Tibetan Kung-Fu

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       Sanskrit Glossary 

Sanskrit as a language is used freely and interchangeably in Tibetan Buddhism, and in the Lion's Roar! Sangha, Sanskrit terminology is likewise used with Tibetan and Chinese terms. The glossary includes Hindu definitions also, as these relate not only to Hinduism but also to terms common in the Indian Simhanada Vajramukti and Kalari Pyatt martial arts, the 'Mother' art for Tibetan Tantric Martial Arts, and Shaolin Han, Kung-Fu, respectively.

A:

abhinivesa - possessiveness
abhaya - freedom from fear
abhinivesa - possessiveness
abhyasa - steady effort
acharya - a religious teacher
adhah - down
adhara - a support
adharma - breach of duty
adhibhuta - the principle of objective existence
adhidaiva - the principle of subjective existence
adhikari - competent candidate
adhimatra - superior
adhimatratama - the highest, the supreme one
adhisthana - seat, abode
adhiyajna - the principle of sacrifice, incarnation
adho-mukha - face downwards
adho mukha svanasana - the dog stretch posture
adhyasa - a case of mistaken identity
adhyatma - the principle of self
adrishta - the unseen (e.g. actions of invisible entities)
adisvara - the primeval lord, a name of Shiva
aditi - the mother of the gods
aditya - son of aditi
advaita - non-duality of the universal spirit
advasana - the prone posture
agama - proof of the trustworthiness of a source of knowledge
aham - I
ahamkara - tendency to identify oneself with external phenomena, 'the I-maker'
ahimsa - non-violence
aishvarya - desire for power
ajapa - involuntary repetition (as with a mantra)
ajna - command
akarna - towards the ear
akarna dhanurasana - the shooting bow posture
akasha - ether
akrodha - freedom from anger
alabhdha-bhumikatva - the feeling that it is impossible to see reality
alamba - support
alasya - idleness
amanaska - the mind free from desire
amrita - the elixir of immortality
anahata - unbeaten
ananda - bliss
Ananta - infinite, a name of Vishnu
anantasana - Ananta's posture
anga - a limb, or body part
angamejayatva - unsteadiness of the body
angula - a finger
angushtha - the big toe
Anjana - the name of the mother of Hanuman
anjaneyasana - the splits
antahkarana - the mind
antara - within
antaranga - the practices of pranayama and pratyahara
antaratma - the inner self, residing in the heart
anuloma - with the grain, naturally
anumana - an inference
apana - one of the vital airs, controls the elimination of bodily wastes
apara - lower
aparigraha - abstention from greed, non-possessiveness
apunya - vice
arama - pleasure garden
ardha - half
ardha-baddha padmottanasana - the half-lotus forward bend posture
ardha-chandrasana - the half-moon posture
ardha-matsyendrasana - the half spinal-twist posture
ardhanarishvara - Shiva and his Shakti united as one
ardha-navasana - the half-boat posture
ardha-padmasana - the half-lotus posture
ardha-salabhasana - the half-locust posture
ardha-sarvangasana - the half-shoulderstand posture
ardha-sirsasana - the half headstand posture
Arjuna - a disciple of Krishna, hero of the Mahabharata
asamprajnata - unconscious samadhi
asana - seat, posture
ashcharyavat - wonderful
ashram - a yoga centre or school also state or stage of life
ashta - eight
Ashtavakra - name of a deformed sage
ashva - a horse
ashvini - a mudra: contraction of the anal sphincter muscles
asmita - egotism
asteya - non-stealing
Atharva Veda - fourth Veda
atman - the self, supreme soul
atmiyata - the feeling of oneness
aum - all, the absolute
avarana - a veil
avastha - a state of the mind
avatara - a divine incarnation like Krishna. The ten avataras of Vishnu are: Matsya(the fish), Kurma(the
tortoise), Varaha(the boar), Narasimha(the man- lion), Vamana(the dwarf), Parashurama, Rama,
Krishna, Balarama, and Kalki.
avidya - metaphysical ignorance
avirati - sensuality
ayama - length, extension, restraint
ayurveda - Vedic Medicine

