athanor: a furnace that feeds itself so as to maintain a uniform temperature; used by alchemists
physical entity: an entity that has physical existence
theravada: one of two great schools of Buddhist doctrine emphasizing personal salvation through your own efforts; a conservative form of Buddhism that adheres to Pali scriptures and the non-theistic ideal of self purification to nirvana; the dominant religion of Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand and Laos and Cambodia