Notice:
For All terms concerning Buddhist personages refer to the Deities page
For terms referring to Buddhist Symbols go to the Symbols page
For terms concerning Buddhist places refer to the Holy Sites page

Buddhist Terminology
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abhidharma (Tib. chö ngön pa) The Buddhist teachings are often divided into the Three Baskets (Tripitaka):

(1) the Sutras: teachings of the Buddha

(2) the Vinaya: teachings on conduct

(3) the Abhidharma which includes the analysis of phenomena that exists. The

Abhidharma is a commentary-like work or extension to the teachings. The Abhidharma deals mostly with the workings of the mind.

Abhisheka (Tib. wang) To do a vajrayana practice one must receive the empowerment or abhisheka from a qualified Lama, which grants one the blessing to do the practice. One should also receive the practice instruction (tri) and the oral textual reading (lung).

Absolute truth (Skt. paramartha satya Tib. dondam) There are two truths or views of reality: the relative truth is when one sees the ordinary truths of the world such as reincarnation, Karma, etc., and the absolute (or ultimate) truth is the actual transcendence of duality; the experience of a Buddha who sees things as they are.

Acharya (Tib. lopon) A spiritual master and scholar; an eminent Buddhist priest.

Adi-Buddha The Dharmakaya form of a buddha which is primordial and appears only to those who attained enlightenment. The most popular representations of the Adi-Buddha include Vajradhara, Samantabhadra and Vairochana.

Afflictions (kleshas) or negative emotions. See kleshas

Afflicted consciousness (Tib. nyön yid) The seventh consciousness. As used here it has two aspects: the immediate consciousness which monitors the other consciousnesses making them continuous and the afflicted consciousness which is selfish.

See consciousnesses, eight.

Agama Sutras Those sutras within the Chinese Canon which correspond to the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma as collected in the Pali Canon of the Theravada School. They are the basic teachings and sermons of the Buddha.

Aggregates, Five (Skt. skandha, Tib. phung po nga) Literally means "heaps." These are the five basic items which cause perceptions to be perceived and the self to be believed to be real. They are

(1) Form which includes all sounds, smells, etc. everything that is not thought.

(2) Sensations (pleasant and unpleasant, etc.)

(3) Identification

(4) Mental events which actually include the second and third aggregates.

(5) Ordinary consciousness such as the sensory and mental consciousnesses.

Ahimsa: the Indian doctrine of non-violence, grounded in Buddhist and Hindu belief.

Alaya consciousness (Tib. kün shi nam she) According to the Chittamatra or Yogacara school this is the eighth consciousness and is often called the ground consciousness or store-house consciousness. It includes all one’s karma and mental habits.

Amrita (Tib. dut tsi) A blessed substance or sacred nectar/food; ambrosia.

Anagamin: a Never Returner; the 3rd stage of Arhatship in which the practitioner has attained the level of realization so that he or she will not return to this world of suffering again.

Analytical insight: the contemplation of the Dharma. This is done by placing the mind in tranquillity meditation and single pointedly focusing on what one has been taught.

Anuttara yoga tantra (Tib. nal jor la na me pay jü) According to the Tibetan Schools which developed after the 10th Century, there are four levels of the Tantras (or Vajrayana teachings). Annutara tantra is the highest of these, in which one sees no dualism. It contains the Guhyasamaja, the Chakrasamvara, the Hevajra, and the Kalachakra tantras.

Arhat (Tib. dra chom pa) An accomplished Hinayana practitioner who has eliminated the emotional and negative obstructions. They are the fully realized listeners of the Dharma. Although the Buddha’s disciples appeared as Arhats, they were actually Bodhisattvas in the form of Arhats.

Arya (Tib. phag pa) means "Noble." A person who has achieved direct realization of the true nature of reality. When one takes refuge in the sangha, one technically is taking refuge in the "Arya" Sangha.

Asura: class of beings in one of the favorable realms, in which their main delusion is jealously. They are constantly in battle with each other and other types of beings, especially the Devas.

Atman: sanskrit for a permanent "self or soul" which exists after death according to the Hindu tradition. Buddhism denies the existence of the atman.

Avatamsaka: a Sutra, known as the Flower Ornament Scripture, which was expounded after the Buddha’s enlightenment in which the Bodhisattvas explain the highest dharma. It is often considered the epitome of Buddhist thought, and also an esoteric teaching.

Bald-headed thief: the term the Buddha used to refer to monks and nuns who accept offerings but do not practice the dharma --instead they idly follow worldly pursuits.

Bathing the Buddha: the offering of tea over the baby Buddha on his birthday, especially in East Asia.

Bardo: literally, bardo means "between the two." There are six kinds of bardos, but here it refers to the time between death and a rebirth in a new body. The Bardo Thodol, taught by the Master Padmasambhava, fully explains what occurs between death and rebirth.

