Hindu: (Sanskrit) A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism.

Generally, one is understood to be a Hindu by being born into a Hindu family and practicing the faith, or by declaring oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called namakarana samskara, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to self-declared Hindus who have proven their sincerity and been accepted by a Hindu community. Full conversion is completed through disavowal of previous religious affiliations and legal change of name.

While traditions vary greatly, all Hindus rely on the Vedas as scriptural authority and generally attest to the following nine principles:

1)    There exists a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both creator and unmanifest Reality.

2)    The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.

3)    All souls are evolving toward God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.

4)    Karma is the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.

5)    The soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved.

6)    Divine beings exist in unseen worlds, and temple worship, rituals, sacraments, as well as personal devotionals, create a communion with these devas and Gods.

7)    A spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential to know the transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and meditation.

8)    All life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore one should practice ahimsa, nonviolence.

9)    No particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others. Rather, all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

See: Hinduism.

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

Sabari:

Sabari (Shabaree). A woman ascetic living in the hermitage of her teacher, Sage Mathanga; Rama gave her salvation.

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

Nimbarka: (Sanskrit) Mystic, philosopher and founder of the Minandi Vaishnava school of Vedanta (ca 1150). He acclaimed the guru's grace as the only true means to salvation.

See: Vedanta.

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

Jesus

1)    The leader of group of religious radicals in Jerusalem. (approximately 25 AD)

2)    An avatar who attained a high level of attunement which enabled him to become a bodily vehicle for the Christ for a period of three years.

3)    An aspect of God, according to the Jesus cults. The name ÒJesusÓ corresponds with the Hebrew ÒJoshuaÓ and means ÒJehovah is salvation. Ó

(See Jesus)

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

Yoga (Sanskrit) Union; one of the six Darsanas or schools of philosophy of India, founded by Patanjali, but said to have existed as a distinct teaching and system of life before that sage. Yajnavalkya, a famous and very ancient sage of pre-Mahabharatan times, to whom the White Yajur-Veda, the Satapatha-Brahmana, and the Brihadaranyaka are attributed, is credited with inculcating the positive duty of religious meditation and retirement into the forests, and therefore is believed to have originated the yoga doctrine. Patanjali's yoga, however, is more definite and precise as a philosophy, and imbodies more of the occult sciences than any of the extant works attributed to Yajnavalkya.

The objective of the Yoga school is attaining union or at-one-ness with the divine-spiritual essence within which is virtually identical with the spiritual essence or Logos of the universe. True yoga is genuine psychology based on a complete philosophical understanding of the entire inner human constitution.

There are several states leading to spiritual powers and perception. The eight stages of yoga usually enumerated are:

1)    yama (restraint, forbearance);

2)    niyama, religious observances such as fastings, prayer, penances;

3)    asana, postures of various kinds;

4)    pranayama, methods of regulating the breath;

5)    pratyahara (withdrawal), withdrawal of the consciousness from external objects;

6)    dharana (firmness, steadiness, resolution) mental concentration, holding the mind on an object of thought;

7)    dhyana, abstract contemplation or meditation freed from exterior distractions; and

8)    samadhi, complete collection of the consciousness and its faculties into union with the monadic essence.

There are several types of yoga such as karma yoga, hatha yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga, and jnana yoga. "Similar religious aspirations or practices likewise exist in Occidental countries, as, for instance, what is called 'Salvation by Works,' somewhat equivalent to the Hindu Karma-Yoga, or, again, 'Salvation by Faith -- or Love,' somewhat similar to the Hindu Bhakti-Yoga; while both Orient and Occident have, each one, its various forms of ascetic practices which may be grouped under the term Hatha-Yoga.

"No system of Yoga should ever be practiced unless under the direct teaching of one who knows the dangers of meddling with the psycho-mental apparatus of the human constitution, for dangers lurk at every step, and the meddler in these things is likely to bring disaster upon himself, both in matters of health and as regards sane mental equilibrium. The higher branches of Yoga, however, such as the Raja-Yoga and Jnana-Yoga, implying strict spiritual and intellectual discipline combined with a fervid love for all beings, are perfectly safe. It is, however, the ascetic practices, etc., and the teachings that go with them, wherein lies the danger to the unwary, and they should be carefully avoided" (OG 183).

The various forms of yoga from the standpoint of theosophy when properly understood are not distinct, separable means of attaining union with the god within; and it is a divergence of the attention into one or several of these forms to the exclusion of others that has brought about so much mental confusion and lack of success even in those who are more or less skilled. Every one of these forms of yoga, with the probable exception of the lower forms of hatha yoga, should be practiced concurrently by the one who has set his heart and mind upon spiritual success.

Thus one should carefully watch and control his acts, acting and working unselfishly; he should live so that his daily customs distract attention as little as possible away from the spiritual purpose; his heart coincidentally should be filled with devotion and love for all things; and he should cultivate, all at the same time, his will, his capacity for self-sacrifice and self-devotion to a noble cause, and his ability to stand firm and undaunted in the face of difficulties whatever they may be; and, finally, in addition and perhaps most importantly, he should do everything in his power to cultivate his intuition and intellectual faculties, exercising not merely his ratiocinative mind, but the higher intuitive and nobly intellectual parts.

