 163. Terminology |
UPANISHAD: Certain books which contain the philosophical portions of the "Vedas." There are 108 Upanishads. The main ones are: Isha, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Chandogya, Brigadaranyaka, Aitareye, Taittiriya. The Upanishads brought to a close each of the four "Vedas," and at the end of the vedas was the word "anta," meaning "end" and thusly "vedanta" or "end of the vedas."
UTILITARIANISM: A philosophy of moral behavior that says the best actions are those that produce the greatest good for the greatest number.
VAIDHI BHAKTI: Extreme devotion to one's God, with much ritual and ceremony.
VASANAS: Habits or tendencies, attachments which keep a soul earthbound. They are not desires, but only habits and can be overcome.
VEDAS: This, the origin of Indian religion, they are the teachings of high mystical function of the human body and the soul, or consciousness-spirit. They existed before the Bible and alkoran and were probably derived from ancient Taoism. All the early spiritual teachings were concerned with self realization and were similar. They all taught "Godism." It is a modern, intellectualized man kind which has fragmented a simple and pure teaching into many beliefs and created "religions" and disharmony.
VIDEHAMUKTI: The state during which one is able to attain liberation while out of the body.
VIDYA: Any kind of general "knowledge."
VISHUDDHA: The fifth chakra at the level of the throat.
VITALISM: The belief that everything that makes up reality is alive and capable of thinking.
VITAL SHOCK: The primal recoil of every individual from the experience of being born - and, throughout the course of egoic life, from the vulnerable condition of bodily existence and of relationship itself.
WU-HSING: (Chinese). "Five elements," earth, fire, metal, water, wood, i.e., the five energies or great performers of creation.
WU LUN: The basic five relationships from which all other relationships occur:
1. Between king and subject.
2. Between father and son.
3. Between husband and wife.
4. Between brothers (or sisters)
5. Between friends.
YAMA: Self control.
YI: (Chinese). Righteousness.