Bhagawan is an honorific term for the Buddha; The Honored and Blessed Lord of the World.

Bhikshu (Tib. ge long) A fully ordained monk.

Bhikshuni: A fully ordained nun.

Bhumi (Tib. sa) The levels or stages a Bodhisattva goes through to reach enlightenment. Also called the Bodhisattva levels. Usually comprised of ten levels in the Sutra tradition and thirteen in the Tantra tradition.

Bindu (Tib. tiglé) Vital essence drops or spheres of vital energy which are often visualized in vajrayana practices.

Birth, modes of. There are four types of birth: by the womb, egg/heat/moisture/metamorphosis and through miraculous spontaneity.

Bodhi: refers to wisdom and the enlightened way.

Bodhicitta (Tib. chang chup chi sem) Literally, the mind of enlightenment. There are two kinds of bodhicitta: absolute bodhicitta, which is completely awakened mind that sees the emptiness of phenomena, and relative bodhicitta which is the aspiration to practice the six perfections and free all beings from suffering. It goes hand in hand with the ideal of impartial and unbiased compassion for all sentient beings.

Bodhisattva (Tib. chang chup sem pa) one who exhibits the mind of enlightenment. An individual who has committed him or herself to the Mahayana path of compassion and the practice of the six perfections to achieve Buddhahood to free all beings from suffering.

Bodhisattva vow is a vow in which one promises to practice in order to bring all other sentient beings to Buddhahood.

Bon is the religion of Tibet before Buddhism was introduced. The religion is still practiced in Tibet, and is considered one of the five main sects in Tibet. Its current form has absorbed many Buddhist concepts. Its Dark (or Evil) form was dispelled by the Master Padmasambhava, who condemned its use of animal slaughter and sacrifice.

Borderlands: term used to describe places where the dharma and virtuous moral discipline has not spread to.

Brahmin A Hindu of the highest caste who usually performs the priestly or political functions.

Buddha (Tib. Sangye) a fully enlightened being and awakened one; one who has transcended the world’s suffering and conquered all afflictions both inner and outer; one who has unveiled their true nature completely. Usually refers to the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama.

Buddha-nature (Skt. tathagatagarbha, Tib. de shin shek pay nying po) The original nature present in all beings which when realized leads to enlightenment. It is the potential that all beings possess: they all can achieve Buddhahood.

Buddhakayas (Tib. sang gye chi cho) See kayas, three.

 

Chakra (Tib. kor lo) Literally "wheel." These are energy centers along the central energy channel at the forehead, throat, heart, etc. where there is an broadening of channels.

Chakravartin (Tib. koro gyur wa) a universal monarch; the highest achievement of an unenlightened being but also a term used to refer to a supreme Dharma King who rules with enlightened wisdom.

Carya Tantra: the second of the four tantras emphasizing meditation and external rituals. Deities are visualized in meditation and seen as equal to oneself, like friends, and one develops a deep connection to that realization.

Ch’an: (Zen) form of Buddhism found in East Asia, originated through the Indian master Bodhidharma. See Zen

Charvakas A philosophical school in India which rejected the sacred scriptures the belief in reincarnation and Karma. They therefore advocated extreme self-pleasure and doing whatever one wants in self-interest.

Chang: A Tibetan beer made from barley.

Central channel (Skt. avadhuti, Tib. u ma) This is a subtle energy channel of the body which is roughly located along the spine.

Chittamatra school (Tib. sem tsampa) A school founded by Asanga in the fourth century and is usually translated as the Mind Only School. It is one of the four major schools in the Mahayana tradition and its main tenet (to greatly simplify) is that all phenomena arise due to mental events.

Chod: "to cut off" --refers to a practice that is designed to cut off all ego involvement and defilement. The practice was founded by the famous female saint Machig Labdron in the 11th Century.

Clarity (Tib. selwa) a characteristic of the emptiness of the mind, which specifies that this state is not mere "nothingness" but a direct awareness concerning its true nature.

Clear light (Tib. ösel) the state of mind wherein the highest realization is attained.

Coemergent wisdom (Skt. sahajajnana, Tib. lhen chik kye pay yeshe) The advanced realization of the inseparability of samsara (suffering) and nirvana (peace) and how these arise simultaneously and together.

Compassion (Skt. karuna, Tib. nying je) the desire for liberation of all sentient beings regardless of who they are. This feeling can only be developed with extensive meditation and understanding of the Buddhist path.

Completion stage (Tib. dzo rim) In the vajrayana there are two stages of meditation: the development and the completion stage. The completion stage is a method of tantric meditation in which one attains bliss, clarity, and non-thought through realizing that one is actually, inside, just like the Buddha or another deity.