Combining all these he is following the chela path and is using all the forms of yoga in the proper way. Yet the chela will never obtain his objective if his practice of yoga is followed for his own individual advancement. He will never reach higher than the superior planes of the astral world even in consciousness; but when his whole being follows this yoga as thus outlined with a desire to lay his life and all he is on the altar of service to the world, he is then indeed on the path.

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

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

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Unitarianism

See also:   , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

Ahriman (Persian) (from ah (Avestan) conscious life + riman the corruptor, disturber of order in the cosmos, the corruptor of mind)

Personification of the evil spirit in the world. According to Mazdean philosophy, life originates from two principles: Ahura Mazda (the light principle) and Ahriman (darkness). Shahrestani, 12th century Islamic scholar, in Al-Melall Va Al-Nehal (Nations and Sects) writes that "Magis were of three sects: Geomarathians, Zurvanians and Zoroastrians. They all shared the view that two principles govern the universe: Ahura Mazda and Ahriman. Ahura Mazda is the being who pre-existed and Ahriman the created one." He further narrates allegorically that "Ahura-Mazda wondered how it would be if he had a rival. From this thought Ahriman, the evil spirit, was born, who revolted against the light and declined to abide by its laws. A battle took place between the armies of the two.

 The Angels came forward as mediators and agreed upon a truce that the underworld be given to Ahriman for seven thousand years and then to the Ahura-Mazda for another seven thousand years. The creatures who previously existed all vanished. Then Man, Gaeo-Marth, and an animal, taurus, appeared. They both died. From man's head, sprouted a rhubarb and from rhubarb male and female, Mashia and Mashiana, were born, who were mankind's progenitors. From the head of the taurus all animals originated.

Their belief is that light gave mankind two choices: to remain as bodiless spirits keeping away from Ahriman, or to clothe themselves with bodies to fight against him; mankind chose the latter. The destruction of Ahriman's army would be the day of resurrection. Man's reason for clothing himself in a physical body was to enable him to battle against Ahriman; and his salvation depends upon defeating him."

In later Pahlavi writings we find the progeny of Ahriman, six opponents who in their turn stand up against the Amesha-Spentas (the six immortal benefactors).

See also ANGRA MAINYU

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

Mahayana: The Greater Raft/Vehicle. One of the four main branches of Buddhism, emphasizing salvation for the regular people. The Mahayana school uses the vernacular language to convey its teachings. It was founded some time after Asoka, from his example of spreading Buddhism. It is practiced in China and Japan.

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

Baptism (from Greek baptizein to sprinkle)

Ceremonial of purification with water; one of the sacraments in the Christian churches, by which persons are initiated into the visible Church of Christ. It consists in either immersion in water or sprinkling with water, according to the practice of different churches.

In the Protestant Churches it is "the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace," accepted as a necessary preliminary to the other sacraments, and even as essential to salvation. In the Roman Catholic Church it carries remission of sin both original and actual. It existed in pre-Christian times among Jews and pagans, practiced in Chaldea, Egypt, India, Greece, Africa, Polynesia, North America, and ancient Europe, among others.

Mystically speaking, there are two baptisms: that of water and that of fire; the former pertaining to the plane of matter, the latter to that of spirit. In the New Testament, John the Baptist says: "I baptize you with water, but a greater than I shall come, who will baptize you with fire." Jesus instructs Nicodemus as to the two births: the birth of water and the birth of the spirit. Baptism was therefore a ceremonial pertaining to an inferior degree of initiation.

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

Sikhism

A religion, based mostly in the Punjab province of India, that attempts to blend Hinduism and Islam. The movement is based on a vision and subsequent teachings of founder Guru Nanak in the 15th century AD. Disciples, called Sikhs, follow the one true God named Sat Nam (ÒTrue NameÓ). Their main scriptures are contained in the Granth Sahib (ÒThe Lord's BookÓ), compiled by the guru Arjan, and salvation is viewed as a merging with the universal force

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

Bodhisattva: Gautama used this term to describe himself when he was seeking enlightenment. The Mahayana use this term to identify those who have attained bodhi, but chose not to enter nirvana and become a Buddha. Instead, they vow to provide salvation for every living thing, "every blade of grass."

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

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

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Impute, Imputation

See also: Impute Imputation , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

Biblical Inerrancy

The Christian belief that the Bible is free from error. In its most extreme form inerrancy insists that although the Bible is not primarily a book of history, geography, or science, when it speaks of these matters it is free from error of any sort.

The contention is that if error is admitted at any point a similar claim could be made at every point.

Total inerrancy is usually limited, in theory, to the original manuscripts (autographs), but in practice it is often applied to the particular translation used by a community committed to inerrancy, for example, the Vulgate for Roman Catholics until recently, and the King James Version for fundamentalist Protestants.

