A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

Lava 104
Lava
The younger of the twin sons of Räma
and Sïtä, later King of Ÿrävastï. (See also
RÄMÄYAŒA.)
liberation (mok•a, mukti)
With the acceptance of the notions of
SAßSÄRA and rebirth, the major preoccupation
of Hindus became liberation
from the cycle of birth and death. The
Upani•ads call the Vedas ‘unsafe boats’
because they are unable to carry one to
‘the other shore’. The Vedänta and
most other systems are primarily concerned
with teaching paths to liberation
from rebirth. They agree on the necessity
to neutralize KARMA (2) and to detach
oneself from desire. They differ in the
roles ascribed respectively to ritual
(karma), devotion (BHAKTI) and insight
(JÑÄNA). They also disagree on the possibility
of reaching liberation while still
in a body (jïvanmukta) and on the condition
of the liberated (mukta): while
ŸA¢KARA (2) teaches complete loss of
individuality in the merging of the liberated
with BRAHMAN, RÄMÄNUJA and
other theistic Vedäntins speak about an
eternal individual existence in the company
of the highest God.
life (ayus)
Hindus have always considered life as
one, making distinctions in degrees only
between the various forms of life.
Rebirth could take place in any form of
life: plant, animal, human or divine.
Human life was always considered special
as the only form of life in which
LIBERATION from rebirth could be
gained. As regards the Hindu attitude
towards life, there were two contrary
opinons: the one, represented by Kø•æa
in the Bhagavadgïtä, devalues physical
life as just a garment of the spiritual
soul, which can be changed at will. The
other, considering ahiƒsä (not killing)
as the highest duty, would take great
care of life in all its forms and consider
it sacred. The Hindu life sciences
(AYURVEDA) were highly developed and
had as their aim the preservation and
prolongation of life.
light
the many terms used for light (jyotis,
prabhä, prakäÿa, pratibhä, dïpti, känti,
ÿobhä etc.) and the appellation of the
highest experience as ‘enlightenment’
indicate the great importance that light
and everything connected with it have
in Hindu thought. One of the oldest and
best-known Vedic prayers asks to be led
‘from darkness to light’ and the obligatory
GÄYATRÏ mantra asks the SUN to
illumine the mind. Not only was Sürya
widely worshipped (sun temples used to
be quite frequent in the Middle Ages),
but Vi•æu also has a solar background.
All the major gods have names that
express light, splendour, brightness
(Prakäÿätman, ‘self-luminous’; Bhäskära,
‘sunlike’, jyotis, ‘light’) and the ultimate
condition is described in terms of a
light-experience.
lïlä (‘play’, ‘sport’)
The creation of the world by God is
described as lïlä because it does not
serve a purpose for God. Kø•æa’s dealing
with the GOPÏS, especially RÄDHÄ, is
called lïlä, divine playfulness.
liöga (1)
(‘sign’, ‘characteristic’, ‘token’)
In logic, the predicate of a proposition.
liöga (2)
The male organ.
liöga (3)
The aniconic symbol under which Ÿiva
is most often worshipped. The twelve
JYOTIR-LI¢GAS are supposed to have