Conventional truth or wisdom (Tib. kun sop) There are two truths: relative and absolute. Conventional or relative truth is the perception of an ordinary (unenlightened) person who sees the world with all his or her projections; can only refer to ordinary truths such as reincarnation and other facts --not enlightenment.

Conditioned Dharmas: all the truths, merit, virtue, and other phenomena of our world which are not apart of realization and not dedicated towards enlightenment, and therefore they will only lead to rebirth again.

Conqueror (Jina, Tib. Gyalwa) a title of the Buddha and other masters; refers to them having conquered afflictions and all confusion and selfishness.

Consciousness (Skt. vijnana, Tib. nam shé) that which perceives outer phenomena. The Alaya-vijana, or store house consciousness, is the basis for our karma and mental habits.

Consciousnesses, sensory: the five sensory consciousnesses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and body sensation.

Consciousnesses, eight (Skt. vijnana, Tib. nam shé tsog gye) These are the five sensory consciousnesses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and body sensation. Sixth is mental consciousness, seventh is afflicted consciousness, and eighth is ground consciousness.

 

Daka (Tib. khandro) A male counterpart to a dakini.

Dakini (Tib. khandroma) A female practitioner who has attained high realizations of the fully enlightened mind. She may be a human being who has achieved such attainments or a non-human manifestation of the enlightened mind of a meditation deity.

Dana: means giving or generosity, one of the practices of a Buddhist.

Dedication of Merit: all merit, prayers and virtue is dedicated in Buddhist practice not towards worldly goals but towards enlightenment and the benefit of all beings.

Definitive teaching (Tib. ngedon) teachings of the Buddha which give the direct meaning of dharma and are not changed or simplified for the capacity of the listener. This contrasts with the provisional meaning.

Dependent origination (Skt. pratityasamutpada, Tib. ten drel) The principal that nothing exists independently, but comes into existence only in dependence on various previous causes and conditions. There are twelve successive phases of this process that begin with ignorance and end with old age and death.

Desire realm (Tib. dö kham) the six realms of existence where desire abides. The other two realms are the realms of form and no-form.

Deva: sanskrit for a god, in Buddhism which is an unenlightened being. Refers to a more highly evolved being who is still suffering and therefore in need of Dharma teachings to reach enlightenment, but they do possess certain higher abilities. After death, they are reborn.

Development or creation stage (Skt. utpattikrama, Tib. che rim) In the vajrayana there are two stages of meditation: the development and the completion stage. This is a method of tantric meditation that involves visualization and contemplating deities for the purpose of realizing the purity of all phenomena. In this stage visualization of the deity is established and maintained.

Dharani: a longer type of mantra or prayer, usually in more textual form, which possesses symbolic and blessed words.

Dharma (Tib. chö) This has two main meanings: Any truth (such as the sky is blue) and secondly, as used in this text, the teachings of the Buddha (also called buddha-dharma).

Dharmacakra "wheel of dharma" (Tib. chö chi khor lo) refers to the Buddha’s teachings which are in three levels: the Hinayana, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana. Each set is considered one turning of the wheel of dharma.

Dharmadhatu (Tib. chö ying) refers to the essence and spacious-like character of all phenomena, its true nature which is like that of the all-encompassing space, unoriginated and without beginning.

Dharmakaya (Tib. chö ku) One of the three bodies of Buddha. It is enlightenment itself, the mind of the Buddha, that is wisdom beyond conceptual fabricatin. See kayas, three.

Dharmapada: collection of quotes and short teachings of the Buddha, reflecting on certain situations and using analogies to show the way towards proper practice and morality.

Dharma protector (Skt. dharmapala, Tib. chö chong) enlightened beings, or emanations of certain Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, take the form of a wrathful protector in order to tame the mind and aid the practitioner. Obstacles and inner enemies of greed, hatred, etc., are dispelled through the use of a Dharma protector.

Dharmata (Tib. chö nyi) "suchness" or "the true nature of things" or "things as they are."

Refers to the true nature of existence.

Dhatu (Skt., Tib. kham) There are five elements of everything in the world: earth, water, fire, wind, and space (or ether). The internal elements are the same but have a property associated with them so there is: earth (solidity), fluidity (water/blood), fire (heat), wind (breath/movement), and space (the vacuities within the body).

Dhyana (Tib. sam ten) "meditation" but in this context it refers to "mental stability" in relation to tranquillity meditation.

Diamond Cutter Sutra: apart of the teachings on the Perfection of Enlightened Wisdom, sets forth some teachings on the higher concepts of the ultimate truth, emptiness and wisdom.

Digha Nikaya: long discourses of the Buddha, in the Pali Canon.

Doha (Tib. gur) A spiritual song spontaneously composed by a vajrayana practitioner. It usually has nine syllables per line.