A more moderate form of inerrancy maintains that freedom of error is limited to matters of faith and practice, allowing for human conditioning with respect to historical, geographical, and scientific details that do not pertain to salvation. Proponents of this position sometimes adopt the term infallibility rather than inerrancy. This distinction is not used consistently.

The notions of inerrancy or infallibility have direct import not only on theological issues but on the authority of the biblical texts for contemporary ethical and moral issues.

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

Roman Catholicism

The oldest Christian church in the world begun about 312 AD by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Because of its size and scope - both in membership (about a billion people worldwide) and geographically, the actual beliefs held by devout Catholics are widespread and eclectic. One doctrine uniting all Catholics is belief that the Pope is the supreme representative of God on Earth.

Catholicism has been influenced by liberation theology, especially in parts of South America. In Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere, attempts have been made to blend Catholicism with spiritism, creating a type of Catholicism with occult elements. In addition, since the 1960s there has been a small but significant element of charismatic Catholics who have been influenced by the larger charismatic movement.

A small percentage of Catholics are doctrinally evangelical, and others (such as Matthew Fox) are part of the New Age movement. As a whole, however, the differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are still seen most clearly in the issues of the Reformation. The 16th century reformers distinguished themselves from Catholicism in two key ways. First, they saw the Bible as the sole foundation for authority (sola scriptura) rather than the Pope, church dogma or tradition. Second, the reformers taught salvation by Ògrace aloneÓ (sola gracia)\,not by works.

The Roman Catholic Church claimed (and still claims) to affirm sola gracia, but teaches that grace is received and maintained by a combination of faith plus works (religious rites, sacraments, or human endeavor).

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

Flood. A story found in various forms in every cosmology. The Chaldean and Sumerian versions antedate the Hebrew; India, China, and other Asiatic countries furnish their own versions. It occurs in the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the QuichŽs of Central American, as well as among many ancient American tribes; the story is found among the ancient Scandinavians, the Polynesian peoples, and among African tribes, such as the Masai of East Africa.

These stories refer in part to an actual great deluge in the world's history, mainly to the sinking of the great and smaller islands of the Atlantean continental stretches. In many if not all the versions, we find that a race had become so corrupt that nature or the gods would no longer tolerate it, and destroyed it and brought forth a new race. There is usually a type-figure, like the Hebrew Noah, who builds an ark or other vessel of salvation, thus saving from the waters the righteous few to be the seeds of the new race. In many versions are traditions of the destruction of the preceding root-race, Atlantis, by water, and of the saving of various groups of human remnants to found new civilizations on lands, then or shortly later geologically speaking, emerging from the ocean.

But besides the particular application to this latest cataclysm in the earth's history, the story refers to cataclysms in general, to the death of old races and the birth of new ones. The evolution of the earth goes on pari passu with that of the beings upon it. These stories are evidently allegorical as well, with reference to cosmological facts.

See also ARK

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

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

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Liberalism

See also: Liberalism , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

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

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Monergism

See also: Monergism , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

Gospel

Literally meaning Ògood news,Ó the term gospel is used by traditional Christians as a reference to the message of salvation as contained in the New Testament. The first four books of the New Testament, which consist of accounts of Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), are also called the Gospels.

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

Elect, Election

According to Christian doctrine, the elect are those called by God to salvation. This election occurs before the foundation of the world. This view of election is especially held by Calvinists who also hold to the doctrine of predestination.

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

Other-Power

The issue of other-power (Buddhas' power) is often misunderstood and glossed over by many Buddhists. However, it must be pointed out that, in Buddhism, other-power is absolutely necessary if a Bodhisattva is to attain Ultimate Enlightenment.

The Lankavatara Sutra (the only sutra recommended by Bodhidharma) and the Avatamsaka Sutra (described by D.T. Suzuki as the epitome of Buddhist thought) are emphatically clear on this point:

• As long as (conversion) is an experience and not mere understanding, it is evident that self-discipline plays an important role in the Buddhist life . but .. we must not forget the fact that the Lanka (Lankavatara Sutra) also emphasizes the necessity of the Buddha's power being added to the Bodhisattvas', in their upward course of spiritual development and in the accomplishment of their great task of world salvation. (Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, tr., The Lankavatara Sutra, p. xviii.)

The Avatamsaka Sutra states: Having purified wisdom and means in the seventh stage ... The great sages attain acceptance of non-origination ... On the basis of their previous resolution, the buddhas further exhort them ...: "Though you have extinguished the burning of the fire of affliction, Having seen the world still afflicted, remember your past vows; Having thought of the welfare of the world, work in quest Of the cause of knowledge, for the liberation of the world." (T. Cleary, tr., The Flower Ornament Sutra, Vol II, p. 86)

See also "Easy Path of Practice."

 (See also: Other-Power , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

PANTHEISM

The belief that everything, without exception, is part of divinity or is a manifestation of God. A form of monism identifying mind and matter. Xtians hate pantheism because if everything is God, then nothing needs salvation. Moreover, if everything is God, then nothing is God, just as if everything were blue, there would be no color at all, least of all blue!

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

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

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Pneumatology

See also: Pneumatology , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul