GLOSSARY OF BUDDHIST TERMINOLOGY

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

Abhidharma (Tib. chö ngön pa) The Buddhist teachings are often divided into the Tripitaka:
the sutras (teachings of the Buddha), the vinaya (teachings on conduct,) and the abhidharma
which are the analyses of phenomena that exist primarily as a commentarial tradition to the
Buddhist teachings. There is not, in fact, an abhidharma section within the Tibetan collection
of the Buddhist teachings.

absolute truth (Skt. paramartha satya Tib. dondam) There are two truths or views of
reality—relative truth which is seeing things as ordinary beings do with the dualism of "I" and
"other" and absolute truth, also called ultimate truth, which is transcending duality and seeing
things as they are.

acharya (Tib. lo pon) A spiritual master. (Similar to a geshe scholar)

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 klesha consciousness which is the continuous presence of self. See
consciousnesses, eight.

afflictions These are another name for the kleshas or negative emotions. See kleshas

aggregates, five (Skt. skandha, Tib. phung po nga) Literally "heaps," These are the five basic
transformations that perceptions undergo when an object is perceived. First is form which
includes all sounds, smells, etc. everything that is not thought. The second and third are
sensations (pleasant and unpleasant, etc.) and identification. Fourth is mental events which
actually include the second and third aggregates. The fifth is ordinary consciousness such as
the sensory and mental consciousnesses.

Akshobhya (Tib. mi bskyod pa) The sambhogakaya buddha of the vajra family.

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.

Amitabha One of the five buddha family deities known as "buddha of boundless light"
Usually depicted as red.

amrita (Tib. dut tsi) A blessed substance which can cause spiritual and physical healing.

analytical insight In the Sutra tradition one begins by listening to the teachings which means
studying the Dharma. Then there is contemplation of this Dharma which is analytical insight
which is done by placing the mind in shhamatha and putting the mind one-pointedly on these
concepts. Third, there is actual meditation which is free from concept.

anuttara yoga tantra (Tib. nal jor la na me pay jü) There are four levels of the vajrayana and
annutara tantra is the highest of these. It contains the Guhyasamaja, the Chakrasamvara, the
Hevajra, and the Kalachakra tantras.

arhat (Tib. dra chom pa) Accomplished hinayana practitioners who have eliminated the
klesha obscurations. They are the fully realized shravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

arhatship The stage of having fully eliminated the klesha obscurations.

arya (Tib. phag pa) A person who has achieved direct realization of the true nature of reality.
This person has achieved the third (path of insight) of the five paths.

Aryadeva The closest pupil of Nagarjuna who became his heir. He was born in Sri Lanka and
wrote the Catuhshakate and Shastra.

Asanga (Tib. thok may) A fourth century Indian philosopher who founded the Chittamatra or
Yogacara school and wrote the five works of Maitreya which are important Mahayana works.
Also brother of Vasubhandu.

assets, ten or ten endowments (Skt. dashasashpada, Tib. jor wa chu) These are the factors
conducive to practice the dharma. They are 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.

Atisha (982-1055 C.E.) Was a Buddhist scholar at Vikramashila University in India and came
to Tibet at the invitation of the King to overcome the damage done by Langdarma. He helped
found the Kadam tradition.

atman Sanskrit for a permanent "self" which exists after death.

Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezig) Deity of compassion. Known as patron deity of Tibet and
his mantra is OM MANI PADME HUM.

ayatanas (Tib. kye che) These are the six sensory objects such as a sight, a sound, a smell, a
taste, and body sensation; the six sense faculties such as the visual sensory faculty, the
auditory sensory faculty, etc. and the six sensory consciousnesses such as the visual
consciousness, the auditory consciousness, etc. They make up the eighteen constituents for
perception.

bardo (Tib.) 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.

bardo retreat An advanced vajrayana practice in which the practitioner is enclosed in total
darkness.
Bhagavan An honorific term for the Buddha meaning "blessed lord."

Bhrama A chief god in the form realm.

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

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 psychic energy which are often visualized
in vajrayana practices.

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
paramitas and free all beings from the suffering of samsara.

bodhisattva (Tib. chang chup sem pa) Literally, one who exhibits the mind of enlightenment.
Also an individual who is committed to the mahayana path of practicing compassion and the
six paramitas in order to achieve Buddhahood and free all beings from samsara. More
specifically, those with a motivation to achieve liberation from samsara and are on one of the
ten bodhisattva levels that culminates in Buddhahood.

bodhisattva levels (Skt. bhumi, Tib. sa) The levels or stages a bodhisattva goes through to
reach enlightenment. These consist of ten levels in the sutra tradition and thirteen in the tantra
tradition.

bodhisattva vow A vow in which one promises to practice in order to bring all other sentient
beings to Buddhahood.

Bon (Tib.) This is the religion of Tibet before Buddhism was introduced. The religion is still
practiced in Tibet.

brahmin A Hindu of the highest caste who usually performs the priestly functions.

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 often called the essence
of Buddhahood or enlightened essence.

Buddha Gautama The Shakyamuni Buddha or the Gautama Buddha refers to the Buddha
who lived between 563 and 483 B.C.E.

Buddha Shakyamuni (Tib. shakya tubpa) The Shakyamuni Buddha, often called the
Gautama Buddha, refers to the latest Buddha who lived between 563 and 483 B.C.E.

Buddhadharma The teachings of the Buddha.