B:

baddha - caught
baddhahasta sirsasana - the bound hands headstand posture
bandha - binding, a muscular lock
bandha padmasana - the bound lotus posture
baka - a wading bird, the crane
Bali - a demon king
basti - method for cleaning the intestines
bhadrasana - the auspicious posture
bhagavad gita -scripture of the avatar Krishna and his dialogues with Arjuna
bhagavan - holy
Bhairava - terrible, one of the forms of Shiva
bhajana - a hymn
bhakti - devotion, worship
Bhakti Yoga - Yoga of Devotion
bhastrika - the bellows breath
bhati - light
bhavana - concentration
bhaya - fear
bheda - a division
bhedana - breaking through, piercing
bheka - a frog
bherunda - terrible
bherundasana - the formidable posture
bhoga - enjoyment
bhoktir - one who enjoys
bhramara - a large bee
bhramari - the bee breath
bhranti-darshana - a delusion
bhu - land
bhudana - the donation of land
bhuja - arm or shoulder
bhujanga - snake
bhujangasana - the cobra posture
bhujasana - the arm posture
bhuktis - planetary time periods, minor
bhumi - the object of meditation
bhumikatva - firm ground
bhuta - a ghost, an element
bija - seed
bindu - drop or point
bodhi - supreme knowledge
Brahma - trinity governing creation
brahman - the Absolute or ultimate reality
brahmanas - Vedic ritualistic texts
Brahmins - the highest, priestly caste
brahmacharya - control of sexual impulses, state of life of learning and purity
brahmacharyasana - the posterior stretch posture
brahmadvara - the door where kundalini enters the spine
brahmanda-prana - cosmic breath
Brihaspati - Vedic God of the ritual, the planet Jupiter
Buddha - ninth avatar of Vishnu
buddhi - wisdom, reason
buddhism - non-orthodox form of Vedic\Aryan teaching founded by the Buddha or enlightened one

C:

chakra - a wheel or vortex, nerve centers of the subtle body
chakra-bandha - the binding which seals all of the chakras
chakrasana - the wheel posture
chandra - the moon
Charvakas - materialistic philosophers of ancient India
chatur - four
chela - a pupil
chit - pure consciousness
chitrini - a fine cord within the spine
chitta - mind-stuff, the lower parts of mind - such as memory
chitta-vikshepa - confusion, distraction
chitta-vritti - a mode of behaviour
crore - ten million

D:

E:

eka - one, single
eka pada hastasana - the one leg posture
eka pada kakasana - the one leg crow posture
eka pada sirsasana - the leg-behind-head posture
ekgara - one-pointed
ekamevadvitiyam - one without a second

G:

H:

I:

J:

jagrata-avastha - complete awareness of the state of the mind
jalandhara - bandha where the chin rests in the notch between the collar bones
Jainism - non-orthodox form of Vedic/Aryan teaching emphasizing non-violence
janma - birth, incarnation
janu - the knee
janu sirsasana - the head-knee posture
japa - repetition of a mantra
jathara - the stomach
jathara parivartanasana - the belly-turning posture
jati - circumstances of life to which one is born
jaya - victory
jiva - a creature
jivana - life
jivatma - the individual soul
jnana - knowledge, especially spiritual knowledge
jnanendriya - an organ of knowledge, i.e. the five senses
Jnana Yoga - Yoga of Knowledge
jyotir dhyana - luminous contemplation
jyotis - inner light, Vedic Astrology

K:

