Sanskrit Terms- Asian Philosophy

Vishishtadvaita

literally "Advaita with uniqueness; qualifications") is a non-dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy. It is non-dualism of the qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity

Ista devata

literally "cherished divinity" from "desired, liked, cherished, preferred" and devatā "godhead, divinity, tutelary deity" or deva "deity") is a term denoting a worshipper's favourite deity within Hinduism

Paramana

literally means "proof" and "means of knowledge". It refers to epistemology in Indian philosophies, and is one of the key, much debated fields of study in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, since ancient times.

Yajna

literally means "sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering", and refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.

asatkaryavada

literally means 'the theory of non-existent effect'; the theory that has been put forward by the schools of Buddhism and Nyāya Vaiśeṣikas. When the pot, the effect, is produced from clay, its cause, two explanations are possible

Kama

"desire, wish, longing" in Hindu and Buddhist literature; it's one of the four goals of human life in Hindu traditions

Shakti

"Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism, and especially the major tradition of Hinduism, Shaktism.

Tamas

"darkness" is one of the three Gunas (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. The other two qualities are rajas (passion and activity) and sattva (purity, goodness)

guna

"string, thread, or strand", or "virtue, merit, excellence", or "quality, peculiarity, attribute, property"; concept is originally notable as a feature of Samkhya philosophy, though possibly a later feature of it. There are three of these, according to this worldview, that have always been and continue to be present in all things and beings in the world; called sattva (goodness, constructive, harmonious), rajas (passion, active, confused), and tamas (darkness, destructive, chaotic)

Karma

(in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences; destiny or fate, following as effect from cause

Moksha

(in Hinduism and Jainism) release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma; the transcendent state attained as a result of being released from the cycle of rebirth

Dharma

(in Indian religion) the eternal and inherent nature of reality, regarded in Hinduism as a cosmic law underlying right behavior and social order; (in Buddhism) the nature of reality regarded as a universal truth taught by the Buddha; the teaching of Buddhism; or an aspect of truth or reality

Ahimsa

(in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist tradition) respect for all living things and avoidance of violence toward other

Trimurti

Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu - Three of the most significant forms of Brahman are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. These three gods express key aspects of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. The word trimurti means 'three forms'. In the trimurti, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver and Shiva is the destroyer

advaita

Hinduism-a Vedantic doctrine that identifies the individual self (atman) with the ground of reality (brahman). It is associated especially with the Indian philosopher Shankara ( c 788-820).

Shraddha

a Hindu ritual performed for one's ancestors who left their physical body (the parents are still a living entity called Pitru); the Sanskrit term used to refer to faith in Buddhism, faith in Hinduism

Tat team asi

a Sanskrit phrase, translated variously as "Thou art that," (That thou art, That art thou, You are that, or That you are, or You're it) is one of the Mahāvākyas (Grand Pronouncements) in Vedantic Sanatana Dharma

Dvaita

a Sanskrit word that means "duality, dualism". The term refers to any premise, particularly in theology on the material and the divine, where two principles (truths) or realities are posited to exist simultaneously and independently.

Raja

also known as Ashtanga yoga, is that branch of yoga that analyzes the mind and aims to gain control over it. That is why it is an unavoidable tool on our journey to fulfillment. Systematized by Maharishi Patanjali, it is related to Samkhya Philosophy.

Kali

also known as Shyāmā is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the ten Mahavidyas, a list which combines Sakta and Buddhist goddesses.

Krishna

a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. He is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love in Hinduism, and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities

Brahman

a member of the highest Hindu caste, that of the priesthood.; or (in Hinduism) the ultimate reality underlying all phenomena

Kshatriya

a member of the second of the four great Hindu castes, the military caste. The traditional function is to protect society by fighting in wartime and governing in peacetime

Karma Phala

a term in Hinduism and yoga that refers to the results of a person's actions. The term comes from the Sanskrit, karma, meaning "action" or "work," and phala, meaning "consequence," "fruit," or "reward." Karma phala is often translated as "fruits of actions

Brahmin

a varna (class) in Hinduism specialising as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari), teachers (acharya) and protectors of sacred learning across generations

bhakti yoga

comes from the root word bhaj, which means "to adore or worship God." This type of yoga has been called "love for love's sake" and "union through love and devotion." Like any other form of yoga, is a path to self-realization, to having an experience of oneness with everything

Yoga

derived from the Sanskrit word 'Yuj' which means to join or unite. It is a practice that connects the body, mind, and spirit through different body postures, meditation, and controlled breathing

Purusha

is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, consciousness, and universal principle.

Ishvara

is a concept in Hinduism, with a wide range of meanings that depend on the era and the school of Hinduism. In ancient texts of Indian philosophy, depending on the context, Ishvara can mean supreme soul, ruler, lord, king, queen or husband

Jnana

is a spiritual practice that pursues knowledge with questions such as "who am I, what am I" among others.

artha

is one of the four aims of human life in Indian philosophy. The word artha literally translates as "meaning, sense, goal, purpose or essence" depending on the context. Also, a broader concept in the scriptures of Hinduism.

Karma Yoga

is one of the four spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the "yoga of action"; right work done well is a form of prayer

Rajas

is one of the three Guṇas (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. The other two qualities are Sattva (goodness, balance) and Tamas (destruction, chaos)

Sattva

is one of the three guṇas or "modes of existence" (tendencies, qualities, attributes), a philosophical and psychological concept developed by the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.The other two qualities are rajas (passion and activity) and tamas (destruction, chaos). is the quality of goodness, positivity, truth, serenity, balance, peacefulness, and virtuousness that is drawn towards Dharma and Jnana (knowledge).

Satkaryavada

is the Samkhya theory of the pre-existent effect, which states that the effect (karya) already exists in its material cause and therefore, nothing new is brought into existence or produced in the process of creation

Sannyasi

is the life stage of renunciation within the Hindu philosophy of four age-based life stages known as ashramas, with the first three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student), Grihastha (householder) and Vanaprastha (forest dweller, retired). It is traditionally conceptualized for men or women in late years of their life, but young brahmacharis have had the choice to skip the householder and retirement stages, renounce worldly and materialistic pursuits and dedicate their lives to spiritual pursuits.

Maya

is the name of Gautama Buddha's mother. In Hinduism, it is also an epithet for goddess, and the name of a manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of "wealth, prosperity and love" ; also a name for girls

Prakriti

means "nature". It is a key concept in Hinduism, formulated by its Samkhya school, and refers to the primal matter with three different innate qualities whose equilibrium is the basis of all observed empirical reality

Turiya

or caturiya, chaturtha, is pure consciousness. Turiya is the background that underlies and transcends the three common states of consciousness. The states of consciousness are: waking consciousness, dreaming, and dreamless sleep

Satcitananda

representing "existence, consciousness, and bliss" or "truth, consciousness, bliss", is an epithet and description for the subjective experience of the ultimate, unchanging reality in Hinduism called Brahman

Nishkam

self-less or desireless action, is an action performed without any expectation of fruits or results, and the central tenet of Karma Yoga path to Liberation.

Shiva

the auspicious one') also known as Mahadeva ( lit. 'the great god') is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu.

Samsara

the cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound.

atman

the spiritual life principle of the universe, especially when regarded as inherent in the real self of the individual; or a person's soul.