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

chakra (Tib. kor lo) Literally "wheels." These are points along the central channel at the
forehead, throat, heart, etc. where there is an broadening of channels.

Chakrasamvara (Tib. korlo dompa) A meditational deity which belongs to the annuttara
tantra set of teachings.

Chakrasamvara (‘khor lo bde mchog) A main yidam or tantra of the new schools.

chakravartin (Tib. koro gyur wa) Literally, the turner of the wheel and also called a universal
monarch. This is a king who propagates the dharma and starts a new era.

Chandrakirti A seventh century Indian Buddhist scholar of the Madhyamaka school who is
best known for founding the Prasangika subschool and writing two treatises on emptiness
using logical reasoning.

Caryatantra The second of the four tantras emphasizing meditation and external rituals.

Charvakas A philosophical school in India which reject the sacred scriptures and vedas, the
belief in reincarnation and karma, and therefore advocated hedonism and doing whatever one
wants in self-interest.

chang (Tib.) A Tibetan beer made from barley.

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

Chenresig (Skt. Avalokiteshvara) Deity of compassion.

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 are mental
events.

chod (Tib.) This is pronunced "chö" and literally means "to cut off" and refers to a practice
that is designed to cut off all ego involvement and defilements. The mo chod (female chod)
practice was founded by the famous female saint Machig Labdron (1031 to 1129 C.E.).

clarity (Tib. selwa) Also translated as luminosity. The nature of mind is that it is empty of
inherent existence, but the mind is not just voidness, completely empty because it has this
clarity which is awareness or the knowing of mind. So clarity is a characteristic of emptiness
(shunyata) of mind.

clear light (Skt. prabhasvara, Tib. ösel) A subtle state of mind and according to tantric
teachings is the state of mind wherein highest realization is attained.
coemergent wisdom (Skt. sahajajnana, Tib. lhen chik kye pay yeshe) The advanced
realization of the inseparability of samsara and nirvana and how these arise arise
simultaneously and together.

compassion (Skt. karuna, Tib. nying je) In Buddhist terms this is 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 trantric
meditation in which one attains bliss, clarity, and non-thought by means of the subtle channels
and energies within the body.

conventional truth (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 based on the false belief in self.

convention wisdom (Tib. kunsop) There are two truths: relative or conventional and ultimate
or absolute truth. 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 ego.

conditioned existence (Skt. samsara, Tib. khor wa) Ordinary existence which contains
suffering because one still possesses attachment, aggression, and ignorance. It is contrasted to
liberation or nirvana.

consciousness (Skt. vijnana, Tib. nam shé)

consciousnesses, sensory These are 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.

convention wisdom (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 ego.

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

dakini (Tib. khandroma) A yogini 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 meditational deity.

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 realm where the six realms of samsara abide. It is called the
desire realm because these beings are continually tempted by desire.

deva (Tib. lha) Sanskrit for god. In this book it refers to a more highly evolved being who is
still part of samsara and therefore in need of Dharma teachings to reach enlightenment.

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 short sutra containing mystical formulas of knowledge that are symbolic. They are
usually longer than mantras.

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).

Dharma (Tib. chö) We have followed the convention of capitalizing dharma when it means
the teachings of the Buddha.

dharma of realization (Tib. tog pay chö) These are the teachings of the dharma which have
been derived from the realization of their teachers. These contrast with the dharma of
statements.

dharma of statements (Tib. lung gi chö) Teachings based on the Buddhist scriptures. Also
called scriptural dharma or the teachings of the Tripitaka.

dharmacakra (Skt. for "wheel of dharma," Tib. chö chi khor lo) The Buddha’s teachings
correspond to three levels: the hinayana, the mahayana and the vajrayana with each set being
one turning of the wheel of dharma.

dharmadhatu (Tib. chö ying) The all-encompassing space, unoriginated and without
beginning, out of which all phenomena arises. The Sanskrit means "the essence of
phenomena" and the Tibetan means "the expanse of phenomena" but usually it refers to the
emptiness, which is the essence of phenomena.

dharmakaya (Tib. chö ku) One of the three bodies of Buddha. It is enlightenment itself, that
is wisdom beyond reference point. See kayas, three.

dharma protector (Skt. dharmapala, Tib. chö chong)

dharmata (Tib. chö nyi) Dharmata is often translated as "suchness" or "the true nature of
things" or "things as they are." It is phenomena as it really is or as seen by a completely
enlightened being without any distortion or obscuration so one can say it is "reality."

dhatu (Skt., Tib. kham) There are five elements of everything in the world in Buddhism:
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 (soldity), fluidity (water), fire (heat), wind
(movement), and space (the vacuities within the body).

dhyana meditation (Tib. sam ten) The Sanskrit refers to "meditation" but in this context it
refers to "mental stability" in relation to shamatha.

disturbing emotion ( Skt. klesha, Tib. nyön mong) The emotional obscurations (in contrast to
intellectual obscurations) which are also translated as "afflictions" 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).

doha (Tib. gur) A spiritual song spontaneously composed by a vajrayana practitioner. It

usually has nine syllables per line.

dorje (Skt. vajra) Usually translated "diamond like." This may be 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.

dream practice (Tib. mi lam) An advanced vajrayana practice using the dream state. One of
the Six Yogas of Naropa (See six yogas of Naropa).

dzogchen (Skt. mahasandhi) This is known also as the "great perfection" or atiyoga. It is the
highest of the nine yanas according to the Nyingma tradition.