Dorje (Skt. vajra) "indestructible like a diamond;" an implement held in the hand during certain vajrayana ceremonies or it can refer to a quality which is so pure and so enduring that it is like a diamond (the hardest substance known to man).

Dukka: state of suffering, which often plagues existence in the world.

Dzogchen (Skt. mahasandhi) the "great perfection" or atiyoga. It is the highest of the nine yanas according to the Nyingma tradition. It consists of the actual state of realization that all is pure in essence, and the path and ground to this state.

Eight Classes of Divine Beings: these are the unenlightened but celestial beings in the universe: The Devas, Dragons, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras and Mahoragas (see Deities page for more)

Eight freedoms (Skt. ashtakshana, Tib. tel wa gye). These are favorable conditions to a Buddhist practitioner: not living in hell realm, not living in the hungry ghost realm, not living in animal realm, not a long-living god, not having wrong views, not being born in a country without dharma, being mute, or being born in an age without buddhas.

Eight ornaments: the main Mahayana teachers of India-- Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Gunaprabha, Sakyaprabha, Dignaga and Dharmakirti.

Eight worldly dharmas or eight winds (Tib. jik ten chö gyé) These keep one or sway one from the path; they are attachment to gain, attachment to pleasure, attachment to praise, attachment to fame, aversion to loss, aversion to pain, aversion to blame, and aversion to a bad reputation.

Elements, five (Tib. jung wa nga) These are earth, water, fire, wind, and space. These elements are both the constituents of external matter and the physical components of the body.

Empowerment (Tib. wang, Skt. abhisheka) To do a vajrayana practice one must receive the empowerment from a qualified Lama. One should also receive the practice instruction (Tib. tri) and the textual reading (Tib. lung).

Emptiness (Skt. shunyata, Tib. tong pa nyi) The Buddha taught in the second turning of the wheel of dharma that external phenomena and the internal phenomena or the concept of self or "I" has no real independent existence and therefore are "empty." Phenomena has no fixed and independent self-nature; everything is interdependent upon other causes and conditions and therefore empty of its own true existence.

Emptiness of Self: or the Rangtong View. This doctrine asserts that when one examines or looks for the person, one finds that it is empty and lacks independent existence. The person does not possess a an independent or substantial self.

Emptiness of Other: or the Shentong View. This doctrine asserts that not only is there no self, but when one examines outer phenomena, one finds that this external phenomena is also empty of an independent existence. However, the self’s true, enlightened and inner nature (its Buddha-nature) is not empty and is stable.

Endowments, Ten (Skt. dashasashpada, Tib. jor wa chu) factors conductive to practice the dharma: being human, being born in a Buddhist place, having sound senses, being free from extreme evil, having faith in the dharma, a buddha having appeared, a buddha having taught, the flourishing of his teachings, people following the teachings, and having compassion towards others.

Enlightenment: refers to the state of realization that a Buddha possesses.

Esoteric: refers to the Vajrayana path, also the Avatamsaka and T’ien T’ai school of Buddhism. (see Vajrayana)

Eternalism or externalism (Tib. tak ta) A belief that one’s self has concrete existence and is eternal.

 

Father tantra (Tib. pha gyu) the father tantra is concerned with transforming aggression, the mother tantra with transforming passion and the non-dual tantra with ignorance.

Field of Blessing, Field of Merit: term used to describe The Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and other personages who are worthy of making offering and praying to, in order for the practitioner to accumulate merit.

Five aggregates See Aggregates, Five

Five Actions of Grave Evil: These are actions which, if committed, will lead to being immediately reborn in the lower realms. They are killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, intentionally wounding a Buddha or a bodhisattva, and dividing the sangha.

Five Buddha families (Tib. rig nga) These are the buddha, vajra, ratna, padma, and karma families.

Five dhyana buddhas (Tib. gyel wa rig nga) The sambhogakaya deities of Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi. Each one represents one of the five wisdoms.

Five Eyes: the human eye, deva eye, wisdom eye, dharma eye and Buddha eye.

Five major sciences (Tib. rig gnas che ba lnga) These are inner science, study of grammar, logic, painting and the arts, and medicine.

Five paths (Tib. lam nga) Traditionally, a practitioner goes through five stages or paths to enlightenment. These are (1) The path of accumulation which emphasizes purifying one’s obscurations and accumulating merit. (2) The path of junction or application in which the meditator develops profound understanding of the four noble truths and cuts the root to the desire realm. (3) The path of insight or seeing in which the meditator develops greater insight and enters the first bodhisattva level. (4) The path of meditation in which the meditator cultivates insight in the second through tenth bodhisattva levels. (5) The path of fulfillment which is the complete attainment of Buddhahood.

Five poisons (Tib. dug) These are passion, aggression, delusion, pride, and jealousy.

Five sensory consciousnesses These are the sensory consciousnesses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch or body sensation.

