The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1837 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Pi
aka
(Pali, ‘basket’), gathered collection of Buddhist texts. The ‘three baskets’, i.e.
Tripi
aka
, form a fundamental collection, equivalent to a
canon
of scriptures.
Pitha
(post-Vedic, possibly from
pi sad
, ‘sit on’, hence seat or throne), an important centre, especially for pilgrimage. Four major pithas became associated with the points of the compass, and represented the presence of
Devi
(the Goddess).
Pit
(Skt., ‘father’). The ancestors (pl., pitaras), who dwell in the pit
-loka, which is sometimes identified with heaven (
svarga
). Funeral rituals (
r
ddha
) are essential to maintain the pit
s in their proper state—and for that purpose, a son is necessary. In the
Br
hma
as
, the pit
y
na becomes a place of judgement.

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