Glossary of Terms

T

Tad:

That.

Tadā:

Then, at that time.

Tamas:

1) Darkness.

2) Physics, as opposed to existence (sat).  The abode (āśaya) of inertia (abhiniveśa).  Part of the material triad (prākṛta traya).  The tenth of the ten strings (daśaguṇa).  See Guṇa.

Tāmasika:

1) Dark. 

2) Physical.  See above.

Tanmātra:

Subtle element.  There are seven subtle elements, but only five are named.  They are sound (śabda), appearance (rūpa), feel (sparśa), flavor (rasa), and odor (gandha).  They’re the subtle objects (viṣayas) of the senses (indriyas), as opposed to the gross objects, or mahābhūtas.  See Tattva.

Tap:

To give out heat, be hot, shine (as the sun).  See Tapas.

Tapas:

Self-discipline, which is reining in the senses (pragrahaṇa the indriyas).  The third of the five observances (niyamas).  See Niyama.

Taraṃga:

Wave.  See Kālavāda.

“Tat tvam asi”:

“Thou art that.”  See Mahāvākya.

Tattva:

1) One of the seventy principles (saptatitattva) of Advaita Sāṃkhya.  See Guṇavāda.

2) One of the twenty-five classical principles.  They are spirit (puruṣa), nature (prakṛti), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahaṃkāra), mind (manas), the ten senses (indriyas), the five subtle elements (tanmātras), and the five gross elements (mahābhūtas).

Tetractys:

The ancient triangular symbol of Pythagoras.  It contains ten dots distributed among four rows.  The first row has one dot, the second has two, the third has three, and the fourth has four.  These dots symbolize the ten strings (daśaguṇa) of string theory (guṇavāda).  See Guṇavāda.

Theism:

The belief in a deity or deities.  Atheism is the denial of deity.  Monotheism is the belief in a singular transcendent deity.  Nontheism is the lack of belief in deity.  Panentheism is the belief in a singular transcendent deity immanent throughout the universe.  Pantheism is the belief in a nontranscendent, immanent deity identical to the universe.

Three-Dimensional Space:

See Saptaguṇa Brahman.

Traya:

Triad.  A single unit with three parts.

Triguṇa:

1) Threefold.

2) Three qualities, three strings.  See Guṇa.

Triguṇa Brahman:

The threefold source, as opposed to the sevenfold source (saptaguṇa brahman).  The major triad (pradhāna traya).  The unmanifest (avyakta) part of the tenfold source (daśaguṇa brahman).  Synonymous with cessation (nirvāṇa) and the silent current (niḥśabdasrotas).  Related to the Pythagorean triad.  See Brahman.

Tripuṭī:

The agent, the object, and the action of direct perception (pratyakṣa).  See Pratyakṣa.

Tritattva:

A threefold principle, as opposed to a sevenfold principle (saptatattva).  The unmanifest (avyakta) part of a tenfold principle (daśatattva).  See Tattva.

Trividha:

Of three kinds, threefold.

Tṛṣṇā:

Thirst.  The cause of suffering (duḥkha) in the Four Noble Truths.  See Rāgadveṣa.

Tṛtīya:

1) Third.

2) The third state (avasthā), corresponding to nature (prakṛti).  See Avasthā.

Tryaṅga:

Three limbs.  The inner limbs (antaraṅgas).  See Aṣṭāṅga.

Tu:

But.

Turīya:

The fourth state (avasthā), corresponding to existence (sat).  The fourth of the ten states.  See Avasthā.

Turīyātīta:

Beyond the fourth state.  Refers to the union, body, and sheath states (yoga, śarīra, and kośa avasthās).  See Avasthā.

Tva:

Suffix meaning “the state of.”

Tvac:

See below.

Tvac/Pāṇi:

Feeling/grasping.  The eighth principle (tattva) of mind (sattva) and the fifth sense (indriya).  Resonates with the subtle element (tanmātra) of feel (sparśa) and the gross element (mahābhūta) of air (vāyu).  See Indriya.

Tvam:

You, thou.

Tyāga:

Giving up, renouncing, renunciation.