Five wisdoms (Tib. yeshe nga) Upon reaching enlightenment, the eight consciousnesses are transformed into the five wisdoms: the mirror-like wisdom, discriminating wisdom, the wisdom of equality, the all-accomplishing wisdom, and the dharmadhatu wisdom.

Flower Store Realm: the pure land of the Buddha Vairocana.

Form kayas ( Skt. rupakaya, Tib. zug ku) The forms or bodies of the Buddha which can be seen: the sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya. See the kayas, three.

Form realm (Tib. zuk kham) These are seventeen heavenly realms in which beings have bodies of light. See the realms, three

Formless realm (Tib. zuk me kham) The abode of an unenlightened being who has practiced the four absorptions of meditation. See the realms, three

Four Debts: Debts that we to the Enlightened Ones, our Parents, our Spiritual friends and teachers, and all sentient beings.

Four empowerments (Tib. wang shi) These are the vase, the secret, the wisdom-knowledge, and the name empowerment --apart of a Vajrayana initiation.

Four ends: Creation ends in destruction, meeting ends in parting, birth and in death and accumulation ends in loss. Represents impermanence.

Four extremes (Skt. catushkoti, Tib. mu shi) These are a belief in the existence of everything (also called "eternalism"), a belief that nothing exists (also called "nihilism"), a belief that things exist and don’t exist, and the brief reality is something other than existence and non-existence.

Four (Holy) Mountains: four mountains in China, each holy to a particular Bodhisattva. Wu Tai Shan for Manjushri, Pu Tuo Shan for Chenrezig, Emei Shan for Samantabhadra and Chiu Hua Shan for Ksitigarbha.

Four Ordinary Foundations: the thoughts which turn the mind towards Buddhism which are reflection on precious human birth, impermanence and the inevitability of death, karma and its effects, and the pervasiveness of suffering in samsara.

Four immeasurables: limitless loving-kindness, limitless compassion, limitless joy, and limitless equanimity --fully realized by those who are enlightened.

Four noble truths (Tib. pak pay den pa shi) The Buddha began teaching with a talk in India at Saranath on the four noble truths. These are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path. These truths are the foundation of Buddhism.

Four special foundations (Tib. ngöndro) These are the four ngöndro or purification practices of doing about 100,000 each of: taking of refuge with prostrations, doing Vajrasattva purification mantras, making mandala offering, and doing guru yoga supplication practice.

Gassho: Japanese for the expression of reverence for someone holy by joining one’s palms together.

Gatha: a verse in a Sutra.

Ganacakra (Tib. tog kyi kor lo) This is a ritual feast offering which is part of a spiritual practice.

Gelong: an ordained monk.

Generation stage (Tib. kye rim) In the vajrayana there are two stages of meditation: the development and the completion stage. This is a method of tantric meditation that involves visualization and contemplating deities for the purpose of realizing the purity of all phenomena. In this stage visualization of the deity is established and maintained.

Geshe: a scholar who has attained a doctorate in Buddhist studies. This usually takes fifteen to twenty years to attain.

Ground, path, and fruition This is a logical method for describing something used in many Buddhist works. First one describes the beginning causal conditions (ground), then the coming together of these causes towards some goal (path), and finally the result (fruition).

Guru (Tib. lama) A teacher in the Tibetan tradition who has reached realization.

Guru yoga (Tib. lamay naljor) A practice of devotion to the guru culminating in receiving his blessing and blending indivisibly with his mind. Also the fourth practice of the preliminary practices of ngöndro.

Guhyasamaja tantra (Tib. sang pa dus pa) This is the "father tantra" of the anuttara yoga which is the highest of the four tantras. Guhyasamaja is the central deity of the vajra family.

Heart Sutra: the core or central, most condensed, teaching on the Prajna Paramita.

Hevajra tantra (Tib. kye dorje) This is the "mother tantra" of the anuttara yoga which is the highest of the four yogas.

Hinayana (Tib. tek pa chung wa) Literally, the "lesser vehicle." The term refers to the first teachings of the Buddha which emphasized the careful examination of mind and its confusion, and leads only to self-liberation.

Hungry ghosts (Skt. preta, Tib. yidak) A type of being who is always starving and thirsty. This is the result of excessive greed in previous lifetimes and are depicted as having an enormous stomachs and a thin throat. See the six realms of samsara.

 

Insight meditation (Skt. vipashyana, Tib. lhak thong) Meditation that develops insight into the nature of mind. The other main meditation is shamatha meditation.

Interdependent origination (Skt. pratityasamutpada, Tib. tren drel) The twelve successive phases that begins with ignorance and ends with old age and death.

Jambudvipa: refers to the world we live in. In ancient India, referred to the southern continent of our world-system.

Jayanti: refers to the celebrations marking the 2500th anniversary of the Buddha.

