The below list was drafted for the purpose of clarifying particular concepts of PROUT. Some of the terms may have a wider conventional meaning than what has been stated here. Suggestions are welcome

Exploitation  To take unethical, unjust and undue advantage of a person, a group of people, resources, etc. for selfish gain. Various forms of exploitation include psychic exploitation by imposing different types of dogma such as the religious; social exploitation by imposing inferiority in the form of class, race, sex, etc. differences; cultural exploitation by imposing foreign culture; political exploitation by imposing a foreign administrative structure, etc. Generally all types of exploitation aim at crude economic exploitation taking the more sophisticated, subtle form of psycho-economic exploitation, socio-economic exploitation, cultural-economic exploitation, etc. More on this subject

Ideology  To follow an idea in all affairs of life. The idea of the ideology of the socio-economic theory of PROUT is that the whole of creation is one family and every member of the family has the right to utilize their entire cosmic inheritance. More on this subject

Intellectual capitalism  Apathetic elitist psychology of an educated class who do not like to give up their privileged position to work for the welfare of the common people, thereby causing and extending pressing problems in the society. More on this subject

Metaphysical  The human mind expands and develops. When the mind directs itself towards solving physical problems and challenges it does so by exploring and realizing metaphysical potentialities. The techniques and arts of building habitat, developing industry, cultivating cooking, warfare, engineering, architecture, the sciences of mathematics and physics, etc., are all of metaphysical nature. The metaphysical liberates us from physical bondages and allows for a more helpful, comfortable and enjoyable life. Meta means “over” and “beyond”; the metaphysical facilitates and results in both crude and subtle development. Metaphysics is the philosophy of the evolution of matter from its original cause, pure consciousness, through various stages of manifest cosmic mind until matter is formed at its crudest level from where unit minds evolve towards their emancipation free of any bondage.

Mundane  “Of the physical world;” which one can register via sensory organs and deal with via motor organs. See PROUT’s 2nd and 4th fundamental principles.

Neohumanism  Spiritual humanism. Sarkar’s philosophy of liberation of human intellect from narrow-mindedness in the realization of a true human society and ultimate individual fulfillment. More on this subject

Prama  Equilibrium and equipoise (balance) in every sphere of individual and collective life, developed by evolving dynamic elemental triangles in larger larger and more complex constellations throughout existence. More on this subject

Progress  Properly directed movement. In PROUT, movement towards spirituality (including physical and psychic movements that support it) is termed as progress. More on this subject

Samaj  “Society”; a local socio-economico-cultural unit gradually developing along with other samajas into a united regional and ultimately global unit. PROUT claims universality but promotes initial groupification along ethnic, linguistic, socio-economic and other lines. It is a dynamic and progressive concept and not static such as nationalism. The concept of samaj is designed to bring out local socio-economic and cultural strength and secure local economic control. A samaj unit is defined by certain criteria, such as a common background, common needs, and common potentialities. Accordingly one samaj may be very large and populous and another small. For instance, the present nation of India has been divided into 44 samajas according to Proutistic principles. Some of them have several hundred million people, some a couple of hundred thousand. Maharlika (the Philippines) have nine samajas. The Nordic countries of Sweden and Norway have one majority samaja each, with the samaja of the Sami people in the northern areas of those countries running across national borders to include Sami communities of Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia as well. The same principle has been applied throughout the world wherever appropriate. More on this subject

Sentiment  Expression of psychic force not supported by rationality. “Running blindly without discrimination between proper and improper behavior is called sentiment. The path of discrimination between proper and improper behavior is called rationality. When human beings discriminate between proper and improper behavior and select the proper path, it is called conscience.” More on this subject

Spiritual  The ultimate, all-pervading, infinite sphere of existence. According to PROUT, spirituality offers:
There is only one man in the world
and his name is All Men.
There is only one woman in the world
and her name is All Women.
There is only one child in the world
and the child’s name is All Children.
– From “Timesweep” by Carl Sandburg, Honey and Salt, 1963.

Spiritual capitalism  Selfish attitude of keeping spiritual knowledge to oneself and not bother to arouse spiritual awareness in individual and collective life, ultravires to the very spirit of spiritual practices. More on this subject

Subtle  Underlying causes or inherent states relative to cruder ones are termed as subtle. Something that the mind can conceive, but which the sensory organs cannot perceive, is subtle. Conversely, that which comes within the range of the physical sense organs is crude. Both the metaphysical and supramundane (see entries) are subtle potentialities and resources. The spiritual cause and state are the most subtle. The human mind will continue to explore cultural, ethical and intellectual potentialities. Inquiries and advancements into subtler realms will continue as human beings come to understand more of the role of the psycho-physical (metaphysical), the physico-psychic (supramundane), the pure psychic and the psycho-spiritual in all human affairs. The most subtle purely spiritual cause and state is imperceivable by even the human mind. It is possible for humans to experience the purely spiritual though. One only has to go beyond the mind to achieve that most subtle state.

Supramundane  Mundane means “worldly”. It is something of ordinary existence, registered via sensory organs and dealt with via motor organs—a physical body, physical movement, a piece of cloth, etc. The supramundane is “beyond the crude world” although found in that world. Take the difference between the physical reality of a human body and the graceful beauty of competent dancers in action. The first is a common physical phenomenon, the other engages us in spheres beyond the physical. The supramundane may be experienced in art and literature, architecture, and in the faces and gestures of all living beings evoking upliftment, inspiration, intuition, revolutionary knowledge, deeper personal and collective meaning, team spirit, and so on in us. It is found in all sorts of sublime existential phenomena—in nature, in the powerful presence of somebody or something, in profound stillness, and in utmost Cosmic expressions throughout the Universe. By its subtlety the supramundane represents the field of further mental expansion providing for existential awakening, higher evolution, and transcendence.

Theory  PROUT is a socio-economic theory based on practice; its principles and concepts are based on empirical experience. “When theory succeeds practice it has a practical application. First the apple fell and then the theory was formulated. The apple did not fall according to the theory.” PROUT holds that if practice precedes theory numerous problems may be solved in a better way if not avoided altogether. More on this subject

Utilization  Maximum, balanced, and progressive utilization of all human and existential resources. Mundane potentialities, which are latent in land, water, sunlight, air and ether, should be utilized maximally and properly. Progressive utilization towards all-round development will ensure social security. Parallel to the proper exploration of nature’s latent resources the worth and value of all living beings should be recognized. There are two types of such value: utility value and existential value. A proper concept of utilization can give all living beings their existential due and secure progressive utilization of all natural, individual and collective resources. More on this subject

For a full discussion on PROUT, go to the main PROUT page