voice Of Dharma In The Hindu Scriptures
The Inner Voice of Dharma: He who is endowed with a pure heart through protracted Tapas, Japa, Kirtana, meditation and service of Guru an...   » Read the article

Article - Srutis: The Srutis In The Hindu Scriptures
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct i...   » Read the article

Article - Vedas: The Vedas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer from dris, to see. He ...   » Read the article

Article - Puranas: The Puranas In The Hindu Scriptures
Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred recitals of scriptures, describing and expounding of the transcendent Lilas of the Blessed Lord...   » Read the article

Article - Agamas: The Agamas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Agamas : Another class of popular scriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are theological treatises and practical manuals of divine wor...   » Read the article

Article - Vaishnava Agamas: The Vaishnava Agamas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Vaishnava Agamas are of four kinds: the Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra, Pratishthasara and Vijnanalalita. The Brahma, Saiva Kaumara, Vasisht...   » Read the article

Article - Saiva Agamas: The Saiva Agamas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Saiva Agamas: The Saivas recognise twenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika. The Agamas are also the basis of Kashmir Saivis...   » Read the article

Article - Secular Writings: Secular Writings In The Vedic Scriptures
The Subhashitas are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either in poetry or in prose. Examples are Bhartriharis three centuries of ve...   » Read the article

Article - Six Darsanas : The Six Darsanas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Six Darsanas are the intellectual section of the Hindu writings, while the first four are intuitional, and the fifth inspirational an...   » Read the article

Article - Sutra : Sutra In The Hindu Scriptures
A Sutra or an aphorism is a short formula with the least possible number of letters, without any ambiguity or doubtful assertion, contain...   » Read the article

Article - Bhashya : Bhashya In The Hindu Scriptures
A Bhashya is an elaborate exposition, a commentary on the Sutras, with word by word meaning of the aphoristic precepts, their running tra...   » Read the article

Article - Vritti: Vritti In The Hindu Scriptures
A Vritti is a short gloss explaining the aphorisms in a more elaborate way, but not as extensively as a Bhashya. An example is Bodhayanas...   » Read the article

Article - Varttika : Varttika In The Hindu Scriptures
A Varttika is a work where a critical study is made of that which is said and left unsaid or imperfectly said in a Bhashya, and the ways ...   » Read the article

Article - Vyakhyana Or Tika : Vyakhyana Or Tika In The Hindu Scriptures
A Vyakhyana is a running explanation in an easier language of what is said in the original, with little elucidations here and there. A Vy...   » Read the article

Article - Tippani: Tippani In The Hindu Scriptures
Tippani is just like a Vritti, but is less orthodox than the Vritti. It is an explanation of difficult words or phrases occurring in the ...   » Read the article

Article - Hindu Literature: Other Scriptures In The Hindu Literature
The Tevaram and the Tiruvachakam which are the hymns of the Saiva saints of South India, the Divya-Prabandham of the Alvar saints of Sout...   » Read the article

Article - The Subhashitas: The Subhashitas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Subhashitas are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either in poetry or in prose. Examples are Bhartriharis three centuries of ve...   » Read the article

Article - The Kavyas : The Kavyas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Kavyas are highly scholarly compositions in poetry, prose or both. The greatest of poetical Kavyas are those of Kalidas (The Raghuvam...   » Read the article

Article - The Natakas: The Natakas In The Hindu Scriptures
The Natakas are marvellously scholastic dramas embodying the Rasas of Sringara, Vira, Karuna, Adbhuta, Hasya, Bhayanaka, Bibhatsa and Rau...   » Read the article

