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This glossary of terms
is taken from the book, “Radical Realizations and Frequently Used
AHAM Terms,” written by A. Ramana and published by AHAM Publications.
The book is available from our bookstore.
It contains far-reaching insights into the deeper meaning of certain
spiritual terms, as well as a few foreign words with Sanskrit or other
foreign meanings, often used by Ramana.
People reading Ramana’s
writings or listening to his recorded talks, and those taking AHAM programs,
may occasionally have difficulty understanding the meaning of uncommon
vernacular or colloquial words and phrases, and even coined words often
used by him, due to their unfamiliarity. There are also many ordinary
English words used by Ramana in a sense, way or manner that are often
different than their regularly believed or usual meaning. For example,
the words “consciousness,” and “transformation,”
and even everyday terms such as “mind,” and “life,”
and “self” are employed in ways peculiar or perhaps unique
to their common definitions.
Often Ramana gives precise
definitions (if not more elaborate explanations) of certain important
spiritually used words and terms. These have been seen and felt as particularly
meaningful to many serious students seeking a higher level of understanding
or insight into these very often difficult to grasp or comprehend spiritual
terms.
Ramana also cautions his
listeners that, “A definition or meaning of my words has to
be considered in the context in which they are being used.”
He often warns us, “Don’t forget that what can be
misunderstood, will be misunderstood.” Also, “A
definition of a word very often ‘ties its meaning down’
to that definition. Therefore, it may later need to be ‘set free’
to be used again, in a new or different way or manner, having another
different definition or meaning.”
For example, what is meant
by the word, “board?” Obviously, you must consider the context
in which it is being used. Here is a story to illustrate this:
“I was expected
to be present at the meeting of the board on Tuesday. On the way to
the meeting, I had to run fast to board the train, for it was just
pulling away from the station as I got there. During
the trip, I sat next to a friend who had a small chess set, and we
played a game by placing the board between us.
“It was raining
heavily when we arrived. We learned later the panel board containing
the engineer’s digital displays had gone down and he was not
able to switch rails into the terminal, and our car stopped beside
a wide puddle of muddy water. You would have thought we needed a diving
board. To not get our shoes muddy, a worker had placed a wide, thick
board over the place where we had to step down.
“Before returning
home, I met my son who told me he had found a nice place to live across
the street from his college campus that offered room and board.”
The word “board”
is used a total of eight times in the above short story, each time with
an entirely different meaning. Without knowing or considering the context
and content of how it is used, you could not know what it actually means,
in itself, as a word—or if it is being used correctly or not.
You may can understand,
by this simple example, the often difficult task of using common words
and their meanings for clear communication, when it comes to dealing
with spiritual ideas. That is, when it means using words, terms and
phrases pertaining to vital issues of one’s life and well-being,
and particularly to spiritual transformation or enlightenment. Even
though many standard words can be used to effectively convey the appropriate
meaning and desired intention, the usual and literally correct meanings
of some other words, however, are quite inadequate or don’t fully
do the job. So, we have to either give these words different meanings,
or coin new words.
The enormous risk in this
however, one that we must always watch out for, is the common
tendency of developing a “new language.” The result is the
danger of creating a division or schism in people’s minds that
can separate AHAM, with its most beneficial and effective principles
and processes for attaining spiritual enlightenment, from one’s
simple need for practical living in everyday life. Thus we create a
false gulf or division with mainstream society that can quite unfortunately
give the very wrong impression that AHAM is some sort of a “strange
cult.”
The truth is, that AHAM
is comprised entirely of very ordinary people—from all cultures,
all walks of life, and all social and educational levels—who are
daily living very ordinary lifestyles!
(NOTE: Some words appearing
in the definitions or explanations of the main words and terms in this
glossary, themselves also have definitions contained in this list of
terms. For your convenience, these words are in turn cross-linked with
their definitions. They should also be read, to have a clearer or more
specific understanding of them, and of the definitions in which they
appear. However, some of these descriptive words are commonly used –
such as “God,” and “Being,” and “Self,”
for example – and so may not all be linked with their respective
definitions.)
Terms or definitions that
contain the initials [LMT] in brackets, indicate particular terms that
are likely to be heard or used in AHAM’s Living Meditation
Training program.
Copying of the phrase- or
word-meanings contained in this glossary is prohibited without prior
consent from AHAM Publications.
A
• B • C
• D • E
• F • G
• H • I
• J-K • L
• M • N-O
• P-Q • R
• S • T
• U-V • W-X-Y-Z