“Windows To Spirituality”
Nirvana In Buddhism Nirvana in Buddhism (निर्वाण, nirvāṇa, nibbana, nibbāna) is the earliest and most common term used to describe the goal of the Buddhist path. The literal meaning is “blowing out” or “quenching.” It is the ultimate spiritual goal in Buddhism and marks the soteriological release from rebirths in samsāra. Nirvana is...
What Is Nirvana? Nirvana or nirvāṇa (निर्वाण nirvāṇa; निब्बान nibbāna; णिव्वाण ṇivvāṇa, literally “blown out”, as in an oil lamp) is commonly associated with Jainism and Buddhism, and represents its ultimate state of soteriological release, the liberation from repeated rebirth in saṃsāra. In Indian religions, nirvana is synonymous with moksha and mukti. All Indian religions...
Prayer In Hinduism Prayer or worship is considered to be an integral part of the Hindu religion. The chanting of mantras is the most popular form of worship in Hinduism. Yoga and meditation are also considered as a form of devotional service towards the Lord. The adjacent picture represents the Om sign, which...
Hindu Prayers This article covers Hindu prayers. Prayer or worship is considered to be an integral part of the Hindu religion. The chanting of mantras is the most popular form of worship in Hinduism. Yoga and meditation are also considered as a form of devotional service towards the Lord. The adjacent picture represents the Om sign,...
Kirtan Kirtan or Kirtana ( कीर्तन; Kīrtana) is a Sanskrit word that means “narrating, reciting, telling, describing” of an idea or story. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts, connoting a musical form of narration or shared recitation, particularly of spiritual or religious ideas. With roots in the Vedic anukirtana tradition, a kirtan is...
Yajna Yajna (yajña) literally means “devotion, worship, offering”, and refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras. Yajna has been a Vedic tradition, described in a layer of Vedic literature called Brahmanas, as well as Yajurveda. The tradition has evolved from offering oblations...
Bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian Religions, in any of the languages from the Indian subcontinent. The term bhajanam (भजनम्) means reverence and originates from the root word bhaj (भजति), means to revere, as in “bhaja govindam“. The term “bhajana” also means sharing. The term ‘bhajan‘ is...
Puja In Hinduism Puja or Pooja (pūjā; पूजा) is a prayer ritual performed by Hindus of devotional worship to one or more deities, or to host and honor a guest, or one to spiritually celebrate an event. It may honour or celebrate the presence of special guest(s), or their memories after they...
Buddhist Devotion Devotion, a central practice in Buddhism, refers to a commitment to religious observances or to an object or person and may be translated with Sanskrit or Pāli terms like saddhā, gārava or pūjā. Central to Buddhist devotion is the practice of buddhānussati, the recollection of the inspiring qualities of the Buddha. Although buddhānussati had been...
Prayascitta Prayascitta (or Prāyaścitta, प्रायश्चित्त) is the Sanskrit word which means “atonement, penance, expiation”. It refers to one of the corrective measures in dharmaśāstra as an alternative to incarceration or other forms of danda (punishment) when someone is convicted of certain categories of crimes. The word is also used in Hindu texts to refer to actions...
Wisdom In Hinduism Wisdom in Hinduism called: Pragña or Pragya (प्रज्ञ) as प्रज्ञा, प्राज्ञ and प्राज्ञा is used to refer to the highest and purest form of wisdom, intelligence and understanding. Pragya is the state of wisdom which is higher than the knowledge obtained by reasoning and inference. Meaning The Sanskrit...
Hinduism Hinduism is an Indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practised in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, “the eternal tradition”, or the “eternal way”, beyond human history. Scholars regard Hinduism as a...
Ātman In Hinduism Ātman (आत्मन्) is a Sanskrit word that means inner self, spirit, or soul. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Ātman is the first principle, the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena, the essence of an individual. In order to attain Moksha (liberation), a human being must acquire self-knowledge (atma jnana), which is, according to...
Ratnatraya Jainism emphasises that ratnatraya (triple gems of Jainism) — the right faith (Samyak Darshana), right knowledge (Samyak Gyana) and right conduct (Samyak Charitra) — constitutes the path to liberation. These are known as the triple gems (or jewels) of Jainism and hence also known as Ratnatraya. The Path to liberation The very...
Atman In Buddhism Atman, attā, or attan in Buddhism is the concept of self, and is found in Buddhist literature‘s discussion of the concept of non-self (Anatta). Most Buddhist traditions and texts reject the premise of a permanent, unchanging atman (self, soul). However, some Buddhist schools, sutras, and tantras present the notion of atman or permanent “Self“, although mostly referring...
Jīva In Jainism The Jīva or Atman (आत्मन्) is a philosophical term used within Jainism to identify the soul. As per the Jain cosmology, jīva or soul is the principle of sentience and is one of the tattvas or one of the fundamental substances forming part of the universe. The Jain metaphysics, states Jagmanderlal Jaini, divides the universe into two independent, everlasting,...
Vitalism In Jainism Thre is a vitalism in Jainism. Vitalism is at the core of Jain philosophy which separates Jiva (soul or life) from Ajiva (non-soul). According to Jain cosmology, the whole universe is made up of six simple substances and is therefore eternal. These six substances (dravya) are:- Jiva Time Space Dharma (medium of motion) Adharma Matter (Pudgala) Jiva or...
Jainism And Non-creationism This article covers the relationship between Jainism and Non-creationism. Jainism does not support the belief in a creator deity. According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents—soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion—have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws. It is not possible...
Ghosts In Tibetan Culture There is a widespread belief in ghosts in Tibetan culture. Ghosts are explicitly recognized in the Tibetan Buddhist religion as they were in Indian Buddhism, occupying a distinct but overlapping world to the human one, and feature in many traditional legends. When a human dies, after...
Japanese Buddhist Pantheon The Japanese Buddhist Pantheon designates the multitude (the Pantheon) of various Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and lesser deities and eminent religious masters in Buddhism. A Buddhist Pantheon exists to a certain extent in Mahāyāna, but is especially characteristic of Vajrayana Esoteric Buddhism, including Tibetan Buddhism and especially Japanese Shingon Buddhism,...
