Glossary
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Sabbath: day of rest and attunement to God.
The very base of God-realization and spiritual progress is to be able to calm the mind, contemplate, and attune the self to the truth of the universe. That is why God has emphasized the Sabbath as being one of the most important Commandments. That is because if a man cannot rest and calm his mind, he would never realize anything.
So it is very important that at least one day of the week be for rest, fasting, and kept holy by calming the mind and contemplating creation, God, and the truth behind them.
Sacrifice: to give of the self (physically, mentally, or spiritually) for others. In the highest form, sacrifice means not to be self-centered.
Sahasrara : the seventh chakra in Sanskrit.
Sal-Om : a derivation from "Salaam," "Shal-om," "Salute," and "OM (
)." It means "hello, goodbye, peace, be surrendered to the Divine (Lord), health, safety, greetings, kind wishes, courtesy, honor, to give a sign of respect, and good will; and the position (as of the hand) or the entire attitude of a person saluting another person."
In short, "Sal-Om" means, "We pay our salutations to the Divinity within you (to the Divine vibration OM), and wish you to be surrendered and submissive to Him, and to understand and follow His Laws. Then you will have the best in the universe." Sal-Om!
Samarians: same as the House of Israel.
Samskara (see also Karma and Reincarnation): the effect of the action which remains in the universe in order for the Soul to receive its proper rewards or punishments. This is the description of samskara according to the Far East Philosophies.
However, when a person repents and never again does the sins, he will be forgiven, because the purpose of all these Laws and creation is to help man overcome his lower nature and go to his higher self.
So if a person accomplishes this goal, there is no point that he be punished or gain experience which he has already achieved since he is ready to refrain from repeating his past mistakes.
When a person starts to meditate, samskaras are stirred up and the repetitive pattern which so far was controlling a person's life becomes even more intense. Also by meditation, the awareness increases. With a more intense life and greater awareness, with His Grace, lessons are learned quicker and progress is accelerated.
Sannyasin (same as renunciate): those who dedicate their lives to serve God and forgo marriage and family life. It also means those who are not attached to the result of their actions (are surrendered and submissive to God).
Sarkar, P. R. : the earthly name of the Baba, the founder of Ananda Marga (the Sixth Seal).
Sat, Chit, Ananda (Truth, Consciousness, Bliss): Ananda is the experience of realization. It can be accomplished by a person who truly (Sat) knows his consciousness (Chit). Such a person will experience bliss (Ananda).
He who truly (Sat) knows the consciousness (Chit) will experience bliss (Ananda). Or, by truly (Sat) knowing the self (Chit), you will know God (CHIT), and God is bliss (Ananda).
Sat-Guru (Perfect Master, Man-god): The individual who, for the first time, reaches Pure Consciousness but comes back to this world in order to help others to reach Pure Consciousness. Such a person is called a Sat-Guru, man-god, or perfect Master.
Satayaloka (True World, Essence, The Reality) : the seventh loka in Sanskrit.
Satsang : a company of people who gather together to talk about God and truth; good company.
There are three kinds of gatherings:
There is idle gathering which is when people gather together and exchange idle talk, which neither helps them materially (worldly) nor spiritually. Such a gathering and talk should be avoided by those who are in the path of the spirit.
There is a gathering to discuss and solve the real problems (real problems, not unreal problems from ignorance or passion). These gatherings are helpful to take care of worldly matters, "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34).
The third kind of gathering is the one in which people gather to talk about God, His creation, and Truth. This kind of gathering is the most desirable. In fact, to establish such a gathering and worship will help in solving most of the other small problems. This kind is Satsang. Faith comes by hearing!
Also Satsang refers to realizing the truth through visualizing (to see the truth), through hearing, reading, etc., or all the things which are truth or aid us in realizing the truth.
An example of this is: When a person sees an unhappy person and realizes that this person is unhappy because he or she does not know God. This realization or observation is a Satsang.
So Satsang in general is whatever helps us to know the self (Chit), God (CHIT), which is truth (SAT).
Satva Guna (Sentient Force): the most sentient force in the creative forces (one of the three gunas) of the universe (Universal Mind). It is responsible for the feeling of "I know" in the individual mind and Universal Mind. It is the same as the Angel Gabriel.
It is the decision-making part of the mind ("I know").
Satvic (Sentient): When satva guna is dominant in a subject, that subject is called satvic or sentient. For example, satvic foods are those with satva guna dominating in them. Anything satvic is preferable over rajasic and tamasic.
Also, sometimes subjects change their position as being satvic, rajasic, or tamasic in different situations (according to time, place, and person). For example, the food that is rajasic in a hot climate might become satvic in a cold climate.
Savikalpa : the state of active "Logic" or "Will"; the sixth state of progress.
