Period of 100 Philosophers: period of philosophical creativity in reaction to China's warring states period (403-221 BCE), later classed into six schools: Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Yin and Yang School, Logicians, and Legalism.

 (See also: Period of 100 Philosophers , Eastern Philosophy, Body Mind and Soul)

Triyana (Sanskrit). "The three vehicles" across Sansara - the ocean of births, deaths, and rebirths - are the vehicles called Sravaka, Pratyeka Buddha and Bodhisattva, or the three degrees of Yogaship.

The term Triyana is also used to denote the three schools of mysticism - the Mahayana, Madhyimayana and Hinayana schools; of which the first is the "Greater", the second the " Middle", and the last the "Lesser" Vehicle. All and every system between the Greater and the Lesser Vehicles are considered "useless". Therefore the Pratyeka Buddha is made to correspond with the Madhyimayana. For, as explained, "this (the Pratyeka Buddha state) refers to him who lives all for himself and very little for others, occupying the middle of the vehicle, filling it all and leaving no room for others ". Such is the selfish candidate for Nirvana.

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

Sankaracharya Sankaracarya (Sanskrit) [from Sankara a personal name + acarya teacher]

The beneficent teacher; one of the greatest initiates of India. The Upanishads, Gautama Buddha, and Sankaracharya are considered by many to be the three lights of the wisdom of India. In a very mystical way Sankaracharya was Buddha's esoteric successor. He was an avatara, as was Jesus.

Sankaracharya set himself to preserve the wisdom previously lighted, or brought to men, by Gautama Buddha. By his pure living and high thinking, causing an outpouring of lofty spiritual and intellectual thought from his very soul-life, he kindled the truth in the hearts of many who had lost it through following dogmatic trends of religion, rather than holding to the inner spirit of the ancient teachings. Sankaracharya worked mostly with the Brahmin order -- the highest caste in India -- where the advantages of heredity, of ages of high ideals and rigid discipline, could most easily, if accepted, receive the pure truths, and also could best supply a body of men fitted by character and training to master the higher knowledge, sustain it, and pass it on.

Sankaracharya did this in three ways: first by writing commentaries on the great Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita which revealed the original message of these old writings; secondly, by himself composing a series of original works, such as Ata-bodha, Ananda-lahari, Jnana-bodhini, and Mani-ratna-mala, as well as catechisms and manuals for students wishing to follow the path of wisdom; thirdly, by a system of reform and discipline within the Brahmin order itself, which if accepted and faithfully followed would so purify and clarify the mind and body, that his disciples finally became fit to receive his precepts.

Sankaracharya was also the founder of the Advaita-vendanta school of philosophy. The story of his life is very remarkable. He was born according to tradition in the 6th century BC, probably about 510. He lived, to be only 32 years old, but owing to his extraordinary capacities he accomplished many great and spiritual works for humanity. Probably most of the marvelous episodes recorded about his life are allegories of certain of his spiritual experiences and conquests, written in this form -- as was the custom of students of the Mystery schools -- in order to veil the deep mysteries of his life.

(See also: Sankaracharya, Sankaracarya , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Buddhism

World religion based on the spiritual teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha. There are a number of versions or sects of Buddhism generally teaching paths to Nirvana (enlightenment or bliss) though the four noble truths (recognizing existence and source of suffering) and the eightfold path (correct understanding, behavior and meditation).

Some variations of Buddhism include traditional Theravada schools of India, Mahayana Buddhism, which became very popular in China and Japan, and Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) in Tibet.

Two more recent forms that have had great influence in America are Zen and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.

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

ECLECTIC - n. or adj. believer in the truth of opposing schools, a synthesizer. (NAD)

(See also: ECLECTIC , Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Olympus (Greek) The abode of the great gods in Grecian mythology in Homer and Hesiod. Such heavenly abodes are usually associated with mountains, such as the Hindu Meru, the Greek Atlas, and the Hebrew Sinai; in this case the name was given to the summit of the range dividing Macedonia from Thessaly, but there were other mountains called Olympus. Later philosophers, perhaps more mystically minded, placed Olympus in the zenith, as the abode of the divinities.

There were many Olympuses, the references in story occasionally being to the higher globes of the earth-chain, and in a cosmic sense the higher planes of the solar system. At one time in Greek legend both the gods and their abode had a character of voluptuousness, comparable wit the Hebrew Eden (which means "delight"), the heaven of Indra, or the abode of the Arabian houris; but this was when degeneracy had set in and the people had forgotten the significance of the deities, and lost the key enabling them to interpret the myths and allegories forming their respective mythologic religions.

