The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (677 page)

 
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Divination
.

The art or skill of divining (
sc
., by use of ‘divinity’ or deity) that which is unknown—e.g. the future, the identity of culprits, lost items, the best partner for marriage, etc. Divination may be entirely divorced from the gods, and usually is undertaken by recognized and designated specialists who use mechanical means or manipulative techniques. J. Collins (
Primitive Religion
, 1978) attempted a classification of ten methods:

(i) by dreams;
(ii) by presentiments;
(iii) by body actions;
(iv) by ordeals;
(v) by possession;
(vi) by necromancy;
(vii) by animals or parts of dead animals;
(viii) by mechanical means, using objects;
(ix) by patterns in nature; and
(x) by observing other patterns, e.g. that death always comes in threes.

 
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Divine Comedy, The
(La Divina Commedia)
.

A long poetic work by
Dante
, describing the three domains of the life to come, Inferno,
Purgatory
,
Paradise
. Begun
c.
1307, it was completed shortly before his death in 1321. The poet is guided by Virgil through the circles of
hell
to the rim of purgatory, and in company with Beatrice is granted a glimpse of the
beatific vision
.

 
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Divine Light Mission
.

Religious movement founded by Sri Hans Ji Maharaj in 1960. He was acclaimed Gur
Maharaj Ji (often Maharaji) and Satguru. The movement was largely run by his mother, Mata Ji, until a schism, with Maharaji renaming his part of the movement Elan Vital. Central to the movement's teachings is a belief that
Buddha
,
K
a
,
Christ
,
Mu
ammad
, and a number of lesser masters have taught what is termed the Knowledge, which consists essentially of techniques of
meditation
. This Knowledge is transmitted from one master to another, each one being the only perfect or true teacher,
satguru
, during his lifetime. Followers or ‘premies’ believe that Guru Maharaj Ji is the present satguru.

 
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