Article - The Alankaras: The Alankaras In The Hindu Scriptures
The Alankaras are grand rhetorical texts, treating of the science of perfection and beauty of ornamental language and of effective compos...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish
Natib Qadish is also known as Canaanite Paganism, Canaanite Neopaganism, or Canaanite Reconstructionism. Natib Qadish - Definition. Nati...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia - Hinduism
Hinduism (हिन्दू धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma - सनातन धर्म, and Vaidika-Dharma - वैद�...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Avesta: Encyclopedia - Avesta
See Avesta Municipality for the Swedish town The Avesta is a collection of the sacred texts of ancient Persia belonging to the Zoroastria...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - List Of Religions: Encyclopedia - List Of Religions
The following is a list of religions. Note that the classification hereunder is only one of several possible. This system uses a filter s...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Yod: Encyclopedia - Yod
Yod can refer to: Yodh, the tenth letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Phoenician, Hebrew, and Aramaic. The "y-sound" in English ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Dao Zheng: Encyclopedia - Dao Zheng
The first compilation of the Dao Zheng occurred during the Sung Dynasty, when it was list. Kublai Khan decided in 1281 that he had enough...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Lankavatara Sutra: Encyclopedia - Lankavatara Sutra
The Lankavatara Sutra is one of the most important sutras (sacred texts) of Mahayana Buddhism. According to tradition, these are the actu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Book Of Gates: Encyclopedia - Book Of Gates
The Book of Gates is an Ancient Egyptian sacred text dating from the New Kingdom. It narrates the passage of a newly deceased soul into t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jnana: Encyclopedia - Jnana
Jñāna is the Sanskrit term for knowledge. In Buddhism, it refers to pure awareness that is free of conceptual encumbrances, and is cont...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Bokononism: Encyclopedia - Bokononism
Bokononism is the fictional religion practiced by many of the characters in Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle. It is based on living by ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Analects Of Confucius: Encyclopedia Ii - Analects Of Confucius - History And Versions
The Analects is believed to have been written over a period of 30 to 50 years. Begun sometime during the Spring and Autumn Period, it was...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia Ii - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith - Summary Of Views
For references of these views, please review the quotes in the last section of this page. Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - The Bahá'�...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Analects Of Confucius: Encyclopedia Ii - Analects Of Confucius - Influence And Significance
Since Confucius' time, the Analects has heavily influenced the philosophy and moral values of China and later other East Asian countries ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Universal Sufism: Encyclopedia Ii - Universal Sufism - Practices
Universal Sufism - Structure. A Sufi initiate has an association with a spiritual teacher, or guide, who prescribes individual spiritu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Universal Sufism: Encyclopedia Ii - Universal Sufism - Beliefs
Complementary to the prophets, the Spirit of Guidance has manifest various "Guides" who manifest the Inner Meaning of religion when the p...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Important Symbolism And Themes In Hinduism
Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows. Main article: Tilaka The tilaka (or tilak) is a mark worn on the forehead a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia Ii - Natib Qadish - Definition
Natib Qadish is a modern polytheistic religion based upon the religious practices of ancient Canaan and the veneration of the Canaanite D...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Criticism
Hinduism is criticized based on current or past regressive social customs such as Dowry, Sati and casteism. Many also criticize it by lin...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Alternative Cultures Of Worship
Hinduism - The Bhakti schools. Main article: Bhakti The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Origins And Society
Hinduism - Origins of Hinduism. Main article: History of Hinduism Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion in existence. From a ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Denominations
Each of the Hinduism's four major denominations share rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal deities with one another, but each sect h...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Core Concepts
Hinduism - The Eternal Way. "Sanātana Dharma" (सनातन धर्म, The Eternal Values ), the traditional name of Hinduism, s...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hinduism: Encyclopedia Ii - Hinduism - Hindu Philosophy: The Six Vedic Schools Of Thought
The six Āstika or orthodox (accepting the authority of the Vedas) schools of Hindu philosophy are Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Sāmkhya, Yoga, P...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Upaveda: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Upaveda
Upaveda: (Sanskrit) "Secondary Vedas."   A class of texts on sacred sciences, composed by rishis over the course of ti...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Josiah: Encyclopedia Ii - Josiah - Assertion Of Control Over Israel
At some point between this year and his death, Josiah reasserted Judean control in the former territories of the kingdom of Israel, which...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia Ii - Natib Qadish - Holidays And Observances
Natib Qadish celebrate holidays at certain times of the year, as well as observing the phases of the moon. Natib Qadish - Shanat Qadish....   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Josiah: Encyclopedia Ii - Josiah - Deuteronomic Reform
While Hilkiah was clearing the treasure room of the Temple (2 Chr. 34:14), he is said to have found a scroll described as "the book, book...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Josiah: Encyclopedia Ii - Josiah - Judah's Condition At His Accession
When Josiah was placed on the throne of Judah at the age of eight by the "People of the Land", the international situation was in flux: t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Josiah: Encyclopedia Ii - Josiah - Josiah's Death
There are two versions of Josiah's violent death. The author of Kings tersely remarks that Necho II met Josiah at Megiddo, and killed him...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia Ii - Natib Qadish - History
For detailed notes regarding the history of Canaan, please see Canaan, Ugarit, Ebla, Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos. The Phoenicians are one of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia Ii - Natib Qadish - Misconceptions
A misconception, especially within the greater Pagan community is the confusion of Canaanite Paganism/Natib Qadish with Judeo-Paganism. N...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia Ii - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith - Letters From National Spiritual Assemblies
Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith - From the United Kingdom 1996. The NSA distributed a statement [1] prepared for a London UK education...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith: Encyclopedia Ii - Homosexuality And Bahá'í Faith - Letters From Shoghi Effendi And The Universal House Of Justice
This letter from the Universal House of Justice in 1995 specifically addressed the issue of homosexuality in detail. The following are qu...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Gita: Spiritual Yoga Dictionary Ii On Gita
GITA: Renowned sacred text "Bhagavad-Gita".   (See also: GITA ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)      » Read the article