egolessness (Tib. dag me) Also called selflessness. There are two kinds of egolessness—the
egolessness of other, that is, the emptiness of external phenomena and the egolessness of self,
that is, the emptiness of a personal self.

egolessness or selflessness of person (Skt. pudgalanairatmya) This doctrine asserts that when
one examines or looks for the person, one finds that it is empty. The person does not possess a
self (Skt. atman, Tib. bdag-nyid) as an independent or substantial self. This position is held by
most Buddhist schools.

egolesseness or selflessness of phenomena (Skt. dharma-nairatmya) This doctrine aserts than

not only is there selflessness of person, but when one examines out phenomena, one finds that
this external phenomena is also empty, i. e. it does not have an independent or substantial
nature. This position is not held by the hinayana schools, but is put forth by the mahayana
schools, particularly the Chittamatra school.

eight freedoms (Skt. ashtakshana, Tib. tel wa gye). These are 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 mental fabrications or complications Not having the eight mental fabrications is to be
without a beginning, without a cessation, without nihilism, without eternalism, without going,
without coming, not being separate, and not being non-separate.

eight ornaments These are six ornaments or six main mahayana tachers (Nagarjuna,
Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Gunaprabha and Sakyaprabha) plus Dignaga, and
Dharmakirti.

eight worldly dharmas (Tib. jik ten chö gyé) These keep 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.

eighteen constituents of perception See ayatanas.

elements, five (Skt. pancabhuta, 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) Also translated as voidness. The Buddha taught in
the second turning of the wheel of dharma that external phenomena and the internal
phenomena or concept of self or "I" have no real existence and therefore are "empty."

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

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

five aggregates, see aggregates, five

five aggregrates (Skt. skandha) Literally heaps. The aggregates are the five basic
transformations that perceptions undergo when an object is perceived. These are form, feeling,
identification, formation, and consciousness.

five actions of immediate result 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 bodhisattva, and dividing the sangha.

five Buddhas (Tib. gyel wa rig nga) These are the five aspects of the victorious one who are
Vairocanna, Asshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi.
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 great ones (Tib. nga de zang po) These were the first five disciples of the Buddha. They
were Kaundinya, Ashvjit, Vashpa, Mahanaman, and Bhadrika.

five levels of practice See paths, five.

five major sciences (Tib. rig gnas che ba lnga) These are inner science (Skt. adhyatma), study
of grammar (Skt. sabdavidya), logic (Skt. hetu), painting and the arts (Skt. Silpa), and
medicine (Skt. cikitsa).

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.

form kayas ( Skt. rupakaya, Tib. zug ku) 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. See the realms, three

four empowerments (Tib. wang shi) These are the vase, the secret, the wisdom-knowledge,
and the name empowerment.

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 fearlessnesses (Skt. catvaravaisharadya, Tib. mi jig pa) These are four stages to be
attained by bodhisattvas. They are being fearless to abandon all faults, overcoming the fear of
complete realization, being fearless in showing the path, and being fearless in pointing out
obscurations on the path.

four foundations of meditation (Tib. tun mong gi ngon dro shi) These are the four thoughts
that turn the mind. They 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 (Skt. apramanani, Tib. tse me shi) These are four qualities one achieves
with complete enlightenment that help others. They are inconceivable because ordinary
persons cannot conceive of them. They are limitless loving-kindness, limitless compassion,
limitless joy, and limitless equanimity.

form kayas or form body ( Skt. rupakaya, Tib. zug ku) The sambhogakaya and the
nirmanakaya. See the kayas, three.

four inconceivables see four immeasurables.

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, particularly the Theravadin path.

four ordinary foundations (Tib. tün mong gi ngon dro shi) This is meditation on the four
thoughts that turn the mind towards dharma which are the precious human birth,
impermanence, samsara, and karma.

four particularities These are the characteristics of buddha nature when it manifests as
complete enlightenment. These are lucid clarity, purity, possessing buddha characteristics of
enlightenment, and the presence of nonconceptual and analytical judgement.

four special foundations (Tib. ngöndro) These are the four ngöndro 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.

four thoughts that turn the mind (Tib. blo do nam shi) These are realizing the preciousness
of human birth, the impermanence of life, the faults of samsara, and realizing that pleasure and
suffering result from good and bad actions.

four unfavorable obstacles The four obstacles that hinder one from complete enlightenment.
These are hostility or dislike of dharma, strong belief in self, fear of suffering so one doesn’t
enter the mahayana, and lack of helping others.
freedoms, eight (Skt. ashtakshana, Tib. dal ba gyad) These are not holding wrong views, not
being born in a barbaric land, being born in a Buddhist country, having all one’s senses, not
being born in hell realm, not being born in hungry ghost realm, not being born in animal
realm, and not being born in god realm.

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

gandharva (Tib. dri za) A class of deities who are celestial musicians who live on odors.

garuda (Tib. khyung) A mythical bird which hatches fully grown.

gandharva (Tib. dri za) A class of deities that live of smells. They are also celestial
musicians.

Gelug school One of the main four Tibetan schools of Buddhism founded by Tsong Khapa
(1357-1419 C.E.) and is headed by His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama.

generation 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.

Gerab Dorje (Tib. Gerab Dorje also called Pramoda Vajra. The forefather of the Dzogchen
lineage who received the transmission from Vajrasattva

geshe (Tib.) A scholar who has attained a doctorate in Buddhist studies. This usually takes
fifteen to twenty years to attain.

ground consciousness (Tib. kunshi namshe) The eighth consciousness which has the function
of storing all the latent karmic imprints of experience. See consciousness, eight.