Although in Greek mythology the gods are said to dwell on Olympus, three of the main Olympian divinities, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades (or Pluto), had their habitats respectively in what may be called heaven or the inmost world of spirit, the cosmic spaces or the waters of space, and the underworld of the universe. Yet these three same divinities, because of their permeant cosmic forces or energies, and strictly on the law of analogical reasoning, had the same functions and occupy the same relative places in the minor forms of their respective manifestations: as, Zeus in the sky, Poseidon in the oceans of the globe, and Hades or Pluto in the underworld of our earth. Or again, the twelve great gods of the Mediterranean peoples may be considered to be the twelve main cosmic and intelligent powers whose all-permeant nature and activity is as apparent in the universe itself as in every atom or minor division thereof.

In the mystic language of ancient time, a holy mountain universally signified a school of esoteric teaching. Just as a mountain on earth raises its summits towards the free heaven, and therefore mystically towards spirit and the gods, so in the ancient esoteric schools the training and the initiations conducted raised the neophytes or initiants towards the spirit, both cosmically and inner, and hence likewise towards the gods.

See also PARNASSUS

(See also: Olympus , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Hinduism Lexicon on A

From aadheenam to axis.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on A

Sankhya

One of the schools (systems) of Indian philosophy

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

Gospels Usually, the four accepted or canonical gospels of the New Testament, being the three synoptic gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke -- and the Gospel according to John. They are an authorized and approved selection from a far larger number of Gospels, extant, partially extant, and lost, attributed to various disciples and apostles, claiming to give accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles.

The key to an understanding of the nature of the four Gospels lies in a consideration of the process which the functions and teachings of some of the Mystery schools of Asia Minor became gradually transformed into the formal religious system known as Christianity. The Gospels must have originated as extracts from the Mystery-dramas enacted in those schools. The mystical-human birth of Jesus, his trials or tests, his teachings, crucifixion, resurrection, etc., are clearly a form of the world-old and universal Mystery-drama of initiation of a human neophyte re-enacted in those ceremonies.

The Gospels' present form is the result of many copyings, recensions, omissions, additions, and alterations. They are, in fact, symbolic narratives made around the personality and individuality of a real character which thus has become a Mystery-figure; and contain also many teachings properly to be attributed to him, belonging to the general class of logia, or wise sayings of teachers, paralleled in the other world sacred scriptures. Jesus, as represented, is not historical; but there was an actual teacher, doubtless bearing the name Yeshua`, Latinized as Jesus, who lived about a century earlier than the commonly accepted beginning of the Christian era.

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

Yoga Sutras: The classical text from the yoga school of Indian philosophy. Written by Patanjali around the time of Christ, it remains a primary source of guidance about yoga.

(See also: Yoga Sutras ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

ego: The external personality or sense of "I" and "mine." Broadly, individual identity. In Saiva Siddhanta and other schools, the ego is equated with the tattva of ahamkara, "Imaker," which bestows the sense of I-ness, individuality and separateness from God.

See: ahamkara, anava.

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

Anatta (Pali) (from an not + atta self, soul)

Non-self, nonegoity; a Buddhist doctrine postulating that there is no unchanging, permanent self (atta, Sanskrit atman) in the human being, in contrast to the Upanishad view that the atman or inner essence of a human being is identic with Brahman, the Supreme, which pervades and is the universe. While Gautama Buddha stresses the nonreality of self, regarding as continuous only its attributes (the five khandas; Sanskrit skandhas) which return at rebirth, there is scriptural testimony in both Southern and Northern Schools that the Buddha recognized a fundamental selfhood in the human constitution (cf ET 108-10).

In the Dhammapada, one of the most respected texts of the Southern Buddhists, we read: "The self is the master of the self (atta hi attano natho)

, for who else could be its master?" (12:160); in the Mahaparinibbana-sutta (2:33, 35): attadipa attasarana, "be ye as those who have the self (atta) as their light (diva, also translated as island); be ye as those who have the self (atta) as their refuge (sarana)

" (cf RK Dh. 12, 45). Also we find Nagarjuna stating in his commentary on the Prajna-paramita: "Sometimes the Tathagata taught that the Atman verily exists, and yet at other times he taught that the Atman does not exist" (Chinese recension of Yuan Chung).

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

 Samkhya:

one of the schools of Indian philosophy

(See also:  Samkhya , Body Mind and Soul)

Achromatics:

The “colors” black, grey and white; used occasionally to refer to moralistic schools of occultism.

(See also: Achromatics , Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Saiva Agamas: (Sanskrit) The sectarian revealed scriptures of the Saivas. Strongly theistic, they identify Siva as the Supreme Lord, immanent and transcendent. They are in two main divisions: the 64 Kashmir Saiva Agamas and the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas. The latter group are the fundamental sectarian scriptures of Saiva Siddhanta. Of these, ten are of the Sivabheda division and are considered dualistic: 1) Kamika, 2) Yogaja, 3) Chintya, 4) Karana, 5) Ajita, 6) Dipta, 7) Sukshma, 8) Sahasraka, 9) Amshumat and 10) Suprabheda.