Sayyed: those who are from Prophet Mohammad's genealogy.
Scepter, The: the promise of spiritual dominance and kingly position given to Abram (Abraham).
Sea: the consciousnesses under the influence of the tama guna, or when restless.
Sea is a turbulent water, as is a consciousness under the influence of the tama guna (turbulent by attraction, fulfilled desires, attachments, and greed -- the four winds), and a turbulent consciousness can neither realize itself nor realize God.
That is why the beasts (desires and attachments) arise from the sea in chapter 13 of The Revelation.
Seal: used in The Revelation (the last book in the Bible). According to our teachings, each Seal is One Truth of the Seven Truths covered as part of the Eternal Divine Path, brought with each major Prophet and/or religion on earth.
The First Seal: covers all Mystical Paths. They include Hinduism, Buddhism, Cabala, Saints in Christianity, Sufis in Islam, and any other religion that teaches Know Thyself to Know God (self and God are One!)
The Second Seal: is the Old Testament (Communities of Light, which is the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth).
The Third Seal: is the New Testament (Sacrifice).
The Fourth Seal: is Islam, which means being Surrendered and Submitted to the Will of God (not being attached to the result of one's action, let God be the doer, etc.)
The Fifth Seal: is the Bab/Baha'i teachings (Universalism).
The Sixth Seal: those who go through these first five Seals (Steps) become the Elects (Paravipras). This sixth state is the Sixth Seal or the teachings of the Baba (from the Ananda Marga organization).
The Seventh Seal: is the Seal of Unification and Revelation of the Seventh Angel (which Reveals the whole Mystery of God), our teachings.
Self: same as Soul.
Self-Centeredness: to be only concerned about the self and its mundane needs (selfishness).
Self-centeredness means to feel separate from the rest of the universe and to be unconcerned about the rest of creation. It is a feeling of not being a part of the universe and the universe a part of the self.
That is the essence of the feeling of separation, loneliness, and misery. That is the very reason people seek the company of others and feel lonely and lost when they are alone.
The opposite of being self-centered is to be other-centered or universally-centered. That is, to love the self because you love the whole universe, and because you are also a part of it. So you love yourself also, and you take care of the self and the rest of the universe for the same reason, because everything is God. A person with such a realization is never alone. He is always with God, and God is with him, even when in the company of others.
Sentient Force (Satva Guna): same as Satva Guna.
Serpent (Lucifer, Devil): same as devil. However, it is also related to the kulakundalini (latent spiritual force). When the kulakundalini is in the first three chakras, the serpent is a "devil." But when it is raised to higher chakras, it becomes wisdom, or light.
Service: to give physical, mental, or spiritual help to others with no expectation for any return, or to serve others in the spirit of serving God.
Service is of three kinds: from ignorance, from passion, and from knowledge.
Service is from ignorance when it is done for the wrong person (he does not need that service), at the wrong time, and/or at the wrong place.
Service is from passion when it is done in the spirit of gaining something in return. In fact such an act is not a service but is a business.
Service is from knowledge when it is done for the right person, at the right time, and at the right place, without expectation. However, service done to do God's Will is always from knowledge.
Not only can service be from ignorance, passion, or knowledge, but also in any situation (time, place, and people) any decision can be from these points.
Shah Bahram : the savior in the Zoroastrian religion who comes at the end time.
Shem: one of the three sons of Noah.
He is the symbol of the father of the Brahmin (true priest) class in humanity. That is why Abram (Abraham) is the descendant of Shem.
Shii'a : One of the two main branches of Islam.
The followers of Shii'a, who mostly reside in Iran and the neighboring countries, hold that Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, was the rightful choice for assuming the leadership of the Moslems as the Imam. There were three other successors (Abu Baker, Othman, and Omar) before Ali eventually became the Caliph (the leader of the Muslims). Even then he was assassinated, and his children did not succeed him as Caliph. The Islamic government changed from leaders following the Prophet's example to more secular and was organized as an empire.
Shii'as never accepted this situation and also never accepted the first three Caliphs as legitimate. That became the point of contention between the Shii'as and Sunnis (who accepted this situation). Shii'as still insist that this should not have happened.
Shii'as continued following the Imams (Ali's children). This created great tension between these unofficial leaders and the central government. So Ali and all his children, who Shii'as believe should have succeeded him and followed as Imams, were all poisoned and killed. The twelfth Imam disappeared and that is who Shii'as are waiting to return as Mahdi (Messiah).
Shiloh : Messiah.
This name is used in Gen. 49:10 as the bearer of the scepter, who will come and gather the people of Israel unto himself. This prophecy was fulfilled through Christ and he gathered the House of Israel under his banner (
) as Christians, especially the early Christians; read Children of Abram (Abraham), All Prophecies Are Fulfilled.
