by Deepak Sarma
anirvâcanîya: indescribable, a component of Advaita khyâti-vâda
anirvâcanya-khyâti-vâda: the Advaita theory that the ontological status
of the object of false cognitions is indescribable
119
133
120
An Introduction to Mâdhva Vedânta
anitya: non-eternal, finite, an acetana, there are two: saüsçùña and asaüsçùña
anumâna: reasoning
anupâdhika: not having a limiting adjunct, part of Madhvâcarya’s
pratibimba-vâda
anu-pramâõa: indirect knowledge, there are three: pratyakùa, anumâna, âgama
anuùñubh: a class of meter with four segments of eight syllables each,
totaling thirty-two syllables
anyâtha-khyâti-vâda: the Nyâya theory that false cognition is knowing
[something] as otherwise
aparokùa-jñâna: unmediated knowledge, of brahman
apauruùeya: sentences and/or texts not having human authorship, úruti, the Vedas
a posteriori: reasoning proceeding from the effects to the causes
a priori: reasoning proceeding from causes to the effects
âpta: authoritative, reliable
âptaguru: authoritative teacher
âptatva: authority, the state of being authoritative
âptavâkya: authoritative statements
Arjuna: name of the hero of the Mahâbhârata/ Bhagavad Gîtâ, one of
the Paõóava brothers
artha: material things, one of the puruùârthas
arthâpatti: presumption, under the scope of anumâna
asaügati: incongruity or irrelevance, a reason for defeat in a debate
asaüsçùña: not combined entities: mahat, ahaükâra, buddhi, manas, indriyas, pañca-tanmâtras and the pañca-bhûtas
asat: unreal, a component of Madhvâcârya’s khyâti-vâda
âúrama: stage in life, there are four: brahmacârya, gçhastha, vânaprastha and saünyâsa
aùñamañhas: the institution of the eight monasteries founded by
Madhvâcârya
âstika: philosophical traditions based on the Vedas
asura: a type of demon
asurîs: female demons
asvatantram: dependent things, all things other than Viùõu
âtman: the enduring self
tman: the Self, another name for brahman
âtmânyonyâúraya: mutual dependence, a tarka-doùa
atyantâbhava: permanently non-existent, sometimes called sadâbhâva,
for example, the son of a barren women
avatâra: incarnation, Viùõu has ten, including Kçùõa
134
Appendix C: Glossary
121
avidyâ: ignorance, a component of Advaita khyâti-vâda
ayogi-jñâna: one of the four types of kevala-pramâõa
Balarâma: Kçùõa’s older brother, another name for Saükarùaõa
bandha: bondage
Bhagavad Gîtâ: lit. ‘The Song of the Lord,’ a section of the
Mahâbhârata containing a dialogue between Kçùõa and Arjuna
Bhîma: name of the hero of the Mahâbhârata/ Bhagavad Gîtâ, one of the Paõóava brothers, avatâra of Vâyu/Madhvâcârya
bhakta: devotee
bhakti: devotion
bhakti-yoga: the path to mokùa via bhakti
bhâùya: commentary
bhâva: existent entities, there are two: cetana and acetana
bhavyatva: the capability to achieve nirvâõa held by some jîvas according to the Jains
bheda: different
bhedâbheda: different and non-different
bhedasâdhanam: establishing difference
bhûta: apparitions
bhûtârâdhana: worship of apparitions
bimba: object of reflection
bimba-pratibimba-vâda: Madhvâcârya’s theory of reflection
Brahmâ: a God in the Vedic and Vaiùõava pantheon
brahmâõóa: Brahmâ’s egg, the locus for the evolution of the universe, a
saüsçùña entity
brahmabandhu: a wicked and non-practicing brahmin
brahmacari: a celibate student
brahmacârya: the first stage in the âúrama system, the life of a celibate student
brahma-jñâna: knowledge of brahman
brahman: the divine principle, in Mâdhva Vedânta, brahman is Viùõu
Brahma Sûtras: by Vyâsa/Viùõu, the central texts to all schools of
Vedânta
brahmin: the priestly class, one of the four varõas
Buddha: the awakened one, founder of the tradition of Buddhism, an
avatâra of Viùõu
buddhi: the intellect, one of the twenty-four emanations of prakçti
buddhi-indriyas: the sense organs: ghrâõa, rasana, cakùus, úrotra, tvak
cakra: discuss, a symbol and weapon of Kçùõa
cakrakâ: circularity, a tarka-doùa
cakùus: eye, a buddhi-indriya
135
122
An Introduction to Mâdhva Vedânta
cetanas: sentient entities
daityas: demons, one of the tamo-yogyas
darúan: vision
daúaprakaraõas: Madhvâcârya’s ten short treatises on specific topics
dayivagaëu: worship of apparitions (in Tuëu)
deha: body
Devî: the Goddess
dharma: law, order, duty, religion, etc.
