The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2160 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
2.04Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
(Skt., ‘theory of existent effect’), in
S
khya
, the concept that any effect pre-exists in its cause; there is no creation of a thing previously nonexistent.
Everything that occurs exists potentially in its cause. Creation is produced simply through a recombination of the constituents of the uncreated (
avyakta
). By analogy, a statue pre-exists in the stone; curds in milk. Specifically, creation involves a re-organizing of the three
gu
as
which exist in perfect equilibrium in the primal ‘stuff’ (
m
laprak
ti
) of creation. All change occurs through the interaction of these three gu
as.
atkasa
patti
(Skt., ‘six attainments’). The six great virtues which, in
a
kara's
Hindu system, must be fulfilled as one of the four prerequisites by a student of
Ved
nta
—the others being
mumuk
utva
(striving for liberation),
viveka
(discrimination), and
vairagya
(detachment). The six virtues are
(i) 
ama
, concentration and control of the mind, directed towards an object of meditation;
(ii) 
dama
, control of the organs of sense;
(iii) 
uparama
, quieting of the mind, especially by the fulfilment of one's duty of
dharma
;
(iv) 
titik
a
, the patient balance between opposing dualities;
(v) 
raddh
, faith, trust in what scriptures teach;
(vi) 
sam
dh
na
(cf.
SAM
DHI
), the concentration which enables one also to transmit truth to others.

Other books

The House by Anjuelle Floyd
Wings of Promise by Bonnie Leon
Make Me Melt by Nicki Day
Harmony Black by Craig Schaefer
The Sugar Barons by Matthew Parker
Hannah massey by Yelena Kopylova
Warrior Untamed by Melissa Mayhue
Geekhood by Andy Robb