kailasa - a Himalayan mountain, home of Shiva
kaivalya - spiritual independence and freedom
kakasana - the crow posture
Kakini - the goddess in anahata
kalabhairavasana - Lord Kalabhairava's posture
kali-yuga - the current, dark, pleasure-loving age
Kalki - tenth avatar of Vishnu
Kama - desire for material pleasures, the god of passion
kama-dhenu - the heavenly cow
kanda - a knot, the place where the three main nadis join
kandasana - the upward ankle-twist posture
kapala - the skull
kapalabhati - a process to clear the sinuses
kapha - biological water humor
Kapila - great Hindu sage, founder of the Sankhya system of philosophy
kapota - a dove
kapotasana - the dove posture
karakas - planetary significators
karma - work, action, the law of cause and effect
karmaphala - the result of an action
karma-yoga - unselfish actions
karmendriya - an action organ, e.g. the hands or feet
karnapidasana - the ear-press posture
Kartikeya - the god of war, was reared by the Pleiades
karuna - pity, tenderness
kathanta - howness
katikasana - the front-stretching posture
kaustubha - one of Vishnu's jewels
kaya - the body
kayika - pertaining to the body
ketu - south node of the Moon, dragon's tail
kevala - whole, pure
khandapitasana - the ankle-twist posture
khechari - mudra where the tongue is inserted in the upper cavity
khyati - an outlook of knowledge
kleshas - the five sources of trouble and suffering
kona - an angle
koshas - bodies or sheaths
krauncha - a heron
krikara - one of the vital airs, causes coughing and sneezing
Krishna - the eighth incarnation of vishnu
krishnasana - the Krishna posture
kriya - cleaning
krounchasana - the heron posture
Krttikas - the Pleiades
kshatriyas - the caste of princes and warriors
kshipta - neglected or distracted
kukutasana - the cockerel posture
kumbha - a pot
kumbhaka - holding the breath
kunda - starting place of kundalini
kundala - coil of rope
kundalini - a coiled female snake, the latent energy at the base of the spine
kurma - a tortoise, one of the vital airs - controls blinking
kurmasana - the tortoise (leg-lock) posture
kutichaka - the hut-builder

K:

M:

madhyama - average
maha - mighty
Mahabharata - epic story of Krishna, Kauravas and the Pandavas
mahabandha/mahamudra - types of mudra
Mahadeva - the great god - Shiva
Mahayana - great vehicle, northern school of Buddhism
mahat - cosmic consciousness
maitri - friendliness
maithuna - sacramental intercourse
makara - a crocodile
makarasana - the crocodile posture
mala - a wreath
malasana - the garland posture
man - to think
manas - mind or emotion
manana - pondering
manas - the reasoning ability of the mind
manasika - of the mind
mandala - circle
Mandara - mountain used by the gods to stir the cosmic ocean
manduka - a frog
mandukasana - the frog posture
mani - a jewel
manipura - navel
manomani - samadhi
mantra - a prayer or sacred thought
Manu - father of the human race
marmas - sensitive bodily points used in Ayurvedic treatment
marga - a path
matsya - a fish
matsyasana - the fish posture
matsyendrasana - the posture of Matsyendra
maya - illusion
mayura - a peacock
mayurasana - the peacock posture
Meru - the world mountain
meru-danda - the spinal column
mimansa - one of the schools of Indian philosophy, ritualistic form
mirdu - soft, gentle
mirta - a corpse
mirtasana - the corpse posture
moha - infatuation or delusion
moksha - emancipation of the soul from rebirth
mudha - foolish, stupid
mudra - a seal
mudita - delight
mudras - muscular contractions that include the bandhas
mukha - the mouth
mukta - liberated
muktasana - the liberated posture
mukta hasta sirsasana - the freehand headstand posture
mula - root
mulabandhasana - the ankle-twist posture
mulashodhana - cleansing the rectum
murcha - mind-fainting Mayavada - doctrine that the world is unreal

N:

nabhipedasana - the upward ankle-twist posture
nada - the sound current of the subtle body
nadi - a channel within the subtle body
nadi-shodhana - the purification of the nadis
naga - the vital air that causes burping
naishkaramya karma - actionless action
nakra - a crocodile
namah - a salute
nara - a man
Narasimha - the man-lion, fourth incarnation of Vishnu
Narayana - the supporter of life - Vishnu
Nataraja - Lord of the cosmic dance, a name of Shiva
natarajasana - the Lord of the Dance posture
nauli - an abdominal exercise (lauliki)
nava - a boat
navasana - the boat posture
neti - not so
neti-yoga - cleansing of the nostrils
niddhyasana - meditation and contemplation
nilimpa - a pictured one: a god
niralamba - unsupported
niralamba sarvangasana - the balancing shoulderstand posture
niranjana - pure, free from falsehood
nirlipta - unstainedness
nirodha - control or restraint
nirvana - freedom of the personal soul from the physical world, liberation
nirvichara - non-investigational meditation
nirvitarka - non-inspectional meditation
niyama - self-purification through discipline
nyaya - one of the schools of Indian philosophy

O:

ojas - concentrated psychic power
Om - The mantra of the Divine
omkarasana - the OM posture

