Achourya (अचौर्य) or Asteya (अस्तेय) is the Sanskrit term for “non-stealing”. It is a virtue in Jainism. The practice of asteya demands that one must not steal, nor have…
Non-possession (अपरिग्रह) is a religious tenet followed in Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions in South Asia. In Jainism, aparigraha is the virtue of non-possessiveness,…
Dharma (धर्म) is a key concept with multiple meanings in the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, among others. Although no single-word translation exists for dharma in English (or…
Vairagya (वैराग्य) is a Sanskrit term used in Hinduism as well as Eastern philosophy that roughly translates as dispassion, detachment, or renunciation.…
Maya (माया), literally “illusion” or “magic”, has multiple meanings in Indian philosophies depending on the context. Maya also connotes that which “is constantly…
Shiva (शिव), also known as Mahadeva (महादेव), is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions…
Moksha (मोक्ष), also called Vimoksha, Vimukti, and Mukti is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. It refers to freedom from Dukkha and Saṃsāra, the…
Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on the breath. In Sanskrit, prana means “vital life force”, and Yama means to gain control. In yoga, breath…