dharma-úâstra: a treatise on dharma
dodumma: a Tuëu and Kannaóa word for a grandmother, aunt, or any
older female relative
doùas: fallacy, defect
Draupadi: the epic heroine of the Mahâbhârata and wife of the Paõóava
brothers
duþkha-saüsthas: jîvas whose state of being is suffering
duþkhaspçùña: cetanas who are connected with suffering
Durgâ: a goddess
dvâpara-yuga: the third age
dvijas: twice born, in reference to a second birth following the
upanayana initiation rite. Limited only to the first three varõas.
epistemology: the theory of knowledge
eschatology: theories about death and the final goals of a philosophy or
theology
gandha: that which is detected by the olfactory organ, a pañca-tanmatra
ghrâõa: the olfactory organ, one of the six indriyas
granthas: unmetered thirty-two syllable verses
gçhastha: the second stage in the âúrama system, the life of a married householder
guõas: attributes
guru: teacher
guru-prasâda: the grace of the guru, required for aparokùa-jñâna hagiography: biography of a religious figure
Hanumân: name of the monkey God of the Râmayaõa, an avatâra of
Vâyu/Madhvâcârya
Hari: a name of Viùõu and his avatâras
hetu: the reason, one of the components of anumâna
indriyas: six physical sense organs; manas, ghrâõa, rasana, cakùus, úrotra and tvak
Îúa -jñâna: one of the four types of kevala-pramâõa
itihâsa: narrative history, lit. ‘so it has been’
jaóa: non-sentient material entities
jala: water, a pañca-bhûta
136
Appendix C: Glossary
123
jalpa: wrangling, a debate whose purpose is to bring fame and glory to
the competitive victor
janaloka: a place of temporary residence for jîvas between lives
Jana-loka: the Region of Creatures, a place in mokùa
Janardhana: a name for Viùõu
jâti: caste, a subdivision of varõa
jîva: the enduring self, also known as the âtman
jîva-traividhya: three-fold classification of jîvas
jñâna: kno
wledge
jñâna-yoga: the path to mokùa via jñâna
kâla: time, a nityânitya entity
kali-yuga: the fourth age
Kalki: an avatâra of Viùõu appearing at the end of kali-yuga
kalpa: one day in the life of the god Brahmâ
kalpanâgaurava: complexity (Ockham’s Razor), a tarka-doùa
kâma: pleasure, one of the puruùârthas
karma: actions and rituals having an impact on this life and future lives,
puõya and pâpa
karma-indriyas: the organs of action: vâc, pâõi, pâda, pâyu and upastha karma-yoga: the path to mokùa via action and ritual
kartçtva: agency
kevala-pramâõa: direct knowledge of an object as it is: Îúa, Lakùmî, yogi and ayogi-jñâna
khyâti-vada: theory of false cognition
Kçùõa: an avatâra of Viùõu, the god-hero of the Mahâbhârata/ Bhagavad Gîtâ
kçta-yuga: the first age
kùatriya: the warrior class, one of the four varõas
Kùîrasagare, the Ocean of Milk, a place in mokùa
Kumbipâka: the Pottery [Kiln], one of the Hells
Kûrma: the tortoise, an avatâra of Viùõu
Lakùmî: a goddess, known as Úrî and Ramâ, Viùõu’s consort
Lakùmî- jñâna: one of the four types of kevala-pramâõa
lîlâ: playful sport, usually in reference to the activities of the divine
liïga: an aniconic form of the god Úiva
Mâdhva: pertaining to Madhvâcârya and his school of Vedânta, a
follower of Madhvâcârya
