The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (59 page)

Read The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions Online

Authors: John Bowker

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
12.52Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ditya came to be applied to any god (so fundamental are the twelve principles to the sustenance of the cosmos). In Buddhism,
ditya is a name given to the Buddha.
dityavar
a
.
A Hindu spiritual practice and experience based on the intense light of the sun. Cf.
N
R
in Islam.
Adloyada
(Heb.).
Purim
carnival. The expression derives from the Hebrew ‘
ad de-lo-yada
‘ (until one no longer knows). According to the
rabbis
, participants should celebrate on Purim until they no longer know the difference between ‘Blessed be Mordecai’ and ‘Cursed be Haman’. The celebration involves processions of carnival floats through major
Israeli
towns.
Adonai
(Heb., ‘my Lord’). Jewish title of God. It is commonly used to replace the
tetragrammaton
(JHWH) when reading the text of the Hebrew scriptures, and its vowels, inserted into JHWH, thus produce the form Jehovah.
Adon ‘Olam
(Heb., ‘Lord of the World’). A Jewish hymn praising God's greatness. A version appears in George Borrow's
Lavengro
.

Other books

Taming the Last St Claire by Carole Mortimer
The Way to Dusty Death by Alistair MacLean
All Fishermen Are Liars by John Gierach
Speaking for Myself by Cherie Blair