Dictionary - Japa: Spiritual Yoga Dictionary Iii On Japa
Japa: Reciting sacred texts, practiced verbally and mentally.   (See also: Japa ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)      » Read the article

Dictionary - Vedic Hinduism: Eastern Philosophy Dictionary On Vedic Hinduism
Vedic Hinduism: Religion of the India's Aryan invaders (1500-800 BCE), the sacred text of which is the Vedas    (See also:...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Bhagavad Gita: Hindu Sanskrit Dictionary On Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita: "The Song of God." The sacred philosophical text often called "the Hindu Bible," part of the epic M...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Vedas: Eastern Philosophy Dictionary On Vedas
Vedas: Hindu sacred texts of the Aryan invaders written between 1500-800 BCE which includes the Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda, and A...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Gita: Hinduism Sanskrit Dictionary Iv On Gita
Gita: Gita: song; conventionally refers to the  renowned sacred text "Bhagavad Gita"; a philosophical  text. ...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Granth Saheb: Sanskrit Hinduism Dictionary Iii On Granth Saheb (saaheb)
Granth Saheb: Granth Saheb (Saaheb). Sacred scriptural text of the Sikhs.   (See also: Granth Saheb , Hinduism, Hinduism Di...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Guru Gita: Spiritual Yoga Dictionary Iii On Guru Gita
Guru Gita: A sacred text consisting of mantras that describe the nature of the Guru, and the Guru-disciple relationship.   (See...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Vedas: A Spiritual Dictionary On Vedas
Vedas: An ancient sanskrit text. The entire body of ancient, sacred revelations of truth. Chief amongst which are the Rigveda, Saamav...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Scripture: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Scripture
scripture (scriptural): "A writing."   A sacred text or holy book having authority for a given sect or religion. See: ...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Upaveda: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Upaveda
Upaveda: (Sanskrit) "Secondary Vedas."   A class of texts on sacred sciences, composed by rishis over the course of ti...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Upaveda: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Upaveda
Upaveda: (Sanskrit) "Secondary Vedas."   A class of texts on sacred sciences, composed by rishis over the course of ti...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Devi Mahatmyam: Vedic Hindu Scriptures Dictionary On Devi Mahatmyam
Devi Mahatmyam Otherwise known as the Durgasaptasati or the Candi, this is a sacred text to the Divine Mother used for chanting. &n...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Yajur-veda: Sanskrit Hinduism Dictionary Iii On Yajur-veda (-vedha)
Yajur-veda: Yajur-veda (-vedha). Second Veda, consisting of a collection of sacred texts relating to sacrifices.   (See also...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Sastra: Sanskrit Hinduism Dictionary Iii On Sastra (shaasthra)
sastra: sastra (shaasthra). Holy scripture; sacred text; that which commands, orders, directs with authority.   (See also: ...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Sanskrit: Spiritual Yoga Dictionary Iii On Sanskrit
Sanskrit: The classical literary language of India. All the words relating to Yoga come from Sanskrit, the ancient Indo European langu...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Upanishads: Spiritual Yoga Dictionary Iii On Upanishads
Upanishads: The second great collection of ancient sacred Hindu texts, the Upanishads followed the Vedas and set forth doctrines such ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia Ii - Natib Qadish - Deities
Many of the Deities revered by Canaanite Pagans include the Deities listed in the Ugaritic texts found in modern-day Ras Shamra around 19...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Fig: Encyclopedia Ii - Fig - Symbolism
In the Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament rotten figs are used as a symbol for destruction, and in the New Testament Jesus rebukes an ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - List Of Religions: Encyclopedia Ii - List Of Religions - Nonsectarian And Trans-sectarian Religious Movements And Practices
List of religions - Esotericism. Alchemy Anthroposophy Esoteric Christianity Freemasonry Gnosticism Kabbalah Occultism Rosicrucian An...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Siva Purana: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Siva Purana
Siva Purana: (Sanskrit) "Ancient [lore] of Siva."   1)    A collection of six major scriptures sacred t...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Shastra: Hindu - Hinduism Dictionary On Shastra
shastra: (Sanskrit) "Sacred text; teaching." 1)    Any religious or philosophical treatise, or body of writi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Transliteration Of Ancient Egyptian: Encyclopedia Ii - Transliteration Of Ancient Egyptian - Samples Of Various Transliteration Schemes
The following text (rendered using WikiHiero) is transliterated below in some of the more common schemes. (This text is conventionally tr...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Vedas: Spiritual Sanskrit Dictionary On Vedas
Vedas: the most ancient sacred literature of the Hindus. Most ancient texts revealed to the sages and saints of India which explain an...   » Read the article