Glossary
The following is a list of words which reappear often
in descriptions of the history of Angkor and its temples.
|
Apsara |
Celestial nymphs or dancers represented
in the shape of flying figures; at Angkor, the stylisation
is extreme and the apsaras are often represented in groups
with finery and jewels. They are the "divine symbol of
happiness" (Maurice Glaize). |
Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara |
"Compassionate bodhisattva",
linked to the idea of Providence; often represented with four
arms and bears Amitabha on his chignon; attributes: lotus,
rosary, bottle and book. |
Avatar |
Literally "descent" in
Sanskrit, the incarnation of a god in a human or animal being.
The 7th and 8th avatars of Vishnu, Rama and Krishna, are the
most famous cf. the Ramayana and Mahabarata. |
Banteay |
"Citadel" |
Baray |
Rectangular compensating reservoir;
more than a pond, it is a dyke filled by rain and diversion
of rivers. Its function is to ensure irrigation of the neighbouring
fields and to supply the sanctuaries' moats. The baray is
at the basis of the Angkorian hydraulic system; progressive
silting up may have contributed to the weakening of the successive
Angkorian kingdoms. It also bears a sacred and symbolic function,
as well as an economic one, witnessed by temples erected at
their centres (West and East Mebon). |
Bodhisattva |
A being poised to become a Buddha,
but who renounces its own salvation in order to help humankind. |
Brahma |
One of the principal gods of the
Brahmanic trinity, the "creator"; generally represented
with four faces and four arms, mounted on the Hamsa or sacred
goose; his attributes include: disc, ladle, book, rosary,
vase, flywhisk and sceptre. |
Cham |
Ancient inhabitant of Champa, a
Hindu kingdom situated along the coast of former Annam. |
Chenla |
Former Chinese name for former
kingdoms of 'Land Chenla' and 'Water Chenla' that occupied
areas that were later incorporated into the Khmer Empire. |
Churning of the Sea of Milk |
The devas (gods) and the asuras
(demons) hold a huge naga (the naga King Vasuki) twisted around
the Mandala mountain in order to accomplish the churning of
the primordial ocean, thus extracting the Liquor of Immortality
(Amrita) which each group covets. A famous bas-relief at Angkor
Vat illustrates this episode extracted from Hindu mythology. |
Devaraja |
Cult of the 'god-king', created
for Jayavarman II on Phnom Kulen in 802 by the Royal Brahmins;
based on the tenet that the king was an emanation of a god,
usually represented in Khmer art by a linga symbolizing the
spiritual and royal essence of the king; the reigning monach
became identified with the Hindu god Shiva. |
Devata |
A deity, celestial being; gods,
male and female, of Buddhism and Brahmanism; a recurrent motif
on Khmer architecture. |
Dvarapala |
Squatting or standing temple, door
or gate guardian of Brahmanic or Buddhist temples usually
armed with spear, mace or club, whose presence ensures protection
from evil influences. |
Funan |
Former Chinese name for the ancient
empire that precedes the Khmer Empire. |
Ganesha |
God associated with wisdom and
knowledge, son of Shiva and Parvati; he is represented with
a human body with an elephant head and trunk that often plunges
into a bowl (symbolising the quest for knowledge). |
Garuda |
Divine bird, with a human body,
enemy of the nagas, mount of Vishnu. The garuda-naga is a
recurrent motif in Khmer sculpture; the garuda is often represented
mounted on the naga. |
Harihara |
A syncretic divinity combining
the attributes of Hari (Vishnu, on the left) and Hara (Shiva,
on the right). |
Hinayana |
"Hinayin", or 'Small
Vehicle', Buddhist sect. |
Kompong |
Pier, port, or village on the bank
of a waterway. |
Krishna |
8th avatar of Vishnu, much venerated
god in the Hindu pantheon. |
Lakshmi |
Consort of Vishnu, Goddess of Beauty,
Wealth and Prosperity. |
Linga |
Symbolic representation of Shiva,
in the shape of a phallus, often stylised; it is generally
composed of three sections: the square base corresponds to