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti : the spiritual name of the Baba, the founder of Ananda Marga (the Sixth Seal).
Shrii Shrii Para Maha Yantra (The Greatest Sign): same as The Greatest Sign.
Shudras : laborers; children of Ham.
Shudras are the worker type of humans, and are the ones who do the basic, usually physical, tasks in society.
Siddhis : siddhis means powers. By overcoming the mundane propensities of each psychic center (chakra), different powers can be gained.
In a sense these powers are a boon for our work toward perfection. In another sense, they are a test to see how we use our acquired boons. If we use them for selfish reasons, either they will be taken away from us, or they will become a trap and an obstacle in further spiritual development.
That is why the goal of spiritual practices and progress should not be to gain siddhis, because they can result in regression or become a trap in the Path.
However, if a siddhi is gained in the process it should be used to help others in the path, with the ideation that it is not ours, but we are only channels (submission).
If a power is gained and is misused, and a person or persons are hurt, learn the lesson and do not misuse your powers any more, or if a power is gained and you do not know what to do with it, just give it up and give it back to the universe until you are ready for it.
Spiritual practices to gain powers (siddhis) indeed are of a very low level of consciousness. The goal of spiritual practices is to be(come) Divine, which is to create wisdom, compassion, and become free and one with the Father and The Holy Ghost (The Mother).
Sign Of Paravipra: the sixth seal in The Greatest Sign (
) (see Paravipra).
Sijjin : The name given for the bad records in the Akashic Records in the Koran.
Sin (Samskara): transgression of the Laws (Daharmas) of the Lord (universe).
Social Movements: (natural, evolutionary, revolutionary, counter-evolution, and counter-revolution):
There are five different movements in society:
(1) natural movements: those insignificant movements that do not bring a deep permanent change in society, such as fashions.
(2) evolutionary movements: gradual permanent changes which usually start from the top of society to the bottom.
(3) revolutionary movements: sudden, abrupt, permanent changes with great force, which usually occur from the bottom to the top of the society.
(4) counter-evolution: a gradual return to the previous state.
(5) counter-revolution: an abrupt return to the previous situation.
Counter-evolutions and counter-revolutions are very short lived. The progress of society can never be forced back for long (read Kingdom Of Heaven On Earth).
Son Of God: same as Avatar.
Soul (Atman, Self): the manifestation of the Divine in gross form as a separate consciousness.
Soul is different than spirit. Spirit is the same as astral body, consists of ethereal factors, and contains the first five chakras. The Soul is consciousness with the three gunas as its creative force or mind. Soul is the same as self.
Source Of Decrees (In The Koran): Same as Akashic. Records.
Spirit (Ethereal Body, Astral Body): same as astral body.
Spiritual Teacher: same as Guru.
Stars: symbol for the children in the family, the civil servants in society, and those who have small spiritual lights in guiding others a little.
Static Force (Tama Guna): same as tama guna.
Struggle With God: this does not mean to struggle against God. The word "with" here is taken to mean "to be with."
Therefore the sentence "struggle with God" here means to be on God's side (Elects) and struggle with Him against those who have gone astray.
Subconscious Mind: stored memories of this lifetime which are accessible to each individual by a little effort from the storage part of the brain, also stored karmas of the past lives.
Submission: when a person ideates that he and his body are only a channel for the Lord to do the Divine actions through them.
With this, there will be no "I" left and the person is free from egoistical attachment to the result of his actions because he is not the doer but He is. Then he will be free from any attachment, and that is the key to salvation.
Islam also means "submission" and this ideation of being submissive to the Lord is related to the fourth seal (
) in The Greatest Sign.
Subtle Body: the subtle body consists of: the mind (the three parts of the mind), the Soul, the astral body, and the fifteen fine organs.
Sun: the symbol of the father in the family (male, Logic); same as morning star.
Sunni : one of the two main branches of Islam.
The followers of Sunni differ from the other branch, Shii'a, in that Shii'as did not accept the successors of Prophet Muhammad as legitimate (see Shii'a) but Sunnis believe in their legitimacy.
Superior Nature (Consciousness Beyond The First Three Chakras, Higher Self): same as the higher nature of man.
Supreme Consciousness: same as "I AM" or God.
Surrendering: to do the actions but to surrender the result to the Lord.
Greater than surrendering is to be submissive. That is, to become a channel for His Divine actions. In surrendering still an "I" is present who surrenders "the result" of "his" action to God.
But in submission, there is no "I" left. Because it is He who is the doer, not the individual "I," therefore no attachment will be created to the result.
Svadhisthana : the second chakra in Sanskrit.
Swarloka (Crude Mental World) : the third loka in Sanskrit.