Download GLOSSARY Abhaya mudra gesture of upright hand with palm outward

GLOSSARY
Abhaya mudra
gesture of upright hand with palm outward: sign of protection and reassurance
Ahimsa
primary commandment of Jainism: “do no harm”
Akshmala
beads for counting recitations of mantras
Anjali mudra
gesture of hands with palms together: sign of respect, adoration and greeting
Asana
sitting posture
Avatara
incarnation of a god, primarily of Vishnu
Bhumisparsha mudra
gesture of hands with the left palm upward in the lap and the right hanging over the knee and pointing
downward to the earth: Buddhist sign of “Calling the Earth to Witness”
Bodhi
enlightenment; bodhi tree—the tree under which the Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment
Bodhisattva
enlightened being ready to enter nirvana but who has held back so as to help other mortals on the path to
that goal
Brahman
Hindu concept of the absolute principle that always has been and always will be; the entity from which
everything has come into being and to which everything will return
Chakra
1) wheel or circle; 2) discus weapon of Vishnu; 3) term for the centers of refined energy in the human
body
Dharma
1) Buddhist doctrine. 2) In Hindu usage: the term referring to that which determines our true essence;
righteousness; the basis of human morality and ethics; the lawful order of the universe and the
foundation of all religion
Dharmachakra
“Wheel of the Law”; spoked wheel as a symbol of Buddhist doctrine
Dharmachakra mudra
two-handed gesture with the hands in front of the chest: sign of preaching
Dhyana mudra
gesture of hands held in the lap with the back of the right on the palm of the left in such a way that the
tips of the thumbs lightly touch one another; sign of meditation; symbol of the enlightened state of mind
Karma
concept of actions in this life and their consequences in a future life
Kayotsarga
straight standing body posture with the arms at the sides but not touching the body; Jain stance for
“dismissing the body”
Kiritimukha
decorative device in the form of a lion-mask signifying auspiciousness
Kiritamukuta
tall crown worn by Vishnu
Lalitasana
sitting posture with one leg folded under the body and the other leg pendant; the posture of “royal ease”
used by some gods
Linga
stylized male sexual organ as a cylindrical shaft; aniconic symbol of Shiva
Mahayana
“Great Path or Vehicle”: form of Buddhism that believes in salvation by faith with the support of
bodhisattvas
Mantra
spoken chant that evokes a divinity––often only a syllable though sometimes as much as a verse
Matrika
mother goddess
Moksha
the goal of Hindu spirituality: liberation, release from rebirths (similar to nirvana)
Mudra
hand gesture
Naga
snake, usually a cobra
Namaskara mudra
SEE anjali mudra
Nirvana
extinction; release from the endless cycle of rebirths; Buddhist version of the Hindu moksha
Padma
lotus; symbol of purity
Padmasana
sitting posture of meditation with the legs interlocked and the soles of the feet upward (similar to
vajrasana); the “lotus position”; also the seat or throne decorated with lotus petals upon which a figure
sits
Parinirvana
the death of the historic Buddha at which he attained nirvana
Puja
Hindu worship ritual
Rudraksha mala
string of beads that make reference to Shiva (Rudra)
Samabhanga
straight upright body stance
Samsara
continuous cycles of birth, death and rebirth
Sankha
conch shell used as a signaling trumpet, usually associated with Vishnu
Shrivatsa
diamond-shaped emblem, Jain symbol of samsara
Stupa
Buddhist funerary monument; symbol for the Buddha
Theravada
“Path of the Elders”; older traditional form of Buddhism with more limited routes to salvation (also
known as Hinayana)
Tirthankara
“Ford maker”; Jain being who shows humans the way across the river of existence to enlightenment
Tribhanga
body stance with three bends indicative of violent movement
Trimurti
Hindu trinity consisting of Brhama the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer
Triratna
“Three Jewels” of Buddhism: the Buddha, Buddhist doctrine, and the Community of Monks
Urna
dot between the eyes; Buddhist mark signifying inner wisdom
Ushnisha
cranial bump; Buddhist mark signifying superior intellect
Vahana
animal sacred to a god, often referred to as the god’s “vehicle”
Vajra
1) In Hindu usage: thunderbolt wielded by Indra as a weapon. 2) In Buddhist usage: diamond or
adamantine---sign of the indestructible truth of Buddhist teaching
Vajrasana
Buddhist sitting posture of meditation with the legs interlocked and the soles of the feet upward; (similar
to padmasana); also the “diamond” seat or throne decorated with lotus petals upon which a figure sits
Vajrayana
“The Diamond Path or Vehicle”: form of tantric or esoteric Buddhism prevalent in Himalayan and
northern regions
Varada mudra
gesture of hand pointing downward with the palm outward; sign of gift bestowing
Vitarka mudra
gesture of the hand with the thumb and index finger forming a circle; sign of intellectual argument or
discussion
Vedas
ancient sacred Hindu writings
Vyakhyana mudra
SEE vitarka mudra
Yantra
mystical object or diagram (often non-representational) serving as a focus for meditation and worship,
usually of Devi (the Goddess)
Yoni
stylized female reproductive organ as a grooved flange, often with a linga projecting from it; the joined
yoni and linga are an aniconic symbol of Shiva