Jealous gods (Skt. asura, Tib. lha ma yin) A type of beings residing in the six realms of samsara who are characterized as being very jealous.

Jnana (Tib. ye she) Enlightened wisdom which is beyond dualistic thought; state of meditation wisdom and practice.

Kalachakra (Tib. du kyi khor lo) One of the most well known meditational deities of the Anuttarayogatantra. This practice involves a complex system of cosmology and is related to the kingdom of Shambhala.

Kalpa (Tib., Skt. yuga) An eon which lasts in the order of millions of years.

Kangyur (Tib.) The Tibetan collection of over 100 volumes of the words of the Buddha. The other great collection are the commentaries called the Tengyur.

Karma (Tib. lay) Literally "action." Karma is a universal law that when one does a wholesome action one’s circumstances will improve and when one does an unwholesome action negative results will eventually occur from the act.

Kayas, three (Tib. ku sum) There are three bodies of the Buddha: the nirmanakaya, sambhogakaya and dharmakaya. The dharmakaya, also called the "truth body," is the complete enlightenment or the complete wisdom of the Buddha which is unoriginated wisdom beyond form and manifests in the sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya. The sambhogakaya, also called the "enjoyment body," manifests only to bodhisattvas. The nirmanakaya, also called the "emanation body," manifests in the world and in this context manifests as the Shakyamuni Buddha.

Kensho: used to mean the initial enlightened experience, within Zen, but one’s realization still needs to be deepened.

Khenpo A title of someone who has completed ten year’s study of Buddhism. It can also mean an abbot of a monastery.

Klesha (Tib. nyön mong) The emotional obscurations (in contrast to intellectual obscurations) which are also translated as "disturbing emotions" or "poisons." The three main kleshas are (passion or attachment), (aggression or anger); and (ignorance or delusion). The five kleshas are the three above plus pride and (envy or jealousy).

Koan: a phrase used in Zen, or a statement or question, used as an object of meditation to aid the student in turning inward to realize the nature of their mind.

Kriya tantra (Tib. ja way gyu) First of the four tantras which emphasizes personal purity, and the deity is seen as master and the practitioner as ordinary.

Ksana: shortest measure of time, 1/75th of a second.

Lama (Skt. guru) A spiritual teacher.

Lamdre “the path and the fruit.” A set of instructions outlining the entire mahayana path which originated with the India yogin Virupa and which was passed on to the Sakya school. It emphasizes the deity Hevajra.

Lankavatara Sutra: lays down the concepts behind Buddha Nature and the Tathagatagarbha.

Leaving Home: the entrance of someone into a monastic order.

Lopon (Skt. acarya) A spiritual master.

Lotus Sutra: expounded the Mahayana view, and the skillful means of the Bodhisattvas.

Lotsawa This is Sanskrit for "translator."

Lung (Tib.) This is a Tibetan word for ritual reading. In order to perform a vajrayana practice, one must have a holder of the lineage read the text straight through (Tib. lung), give an explanation of the practice (Tib. tri) and give the empowerment for the practice (Tib. wang).

 

Madhyamika (Tib. u ma) The most influential of the four schools of Indian Buddhism founded by Nagarjuna in the second century C.E. The name comes from the Sanskrit word meaning "the Middle-way" meaning it is the middle way between eternalism and nihilism. The main postulate of this school is that all phenomena—both internal mental events and external physical objects—is empty of any true nature. The school uses extensive rational reasoning to establish the emptiness of phenomena. This school does, however, hold that phenomena do exist on the conventional level of reality.

Maha ati (Tib. dzogchen) The highest of the tantras.

Mahamaya tantra (Tib. gyu ma chen mo) The mother tantra of the annutarayoga tantra which is one of the four main tantras in Tibet.

Mahamudra (Tib. cha ja chen po) Literally, "great seal" meaning that all phenomena are sealed by the primordially perfect true nature. This form of meditation is traced back to Saraha (10th century) and was passed down in the Kagyu school through Marpa. This meditative transmission emphasizes perceiving mind directly rather than through rational analysis.

Mahasiddha (Tib. drup thop chen po) A practitioner who has a great deal of realization. These were particularly vajrayana practitioners who lived in India between the eight and twelfth century and practiced tantra.

Mahayana (Tib. tek pa chen po) Literally, the "great vehicle." These are the teachings of the second turning of the wheel of dharma, which emphasize shunyata, compassion, and universal buddha nature. Its practitioners aim for complete enlightenment in order to benefit all beings.

Maitreya’s Tower: figure of speech to indicate the Mind.

Mala (Tib. trengwa) A rosary which usually has 108 beads.

Mandala (Tib. chin kor) A diagram used in various vajrayana practices, which usually has a central deity and four directions. It also denotes a sacred location such as the mandala of the dharmakaya and this is how it is used in this text.

