Glossary of Jaina terms
Glossary of Jaina terms
Abhyantara tapa: internal austerity
Abrahama: unchasity
Acharaya: the head of a group of sadhus
Adana-niksepa samiti: regulation of actions of taking or placing
Adharma: medium of rest
Agama: sacred precepts
Aghatiya karma: the non-destructive karma
Ahimsa: abstention from injury to living beings
Ailaka: the grade of ascetics of Digambara sect below that of Nirgrantha grade
Ajiva: non-soul, non-living substance
Akasa: space
Aksata: sacred rice
Amanaska Jivas: souls having no mind
Anagara-dharma: ethical code for non-householders, i.e. ascetics.
Ananta-chatustaya: infinite quaternary
Ananta-darsana: infinite perception
Ananta-jnana: infinite knowledge
Ananta-sukha: infinite bliss
Ananta-virya: infinite power
anarthadanda-vrata: a vow to abstain form wanton unnecessary activities
Anasana: fasting
Anatmavada: belief in the non-existence of soul
Anekanta: manifoldness
Anekantavada: many-sided view-point, doctrine of manifold aspects
Anga: essential requisite, component, limb
Anihnava: Without concealment of knowledge
Antaraya karma: the obstructive-karma
Anumana: inference
Anupreksa: reflection
Anu-vrata: a small vow
Anu-vrata Andolana: the small vow movement
Aparigraha: abstention from greed for worldly possessions
Apauraseya: of non-human origin
Apavadiki nivrtti: partial renunciation
Ap-kaya jivas: water-bodied souls
Apta: Tirthankara
Arati: waving of lights in front of an idol
Arjika: a female ascetic
Artha: wealth, worldly prosperity
Asatya: falsehood
Asrama: a stage in life
Asrava: the attraction of karmic matter towards the soul
Asubha-asrava: influx of vice or demeritorious karmas into the soul
Asteya: abstention from theft
Atichara: transgression, short coming
Atithi-samvibhaga-vara: a vow to feed ascetics and/ or pious householders
Atman: soul, spirit
Atmavada: belief in existence of soul
Autsargiki nivrtti: complete renunciation
Avadhi-jnana: clairvoyant knowledge of matter
Avamodarya: eating less
Avasarpini: descending
Avasyakas: necessary daily duties
Avatara: incarnation
Avidya: ignorance
Avirati: vowlessness, non-renunciation
Aviveka: want of discrimination
Ayu-karma: the age-determining karma
Baddha jivas: souls in bondage
Bahumana: great honor or zeal
Bahya-parigraha: actual possession of worldly objects
Bahya-tapa: external austerities
Bla-mada: pride of power, pride of one’s own strength
Bandha: bondage of soul by karmic matter
Bhakti: faith, devotion
Bharata-varsa: India, i.e., the country named after Bharata, the eldest son of the first Jaina Tirthankara Adinatha
Bhasa-samiti: regulation of mode of speech
Bhattaraka: a Dharma-guru of Digambara Jainas
Bhavana: contemplation
Bhogabhumi: enjoyment-region
Bispantha: name of sub-sect of Digambara Jainas
Brahmacharya: abstention form unchasity or sexuality
Brahmacharayasrama : the first stage in life of study and preparation
Chiatya: idol or statue
Chaityalaya: a temple
Chaityavasi: temple residents, another name of Murtipujaka sub-sect of Svetambara sect
Chakravarti: Emperor, a paramount sovereign
Charitra: biographies of great teachers and personages
Chatur-indriya-Jivas: souls having first four senses of touch, taste, smell and sight
Chaturyama Dharma: fourfold religion
Chaurya: theft
Chhedopasthapana: recovery of lost equanimity
Dana: charity
Darsanavaraniya karma: the conation-obscuring karma
Dasalaksana dharma: observance of ten virtues
Deravasi: temple resident, another name of Murtipujaka sub-sect of Svetambara sect
Desa-vrata: a vow to limit worldly activity to a particular area.
Deva-gati: celestial condition of existence
Deva-mudhata: belief in false gods
Deva-puja: worship of God
Dharma: religion, religious merit, virtue, medium of motion
Dharma-guru: a religious authority
Dhrauvya: permanence
Dhundhia: searchers, another name of Sthanakvasi sub-sect of Svetambara sect
Dhyana: mediation, concentration of mind
Digambara: sky-clad, naked, name of a major sect of Jainas
Digvrata: avow to limit worldly activity to fixed points in all directions
Diksa: initiation
Diksa-vidhi: initiation rite
Dravya: substance
Dravya-naya: the substantial point of view
Dvi-indriya jivas: Souls having first two senses of touch and taste
Esana samiti: regulation of seeking or eating food
Evambhuta Naya: the ‘such-like’ standpoint
Ganadhara: spokesman of Tirthankara
Gati: form of existence
Ghatiya karma: the destructive karma
Gotra karma: the family-determining karma
Grantha: book, correct use of the words
Grharambhi himsa: accidental injury, injury due to household activities
Grahasthasrama: the second stage in life of a house holder
Guan: quality
Guna-vrata: a multiplicative vow
Gupti: regulation, control
Guru: teacher, preceptor, guide
Gurupasti: worship of the preceptor
Himsa: injury
Iray-samiti: regulation of walking
Jaina: a follower of Jaina religion
Jaina-dharma: Jaina religion
Jati-mada: pride of cast
Jina: spiritual victor
Jina-dharma: Jain religion
Jinakalpi Sadhu: an ascetic who observes prescribed rules of conduct in the strictest form
Jiva: soul, spirit, living substance
Jnana: knowledge
Jana-mada: pride in learning
Jnanavaraniya karma: the knowledge-obscuring karma