The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2419 page)

Tam, Rabbenu
(
Jacob ben Meir
,

c.
1100–71).
French Jew and one of the leading
tosafists
. His name
tam
(‘perfect man’) derived from Genesis 25. 27, ‘Jacob was a
tam
dwelling in tents.’ He headed the
yeshivah
at Ramerupt, his birthplace, and became recognized as the greatest halakhic authority in his day. He issued many
responsa
, generally taking a lenient line, and so far as possible he adhered to the text of
Talmud
. His best-known work is
Sefer ha-Yashar
(Book of the Upright).

 
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(Skt.). In
S
khya
, one of the three strands (
gu
as
) of material nature (
prak
ti
).
In the external world, tamas is manifested as heaviness, darkness, and rigidity. In the individual it is reflected as fear, sloth, stupidity, indifference, etc., and is considered a negative force in humans.

 
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(b. 1929).
Anthropologist of SE Asian Buddhist societies. Tambiah's
Buddhism and the Spirit Cults in Northeast Thailand
(1970), based on fieldwork in a north-eastern Thai village, is still the most thorough and detailed of its kind.
World Conqueror and World Renouncer
(1976) is a more historically based account of Thai society as a whole, with particular reference to the institution of kingship.

 
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(1917–93).
Christian leader, known as OR, who led the struggle for a free and democratic S. Africa. He was educated at mission schools in the Transkei, and was sponsored by the Anglican Province of S. Africa at St Peter's school, Rosettenville, and at the University of Fort Hare. He was dismissed from Fort Hare for ‘subversive activities’, and became a teacher. He retained the support of the Anglican Church as he translated his deep religious convictions into the political struggle for freedom. He was President of the ANC, 1967–90, and was accused by the S. African regime of being a communist and a terrorist.

 
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