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.

Gunaprabha (Tib. yönten wö) A scholar of the seventh centuray who was of the foremost
students of Vasubandhu. He is known for his work called the Vinayasutra.
Hashang Mahayana (rgya nag gi hva shang) A Chinese meditation teacher whose view was
repudiated by Kamalashila.

healing nectar (Skt. amrita Tib. dud tsi) A blessed substance which can cause spiritual and
physical healing.

heruka (Tib. trak thung) A wrathful male deity.

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.
Also known as the Theravadin path.

how-it-is see knowledge of how-it-is.

hungry ghosts (Skt. preta, Tib. yadik) 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.

illusory body (Tib. gyu lu) One of the Six yogas of Naropa. See the Six Yogas of Naropa.

individual absorption or withdrawal. (Skt. pratyahara) This is the first of the stages of the
completion phase of practice.

Indra (Tib. brgua byin) The chief god of the realm of desire and said to reside on the top of
Mt. Meru.

Indrabodhi (Tib. rgyal po indra bodhi) An Indian king during the time of the Buddha who
become an accomplished master.

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

insight meditation (Skt. vipashyana, Tib. lhak tong) Meditation that develops insight into the
nature of phenomena. In the Theravada tradition this involves observing every thought in daily
life. In the vajrayana it involves more a close examination of the emptiness of phenomena. The
other main meditation is shamatha meditation.

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

interdependent origination (Skt. pratityasamutpada, Tib. tren drel) The twelve successive
phases that begins with ignorance and ends with old age and death.
Jamgön Kongtrul (1813-1899 C.E.) Also known as Lodro Thaye. He was best known for
founding the rimay movement which is a non-sectarian, eclectic movement which preserved
the various practice lineages that were on the verge of extinction. He also was a prolific writer
of ninety volumes.

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.

Kadam (Tib.) One of the major schools in Tibet. It was founded by Atisha (993-1054 C.E.). A
follower is a Kadampa.

Kadampa (Tib.) One of the major schools in Tibet. It was founded by Atisha (993-1054 C.E.)

Kagyu (Tib.) One of the four major schools of Buddhism in Tibet. It was founded by Marpa
and is headed by His Holiness Karmapa. The other three are the Nyingma, the Sakya, and the
Gelupa schools.

Kalachakra (Tib. du kyi khor lo) A well known meditation deity of the Anuttarayoga tantra
and is associated with the myth of Shambhala.

Kalacakra (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.

Kamalashila An eighth century scholar in India who was a student of Shantarakshita and is
best known for coming to Tibet and debating and defeating the Chinese scholar Hashang
Mahayana at Samye monastery and then writing the Stages of Meditation.

Kangyur (Tib.) The Tibetan collection of 104 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.

Karma Kagyu (Tib.) One of the eight schools of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
which is headed by His Holiness Karmapa.

Karmapa The title of seventeen successive incarnations of Dusum Khyenpa who has headed
the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Kashyapa Buddha The buddha who lived before the present Shakyamuni buddha.
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.

key instructions Sometimes called the quintessential instructions. These are instructions given
directly from guru to student concerning meditation on the nature of mind. While some of
these are written down, there are many passed on orally.

kiang (Tib.) A wild Tibetan ass.

khenpo (Tib.) 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).

klesha consciousness (Tib. nyön yid) The seventh of the eight consciousnesses. See
consciousnesses, eight.

knowledge of how-it-is (Tib. ji ta ba) This is transcendent knowledge (jnana) of the true
nature of reality, not as it appears to individuals in samsara.

knowledge of variety (Tib. ji nye pa) This is the transcendent knowledge (jnana) of the
variety of phenomena.

kriya tantra (Tib. ja way gyu) One of the four tantras which empahsizes personal purity.

Kuntuzangpo (Skt. Samantrabhadra) This is the primordial dharmakaya buddha. It is said

that at the beginning Samantrabhadra saw the separation of "I" and "other" and was not fooled
by it, unlike everyone else.

kusali (Tib.) There are two approaches; one is to study the Buddhist texts and the other is to
meditate directly with little study which is the kusulu way.

lama (Skt. guru) A spiritual teacher.

lamdre (Tib., Skt. margaphala) 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.

latent karmic imprints (Skt. vasana, Tib. pakchak) Every action and that a person does has
an imprint which is stored in the eighth consciousness. These latencies express themselves
later by leaving the eighth consciousness and entering the sixth consciousness upon being
stimulated by external experience.

left channel (Skt. lalana) This subtle channel is parallel to the central channel and is usually
visualized as white. The left, central, and right channels are the three principle channels within
the body which conduct the subtle airs.

life maintaining energy (Skt. prana, Tib. bindu) This is the subtle energy which gives the
inanimate body the energy to be a living system. It flows in channels called nadis.

lopon (Skt. acarya) A spiritual master. (Similar to a geshe scholar)

lotsawa This is Sanskrit for "translator."

Loving kindness (Skt. maitri, Tib. jam pa) This is compassion for oneself and is a prerequisite
to compassion for others (Skt. karuna).

luminosity (Tib. selwa) In the third turning everything is void, but this voidness is not
completely empty because it has luminosity. Luminosity or clarity allows all phenomena to
appear and is a characteristic of emptiness (Skt. shunyata).

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).