There are 18 in the Rudrabheda group, classed as dual-nondual: 11) Vijaya, 12) Nihshvasa, 13) Svayambhuva, 14) Anala, 15) Vira (Bhadra), 16) Raurava, 17) Makuta, 18) Vimala, 19) Chandrajnana (or Chandrahasa), 20) Mukhabimba (or Bimba), 21) Prodgita (or Udgita), 22) Lalita, 23) Siddha, 24) Santana, 25) Sarvokta (Narasimha), 26) Parameshvara, 27) Kirana and 28) Vatula (or Parahita).

Rishi Tirumular, in his Tirumantiram, refers to 28 Agamas and mentions nine by name. Eight of these - Karana, Kamika, Vira, Chintya, Vatula, Vimala, Suprabheda and Makuta - are in the above list of 28 furnished by the French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry. The ninth, Kalottara, is presently regarded as an Upagama, or secondary text, of Vatula. The Kamika is the Agama most widely followed in Tamil Saiva temples, because of the availability of Aghorasiva's manual-commentary (paddhati) on it. Vira Saivites especially refer to the Vatula and Vira Agamas.

The Saiva Agama scriptures, above all else, are the connecting strand through all the schools of Saivism. The Agamas themselves express that they are entirely consistent with the teachings of the Veda, that they contain the essence of the Veda, and must be studied with the same high degree of devotion.

See: Agamas, Vedas.

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

shruti: (Sanskrit) "That which is heard."

Hinduism's revealed scriptures, of supreme theological authority and spiritual value. They are timeless teachings transmitted to rishis, or seers, directly by God thousands of years ago. Shruti is thus said to be apaurusheya, "impersonal," or rather "suprahuman."

Shruti consists essentially of the Vedas and the Agamas, preserved initially through oral tradition and eventually written down in Sanskrit. Among the many sacred books of the Hindus, these two bodies of knowledge are held in the highest esteem. For countless centuries shruti has been the basis of philosophical discussion, study and commentary, and this attention has given rise to countless schools of thought. It is also the subject of deep study and meditation, to realize the wisdom of the ancients within oneself.

Most mantras are drawn from shruti, used for rites of worship, both public and domestic, as well as personal prayer and japa. It is a remarkable tribute to Hindu culture that so much of shruti was preserved for thousands of years without alteration by means of oral instruction from guru to shishya, generation after generation. In the Veda tradition this was accomplished by requiring the student to learn each verse in eleven different ways, including backwards. Traditionally shruti is not read, but chanted according to extremely precise rules of grammar, pitch, intonation and rhythm. This brings forth its greatest power. In the sacred language of shruti, word and meaning are so closely aligned that hearing these holy scriptures properly chanted is magical in its effect upon the soul of the listener.

See: Agamas, smriti, Vedas.

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

Nityanarakikas (Sanskrit) [from nitya continual, perpetual + narakika an inhabitant of hell]

Perpetual hellions, a class of people said by the Madhvas to be predestined to go to perdition, a doctrine rejected by the main Hindu philosophical schools.

(See also: Nityanarakikas , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Aisvarika (Sanskrit) (from isvara lord, prince, master from the verbal root ish to be valid, powerful, master of)

Relating to a lord or king; the hierarch or supreme spirit of a hierarchy. One of the four philosophical schools or systems in Nepal (the others being Karmika, Yatnika, and Svabhavikia). In this system, adi-buddha is individualized as the cosmic spirit of our hierarchy, attention being centered on this individualization to an extent unusual in Buddhism. While it is true that the highest individualized manifestation of adi-buddhi is adi-buddha, which is the isvara or supreme hierarch of our own cosmic hierarchy, nevertheless both adi-buddhi and adi-buddha are abstract principles of the galactic spaces.

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

Aithihya (Sanskrit) (from iti thus, in this manner + ha emphatic particle)

Thus indeed it was; traditional instructions, tradition. Closely similar to itihasa, a name applied to semi-legendary and epic accounts; also to the Mahabharata and Ramayana. As the instructors of certain schools in handing on teaching (especially oral teaching delivered with "mouth to ear") invariably commenced an installment with the phrase "iti maya srutam" or "iti ha maya srutam" (truly thus have I heard), such instruction came to be called aitihya or aitiha. The adjectival form aitihasika also means what is communicated or derived from tradition, ancient legend, or heroic history.

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

Agnostic (Ancient Greek). A word claimed by Mr. Huxley to have been coined by him to indicate one who believes nothing which can not be demonstrated by the senses. The later schools of Agnosticism give more philosophical definitions of the term.

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

 Mimansa:

one of the schools of Indian philosophy

(See also:  Mimansa , Body Mind and Soul)

Vaisheshika

One of the schools (systems) of Indian philosophy

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