madhya: middling jîvas, a classification of svarûpatraividhya
Mahâbhârata: the Hindu epic of the war between the Paõóavas and
Kauravas, held to be an âgama by Madhvâcârya, composed by Vyâsa
Mahâraurava: [Place of] Great Terror, one of the Hells
Mahar-loka, the Great Region, a place in mokùa
137
124
An Introduction to Mâdhva Vedânta
mahat: the great principle, one of the twenty-four emanations of prakçti Mahâ Tamas: the Great Hell, one of the two deepest Hells
manas: the mind, an indriya
maõgala-úlokas: adulations found in texts
manovçtti-jñâna: experiential knowledge, a vçtti, of the manas
Manu: the ancestor of all humans
manvantara: an age of a Manu, one cycle of the yugas and pralaya martyâdhamas: vilest of the mortal jîvas, one of the tamo-yogyas mañha: monastery
mâtras: objects, see pañca-tanmâtras
Matsya: the fish, an avatâra of Viùõu
mâyâ: the means to illusion, a central component of Advaita
epistemology
mohaúâstras: confusing teachings created intentionally by Viùõu
mokùa: liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth
mukti-yogyas: jîvas qualified for release who can be liberated from suffering
mukty-ayogyas: jîvas who cannot be liberated from suffering
munitrayam: the three major thinkers in Mâdhva Vedânta: Madhvâcârya,
Jayatîrtha and Vyâsatîrtha
nâgas: snakes
naras: the highest among men, one of the vimuktas
Narasiüha, the man-lion, an avatâra of Viùõu
Nârâyaõa: a name of Viùõu
nâstika: philosophical traditions not based on the Vedas
nîcâ: lowest jîvas, a classification of svarûpatraividhya
nirguõa: without attributes
nirvâõa: the Buddhist and Jain term for liberation from the cycle of birth
and rebirth
niùkâma-karma: acting without desire for the fruits of one’s actions, a
concept found in the Bhagavad Gîtâ
nitya: eternal, infinite, one of the three acetanas
nityabaddhas: those held by the Pâñcarâtrikas to be eternally bound to
the cycle of birth and rebirth, part of the Pâñcarâtrika doctrine of
predestination
nityâduþkha: eternally without suffering, Úrî
nityânitya: both eternal and non-eternal, one of the three acetanas
nitya-saüsârin: jîvas who are eternally caught in the cycle of birth and rebirth
nityasûris: jîvas who, according to Râmânuja, are never subject to birth and rebirth
nyâya: logic
138
Appendix C: Glossary
125
Nyâya: a school of South Asian philosophy
nyûna: omission of evidence, a reason for defeat in a debate
ontology: theories about the nature of being and what exists and does not
exist
pa: protectors of the world, one of the vimuktas
pada: complete word
pâda: going, a karma-indriya
pakka-guruji: fully developed and esteemed teacher
pakùa: the minor term, the subject, the probandum, a component of the anumâna
pañca-bhûtas: the five elements: âkâúa, vâyû, agni, jala and pçthivî pañcabheda: five-fold difference; between jîva and Viùõu, Viùõu and jaóa, individual jîvas, jîvas and jaóas, and individual jaóas Pañcakaùña: the [Place] of Five Miseries, one of the two deepest Hells
Pañcarâtrâgamas: a body of texts that are held to be agamas by
Madhvâcârya
pañca-tanmatras: five subtle elements deriving from the ahaükâra, the mâtras of the indriyas; úabda, sparúa, rûpa, rasa and gandha.