Madhyamaka (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.

mahadevi Mother of the Buddha who died seven days after giving birth to him.

mahakala (Tib. nag po chen po or gon po) A dharma protector who is the wrathful
manifestation of Avalokiteshvara known as the "great black one" and is called Bernakchen. A
chief dhamapala or wrathful protector of the dharma.

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.
mahapandita (Tib. pan di ta chen po) A very great Buddhist scholar (pandita).

mahasandhi (Tib. dzog chen) This is known also as the "great perfection" or atiyoga. One of
the highest tantric teachings in Tibet.

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. The biography of some of the most famous is found in The
Eighty-four Mahasiddhas.

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.

Maitreya (Tib. jampa) In this work refers to the bodhisattva Maitreya who live at the time of
the Buddha. Maitreya is presently residing in the Tushita pure realm until he becomes the fifth
buddha of this eon.

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. See ngöndro.

Manjushri (Tib. Jampalyang) A meditational deity representing discriminative awareness

(prajna) known for knowledge and learning. Usually depicted as holding a sword in the right
hand and scripture in the left.

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.

Marpa (1012-1097 C.E.) Marpa was known for being a Tibetan who made three trips to India
and brought back many tantric texts including the Six Yogas of Naropa, the Guhyasamaja, and
the Cakrasamvara practices. His teacher was Tilopa and he founded the Kagyu lineage in
Tibet.

Maudgalyayana One of the Buddha’s ten main disciples.

meditation instructions (Tib. man ngag)

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

mental consciousness (Tib. yid kyi namshe) The sixth consciousness responsible for analyzing
the sensory perceptions of the five sensory consciousnesses. See consciousnesses, eight.

mental factors (Tib. sem yung) Mental factors are contrasted to mind in that they are more
long-term propensities of mind including eleven virtuous factors such as faith, detachment,
and equanimity, and the six root defilements such as desire, anger, and pride, and the twenty
secondary defilements such as resentment, dishonesty, harmfulness.

Middle-way (Tib. u ma) or Madhyamaka School. A philosophical school founded by

Nagarjuna and based on the Prajnaparamita sutras of emptiness.

Mipham Rinpoche (Tib. mipham rinpoche) Great Nyingma master and writer of last century.

Milarepa (1040-1123 C.E.) Milarepa was a student of Marpa who attained enlightenment in
one lifetime. His student Gampopa founded the (Dagpo) Kagyu lineage.

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 poisons (Tib. duk). Literally means "poison" but is usually translated as "defilements" in
this text. The three main poisons are passion or desire, aggression or anger, and ignorance. The
five poisons are the three above plus pride and envy or jealousy.

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.

mudra (Tib. chak gya) In this book it is a "hand seal" or gestures which are preformed in
specific tantric ritual practices to symbolize certain aspects of the practice being done.

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

naga (Tib. lu) A water spirit which may take the form of a serpent. It is often the custodian of
treasures either texts or actual material treasures under ground.

Nagarjuna (Tib. ludrup) An Indian scholar in the second century who founded the
Madhyamaka philosophical school which emphasized emptiness.

Nalanda The greatest Buddhist University from the fifth to the tenth century located near
modern Rajgir which was the seat of the mahayana teachings and had many great Buddhist
scholars who studied there.
namo This is Sanskrit for homage.

Naropa (956-1040 C.E.) An Indian master who is best known for transmitting many vajrayana
teachings to Marpa who took these back to Tibet before the moslem invasion of India.

ngöndro (Tib. and pronounced "nundro") Tibetan for preliminary practice. 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.

nine steps for settling the mind (Tib. semnegu) These are the ways to place the mind in
meditation. They are (1) placing the mind, (2) continuously placing, (3) intermittent placing,
(4) taming the mind, (5) pacifying the mind, (6) complete pacification, (7) single-mindedness,
(8) complete composure.

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. 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.

noble truths, four (Tib. pak pay den pa shi) The Buddha founded Buddhism with a teaching
at Sarnath, India 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 are the foundation of Buddhism,
particularly the hinayana path.

Nyingma (Tib.) The oldest school of Buddhism based on the teachings of Padmasambhava
and others in the eighth and ninth centuries.

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

Padmasambhava (Tib. Guru Rinpoche) He was invited to Tibet in the eight century C.E. and
is known for pacifying the nonBuddhist forces and founding the Nyingma lineage.

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 (virya), transcendent meditation (dhyana), and transcendent knowledge (prajna). The
ten paramitas are these plus aspirational prayer, power, and yeshe.
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.

path, Buddhist (Tib. lam) The path refers to the process of attaining enlightenment. Path may
also refer to part of the threefold logic of ground, path, and fruition.

path of skillful means The skillful means used by enlightened beings to present the dharma,
taking the person’s capabilities and propensities into account.

paths, five (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.

phowa (Tib.) 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.

Pramana (Tib. tse ma) The study of the theory of knowledge.

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.

pointing-out instruction (Tib. ngo sprod kyi gdama 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.

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.

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.

Rangton School (Tib.) The Madhyamika or Middle-way school divided into two major
schools: the Rongtong which maintains voidness is devoid of inherent existence and Shentong
which maintains voidness is indivisible from luminosity.

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.

Ratnasambhava (Tib. rinchen jungné) The sambhogakaya buddha of the ratna family.

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 takes.

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

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

rishi A holy Hindu sage or saint.

rolong (Tib.) A Tibetan 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.

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.