P:

R:

raga - anger, passion
Radha - consort of Krishna
rahu - north node of the Moon; dragon's head
raja - a ruler, king
raja-yoga - the yoga of mastery over the mind, royal yoga path of Patanjali
rajas - mobility
Rakini - the goddess in svadhishthana
Rama - the seventh incarnation of Vishnu
Ramayana - epic story of Rama
rambha - plantain
rasayana - Ayurvedic rejuvenation methods
Ravana - a demon king from Lanka who abducted the wife of Rama
Rig Veda - oldest Hindu scripture; Veda of chant
Rishis - ancient Vedic seers
rechaka - outbreathing
retus - semen
ru - light
Rudra - wrathful form of Shivaa
rupa - a form or body

S:

Sadashiva - a form of Shiva
sadhaka - an aspirant, seeker
sadhana - practice, a quest
sah - he, that
sahaja - the karma to which one is born
sahasrara - the thousand-petalled lotus within the cerebral cavity
sakshatkara - the spirit
sakthi chalini - the nerve-power posture
salabhasana - the locust posture
salamba - supported
salamba sarvangasana - the supported shoulderstand posture
sama - equal, upright
samakonasana - the sideways leg-splits posture
sama-sthiti - standing still
Sama Veda - Veda of song
sama-vritti - pranayama where inhalation, exhalation and suspension of breath are of same length
samadhi - state where the aspirant is one with the object of his meditation
samana - one of the vital airs, which aids digestion
samasthiti - the upright-sitting posture
sambhava - birth
samkatasana - the dangerous posture
samkhya - one of the schools of Indian philosophy
samkhya yoga - the yoga of science
samshaya - doubt
samskaras - memories
samyama - dharana, dhyana and samadhi taken together
Sankhya - Vedic philosophy of cosmic principles
Sanskrit - Divine mantric language, serves as the root language for many Indo-Asian languages
Sannyasa - stage of life of renunciation and liberation, last 'ashram' or stage of life
sannyasi - one who has renounced the world
sanjivani - a life-restoring elixir or herb
sansara - the wheel of reincarnation
santosha - contentment
sara - essence
Sarasvati - goddess of speech and learning
sarva - whole
sarvanga - the whole body
sarvangasana - the shoulderstand posture
Sautrantika - Buddhist philosophy of the momentariness of all things
sat - reality
sat chit ananda - bliss consciousness
Sati - mother of Kartikeya and Ganapati
sattva - orderliness, the quality of goodness in everything natural
satya - honesty
savasana - the corpse posture
savichara - investigational meditation
savitarka - inspectional meditation
Savitar - Vedic Sun god as the guide of Yoga
sayanasana - the repose posture
setu - a bridge
setu bandhasana - the bridge posture
shabda - sound, the creative principle
Shakini - the goddess in vishuddha
shakti - female creative power, goddess
shaktichalani - one of the mudras, involves contracting the rectum
shalabha - a locust
shalabhasana - the locust posture
shama - calming the mind
shambhavi - related to Shiva
shambhavi mudra - gazing between ones eyes
Shambhu - a name of Shiva
shan - six
Shankara - the great philsopher of non-dualistic Vedanta
Shanmukha - with six mouths, a name of Kartikeya
shantih - peace
sharira - a body
shaucha - mental and bodily cleanliness
shava - a corpse
shavasana - the corpse posture
shayana - a bed
shesha - the serpent of eternity, having one thousand heads
shirsha - the head
shirshasana - the head-stand posture
shishya - the pupil of a guru
Shita - cold
Shiva - the destroyer
shmrti - memory
shodana - purification
shoka - anguish
shraddha - faith and trust
shravana - the act of listening to the doctrines
shrivatsa - the curl on Vishnu's breast
shunyavada - Buddhist philosophy that everything is void
shuddha - clean, pure
shvana - a dog
shvasa - inspiration
svasa-prashvasa - heaving and sighing
siddha - a prophet or adept
siddhasana - the adept's posture
siddhi - a psychic (or occult) power
Sikh(ism) - seeker, way of life started by Guru Nanak in 15th century, non-ritualistic
simha - a lion
simhasana - the lion posture
sirsangusthasana - the deep lunge posture
sirsasana - the headstand posture
Sita - the wife of Rama
Skanda - a name of Kartikeya, god of war
sodhana - purification
So'ham - natural mantric sound of the breath
Soma - Vedic God of bliss
srotas - channel systems used in Ayurvedic medicine
steya - robbery
sthirata - steadiness
sthiti - stability
sthula-sharira - the dense body
styana - sloth
sudras - the caste of servants and labourers
sukha - happiness
sukhasana - the easy posture
sukshma-sharira - the astral body
sumanasya - benevolence
supta - sleeping
supta baddha padmasana - the supine bound lotus posture
supta janu sirsasana - the supine head-knee posture
supta padangusthasana - the supine big toe posture
supta paschimottanasana - the supine back-stretching posture
supta vajrasana - the supine thunderbolt posture
surya - the sun God or god of the enlightened mind
surya namaskar - the homage to the sun posture
sushumna - the spinal cord
sushupti-avastha - the state of the mind in dreamless sleep
sutra - a thread
sva - vital force, soul
svadhyaya - education through the study of the divine texts
svapnavastha - the state of the mind in a dream
svarga - heaven
svarupa - one's true nature
svasamvedana - the understanding of oneself
svastikasana - the prosperous posture

