OCCULT GLOSSARY Modern theosophical writings contain numerous terms and concepts drawn from the sacred literatures of antiquity, most of which are not found in modern dictionaries. Others have entered the vernacular with such a diversity of meanings they are in danger of losing their clarity and usefulness. Like the term occult, which simply means “hidden” (as when a star is “occulted” by a moon, planet, or star), their philosophical depth has bee obscured by layers of popular connotation. A succinct and reliable guide to this specialized terminology is required. In print since 1933, the Occult Glossary fills this need. Defining some 300 terms most frequently found in the field of metaphysics, it serves also as a fine introduction to theosophy. A scholar of Occidental and Oriental languages and philosophies, Dr. de Purucker was well qualified to elucidate these terms, and to explain the spiritual import of such themes as karma, reincarnation, planetary and solar cycles, universal brotherhood, and man’s evolutionary pilgrimage. “Genuine occultism, divorced from ethics, is simply unthinkable because impossible. There is no genuine occultism which does not include the loftiest ethics that the moral sense of mankind can comprehend. Occultism means the study of the hid things of Being, the science of life or universal nature. [It] embraces not merely the physical, physiological, psychological, and spiritual portions of man’s being, but has an equal and indeed a perhaps wider range in the studies dealing with the structure and operations as well as the origin and destiny of the kosmos.” G. de Purucker was born on January 15, 1874 at Suffern, New York, son of an Anglican minister who for some years served as chaplain of the American Church in Geneva, Switzerland. He received his early education at the Collège de Genève and under private tutors. In preparation for the ministry he specialized in Hebrew, Latin, Greek, and the writings of the early Church Fathers. However, subsequent reading in Eastern philosophies and Sanskrit literature led him to the study of the broad field of theosophy with its comprehension of all religions, philosophies, and sciences. Dr. de Purucker was head of the Theosophical Society from 1929 until his passing in Covina, California, on September 27, 1942. by the same author The Dialogues of G. de Purucker The Esoteric Tradition Fountain-Source of Occultism The Four Sacred Seasons Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy Golden Precepts of Esotericism Man in Evolution Messages to Conventions The Path of Compassion Questions We All Ask The Story of Jesus Studies in Occult Philosophy Wind of the Spirit Occult Glossary A COMPENDIUM OF ORIENTAL AND THEOSOPHICAL TERMS G. de PURUCKER THEOSOPHICAL UNIVERSITY PRESS PASADENA, CALIFORNIA Theosophical University Press post office box c Pasadena, California 91109-7107 2011 Second and Revised Edition Copyright © 1996 by Theosophical University Press First Edition published by Rider & Co., London, 1933 All rights reserved. This PDF eBook may be downloaded free of charge for personal use. Except for brief excerpts, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial or other use without the prior permission of Theosophical University Press. PDF eBook ISBN 978-1-55700-214-3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Purucker, G. de (Gottfried), 1874-1942. Occult glossary : a compendium of Oriental and theosophical terms / G. de Purucker. — 2nd & rev. ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-55700-050-6 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 1-55700-051-4 (paper : alk. paper) 1. Theosophy—Dictionaries. I. Title. BP527.P8 1996 299′.934′03—dc20 96-41435 CIP This PDF eBook produced at Theosophical University Press Pasadena, California Publisher’s Note Every branch of study has its own special terminology, and the esoteric philosophies are no exception. This compendium not only clarifies the significance of the terms most frequently found in such literature, but o¤ers a comprehensive outline of the scope and prin- ciples underlying an age-old tradition respecting the constitution of man and the universe in which he lives. This Second and Revised Edition is faithful to the original 1933 edition. Changes include modernizing capitalization, spelling, and punctuation, and amending a few foreign terms (with appreciation to Dr. Bruce C. Hall and Mr. David Reigle for their respective contributions). The index has also been enlarged. Key to the Pronunciation of Sanskrit Words Sanskrit transliteration follows the modern system, except for the following letters to facilitate pronunciation: c = ch, ch = chh, r=. ri,. s=sh. a as in organ (not the a in man) Example: laya af¯ ar (not the a in hat) ¯atman ai aisle (not the ai in stain) taijasa au how (not the au in haul) bhaumika brubBrahm¯a bh rub-hard bhuta¯ ch chair (not the k-sound