IDEAS AND TERMS
Advaita : Doctrine of monism 'No second' maintaining that the phenomenal universe with its multifariousness and the whole hierachy of being from the greatest of the gods downwards were not absolutely real, but were the secondary emanations of the one ultimate absolute being, the impersonal unchanging entity, Brahman, characterised by the three attributes of being (sat), consciousness (chtt), and bliss (ananda). The quest of man according to Advaita is the final realization of the identity of his soul or inmost self (atma) with Brahman through spiritual training and meditation. The doctrine was first suggested by Vyasa but developed brilliantly by Sankara.
Akal Takhat : Epitomising the supreme religious authority for the Sikhs, takhats decide issues referred to them in connection with the pant. The verdicts (hukumanama) of the takhats are binding on the Sikhs. There are four main takhats. The "Akal takhat" at Amritsar is held in highest esteem by Sikhs. The Takhat Keshgarh Saheb at Anandpur in Punjab, Takhat Patna Sahib at Patna, and Takhat Huzur Sahib at nanded in maha - rashtra.
Bodhisattva : According to Mahayana Buddhists, people do not have to rely on their own efforts to become enlightened. They can be helped by a bodhisattva, a person who has come into this world to guide others to salvation. A bodhisattva is one who strives to become a Buddha by leading a life of virtue and wisdom. Works to take all beings to nirvana with his, and may even postpone attaining nirvana in order to relieve suffering through acts of love and compassion. The bodhisattvas traditionally well - known are Avalokiteshwara, Amitabha, Vairochana. Manjusri and Sumantabhadra. Maitreya is supposed to be in the Tushita heaven, and Sumantabhadra. Maitreya is supposed to be in the Tushita heaven, waiting to come into this world to save humanity in the event of some great peril.
Din -I - Ilahi : Akbar formulated an order called Din - I - Ilahi (earlier, Tauhit - i Ilahi) in 1582. It required belief in one supreme God. and enjoined a code of conduct comprising ten virtues and some principles of social reform. Incorporating elements drawn from all religions. Din - i - Ilahi was based on Sul - i - Kul or universal harmony. The cult centred around Akbar himself and faded away after his death.
Dvaita : Madhva in the 13th century found the philosophy of dualism according to which Brahman, the self and the world are completely distinct. Based on the Upanishads, Madhva's theory postulates that the individual soul is created by God and, in the state of highest bliss, draws infinitely close to godhead but it is always aware of its difference form God.
Hijrah : The Hijrah refers to the flight of Muhammad from Mecca to medina in 622 AD and marks the beginning of the muslim calender.
Lokayata : A school of thought associated with Charvaka, it denied the existence of any soul or pure consciousness, which is admitted by all schools of Hindu thought. Consciousness, it held, was an emergent function of matter mixtures, and hence nothing remained of man after death. The school of materialism denied the infallibility of the Vedas, the doctrine of karma and rebirth.
Mimamsa : One out of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, Mimamsa (or Purva Mimamsa) derives its inspiration form the Vedas. Founded by "Jaimini" around 200 BC. this system believes that the Vedas are revealed and therefore true and accurate; their injunctions must be obeyed. It concerns itself with the verses dealing with rites and ceremonies, hymns and prayers rather than with the theology or the ethics of the Vedas. It propounds that the soul which is eternal and distinct from the body must be active through performing rituals without which knowledge is useless. It does not consider belief in God as necessary.
Nirankari : A sect of the Sikhs founded by Bhai Dayas Das in the 1840s, the name derives from nitrankar (formless), a term used by Guru Nanak with regard to the nature of God.
Nyaya : One of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, formulated by Gautama in around the beginning of the Christian era, the Nyaya School was essentially a school of logic, maintaining the view that clear thinking was essential for salvation. Nyaya deals with proof and that which is to be proved. It propounds the idea that the soul is eternal and has a parallel existence with God and the world.
Sankhya : Sankhya forms one of the six schools of Hindu Philosophical thought. Founded by Kapila, it rejects rites and sacrifices Sankhya regards body and soul as real but does not believe in a universal being or God. According to Sankhys, the soul as long as it is associated with the body, is subject to passions and desires and afficiatedby pain. Even after death the soul is caught in the cycle of rebirth with the body. Realisation of the true of the body and soul helps one to cast off the body and attain freedom from pain.
Tantricism : The cults and sects of Tantricism laid emphasis on the importance of the body, the continuous use of sensual symbolism, and the use of sensual rites. The Buddhist Siddhar, certain Saiva setcs such as Nath Yogis, Kapalikas certain Vaishnava sects such as Pancharatra and Sahajayana took to Trantricism which involced magical ceremonies.
Thirthankara :Literally a 'maker of fords', a reference to the role of building crossing points for the spirtual journey over the river of life. a Thirthankara is a Jain prophet or Jina who has passed out of the cycle of transmigration and helps others to cross over similarly. Jains believe in twenty four Thirthankaras. The Kalpa-sutra recounts their llives.
Urs : Death anniversaries of Muslim saints are celebrated at their graves by devotees· these days are called Urs. Prayers and recitation from the Quran. singing of qawwalis. and offerings of flowers and costly sheets at the tombs mark these occasions.
Uttaramimamsa : More commonly known as Vedanta it is one of the six systems of Hindu philosophy, Based on Badarayana's Brahma Sutras this sytem stressed the significance of the Upanishads- The attempt. was to harmonise the Upanishadic teachings into a consistent body of doctrine. There are several interpretations of which Sankara's Advaita, Ramanuja's Visishtadvatta and Madhva's Dvaita are the most famous.
Vaiseshika : Originated by Kanada (though some say the Rishi Kashyapa founded it) around the beginning of the Christian era, Vaiseshika is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, It is close to the Nyaya School The school was based on a system of atomism, explaining the cosmic process in which the soul is involved. Like the Sankhyas the Vaiseshikas held that,the soul was wholly different from the cosmos an'd that its salvation lay in fully realizing this difference. The first stage is to realize the atomic character of the universe, that the universe is a complex, endlessly changing pattern of atoms, combining and dissolving according to certain principles. At the end of the cosmic cycle the atoms revert to a state of complete equilibrium.
Visishtadvaita : In the 12th century AD Ramanuja gave bhakti a philosophical base by interpreting Vedanta in a different light from Sankara. He formulated Visishtadvaita ('Qualified Monism') which transformed the idea of God from an impersonal force to a personal God. The supreme person God Vishnu, enternal and absolute, had diversified himself at the beginning of time and produced the cosmos; being the work of a real creator, the cosmos could not be ultimately unreal, but shared in God's reality, Similarly, the individual soul, created by God as an individual, could not wholly lose its individualiyy and even in The highest state of bliss was always conscious of itself as being part of God and the recipient of God's grace and love. Devotion, according to this school of thought, is of central importance to achieving liberation.
Yoga: One of the six schools of Hindu philosophy said to have been propounded by the rishi Yajnavalkya, and later systematised by Patanjali, Yoga may be considered a sequel to Sankhya. Unlike Sankhya, however, Yoga believes in the existence of God, who is associated with an absolutely pure mind. Otherwise. all the ideas about psychology and the theory of knowledge found in Patanjali are taken from Sankhya According to Yoga the human soul should iree itself from the bonds of nature, from its own body, from karma and samsara (cycle of rebirth) and attain the realization of truth and the Slate of absolute peace of mind (or Yoga). This state of peace can be attained by means of prayer and spiritual exercise. A definite syslem of moral and religious restraints is the first step towards the ultimate achievement of complete detachment and perfect peace.