T:

tada - a mountain
tamas - darkness, inertia, ignorance
tan - to stretch
tandava - violent dance of Shiva
tanmatras - the five potentials or senses
tantras - treatises on ritual, meditation, discipline, medieval yogic and ritualistic Indian texts
tap - to burn, shine, suffer
tapas - austerity, purification
tara - crossing over, the Goddess in her role as savior
Taraka - a demon slain by Kartikeya
tat - that
tattva - an element, the twenty-four categories of thatness
tejas - radiant energy, majesty
tirieng - horizontal
tittibha - a firefly
tittibhasana - the firefly posture
tola - a balance
tolangulasana - the balance posture
tolasana - the scales posture
trataka - an exercise to clear the vision
tri - three
trikona - a triangle
trikonasana - the triangle posture
trishna - thirst, desire
Trivikrama - fifth incarnation of Vishnu, who filled the earth, heaven and hell with his three steps (krama)

U:

ubhaya - both
ubhaya padangusthasana - the buttocks balance posture
udana - the vital air controlling the intake of food and air
uddiyana - a fetter or binding involving the raising of the diaphragm
ugra - powerful, noble
ugrasana - the posterior stretch posture
ullola - a large wave
Uma - Shiva's wife, Parvati
unmani - samadhi
Upanishads - the philosophical parts of the Vedas. 'upa' (near) 'ni' (down) sad (to sit) - the act of sitting
down by one's Guru to receive instruction.
upavishtha - seated
upeksha - disregard
urdhra prasarita ekapadasana - balancing forward posture
urdhva - raised
urdhva hastattanasana - the up-stretched arms posture
urdhva-mukha - face upwards
urdhva-retus - a celibate
ushtra - a camel
ushtrasana - the camel posture
utkata - fierce
utkatasana - the the hunkering posture
uttana - an intense stretch
utthita - stretched
utthita eka pada sirsasana - the balancing leg-behind-head posture
utthita kurmasana - the balancing tortoise posture
utthita lingamasana - the balancing on the phallus posture
utthita padangusthasana - the balancing big toe posture
utthita parsvakonasana - the stretched lateral angle posture
utthita paschimottanasana - the balancing back-stretching posture

V:

Y:

yajna - a sacrifice, sacred ritual
Yama - the god of death
yamas - the five moral commandments,yogic attitudes
yantra - a design used in meditation,geometrical meditation designs
yastikasana - the stick posture
yoga - union, from 'yuj' - to join, techniques of developing and integrating energy, uniting with the Divine
yogadandasana - the yogin's staff posture
yogasana - the anchor posture
yoga-nidra - the sleep of yoga, where the body is resting but the mind is awake
Yoga Sutras - classical text of Patanjali on Yoga
yogi/yogin - one who practices yoga
yoni - vagina, womb, or source
yuga - an age, world-ages
yuj - to yoke, join, concentrate on
yajur veda - Veda of ritual or sacrifice
yukta - joined with, one who has attained the communion with the supreme spirit

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