as in can) chakra chh staunch-hearted chhay¯¯ a d David deva dh sad-hearted dharma dhy the ‘‘dh’’ as above, but pronounce as though a ‘‘y’’ were added after the ‘‘h’’ — ‘‘sad-hyearted’’ (not j as in John) dhyana¯ ethey (not e as in then or these) deva g go (not as in legion) guru h harm hari ipinpitri. ¯ı police av¯ıchi j joy (not as in azure) j¯ıva jñ canyon (j is silent) jñana¯ (pronounced ny¯ana) k kelp kalpa l let laya m man manas n nature nirv¯ana. viii / Occult Glossary ñcanyonjñana¯ ng˙ finger (not as in thing) li˙nga-´sar¯ıra o go (not as in got) bodhi p path pralaya ph uphill (not as in sapphire) phala r rose rajas slesson (not as in rose) sat ´s shear ´sar¯ıra sh rush (not as in pleasure) ´sishta. t tub tamas th light-hearted (not as in then) sthula¯ upull (not as in union) upanishad ur¯ ule (not as in view) bh¯uta v voice (may be pronounced as a w after a consonant) vidy¯a, svapna y yet yogin Note — When several consonants come together, do not pro- nounce by inserting vowels between them: thus, ksha-tri-ya (not ke-shat-u-ri-ya), bhak-ti (not buh-hak-ti). Accentuation: Syllables are either heavy or light. Heavy syllables contain either a long vowel, or a short vowel followed by two or more consonants (aspirated letters such as bh are single consonants). Generally, the stress falls on the heavy syllable closest to the end of a word but not the last syllable. Examples: tu-r¯ı-ya, man-van-ta-ra, pra-j¯a-pa-ti; but u-pa-ni-shad (which has no heavy syllable). The .r, n. , and t. , (as in prak.riti, Br¯ahman. a, and ´sisht. a), though necessary to the correct transliteration of the Sanskrit, and some- what a¤ecting the pronunciation, may be ignored for practical pur- poses. The dz combination (as in Dzyan) is not Sanskrit, but should be pronounced as in adze (not j as in John). Additional help in pronouncing Sanskrit terms, with recorded examples, may be found in Sanskrit Pronunciation: Booklet and Cas- sette by Bruce Cameron Hall, Theosophical University Press, 1992. OCCULT GLOSSARY Occult Glossary A Compendium of Oriental and Theosophical Terms Absolute A term which unfortunately is much abused and often misused even in theosophical writings. It is a conve- nient word in Occidental philosophy by which is described the utterly unconditioned; but it is a practice which violates both the etymology of the word and even the usage of some keen and careful thinkers as, for instance, Sir William Hamilton in his Discussions (3rd edition, page 13, footnote), who apparently uses the word abso- lute in the exactly correct sense in which theosophists should use it as meaning ‘‘finished,’’ ‘‘perfected,’’ ‘‘completed.’’ As Hamilton ob- serves: ‘‘The Absolute is diametrically opposed to, is contradictory of, the Infinite’’ (q.v.). This last statement is correct, and in careful theosophical writings the word Absolute should be used in Ham- ilton’s sense, as meaning that which is freed, unloosed, perfected, completed. Absolute is from the Latin absolutum, meaning ‘‘freed,’’ ‘‘un- loosed,’’ and is, therefore, an exact English parallel of the Sanskrit philosophical term moksha or mukti, and more mystically of the Sanskrit term so commonly found in Buddhist writings especially, nirv¯ana. — an extremely profound and mystical thought. Hence, to speak of parabrahman as being the Absolute may be a convenient usage for Occidentals who understand neither the signif- icance of the term parabrahman nor the etymology, origin, and proper usage of the English word Absolute — ‘‘proper’’ outside of a common and familiar employment. In strict accuracy, therefore, the student should use the word Absolute only when he means what the Hindu philosopher means when he speaks of moksha or mukti or of a mukta — i.e., one who has obtained mukti or freedom, one who has arrived at the acme 2/Occult Glossary or summit of all evolution possible in any one hierarchy, although as compared with hierarchies still more sublime, such j¯ıvanmukta is but a mere beginner. The Silent Watcher in theosophical phil- osophy is an outstanding example of one who can be said to be absolute in the fully accurate meaning of the word. It is obvious that the Silent Watcher is not parabrahman. (See also Moksha, Relativity) Adept The word means one who is ‘‘skilled’’; hence, even in our ordinary life, a chemist, a physician, a theologian, a me- chanic, an engineer, a teacher of languages, an astronomer, are all ‘‘adepts,’’ persons who are skilled, each in his own profession. In theosophical writings, however, an Adept is one who is skilled in the esoteric wisdom, in the teachings of life. Adi-Buddhi¯ See Svabhavat Advaita-Ved¯anta See Ved¯anta Agnishv¯atta(s) (Sanskrit) A compound of two words: agni, ‘‘fire’’; shv¯atta, ‘‘tasted’’ or ‘‘sweetened,’’ from svad, verb-root meaning ‘‘to taste’’ or ‘‘to sweeten.’’ Therefore, liter- ally one who has been delighted or sweetened by fire.