The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (333 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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.
Baker, Augustine
(1575–1641).
Influential Benedictine (see
BENEDICT
) writer, especially on spirituality and
asceticism
, in particular through his
Holy Wisdom
(Sancta Sophia, 1657).
Bala
(Skt., P
li). The five powers developed in Buddhism by the strengthening of the five roots (
indriya
), which lead to enlightenment.
Balaam
.
A biblical character. He was instructed by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel, but after a vision of an
angel
he blessed the Israelites instead: see Numbers 22. 1–24. 25.
B
lak Si
gh
(1797–1862).
Spiritual preceptor of
R
m
Si
gh, who founded the
N
mdh
r
Sikh movement. He exhorted his followers to live simply and practise no religious ritual apart from repetition of God's name (
N
m
, hence the name of the movement). Devotees regard B
lak Si
gh as a reincarnation of Gur
Gobind Si
gh
.

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