Shakyamuni Buddha (Tib. shakya tubpa) The Shakyamuni Buddha, often called the
Gautama Buddha, refers to the latest Buddha who lived between 563 and 483 B.C.E.

Shakya (Tib. sa skya) One of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It was established
by Drogmi Lotsawa in the eleventh century.

Shakya Pandita A hereditary head of the Shakya lineage. A great scholar (1181-1251 C.E.)
who was an outspoken opponent of the Kagyu teachings. He also became head of the Tibetan
state under the authority of the Mongol emperors.

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

Samantrabhadra (Tib. Kuntuzangpo) This is the primordial dharmakaya buddha. It is said

that at the beginning Samantrabhadra saw the separation of "I" and "other" and was not fooled
by it unlike everyone else.

shamatha or tranquility 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.

Sashkhya (Tib. grongs can pa) A Buddhist school which holds the non-Buddhist view that all
objects of knowledge can be enumerated into 25 categories of phenomena. They believe in the
"fundamental principle" which is partless, permeanent, and pervades all phenomena.

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.

sampannakrama (Tib. dzo rim) In the vajrayana there are two stages of meditation: the
development and the completion stage. This is the completion stage. The completion stage is a
method of trantric meditation in which one attains bliss, clarity, and non-thought by means of
the subtle channels and energies within the body.
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.

samvrtikaya There is the body of ultimate truth (Skt. paramarthakaya) and the body of
relative truth (Skt. samvrtikaya). This is the embodiment of relative truth.

Samye temple The first monastery build in Tibet probably in 750-770 C.E.

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.

Saraha One of the eighty-four mahasiddhas of India who was known for his spiritual songs
about mahamudra.

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.

self-knowledge (Tib. rang rig) This is a high meditation in which one looks directly at mind
itself with no conceptualization to determine the characteritics of reality.

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 Madhyamaka) this was extended to mean there was no inherent
existence to outside phenomena as well.

selwa Tibetan for luminosity. In the vajrayana everything is void, but this voidness is not
completely empty because it has luminosity. Luminosity or clarity allows all phenomena to
appear and is a characteristic of emptiness (shunyata).

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.

seven patriarches (Tib. tarab dun) These were the seven great teachers and major holders of
Buddhism and were Mahakashyapa, Ananada, Upagupta, Canavasika, Dhitika, Krisna, and
Mahasudarchana.

Shantarakshita (eighth century C.E.) An abbot of Nalanda University who was invited by
King Trisong Detsen to come to Tibet. He established Samye Monastery and thus helped
introduce Buddhism in Tibet.

Shantideva (675- 725 C.E.) A great bodhisattva who lived in 7th and 8th century in India
known for his two works on the conduct of a bodhisattva.
shinay (Tib., Skt. shamatha) Often called tranquility 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.

Shentong school (Tib.) The Madhyamika or middle way school divided into two major
schools: the Rongtong which maintains voidness is devoid of inherent existence and Shentong
which maintains voidness is indivisible from luminosity.

Shariputra (Tib. shari pu) One of the buddha’s ten main disciples. He is known for his
intelligence and when the sutras say, "Thus have I heard..." it is Shariputra who recited this
sutra.

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

shravaka (Tib. nyen thö) Literally "those who hear" meaning disciples. A type of realized
hinayana practitioner (arhat) who has achieved the realization of the nonexistence of personal
self.

shramana A wandering recluse at the time of the Buddha.

siddha (Tib. drup top) An accomplished Buddhist practitioner.

siddhi (Tib. ngodrup) Spiritual accomplishments of accomplished practitioners.

six oranaments These are Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, and
Dharmakirti.

six realms of samsara (Tib. rikdruk) These are the possible types of rebirths for beings in
samsara and are: the god realm in which gods have great pride, the asura realm in which the
jealous gods try to maintain what they have, the human realm which is the best realm because
one has the possibility of achieving enlightenment, the animal realm characterized by
stupidity, the hungry ghost realm characterized by great craving, and the hell realm
characterized by aggression.

six yogas of Naropa (Tib. naro chödruk) These six special yogic practices were transmitted
from Naropa to Marpa and consist of the subtle heat practice, the illusory body practice, the
dream yoga practice, the luminosity practice, the ejection of consciousness practice, and the
bardo practice.

skandha (Tib. pung pa) Literally "heaps." These are the five basic transformations that
perceptions undergo when an object is perceived: form, feeling, perception, formation, and
consciousness. First is form which includes all sounds, smells, etc. everything we usually think
of as outside the mind. The second and third are sensations (pleasant and unpleasant, etc.) and
identification. Fourth is mental events which actually include the second and third aggregates.
The fifth is ordinary consciousness such as the sensory and mental consciousnesses.
skillful means (Skt. upaya, Tib. thab) On the mahayana level, this is one of the ten paramitas
and refers to dedicating the merits of all one’s deeds to the benefit of all sentient beings. On
the vajrayana level, it refers to practices of the internal yogas, which manipulate the internal
energies and channels.

space (Skt. dhatu, Tib. ying)

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

stable consciousness See consciousnesses, five

stupa (Tib. chö ten) A dome shaped monument to the Buddha which often contains relics and
remains of the Buddha or great bodhisattvas.

subtle channels (Skt. nadi, Tib. tsa) These refer to the subtle channels which are not
anatomical ones but ones in which psychic energies or "winds" (Sk. prana, Tib. lung) travel.

