Glossary of Terms

N

Na:

Not, no, nor, neither.

Nairantarya:

Without interruption, continually.

Nāman:

1) Name, class, kind.

2) Named, as opposed to unnamed (anāman).

3) See below.

Nāmaśarīra:

The name body.  The mental body.  The storehouse of subconscious impressions (jaḍa saṃskāras).  The second principle (tattva) of mind (sattva) and the fifth of the seven bodies (śarīra saptaka).  Part of a triad (traya) that includes the mental sheath (manomayakośa) and knowledge yoga (jñānayoga).  See Śarīra.

Navama:

1) Ninth.

2) The ninth, or dream, state (svapna avasthā), corresponding to emotion (rajas).  See Avasthā.

“Neti Neti”:

“Not this, not that,” as opposed to “this, that” (iti iti).  The apophatic way, or via negativa.  The experience (anubhava) whereby the states (avasthās) are progressively negated, revealing the origin (mūla).  See Avasthā.

Nigrāhya:

Comprehensible, able to be understood.

Niḥśabda:

Silent, silence, as opposed to sound (śabda).

Niḥśabdasrotas:

The silent current, as opposed to the sound-current (śabdasrotas).  See Srotas.

Nimittakāraṇa:

Of the four causes (catuṣkāraṇa), this is the efficient cause.  For example, the efficient cause of a clay pot is the potter.  The original efficient cause being the oversoul (īśvara).  See Kāraṇa.

Niratiśaya:

Unsurpassed.

Nirbīja:

Without seed, or seedless, as opposed to with seed (sabīja).  See Bīja.

Nirguṇa:

Without qualities, or unqualified, as opposed to qualified (saguṇa).  See below.

Nirguṇa Brahman:

The unqualified source, as opposed to the qualified source (saguṇa brahman).  Synonymous with the great ocean (mahāsāgara), the supreme source (parabrahman), and the supreme self (paramātman).  The infinite point of origin (ananta mūladeśa).  Of the four causes (catuṣkāraṇa), this is the purpose (kāryakāraṇa).  The absolute unity (kaivalya) which is indistinguishable, unthinkable, and indescribable (alakṣaṇa, acintya, and avyapadeśya).  See Brahman.

Nirodha:

Cessation, annihilation, destruction.

Nirodhamārga:

The path of cessation.  See Sādhanamārga.

Niruddha:

Ceased, annihilated, destroyed.

Nirvāṇa:

1) Without sound (nis + vāṇa).

2) Cessation, as opposed to transmigration (saṃsāra).  See Triguṇa Brahman.

Nirvikalpa:

Undifferentiated, as opposed to differentiated (savikalpa).

Nis:

Without.

Niṣkāraṇa:

Unnecessary, without purpose.

Niveśa:

Settling in a place, encamping, halting.

Nivṛtti:

Spinning within, as opposed to spinning without (pravṛtti).  Turning away from worldliness.  See Kālavāda.

Niyama:

The practice of observances, which includes purification (śauca), contentment (saṃtoṣa), self-discipline (tapas), self-study (svādhyāya), and surrender to the oversoul (īśvarapraṇidhāna).  The second of the eight limbs (aṣṭāṅga).  See Aṣṭāṅga.