Brahma, the creator, the octagonal middle section corresponds
to Vishnu, the preserver, and the circular upper section,
corresponds to Shiva; coupled with the Yoni, the whole symbolises
male and female forces of Shiva. |
Lokesvara |
Alternate name for Avalokitesvara,
the compassionate bodhisattva. |
Mahayana |
"Mohanikay", or 'Great
Vehicle', Buddhist sect. |
Mara |
Evil spirit tempting the Buddha
who reigns over a heaven of pleasure and sensual delights. |
Meru |
Mountain at the centre of the world,
home of the gods. |
Mudra |
Symbolic gestures of gods and of
Buddha. |
Naga |
Serpent king, mythic multi-headed
serpent (5, 7 or 9 heads); in Cambodia, this serpent has long
been associated with water and its benefits; it is symbolically
the guardian of prosperity, and treasures; symbol of water,
it is a decorative motif in many Khmer temples, where it decorates
the entrance balustrades, bridges, moats and reservoirs; nagas
of the 12th century are one of the most beautiful realisations
of Khmer art. |
Nandin |
Sacred bull, mount of Shiva. |
Nirvana |
Final annihilation, supreme aim
of Buddhism. |
Parinirvana |
Buddha's entry into infinity, also
posture for reclining Buddha statues. |
Parvati |
Consort of Shiva, sister of Vishnu;
Goddess of the mountains and of procreation. |
Phnom |
Literally mountain or hill, it
is a privileged setting for temples, and later monasteries,
due to its sacred and spiritual function. |
Preah |
"God", or sacred |
Ramayana |
Famous Hindu epic (Khmer: 'Reamker');
portraying Rama's struggle to find his consort Sita who is
captured by the demon Ravana; thanks to the support of the
monkey King Hanuman; scenes from this magnificent tale have
been widely used in the ornamentation of temples throughout
Southeast Asia. |
Sampot |
Fabric panel worn round the lower
half of the body. |
Sanskrit |
Indo aryen language which extended
over South East Asia, it is originally a scholar language
reserved for royal or pincely genealogies, or for the panegyric
of the monuments' foundations or the pious donators. It ceased
to be scholar language used in India and Cambodia when Theravada
Buddhism (which privileges the use of pali) became the main
religion, starting from the 14th century. Sanskrit, through
its diffusion in all the peninsula, vehicled cults and religions
from India (Hinduism and Buddhism). |
Shiva |
One of the gods of the Brahmanic
trinity, at the same time 'creator and destroyer'; usually
mounted on Nandin (sacred bull), he often bears a third eye
and a crescent on his chignon; he is symbolized by the shape
of the linga. |
Srah |
"Pool" or artificial
pond |
Srei |
"Woman" |
Stupa |
Buddhist monument of funeral or
commemorative nature, often containing relics or cremated
remains. |
Tcheou Ta Kouan |
This Chinese traveler who accompanied
his embassy in Angkor in 1296 - 1297, is particularly known
for his detailed account of the Angkor temples during Jayavarman
VII reign, when the Empire knew its apogee. It is the only
testimony we have from this period, which depicts the Khmer
capital city and its population from a realistic and lively
point of view.
This journal entitled Memories on the customs of Cambodia
has been translated in french and published for the first
time in the Bulletin de l'Ecole Française d'Extrême-Orient
in 1902. |
Tevoda |
or Devata, usually female divinity. |
Thom |
"Big" |
Trapeang |
"Pond" |
Vat |
Wat, or pagoda |
Veda |
Brahmanic laws |
Vishnu |
One of the gods of the Brahmanic
trinity, 'the protector' usually mounted on garuda; he generally
has four arms, holding the disc, the conch, the the bowl,
and the club; Vishnu has many avatars, such as Krishna. |
Yama |
The God of Death, or, Justice and
the Underworld who judges the dead before they can enter the
celestial palaces; usually mounted on a buffalo. |
Yoni |
Symbol of the feminine vulva; it
is a square stone, always associated with the linga at its
centre (Shiva); on one side, a channel enables the sacred
liquid (water, milk or honey) to flow out. |
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