subtle heat (Tib. tummo) An advanced vajrayana practice for combining bliss and emptiness
which produces heat as a byproduct.

suchness (Skt. tathagata, Tib. de kho na nyi) This is things as they really are, not as they
appear.

sugatagarbha (Tib. der sheg nying po) Buddha nature or that enlightened essence present in
all beings that allows them to have the capacity to achieve enlightenment. It is closely related
to tathagatagarbha.

shunyata (Tib. tong pa nyi) Usually translated as voidness or emptiness. The Buddha taught in
the second turning of the wheel of dharma that external phenomena and internal phenomena or
the concept of self or "I" have no real existence and therefore are "empty."

sutra (Tib. do) These are the hinayana and mahayana texts which are the words of the
Buddha. These are often contrasted with the tantras which are the Buddha’s vajrayana
teachings and the shastras which are commentaries on the words of the Buddha.

sutrayana The sutra approach to achieving enlightenment which includes the hinayana and
the mahayana.

supreme yogi An epithet for the Buddha.

svabhavikakaya (Tib. ngo wo nyi kyi ku) The essence body and refers to the dharmakaya of
the Buddha.

tantra (Tib. gyü) One can divide Tibetan Buddhism into the sutra tradition and the tantra
tradition. The sutra tradition primarily involves the academic study of the mahayana sutras and
the tantric path primarily involves practicing the vajrayana practices. The tantras are primarily
the texts of the vajrayana practices.
tathagatas (Tib. dezhin shekpa)Literally, those who have gone to thusness. A title of the
Buddha and bodhisattvas.

tathagatagarba (Tib. deshin shekpai nying po) Literally, the seed or essence of tathatas which
is usually translated as Buddha-nature or buddha essence. It is the seed or essence of
enlightenment possessed by all sentient beings and which allows them to have the potential to
attain Buddhahood.

ten directions These are the four cardinal directions, their mid-directions (i.e. NE, SE, etc.)
plus up and down.

Tengyur (Tib.) The great Tibetian collection of over 100 works of the commentaries
(shastras) of the Buddhist works. See Kangyur.

terton (Tib.) A master in the Tibetan tradition who discovers treasures (terma) which are
teachings concealed by great masters of the past.

ten powers of the Buddha These are special "miraculous" powers of the Buddha.

terma Literally, hidden treasure. Works which were hidden by great bodhisattvas and later
rediscovered. They might be actual physical texts or they may come from "the sky" as
transmissions from the sambhogakaya.

thangka (Tib.) A Tibetan religious scroll.

Theravada School (Tib. neten depa ) A school, sometimes called the hinayana, which is the
foundation of Buddhism and this school emphasizes the careful examination of mind and its
confusion.

Theravadin (Tib. neten depa pa) A follower of the Theravada school.

three immutables These are the hinayana, the mahayana, and the vajrayana.

three jewels (Tib. kön chok sum) These are the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.

three realms These are three categories of samsara. The desire realm includes existences
where beings are reborn with solid bodies due to their karma ranging from the deva paradises
to the hell realms. The form realm is where beings are reborn due to the power of meditation;
and their bodies are immaterial in this realm. These are the meditation paradises. The formless
realm is where beings due to their meditation (samadhi), have entered a state of meditation
after death and the processes of thought and perception have ceased.

three roots (Tib. tsa wa sum) These are the lamas, the yidams, and the dharma protectors.

three marks of existence These are the characteristics of impermanent objects and are
literally birth, present life, and death. More metaphorically, it means the object has a
beginning, it has a solid existence in the present, and it decays or disintegrates into smaller
constituents in the future.
Thrisong Deutsen (790-858 C.E.) Was king of Tibet and invited great Indian saints and yogis
to Tibet. He also directed construction of Tibet’s first monastery (Samye Ling).

Tilopa (928-1009 C.E.) One of the eighty-four mahasiddhas who became the guru of Naropa
who transmitted his teachings to the Kagyu lineage in Tibet.

tirthika (Tib. mu teg pa)A religious person who believes in a personal self. Also referred to as
icchantikas.

torma (Tib., Skt. bali) A ritual object made of dried barley and butter and put on the shrine
used as a symbolic offering to the dieties.

tradition of profound view (Tib. ta wa zap mo?)This tradition is one of the principal
mahayana traditions in India which was founded by Nagarjuna in the 2nd century C.E. It is the
Madhyamaka "middle way" that teaches emptiness of all external and internal phenomena.

tradition of vast conduct (Tib. chö pa gya chen po?) This tradition is one of the two principal
mahayana traditions in India founded by Asangha in the fourth century A. D. It is the
Chittamatra or "mind only" school that teaches how all phenomena are mind created. It gave
rise to the mahayana traditions of Abhidharma and logic.

tranquility meditation (Skt. shamatha, Tib. shinay) A basic meditation practice aimed at
taming and sharpening the mind. It is also called basic sitting meditation.

