The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2724 page)

(3rd cent. CE)
. Jewish amora. Yannai was of priestly descent and a pupil of R.
iyya. Yannai established an academy, and his rulings are frequently quoted in the
Talmud
.

 
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(Skt., ‘instrument for supporting’). A geometrical design representing the cosmos used in Hindu liturgy (
p
j
) and meditation (
dhy
na
), especially in
Tantrism
. Though akin to
ma
ala
, yantra differs in that it can be a three-dimensional object of worship made of stone or metal plates. Like ma
ala, the yantra is a symbol of cosmogonic development from the absolute in the centre to the material world at the outer edges, and like ma
ala is the visual equivalent of
mantra
. Yantras often have a seed (
b
ja
) mantra inscribed upon them. In Tantric p
j
, the yantra, if made of stone or metal, is invested with power and meditated upon as the deity. The most famous yantra is the
r
yantra