GLOSSARY The chapters in this volume contain words from several languages: Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, Sanskrit, and Tibetan. Many Sanskrit and Sanskrit-related words are used in Bengali, Hindi and Nepali, so there is much overlap in the vocabulary related to renunciation in these Sanskrit-related languages. Acknowledging this overlap, we include Hindi, Bengali, and Nepali terms in a single list for Sanskrit-related languages. Because Tibetan and Sanskrit belong to different language families, we list Tibetan terms in a separate list. Where alternative Sanskritized spellings appear in different chapters, we indicate both variants (samsar I a; jnan I a; tapas I ya; vairag I ya). Three Arabic-derived words (khilaphat, majzub, mazar) are included in the first list, as they are used by Bengali-speaking Bauls. Sanskrit,Related Languages of Hindi, Bengali, and Nepali acharya Sanskrit scholar; spiritual leader of renouncer group ahamkar egotism ajiv insentient matter akhand Bharat united India aryika noble woman; nun of the Jain Digambar sect asan seat or posture for meditation ashram hermitage in Hinduism atman soul in Hinduism avadhut ascetic believed to be above all rule baba an old man; an ascetic bairagi(fbairagini) Vaishnava renouncer bansuri flute bhakti devotion in Hinduism bhandara feast Bharat India 270 GLOSSARY bhek initiation into renunciation, usually Vaishnava or Baul bhek-dhari person who has taken bhek or wears clothes signifying bhek bhog enjoyment; suffering; experiencing the result of good or bad deeds brahman ultimate reality; impersonal absolute daitva duty or responsibility dan contribution; donation; gift dharma duty; moral order; religion dhoti waistcloth worn by men dhuni sacred fire pit associated with wandering renouncers diksha initiation by a guru that usually involves obtaining a mantra divyalok region of celestial beings do tara a lute--like instrument gaumutra cows' unne. ghar house or home of layperson ghuspeti infiltrator; spy guru spiritual teacher in Hinduism havan sacrificial fire Hindutva Hindu nationalism imani batein human affairs jati byabasa caste occupation }ina literally conqueror; omniscient spiritual teacher of]ainism; synonym with Tirrhankara jivl a soul; that which has sentience in Hinduism and Jain ism jnan/ a knowledge; wisdom jnanamarg path of knowledge kamkarnewali literallly she who works karma action or good works; fruits of action in Hinduism karmayoga the yoga of good works karmic pertaining to actions or good works in this or other lives kashaya paSSions kavatchan tunic worn by mumukshus, upasikas, and samanis in Jainism khepa crazy; mad with longing for Divine; Bauls may append this adjective to their name khilaphat Caliphate; used by Bauls and some Sufis ro refer to institu­ tion of renunciation khukuri traditional Nepali curved knife with an iron blade kriyayoga particular yogic technique; used synonymously with karmayoga by some renouncers to mean "the yoga of action" kuti hermitage; small room, especially in a temple GLOSSARY 271 Lalan panthis followers of the famous Baul practitioner and artist Lalan Shah who lived during the eighteenth century; his songs, sung by Bauls in West Bengal and Bangladesh, have esoteric meanings that are passed on from guru to disciple after ini­ tiation (diksha) linga phallic representation of Shiva; a sign of Shiva's divine pres­ ence and spiritual potential madhukari gathering honey by a bee; refers to mendicant practice of taking a little from many households and never a lot from one mahatma great soul; term of address usually for (male) saints mahavratas great vows of a renouncer majzub person who has renounced worldly concerns as a result of losing her or his senses; having ecstatic devotion or divine possessiOn mala garland or necklace; rosary used in recitation of a mantra maya illusion; attachments and affections one feels for others mazar Muslim shrine dedicated to a saint mithini ritual sister; fictive kinship bond established between two women in Nepal mithyadrishti state of ignorance; delusion moksha enlightenment; state of spiritual emancipation muhpatti mouth covering worn by Jain renouncers mumukshu one who desires emancipation; term used to describe a first year student at school for monastic training mum male renouncer murti icon in which a deiry resides murti puja devotional worship of icons nigodas the simplest form of life in Jainism nirguna without attributes or qualities nirjara the elimination of karmas in Jainism pagal crazy; see khepa pandit Brahmin priest paramlok heavenly region path recitation pran I a life force; breath prasad gift from a deiry or holy place; blessed food pratikraman a ritualized confessional prayer in Jainism pratilekhna the careful checking of clothes, books, and so on for insects pravachan