Tripitaka (Tib. de nö sum)Literally, the three baskets. There are the sutras (the narrative
teachings of the Buddha), the vinaya (a code for monks and nuns) and the Abhidharma
(philosophical background of the dharma).

triplistic thought The belief in the solidity of relative reality by dividing all actions into
subject and object and the exchange between the two. For example, on the relative level, one
(subject) does a prostration (the action between) to a buddha statue (object).

tsampa (Tib.) Dried barley flour that Tibetans eat by mixing with butter.

tulku (Tib., Skt. nirmanakaya) A manifestation of a buddha that is perceived by an ordinary

person. The term has commonly been used for a discovered rebirth of any teacher.

tummo (Tib.) An advanced vajrayana practice for combining bliss and emptiness which
produces heat as a byproduct. This is one of the Six Yogas of Naropa

Tushita (Tib. gan dan) This is one of the heaven fields of the Buddha. Tushita is in the
sambhogakaya and therefore is not located in any place or time.

twelve deeds of the Buddha Traditionally, the Buddha performed 12 major deeds in his life.

two truths (Skt. dvisatya, Tib. den pa gnyi) There is the conventional or relative truth which is
the world as we normally experience it with solid objects. The other truth is ultimate or
absolute truth which is that ultimately phenomena are empty.
ultimate level (Tib. dondam)This ultimate truth which can only be perceived by an
enlightened individual is that all phenomena both internal (thoughts and feelings) and external
(the outside physical world) does not have any inherent existence.

Upanishads Hindu religious texts dating from the seventh century B.C.E.

upaya (Tib. tap) Literally, skillful means. This is used by enlightened beings to present the
dharma taking the person’s capabilities and propensities into account.

Vaibashhika school (Tib. je trak ma wa) One of the main hinayana schools. Also called
Saravastivadins.

Vairocanna (Tib. nam par nang dze) The sambhogakaya buddha of the buddha family.

vajra (Tib. dorje) Usually translated "diamond like." This may be 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.

vajra posture This refers to the full-lotus posture in which the legs are interlocked. When one
leg is placed before the other as many Westerners sit it is called the half-lotus posture.

Vajradhara (Tib. Dorje Chang) The name of the dharmakaya Buddha. Many of the teachings
of the Kagyu lineage came from Vajradhara.

Vajrapani (Tib. Channa Dorje) A major bodhisattva said to be lord of the mantra and a major
protector of Tibetan Buddhism.

Vajrasattva (Tib. Dorje Sempa) The Buddha of purification. Vajrasattva practice is part of
four preliminary practices.

Vajravarahi (Tib. Dorje Phagmo) A dakini who is the consort of Cakrasamvara. She is the
main yidam of the Kagyu lineage and the embodiment of wisdom.

Vajrayogini (Tib. Dorje Palmo) A semiwrathful yidam.

vajrayana (Tib. dorje tek pa) There are three major traditions of Buddhism (hinayana,
mahayana, vajrayana) The vajrayana is based on the tantras and emphasizes the clarity aspect
of phenomena and is mainly practiced in Tibet.

vase breathing An advanced breathing practice which has to be learned under the supervision
of an experience teacher and involves the retention of the breath in the abdomen which is thus
like an air filled vase.

Vasubandu (Tib. yik nyen) A great fourth century Indian scholar who was brother of Asanga
and wrote the hinayana work the Abhidharmakosha explaining the Abhidharma.

Vatsipatriya (Tib. gnas ma bu pa) A Buddhist school names after its leader Vatsipatra.
vayu (Tib. lung) In Sanskrit and Tibetan can mean "wind" outside or the air that is breathed as
well as the subtle airs of the body. Different kinds of vayu regulate different functions with
subtle air that maintains life being called prana. In this context it refers to the subtle airs or
energies that travel along the subtle channels.

victorious one One of the epitaphs given to the Buddha.

Vijnanavada Another name for the Chittamatra school.

Vinaya (Tib. dul wa) These are the teachings by the Buddha concerning proper conduct. There
are seven main precepts that may be observed by lay persons and 125 or 320 to be observed by
monks and nuns.

vipashyana meditation (Tib. lha tong)Sanskrit for "insight meditation" This meditation
develops insight into the nature of reality (Skt. dharmata). The other main meditation is
shamatha meditation.

visualization stage (Skt. utpattikrama) Also called developmental or generation phase. The
practice of creating the visualization of a yidam deity along with retinue, palace, mantra, etc.

visual consciousness See consciousnesses, eight

voidness (Skt. shunyata Tib. tong pa nyi) Usually translated as voidness or emptiness. The
Buddha taught in the second turning of the wheel of dharma that external phenomena and
internal phenomena or concept of self or "I" have no real existence and therefore are "empty."

wish-fulfilling jewel (Tib. yid shin norbu) A jewel said to exist in the naga or deva realms
which gave the owner whatever he or she wanted. Now used mostly metaphorically.

wheel of dharma (Skt. dharmacakra) The Buddha’s teachings correspond to three levels: the
hinayana, the mahayana and the vajrayana with each set being one turning of the wheel.

wisdom of nature of phenomena (Tib.ji ta ba) This is transcendent knowledge (Skt. jnana)
of the true nature of reality, not as it appears to individuals in samsara.

wisdom of multiplicity or variety (Tib.ji nye pa) This is the transcendent knowledge (jnana)
of the variety of phenomena.

worldly dharmas, eight (Tib. jig ten chö gya ?) These keep one from the path and 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.

yana (Tib. thek pa ) Literally means vehicle but refers here to level of teaching. There are
three main yanas (see hinayana, mahayana, and vajrayana).

yidam (Skt. ishtadevata) A trantric deity that embodies qualities of Buddhahood and is
practiced in the vajrayana. Also called a tutelary deity.
yogi (Tib. naljorpa) A buddhist practitioner who has chosen an unconventional path of
practicing.

yoga Literally, union. In this text it refers to special movement and breathing exercises that are
done to enhance meditation by clearing the subtle channels.