| Daevas / Devas ('shining ones') | Zoroastrian supernatural demons at war with the Ahuras. |
| Dakhma ('Towers of silence') | Zoroastrian mounds or stone structure exposing corpses to vultures for clean picking prior to bleaching and disposing of the bones; for maintenance of purity. |
| Darshan ('seeing') | Hindu blessing from a deity; important part of worship. |
| Dasara | Hindu autumn festival in honor of the goddess Kali. |
| Decision | Act or process of making up one's mind; resolution. |
| Dedication | Wholly committed to a cause, ideal, or personal goal. |
| Deism | Movement in natural religion which rejects the idea of divine revelation and the notion of a deity which interferes or interested with workings of the universe. |
| Deity | Abstract term referring to transcendent being or beings. |
| Dervish | Islamic mystic; induces ecstatic sensations by movement, dance, whirling, or recitation. |
| Determination | the quality of being resolute; firmness of purpose. |
| Devil / Satan | Evil spirit or the personification of evil that tempts and accuses humans. |
| Dharma / Dhamma | Buddhist teaching concerning analysis of existence, cosmic order and right conduct; truth of the cosmos is the norm to which men should conform their behavior. |
| Dhimmis ('protected people') | Islamic term referring to legally protected non-Islamic portions of society including the 'people of the book' (Jews and Christians); while dhimmis are subject to non-Islamic tax, not allowed to evangelize, and second-class citizens, others are restricted. |
| Diaspora ('Scattering') | voluntary or compulsory dislocated Jews living among the nations. |
| Dignity | Bearing, conduct, or manner indicative of self-respect, formality, or appropriate demeanor |
| Dipankara | Buddha, prior to Gautama, who had come in contact in previous incarnation. |
| Disciple | follower of a religious leader or teaching. |
| Discipline | Rigorous effort of activity, habit, or life patterns designed to augment spiritual well being. |
| Divination | Method used to gain information regarding, people, phenomena. or the future by trance, natural signs (weather, flight of birds, star), or manipulation of objects (sticks, bones, rocks, or cards). |
| Doctrine | Official or orthodox religious teaching or belief. |
| Drama | Storytelling by narrative dialogue or action; Used to enhance communion with deity. |
| Druidism | Adherents to Celtic priestly caste; keepers of oral history and moral law of pagans; |
| Dualism | Occult belief that reality consists of conflicting equal natures: good versus evil. |
| Dukkha ('suffering') | Buddhist term for suffering; one of the three characteristics of existence. |
| Dyanetics (Scientology) | Humans are imprisoned gods; Releasing internal vibes frees one from past. |
©2006 Basic Progress