religious sermon puja devotional ritual in Hinduism; veneration pujari ritual officiate 272 GLOSSARY rajya rule; kingdom roti unleavened flatbread made from wheat rup beauty; form; color; menstrual blood used in Baul initiation rites sadhana religious or ritual discipline; spiritual practice sadhu (f. sadhvi) Hindu renouncer; ascetic saguna with attributes or qualities sallekhana ritual fast to death in Jainism samaj society; community samani semi-renouncer category within Jain Terapanthi sect; woman who is initiated but permitted some practices forbidden to "full" renouncers, such as traveling by means other than by foot samayik meditation on true self; state of spiritual equanimity samsarl a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth; worldly existence samskar I a mental impression forming on the mind; habit; also life cycle rite for Hindu householders sannyas I a renunciation of householder life for other wordly pursuits sannyasi (f sannyasini) Hindu renouncer seva serviCe shakti female creative principle; strength shiksha learning; education silpi artist; performer; craftsperson sindhur red powder worn by women to symbolize marital status sthan place; location sudarshan chakra sacred discus associated with Vishnu Sufi Muslim mystic Sufism mystical form oflslam emphasizing inner meanings of Muslim texts, mystical states to achieve close­ ness to God, and the importance of a guide (pir or mursid) to gain knowledge; popular form of Islam in South Asia swami lord or master; term of address for male sadhus tabla drum tapas I ya ascetic discipline, austerities tirthankara omniscient spiritual teacher of Jainism; synonym withjina tulsi mala garland made of carved wood from a sacred basil plant worn by Vaishnavas GLOSSARY 273 tyagi(f tyagini) a renouncer; one who has relinquished wordly concerns udasi free from worldly constraints; carefree upasika worshipper; term used to describe girls who are preparing to take initiation into renouncer order vairag I ya detachment; desirelessness vairagi (j vairagini) a renouncer who is in a state of detachment Vaishnava worshipper of god Vishnu or of one of his incarnations vanaprastha forest dwelling; one of the four stages of life in classi­ cal Hinduism vandana devotional salutation vipassana a meditative technique vritti inner disposition vyavahar wordly behavior; business yogi (j yogini) practitioner of yoga; spiritual practitioner m the Hindu or Buddhist tradition yoni female organ of generation; seat, place of rest, home, womb; usually represented at base of Shiva linga icon zildawar revenue official in Jammu and Kashmir in the colonial era Tibetan Language ache elder sister ani aunt aphyi grandmother be le pang byes expiatory rite m which ransom figures (be le) are tossed Bon Tibetan religious tradition that predates Buddhism and is still practiced in areas of Tibet and the Himalayas. Now recognized by the Dalai Lama as a fifth sect of Buddhism Bonpo practitioner of the Bon tradition (Tib. Bon po) brgya 'bzhi expiatory rite involving the ritual tossing of effigies 'bum skor village ritual involving circumambulation of the fields chomo female religious practitioner of the Tibetan Buddhist and Bon traditions who lives independently m a village, without monastic support (Tib. jo mo) 274 GLOSSARY dbu mdzad chant-master; the monk or nun responsible for leading the monastic assembly in chanting dge skos a monastic office of disciplinarian dge tsha village ritual to honor the ancestors dgu mig bzlod expiatory rite involving the tossing of nine effigies 'dri chang begging for beer; event to raise funds for rituals drogmo ritual sister; fictive kinship bond established between two women (Tib. grogs mo) dzo yak/cow crossbreed animal used for transport and farm work (Tib. mdzo) geshe highest qualification in Tibetan monastic system, attained after a minimum of nine years of study and thought comparable to a PhD (Tib. dge bshes) gnyer pa steward who organizes funding, food, and finances for a ritual or institution gompa a temple or monastery in the Buddhist or Bon tradition (Tib. dgon pa) Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist sect known for its emphasis on meditation (Tib. bKa' rgyud) klu underground spirits that rule over fertility and prosperity of homes, villages, individuals mchodgnas monks serving three-year terms as village ritual officiants mkhanpo abbot; head of assembly mnga' 'og ritual, financial, and legal domain of a monastery within which it has jurisdiction no mo younger sister Nyingma literally "the old one"; earliest sect ofTibetan Buddhism that shares many practices with Bon and is known for noncelibate householder lamas (Tib. rnying ma) o ma'i rin literally milk price, paid to a bride's mother pe rag jeweled headdress passed on from mother to (usually eldest) daughter at time of