Mandala offering One of the four ngöndro practice. It involves the offering of the ideal universe to the Buddhas.

Mandara: a flower which blooms only once in thousands of years, used to describe the rarity of something or a major event.

Mantra (Tib. ngak) These are invocations to various meditation deities which are recited in Sanskrit. These Sanskrit syllables, representing various energies, are repeated in different vajrayana practices.

Mantrayana Another term for the vajrayana.

Mara (Tib. du) Difficulties encountered by the practitioner. There are four kinds—skandha-mara which is incorrect view of self, klesha-mara which is being overpowered by negative emotions, mrityu-mara which is death and interrupts spiritual practice, and devaputra-mara which is becoming stuck in the bliss that comes from meditation.

Meditative absorption (Skt. samadhi, Tib. ting nge dzin) This is one-pointed meditation and is the highest form of meditation.

Middle-way (Tib. u ma) or Madhyamika School. A philosophical school founded by Nagarjuna and based on the Prajnaparamita sutras of emptiness.

Mind-Only school. Also called Cittamatra school. This is one of the major schools in the mahayana tradition founded in the fourth century by Asanga that emphasized everything is mental events.

Mind-to-Mind Transmission: in the Zen and Vajrayana, along with other schools, the passage of spiritual insight from master to disciple.

Mother tantra (Tib. ma gyu) There are three kinds of tantras. The father tantra which is concerned with transforming aggression, the mother tantra which concerns transforming passion and the non-dual tantra which concerns ignorance.

Mu: Japanese, used to denote one’s own realization of the Buddha nature.

Mudra (Tib. chak gya) a "hand seal" or gesture which is performed in specific tantric ritual practices to symbolize certain aspects of the practice being done. Also, on images, symbolizes a certain meaning such as offering, protection, etc.

Nadi (Tib. tsa) Subtle energy channels through which the subtle energies (vayu) flow.

Namo This is sanskrit for homage.

Ngöndro (Tib. and pronounced "nundro") Tibetan for preliminary practice to purify negative deeds and accumulate merit. One usually begins the vajrayana path by doing the four preliminary practices which involve about 100,000 refuge prayers and prostrations, 100,000 vajrasattva mantras, 100,000 mandala offerings, and 100,000 guru yoga practices.

Nihilism (Tib. ché ta) The extreme view of nothingness, the nonexistence of a mind after death.

Nirmanakaya (Tib. tulku) There are three bodies of the Buddha and the nirmanakaya or "emanation body" manifests in the world and in this context manifests as the Shakyamuni Buddha. The nirmanakaya also refers to the inanimate statues and also enlightened beings who appear as ordinary individuals. See kayas, three.

Nirvana (Tib. nyangde) Literally, "extinguished." Individuals live in samsara and with spiritual practice can attain a state of enlightenment in which all false ideas and conflicting emotions have been extinguished. This is called nirvana. The limited nirvana of the Hinayana school is not complete enlightenment.

Obscurations, two (Tib. drippa nyi) The first kind of obscuration to achieving enlightenment along the path is the mental obscurations (Tib. shes sgrib) and the second kind are the emotional obscurations (Tib. nyon sgrib).

Other Shore: refers to reaching Nirvana.

Pandita (Tib. pan di ta) A great scholar.

Paramitas, six (Tib. parol tu chinpa) Sanskrit for "perfections" and the Tibetan literally means "gone to the other side." These are the six practices of the mahayana path: Transcendent generosity (dana), transcendent discipline (shila), transcendent patience (kshanti), transcendent exertion and zeal in practice (virya), transcendent meditation (dhyana), and transcendent knowledge (prajna). The ten paramitas are these plus skillful means, aspirational prayer, power, and enlightened primordial wisdom.

Parinirvana (Tib. yongs su mya ngan las ‘das pa) When the Buddha died, he did not die an ordinary death to be followed by rebirth so his death is the parinirvana because it was then end of all rebirths because he had achieved complete enlightenment. It also refers to the passing of any great realized master, in which they die and then can emanate back to aid sentient beings, but their death and rebirth is propelled not by karma but by compassion.

Phowa an advanced tantric practice concerned with the ejection of consciousness at death to a favorable realm.

Pointing-out instruction (Tib. ngo troe chi dama pa) A direction instruction on the nature of the mind which a guru gives the student when the student is ready for the instructions. It takes many forms—slapping the student with a shoe, shouting at him or her—and is individual to each teacher and each student.

Poisons, three (Tib. duk sum) The three poisons or major defilements also called desire or attachment, anger or aggression, and ignorance or bewilderment.

Prajna (Tib. she rab) In Sanskrit it means "perfect knowledge" and can mean wisdom, understanding, or discrimination. Usually it means the wisdom of seeing things from a high (e.g. non-dualistic) point of view.

