Articles by alphabetic order
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 Ā Ī Ñ Ś Ū Ö Ō
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0


Fravashis, Khvarenah & Windhorse

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Windhorse1as.jpg

Xwarenah (Avestisch; Pahlavi: Xwarrah, Neupersisch: Farr)

Khvarenah or khwarenah (xᵛarənah) is an Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept literally denoting "glory" or "splendour" but understood as a divine mystical force or power projected upon and aiding the appointed. The neuter noun thus also connotes "(divine) royal glory," reflecting the perceived divine empowerment of kings. The term also carries a secondary meaning of "(good) fortune"; those who possess it are able to complete their mission or function.

WINDHORSE...(T:lungta...Sk: prana...Ch: ch'i): Mipham (1846-1912): "to write klung-rta (river horse) is not beautiful. It should be written rlung-rta (windhorse)". (Karmay 1993)...LUNG means wind and TA means horse. Invoking secret drala is the experience of raising windhorse, raising a wind of delight and power and riding on, or conquering, that energy...a feeling of being completely and powerfully in the present...connect yourself to the inconceivable vision and wisdom of the cosmic mirror on the spot." (Trungpa: 1984..Pg 114)...The Tibetan text: "Cult of the Deities of the Lungta" A Buddhist text from the 14th century. Includes an invocation to the deities of the four directions. (Norbu:1995, pg70)....klung: river, stream....klung rta: luck, fortune....rlung: wind, breath, vital energy, prana, energy currents of the body, element wind...rlungta: the wind horse...."The klungta is a protective energy tied to a person's bla and phywa and is based on the function of the five elements." (Norbu:1995..pg 249)...."klun-rta (rlun-rta) is regularly written as sruns-rta." (Snellgrove: 1967...pg 9)

XRATU....."The power of 'xratu/rising' is an energy closely connected with visionary insight, indeed it is the cause of it. The moment of dawning when Mithra and his retinue are manifested." (Piras: 1996...pg 15)..."The relationship between daena (the medium of sight) and xratu (a mental sphere). Possession of daena/vision is manifested with the action of an eye enhanced with the energy of xratu, displaying the features of 'rising. Vision derives from the possession of the 'asna xratu', which is itself the faculty of vision of 'Jan', whence the eye is ordered." (Piras: 1996...pg 14)...

XVARENAH....(Xvarnah, Xwarrarh, farrah, khurrah,See Khvarenah)

Wind-horse112.jpg

Avestan khvarenah is probably derived from Proto-Avestan *hvar "to shine"

KAWIS...."Glory" (Median: farnah) (Khotanese:pharra)..."In the Avesta, the xwarenah is called 'kawyan', that is belonging to the Kawis. The Kawis were a partially legendary dynasty of eastern Iranian rulers. Xwarenah can be a creative power used by the gods or it can be a religious power. But generally it embodies the concept of good fortune. As a kind of fiery radiance it would relate to the word for sun (xwar) (Old Iranian: Suvar) (hwar: to shine)(xwar: to grasp)." (Malandra: 1983...pg 88)

In the Iranian languages of the middle period, the word is also attested as Bactrian far(r)o, Khotanese pharra, Parthian farh, Sogdian f(a)rn, and Ossetic farnae and farn, though in these languages the word does not necessarily signify "glory" or "fortune": In Buddhism, Sogdian farn and Khotanese pharra signified a "position of a Buddha," that is, with "dignity" or "high position." This meaning subsequently passed into Tocharian. In Manicheanism, Sogdian frn signified "luck" and was a designator of the "first luminary". Manichean Parthian farh again signifies "glory." In Scytho-Sarmatian and Alan culture, Digoron Ossetic farnae and Iron Ossetic farn signified "peace, happiness, abundance, fortune."

Bisyllabic khvarenah is only attested once in the Gathas, the oldest hymns of Zoroastrianism and considered to have been composed by the prophet himself. The one instance of Gathic khvarenah occurs in Yasna 51.18, where the word appears to mean royal glory. The primary source of information on khvarenah comes from the Yashts, the younger Avesta's collection of 21 hymns dedicated to individual divinities....Two distinct forms of khvarenah are discernible in Yasht 19: kavam khvarenah (kauuaēm xᵛarənah), the fortune of the kavis, the Kayanian kings.......akhvaretem khvarenah (axᵛarətəm xᵛarənah), glory that both divinities and mortals should strive for.

175a.jpg

Khvarenah is however also glory held by divinities: Ahura Mazda has it (19.9-13), the Amesha Spentas have it (19.14-20), the other yazatas as well (19.21-24). Yima loses it thrice, in turn to Mithra, Thraetaona and Keresaspa. Khvarenah assumes the shape of a bird when leaving Yima. (19.35-36, 19.82)......According to Yasht 13.14, the waters flow, the plants spring forth, and the winds blow through the khvarenah of the Fravashis.

"In Bon, the colour of one's own rlung rta is in accordnce with the element in one's horoscope so that the rlung rta of each person is one of the five element colours.....(The Arrow and the Spindle...Pg 152)

"The Zijid explains that when someone is afflicted by poverty it is necessary to increase the cha and the yang." Rituals are described to summon the cha and yang present in the universe. (Norbu: 1995..pg 72)....

"In many Tibetan houses, a white dgra lha mask is always hung to insure good luck and prosperity for the family. A thangka showing the nine dgra lha is also hung." (Nebesky: 1956..pg 335)...

FRAVASHIS......"A class of higher intelligence that are ancient Persian guardian warrior spirits. The 19th day of every month is consecrated to them. King Phraortes' (647 BC) Persian name is derived from the term."(Dhalla:1963..pg 235)..... "Hence Finite Time and Finite Space control man's destiny from the cradle to the grave. Yet the whole of the macrocosm is kept in being by the Fravashis (Dralas ??), the spiritual powers that are indissolubly linked with each human being and with humanity as a whole. Finite time-space, then, is not a kenoma, an empty nothingness, but a pleroma, a 'full' and vital organism...."...(Zaehner..1961..pg 150)...

This research explores my understanding that historically and geographically, the 'legendary' Kingdom of Shambhala was located in the region of Shamis en Balkh (Sham-i-Bala, Bactra, Zariasta)....the great ancient city in Bactria (a region possibly known as Tagzig, Oddiyana, Olmo Lungring) and the great rich and fertile region surrounded by the Pamir and Hindu Kush Mountains.

Source

balkhandshambhala.blogspot.com.au