The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2382 page)

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Authors: John Bowker

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Susanna and the Elders
.
Jewish
apocryphal
work. It was added to the Roman Catholic canonical Book of Daniel as ch. 13 (following the
Septuagint
), and was highly popular in the Middle Ages. In early Christian art, the story epitomized the salvation of souls.
Suso
(German mystic):
Susoku-kan
.
Zen Buddhist practices of ‘contemplation by counting the breath’. It is a group of practices in the early stages of
zazen
, to help collectedness of mind and avoidance of distraction:
(i) 
shutsu-nyosoku-kan
, counting breaths in and out;
(ii) 
shussoku-kan
, counting out;
(iii) 
nissoku-kan
, counting in;
(iv) 
zuisoku-kan
, following the breath.
Sutra
(Arab., ‘to conceal, veil’). In Islam, an object (often a
rosary
) which a worshipper places before him during
al
t
, in the direction of the
qibla
, making a protected place, free from human (or demonic spiritual) interference (cf.
capella
—cloak pulled over one in prayer—chapel).
S
tra

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