GLOSSARY

This glossary includes the Sanskrit terms used by His Holiness and his translator; there are also a few Pali and Tibetan words, indicated as such where they appear. Sanskrit words are spelt phonetically, without diacritical marks; Pali words are spelt conventionally; and Tibetan words are spelt phonetically, followed by the correct Tibetan spelling in accordance with the standard Wylie transliteration system.
The technical terms are more fully defined within the teaching; the brief definitions in this glossary are intended only as convenient references.

Abhidharma, Abhidhamma [Pali] One of the three collections of Buddhist scriptures making up the Tripitaka, or 'Three Baskets' which comprise the Buddhist canon. The Abhidharma deals with many topics, including the structure and nature of the universe and the beings in it, and provides the basis of Buddhist systems of psychology and philosophy. The other two 'baskets' are the Vinaya, guidelines for conduct, and Sutra, specific teachings in the Buddha's own words.

anatman Non-self, non-soul. The refutation of the existence of an ultimately findable independent self of beings and things; synonymous with 'emptiness'.

arhat Literally 'foe-destroyer' Ð one who has overcome the destructive mental states, the kleshas, and thereby attained liberation from samsara.

arya Literally 'noble being' Ð one who has directly perceived the nature of reality, ie emptiness.

Aryadeva Second century Indian follower of Nagarjuna, author of the text cited Four Hundred Verses on the Middle Way.

Asanga Fourth century Indian master who received teachings directly from the Buddha Maitreya and wrote texts under his inspiration, author of text cited Abhidharmasamucchaya, particularly associated with the Chittamatra philosophy.

atman self or soul, specifically the idea of an indivisible, independent identity.

avidya ignorance, the fundamental confusion at the root of the experience of suffering.

Bhavaviveka Sixth century Indian master, influential in founding the Madhyamaka Svatantrika philosophical school.

bodhichitta The awakening mind, awakening heart, spirit of enlightenment. Relative bodhichitta is the compassionate aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to be able to help others; ultimate bodhichitta is the direct insight into the ultimate nature of all things.

bodhisattva One who has generated bodhichitta.

Bodhisattvayana Literally 'Vehicle of the Bodhisattvas'; synonymous with Mahayana.

Buddha The Awakened One. The historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni; also any fully enlightened or awakened being. The first of the Three Jewels of refuge.

Buddhapalita Fourth century Indian master, influential in founding the Madhyamaka Prasangika philosophical school.

Chandrakirti Fourth century Indian master, influential proponent of the Madhyamaka Prasangika school.

Chittamatra Philosophical school, literally 'Mind Only', sometimes translated as Idealist; also called Yogacharya.

Dhammapada [Pali] Seminal text of the Pali canon consisting of 423 short verses; especially studied in the Theravada tradition.

Dharma The teaching of the Buddha; the truth or the path which is to be realized by a Buddhist practitioner. The second of the Three Jewels of refuge.

Dharmakirti Master influential in the development of Buddhism in 7th century India.

duhkha, dukkha [Pali] The unsatisfactory nature of unenlightened existence.

Kalachakra Literally 'Wheel of Time'; an important tantra of the highest yoga tantra class, practiced by all Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

kamadhatu The desire realm: unenlightened beings whose experience of existence is characterized by desire. This realm includes all sentient beings except the two highest levels of the gods, who occupy the form and formless realms, respectively rupadhatu and arupadhatu.

karma Literally 'action': the natural law of cause and effect.

klesha Those mental and emotional states and attitudes which lead to suffering for oneself and others; often translated as 'afflictive emotions'. The primary ones are attachment, aversion, and ignorance or confusion.

Madhyamaka Literally 'Middle Way'. A philosophical school, it can be divided into two branches: Madhyamaka Prasangika and Madhyamaka Svatantrika.

mahakaruna Literally 'great compassion'. It refers to the great compassionate motivation of bodhisattvas and includes not only the wish that sentient beings may be free of suffering but also the sense of personal responsibility intending to actually help them.

Mahayana 'Great vehicle' Ð the teachings and practices which emphasize the bodhisattva ideal, in which practice is undertaken with the compassionate aim of attaining enlightenment in order to be able to help others to free themselves from suffering.

Maitreya The future Buddha; he will be the next Buddha to come to this world. Certain texts currently existent are attributed to him, through his inspiration of his disciple Asanga; among them are those referred to in this teaching: Uttaratantra and Abhisamaya-alamkara.

mala Rosary.

mandala Circle, with a center and a boundary, consisting of an environment and the beings within in it. It may refer to the abode of an enlightened being, depicted in stylized form, or to the ritual visualization of the universe which is then symbolically offered to the objects of refuge.

ma rigpa [Tibetan] ma rig pa Sanskrit: avidya. Ignorance, fundamental confusion. moksha Liberation from samsara.

Nagarjuna Indian master of the first and second centuries who was hugely influential in the spread of the Mahayana and in developing the Madhyamaka philosophical school. He wrote many texts, including Madhyamakamulakarika, Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way.

nirodha Cessation of suffering.

nirvana Equivalent to nirodha: the end of the process of samsaric rebirth.

paramarthasatya Ultimate truth, absolute truth.

nirvana Equivalent to nirodha: the end of the process of samsaric rebirth.

paramarthasatya Ultimate truth, absolute truth. prana Subtle energy in the body.

preta Hungry ghost, a samsaric being whose experience of existence is characterized by extreme longing and attachment.

pratityasamutpada The principle of dependent origination.

samsara Unenlightened existence characterized by repeated sufferings arising out of a fundamental confusion as to the nature of reality.

samvritisatya Relative truth, conventional truth.

Sangha Those beings who have directly perceived the nature of reality; represented by ordained monks and nuns. The third of the Three Jewels of refuge. The term can also be used to refers to one's fellow Buddhist practitioners.

Sautrantika A philosophical school.

shamatha Calm-abiding: a meditation practice which brings about calmness and stability and the ability to sustain undistracted attention on any object.

Shantideva Eight century Indian master, author of Bodhicharyavatara, Bodhisattva's Way of Life.

she-pa [Tibetan] shes pa Mental consciousness.

Shravakayana Literally 'Vehicle of the Hearers': those disciples of the Buddha whose goal is personal liberation from the suffering of samsara.

sutra The exoteric teachings spoken by the Buddha, found in both the Shravakayana and Mahayana.

tantra The esoteric teachings of the Buddha, found in the Vajrayana. The different classes of tantras can be categorized in various ways: one common system categorizes them as kriya tantra, charya tantra, yoga tantra, and anuttarayogatantra (also called highest yoga tantra).

triratna The 'Three Jewels': the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

tshor-wa [Tibetan] tshor ba Feeling. One of the five psycho-physical factors or skandhas which make up a human being: form, feeling, perception, compositional factors, and consciousness.

Tsongkhapa 14th century Tibetan master, founder of the Gelugpa tradition.

Vaibashika Philosophical school. Vajrayana Vajra Vehicle, sometimes translated as Diamond or Adamantine Vehicle: the path of Buddhist tantra, in which additional methods or 'skilful means' are brought into one's practice, motivated by the compassionate force of bodhichitta which drives one to seek enlightenment more urgently in order to be able to work for the benefit of others.

vipashyana, vipassana [Pali] Insight meditation, looking deeply into the nature of things.