Prajnaparamita (Tib. sherab chi parol tu chin pa) The Buddhist literature outlining the mahayana path and emptiness written mostly around the second century.

Prana (Tib. bindu) Life supporting energy.

Pratyekabuddha (Tib. rang sang gye) Literally, solitary realizer. A realized hinayana practitioner who has achieved the knowledge of how it is and variety, but who has not committed him or herself to the bodhisattva path of helping all others.

Provisional teaching (Tib. drang dön) The teachings of the Buddha which have been simplified or modified to the capabilities of the audience. This contrasts with the definitive meaning.

Pratimoksha vows (Tib. so sor tar pa) The vows of not killing, stealing, lying, etc. which are taken by monks and nuns, laid down in the Sutras.

Preliminary practices (Tib. ngöndro)The four preliminary practices which are done before doing yidam practice. See ngöndro.

Pure realm (Tib. dag zhing) Realms created by buddhas which are totally free from suffering and dharma there can be received directly. These realms are presided over by various buddhas such as Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, and Maitreya who presides over Tushita.

 

Ratna (Tib. kern cho) Literally "a jewel" but in this context refers to the three jewels which are the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.

Realms, three Existence in samsara is in one of three realms: the desire realm in which beings are reborn into bodies in the six realms of samsara based on their karma; the form realm in which beings, due to the power of their meditations, are born with immaterial bodies; the formless realm in which beings with meditative absorption have entered a state of meditation after death, where the processes of thoughts and perception have ceased, and there are thus no bodies, and no actual realms, environments, or locations.

Refuge (Tib. kyab, trs. skyabs) In the Buddhist context to take refuge means to accept the Buddha and the Buddhist teachings as the path one wants to take.

Relative truth (Tib. kun sop) There are two truths: relative and absolute. Relative truth is the perception of an ordinary (unenlightened) person who sees the world with all his or her projections based on the false belief in self.

Ringsel (Tib.) Tiny round rocks of sacred substances found in the ashes of holy beings

Rinpoche Literally, "very precious" and is used as a term of respect for a Tibetan guru.

Rolong a zombie.

Root lama (Tib. tsa way lama) A teacher whom which one has received the instructions and empowerments that form the core of one’s practice.

Roshi: elder teacher, or priest, within Zen.

Rupakaya (Tib. zuk kyi ku) The form bodies which encompass the sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya.

Sadhana (Tib. drup tap) A tantric ritual text which details how to attain meditative realization of a specific mandala of deities.

Samadhi (Tib. tin ne zin) Also called meditative absorption or one-pointed meditation, this is the highest form of meditation.

Same Taste: realization that all phenomena are not different; one doesn’t distinguish as good and bad; unbiased mind.

Shamatha or tranquillity meditation (Tib. shinay) This is basic sitting meditation in which one usually follows the breath while observing the workings of the mind while sitting in the cross-legged posture. The main purpose of shamatha meditation is to settle or tame the mind so that it will stay where one places it.

Samaya (Tib. dam sig) The vows or commitments made in the vajrayana which can be to a teacher or to a practice.

Sambhogakaya (Tib. long chö dzok ku) There are three bodies of the Buddha and the sambhogakaya, also called the "enjoyment body," is a realm of the dharmakaya which only manifests to bodhisattvas. See the three kayas.

Samsara (Tib. kor wa) Conditioned existence of ordinary life in which suffering occurs because one still possesses attachment, aggression, and ignorance. It is contrasted to nirvana.

Sangha (Tib. gen dun) These are the companions on the path. They may be all the persons on the path or the noble sangha, which are the realized ones.

Satori: Zen for a sudden and complete instant in which perfect enlightenment occurs.

Sautrantika school (Tib. do dé pe) One of the four major schools of Indian Buddhism. This is a hinayana school.

Secret mantra (Tib. sang ngak) A name for the vajrayana.

Selflessness (Tib. dag me) Also called egolessness. In two of the hinayana schools (Vaibhashika and Sautrantika) this referred exclusively to the fact that "a person" is not a real permanent self, but rather just a collection of thoughts and feelings. In two of the mahayana schools (Chittamatra and Madhyamika) this was extended to mean there was no inherent existence to outside phenomena as well.

Sending and taking practice (Tib. tong len) A meditation practice promulgated by Atisha in which the practitioner takes on the negative conditions of others and gives out all that is positive.

Sesshin: period of intense meditation.

Shastra (Tib. tan chö) The Buddhist teachings are divided into words of the Buddha (the sutras) and the commentaries of others on his works (shastras).

Shinay (Skt. shamatha) Often called tranquillity meditation. This is basic sitting meditation in which one usually follows the breath while observing the workings of the mind while sitting in the cross-legged posture.

Shikan