BP Glossary"

BP Library

Bahai	Relatively modern religion teaching the oneness of God, the universality of all religions, and the inevitable unification of all religions. God is unknowable, creator, and the purpose of life is to know God. Emphasizes social truths and spiritual development of individuals. No Scripture.
Baptism	(Immersion) Christian communal initiation ceremony of washing in water consummating the confession of and conversion to Christian beliefs.
Bar Mitzvah	(son of the commandment) or Bat Mitzvah (daughter...)- Jewish rite of passage by which children aged thirteen years plus one day accept the tenets of Judaism and are accepted as adults in the synagogue with full legal and religious responsibilities. Includes reading of Scripture.
Bardo	Buddhist intermediary state between death and rebirth.
Basic	Core, essential, or fundamental element, principle, or procedure; simplicity.
Behavior	Observable manner of conduct; the aggregate of responses to internal and external stimuli.
Behavioral	personality element consisting of cultural, social, and private influences.
Belief	To have confidence in the truth, existence, reliability, or value of something and the reflection of that faith in character, decisions, action, and relationships.
Believe	To have confidence in the truth, existence, reliability, or value of something.
Benares	Hindu Holy City located on the banks of the Ganges. Center for Shiva worship. Deer Park, the location for Buddha's first sermon is nearby.
Bhagavad-gita	(Lord's Song) Devotional of Hinduism; incarnation of Vishnu as Krishna.
Bhakti	Most recommended Hindu path seeking unity with Brahma through love and devotion.
Bible	('book') - Sacred writings of Jewish and Christian religions.
Bikshu / Bikku	('sharer') - Mendicant Buddhist monk who teaches the dharma.
Binge	bout of excessive indulgence for consecutive days or weeks.
Biofeedback	Use of modern devices to monitor and control brainwaves through mind control to achieve an altered state of consciousness.
Black Muslims	(Nation of Islam) -African-American social and political movement.
Black Stone	Islamic sacred object set in the eastern corner in the Ka'ba sanctuary in Mecca; Tradition claims it was originally white and turned dark because of sin; originally given to Ishmael by the archangel Gabriel. During pilgrimage faithful touch or kiss the stone.
Bodhgaya	Buddhist sacred sight of Gautama's enlightenment, who sat for a week under the Bodhi tree leading to his bodhi.
Bodhi	In Buddhism, 'awakening' or "perfect enlightenment.'
Bodhidarma	First teacher of Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism; Original source of contemplation through the questions of paradox associated with Japanese Buddhism.
Bodhisavattva	(Enlightened existence') - An enlightened soul that voluntarily renounces Nirvana to return to help lesser beings on path of Nirvana.
Book of Mormon	Sacred Scripture of the Latter Day Saints, authored by Joseph Smith; Mormons believe it to be the completion of Biblical Revelations.
Boundaries	principles or standards that indicate acceptable moral and ethical limits, especially in relationships.
Brahma / Brahman	Hindu divine, absolute Reality; The unknowable breath behind all existence; Shiva and Vishnu represent opposite forces while Brahma is the balance between them.
Brahmin	Priestly social caste carrying elevated status in Hindu culture.
Buddha	('Enlightened One') Siddartha Gautama was first of any who reached enlightenment; Represented normally in the lotus position as the focus of worship.
Buddha Nature	Inner potential within humans that can be awakened by various disciplines.
Bushido	('way of the warrior') Samurai code of personal devotion; death rather than surrender.