Paõóavas: five brothers and epic heroes of the Mahâbhârata: Yudhiùñira,
Bhîma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva
pâõi: grasping, a karma-indriya
pâpa: demeritorious karma
paraüpara: lineage
Paraúurâma: Râma with the axe, an avatâra of Viùõu
paratantra: entities that are dependent on another
paratantratva: dependence, the state of being paratantra
parokùa-jñâna: mediated knowledge of brahman
pauruùeya: sentences and/or texts having human authorship, úruti
pâyu: excreting, a karma-indriyas
piúacas: ghastly lurkers, one of the tamo-yogyas
pitçs: ancestors, one of the vimuktas
[Place of the] Vaitaraõi [river]: one of the Hells
pradhvaüsâbhâva: posterior non-existence, the non-existence of a
substance after it is destroyed, one of the three abhâvas
Pradyumna: father of Aniruddha, and son of Kçùõa, one of the vyûhas
prâgabhâva: prior non-existence, the non-existence of a substance
before it comes into being, one of the three abhâvas
prakaraõa: minor philosophical tract
prakçti: material cause, a nityânitya entity
pralaya: the destruction of the universe
pramâõa: the means of valid knowledge, there are two types: anu and kevala-pramâõa
139
126
An Introduction to Mâdhva Vedânta
prâptâdhatamasas: tamo-yogyas who suffer in complete darkness
prârabdha karma: latent karma accumulated over time
prasâda: grace
prâúnika: questioner, arbitrator of the dispute
prasthânatraya: three-fold systems. The Bhagavad Gîtâ, Brahma
Sûtras and ten Upaniùads
pratibimba: reflection
pratijñâ: proposition, a component of anumâna
pratyakùa: perception, one of the three anu-pramânas
pçthvî: earth, a pañca-bhûta
puõya: meritorious karma
purâõaprasthâna: system of Purâõic texts
puruùârthas: the human goals; dharma, artha, kâma and mokùa râkùasas: orcs, one of the tamo-yogyas
Ramâ: a name of Lakùmî, Úrî, Viùõu’s consort
Râma: the epic Hero of the Râmâyaõa, an avatâra of Viùõ
u
Râmânujâcârya: (1017–1137 ce) the founder of the Viúiùñâdvaita School
of Vedânta
Râmâyana: the Hindu epic about the Râma, an avatâra of Viùõu, held to be an âgama by Madhvâcârya
rasa: taste, a pañca-tanmâtra
rasana; the gustatory organ, a buddhi-indriyas
Raurava: [Place of] Terror, one of the Hells
çùis: seers, one of the vimuktas
Rudra: a name of Úiva, assists Viùõu by producing mohaúâstras
rûpa: color, a pañca-tanmâtra
úabda: sound, a pañca-tanmâtra
sadâbhâva: always non-existent, for example, the horn of a hare, one of
the three abhâvas, see also atyântâbhava
sâdhya: thing to be proven, the major term, a component of the
anumâna
saguõa: with attributes
Úaivite: a pertaining to Úiva, a devotee of the god Úiva
sâkùî: the internal witness, it is sva-prakâúa and is a pratyakùa úakti: female power
sâlokya: jîvas residing simply in Kùîrasagare, a place in mokùa sâmîpya: jîvas residing close to Viùõu in Kùîrasagare, a place in mokùa Úaükarâcârya: (788–820 ce) the founder of the Advaita School of
Vedânta
Saükarùaõa: a name of Balarâma, Kçùõa’s older brother, one of the
vyûhas
Sâükhya: a school of South Asian philosophy
140
Appendix C: Glossary
127
saünyâsa: the last stage in the âúrama system, renunciation
saünyâsi: an ascetic, one who has renounced
saüpradâya: community and institutions
saüsâra: worldly existence in the cycle of birth and rebirth
saüúaya: doubt
saüsçùña: a combined entity, brahmâõóa
saüvâda: accepting a disputed fact, a reason for defeat in a debate, also
refers to the debate itself
úaïkha: conch, a symbol of Kçùõa
sapakùa: a similar instance confirming the vyâpti, a component of the anumâna
sarûpa: jîvas similar to Viùõu residing in Kùîrasagare
úaúaúçïga: the horn of a hare, a sadâbhâva entity
úâstra: teachings, the âgamas
sat: real, a component of Madhvâcârya’s khyâti-vâda
Satya-loka: the Region of Truth, a place in mokùa
Úiva: name of a Hindu god
smçti: traditional human-authored texts
sopâdhika: having a limiting adjunct, part of Madhvâcârya’s
pratibimba-vâda
soteriology: theories about salvation
spçùta-duþkhas: jîvas who are completely connected with suffering
sparúa: feeling, a pañca-tanmâtra
Úrî: a name of Lakùmî, Ramâ, Viùõu’s consort, an honorific