Five Years of Theosophy Part 35

Padarthas, predicates of existing things, so called in the "Vaises.h.i.+kha," or atomic system of philosophy, founded by Kanad (Sanskrit).

Padma sana, a posture practised by some Indian mystics it consists in sitting with the legs crossed one over the other and the body straight.

Pahans, village priests.

Panchakosha, the five sheaths in which is enclosed the divine monad.

Panchikrita, developed into the five gross elements.

Parabrahm, the supreme principle in Nature; the universal spirit.

Paramarthika, one of the three states of existence according to Vedanta; the true, the only real one.

Paramatma, time Supreme Spirit, one of the six forces of Nature; the great force.

Parasakti, intellectual apprehension of a truth.

Pataliputra, the ancient capital of the kingdom Magadha, in Eastern India, a city identified with the modern Patna.

Patanjali, the author of "Yoga Philosophy," one of the six orthodox systems of India and of the Mahabhashya.

Peling, the name given to Europeans in Tibet.

Phala, retribution; fruit or results of causes.

Pho, animal soul.

Pisacham, fading remnants of human beings in the state of Kama Loka; sh.e.l.ls or elementaries.

Piyadasi, another name for Asoka (q.v.) Plaster or Plantal, Platonic term for the power which moulds the substances of the universe into suitable forms.

Popol-Vuh, the sacred book of the Guatemalans.

Poseidonis, the last island submerged of the continent of Atlantis.

Pracheta, the principle of water.

Pragna, consciousness.

Praj.a.patis, the constructors of the material universe.

Prakriti, undifferentiated matter; the supreme principle regarded as the substance of the universe.

Pralaya, the period of cosmic rest.

Prameyas, things to be proved, objects of Pramana or proof.

Prana, the one life.

Pranamaya Kosha, the principle of life and its vehicle; the second sheath of the Divine monad (Vedantic).

Pranatman, the eternal or germ thread on which are strung, like beads, the personal lives. The same as Sutratma.

Pratibhasika, the apparent or illusory life.

Pratyaksha, perception.

Pretya-bhava, the state of an ego under the necessity of repeated births.

Punarjanmam, power of evolving objective manifestation; rebirth.

Puraka, in-breathing, regulated according to the system of Hatha Yoga.

Puranas (lit. "old writings"). A collection of symbolical Brahmanical writings. They are eighteen in number, and are supposed to have been composed by Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata.

Purusha, spirit.

Rajas, the quality of foulness; pa.s.sionate activity.

Rajars.h.i.+, a king-adept.

Raj Yoga, the true science of the development of psychic powers and union with the Supreme Spirit.

Rakshasas, evil spirits; literally, raw-eaters.

Ramayana, an epic poem describing the life of Rama, a deified Indian hero.

Ram Mohun Roy, the well-known Indian Reformer, died 1833.

Rechaka, out-breathing, regulated according to the system of Hatha Yoga.

Rig Veda, the first of the Vedas.

Rishabham, the Zodiacal sign Taurus, the sacred syllable Aum.

Ris.h.i.+s (lit. "revealers"), holy sages.

Ruach, one of the souls, according to the Kabala; second three principles in the human septenary.

Sabda, the Logos or Word.

Saketa, the capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Ayodhya.

Sukshma sariram, the subtile body.

Sakti, the crown of the astral light; the power of Nature.

Sakuntala, a Sanskrit drama by Kalidasa.

Samadhana, incapacity to diverge from the path of spiritual progress.

Sama, repression of mental perturbations.

Samadhi, state of ecstatic trance.

Samanya, community or commingling of qualities.

Samma-Sambuddha, perfect illumination.

Samvat, an Indian era which, is usually supposed to have commenced 57 B.C.

Sankaracharya, the great expositor of the monistic Vedanta Philosophy, which denies the personality of the Divine Principle, and affirms its unity with the spirit of man.

Sankhya Karika, a treatise containing the aphorisms of Kapila, the founder of the Sankhya system, one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy.

Sankhya Yog, the system of Yog as set forth by Sankhya philosophers.

Sannyasi, a Hindu, ascetic whose mind is steadfastly fixed upon the Supreme Truth.

Sarira, body.

Sat, the real, Purusha.

Sattwa, purity.

Satva, goodness.

Satya Loka, the abode of Truth, one of the subjective spheres in our solar system.

Shamanism, spirit wors.h.i.+p; the oldest religion of Mongolia.

Siddhasana, one of the postures enjoined by the system of Hatha Yoga.

Siddhi, abnormal power obtained by spiritual development.

Sing Bonga, sun spirit of the Kolarian tribes.

Siva, one of the Hindu G.o.ds, with Brahma and Vishnu, forming the Trimurti or Trinity; the principle of destruction.

Sivite, a wors.h.i.+pper of Siva, the name of a sect among the Hindus.

Skandhas, the impermanent elements which const.i.tute a man.

Slokas, stanzas (Sanskrit).

Smriti, legal and ceremonial writings of the Hindus.

Soham, mystic syllable representing involution; lit. "that am I."

Soonium, a magical ceremony for the purpose of removing a sickness from one person to another.

Soorya, the sun.

Souramanam, a method of calculating time.

s.p.a.ce, Akasa; Swabhavat (q.v.) Sraddha, faith.

Sravana, receptivity, listening.

Sthula-Sariram, the gross physical body.

Sukshmopadhi, fourth and fifth principles (Raja Yoga.) Sunyata, s.p.a.ce; nothingness.

Suras, elementals of a beneficent order; G.o.ds.

Surpa, winnower.

Suryasiddhanta, a Sanskrit treatise on astronomy.

Sushupti Avastha, deep sleep; one of the four aspects of Pranava.

Sutra period, one of the periods into which Vedic literature has been divided.

Sutratman, (lit. "the thread spirit,") the immortal individuality upon which are strung our countless personalities.

Svabhavat, Akasa; undifferentiated primary matter; Prakriti.

Svapna, dreamy condition, clairvoyance.

Swami (lit. "a master"), the family idol.

Swapna Avastha, dreaming state; one of the four aspects of Pranava.

Tama, indifference, dullness.

Tamas, ignorance, or darkness.

Tanha, thirst; desire for life, that which produces re-birth.

Tanmatras, the subtile elements, the abstract counterpart of the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether, consisting of smell, taste, feeling, sight and sound.

Tantras, works on Magic.

Tantrika, ceremonies connected with the wors.h.i.+p of the G.o.ddess Sakti, who typifies Force.