Glossary
of Buddhist Terms in the Theravada (Hinayana), Mahayana, and Vajrayana
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Adibuddha:
A concept in Mahayana Buddhism of an eternal Buddha with no beginning
and with no end. He is self-created and originally revealed himself
in the form of a blue flame coming out of a lotus. Over time this
symbol became personified in the form of the Adibuddha.
Amrita
/ Amarit: Translated as the elixir of the Gods, from original
Hindu mythology of a drink that could bestow I mortality.
Animal
Realm: In Buddhist cosmology, one of the six realms of existence,
where the mind is consumed by survival.
Arhat:
One who has achieved personal liberation from the endless cycle of
birth and rebirth.
Asuras
(male) / Asuris (female): Also referred to as Titans, they
are originally from Hindu mythology where they are lesser gods who
strive to overcome the power of the deities. In Buddhism, they are
a symbolic manifestation of the ego, representing certain states of
mind.
Bodhi:
Meaning to be enlightened or awakened. To have knowledge of the ultimate
reality.
Bodhisattva:
A being who has achieved awakening and has chosen to reincarnate so
as to help alleviate the suffering of all beings. Generally thought
of as waiting to achieve nirvana until all other beings have reached
enlightenment. Kuan Yin
is one of the most well-loved Bodhisattva.
Buddha:
Most commonly used in English to refer to Shakyamuni Buddha, who was
born Prince Siddhartha.
Chakra:
In Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism, they are considered energy points
in the body. However, the word also has its roots in the word for
cosmos.
Daka
(male) / Dakinis (female): Divine wrathful beings that in Tantric
Buddhism are believed to be intermediaries between practitioners and
the transcendental Buddhas.
Deva
(male) / Devi (female): Originally from Hinduism Deva is a
god. In Buddhism, they are still subject to the endless cycle of existence.
Dharma:
Often translated as either the Truth, or the teachings of the Buddha.
In particular, this refers to the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold
Path.
Dhyani
(or Meditation) Buddhas: They are emanations of Adibuddha and
serve as the meditation Buddhas. These are five images of the Buddha
in meditation, and are considered as different aspects of Buddhahood.
In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, they have evolved in to five "families"
representing different cosmic elements and being guardians of five
different directions (North, South, East, West, and Center).
Dorje:
Tibetan pronunciation of the word Vajra (see below).
Eightfold
Path: This is the path preached by the Buddha as the way to escape
from anguish and suffering. The eight qualities are right understanding
or view (based on understanding the Four Noble Truths), right thought,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness and right concentration.
Enlightenment:
This has been translated as understanding the ultimate reality and
escaping the endless cycle of existence and rebirth. It is the point
where perfect wisdom and perfect compassion reach balance.
Five
Poisons: They are five harmful qualities that are normal to most
beings, namely ignorance, hatred, pride, craving and envy.
Four
Noble Truths: One of the basic concepts in all schools of Buddhism,
they are the truth that suffering arises from impermanence; The truth
that ignorance is the attachment to impermanent objects; The truth
that suffering can be overcome by developing an understanding of the
ultimate reality; The truth that the Eightfold Path is the way to
achieve this understanding and liberation from suffering.
Gelupka:
This is a Tibetan lineage of Buddhism, headed by the Dalai Lama. It
is the largest of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
God
Realm: Literally, it is the universe where the gods dwell, but
in Buddhist thought it is a symbol for a heavenly state of mind. Hinayana:
Literally meaning lesser of smaller cart, it is a word describing
Theravada Buddhism (see below).
Human
Realm: Literally being the world where humans dwell, it is a symbol
of the mindstate where one has achieved a balance of compassion and
awareness. It is thus considered a main gate on the path to enlightenment.
Hungry
Ghosts: Another one of the six worlds, where the pretans dwell.
They are beings with a huge stomach and a pin hole for a mouth, and
thus are unable to consume enough to satisfy their hunger or cravings.
Karma:
Karma is usually translated as the law of cause and effect. That we
suffer at present because of past harmful or spiteful actions. Karma
underlines the importance of all individuals being responsible for
their past and present actions. When taking actions, it is best to
look at what effect this will have on others, and why is it that we
are taking these actions.
Lama:
In Tibetan Buddhism, considered a master of certain areas of Buddhism.
May be the head of one or more monasteries.
Mahayana:
Literally meaning the "Great Vehicle," it is the school of Buddhism
that is prominent in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and East Asia. It has incorporated
many of the areas original religious beliefs with the original Theravada
beliefs. This school emphasizes the path of the Bodhisattva. Vajrayana
is a later developed branch of Mahayana.
Mandala:
Used as a point of concentration in Tantric Buddhism, is usually a
painted circular diagram or sacred circle which represents the unfolding
of the cosmos.
Mantra:
Sometimes translated as a chant, it is the repeating of phrases or
words to help one concentrate and achieve focus.
Mudra:
Buddhist and Hindu images all have particular hand gestures, and these
hand gestures have specific meanings. For instance, the right hand
of Shakyamuni Buddha reaching down is known as Calling
the Earth to Witness.
Nagas:
In Hinduism, they were known as gods of rain and fertility, in Buddhism,
they became seen as protectors. For example, there is a story of when
the Buddha was meditating and it began to rain. A Naga came up behind
the Buddha and unfolded its seven-headed hood over the Buddha so the
rain would not disturb him. Images of Nagas are commonly seen decorating
temple staircase and roofs (probably because the roofs are wood and
susceptible to fire, and Nagas were traditionally thought to bring
rain).
Nirvana:
Considered as the goal of Theravada Buddhist practice, it is the liberation
from suffering and departure from the endless cyclic existence.
Nyingmapa:
Meaning the "Ancient Ones" it is the oldest of the four main schools
of Tibetan Buddhism.
Prajnaparamita:
In certain Buddhist texts, they deal with the understanding of the
"Perfection of Wisdom." Rimpoche: In Tibetan Buddhism, it means a
Precious One. It is the title of a highly adept Buddhist practitioner.
Rupa:
The word literally means form, but is commonly used to refer to Buddhist
and Hindu statues.
Samadhi:
This word generally means a type of insight gained through either
meditation or wisdom. In Thai, the word refers to mediation in general.
Samsara:
This means the endless cycle of existence in the impermanent world.
It is the goal of Buddhism to escape Samsara.
Sangha:
The monkshood as founded by the Buddha.
Skandas:
These are the five main aspects of the human psyche or personality.
Namely, they are form, sensation, perception, mental formations and
consciousness.
Stupa:
In Buddhist temples, the Stupa is a structure built to house sacred
relics.
Sutra:
These are basically written teachings, such as the Lotus Sutra or
the Karma Sutra.
Tantra:
In Buddhism, Tantra generally refers the Vajrayana school. This school
relies more heavily on the practice of yoga, mantras, rituals and
visualizations of deities.
Thangkas
/Thankas: These are Buddhist paintings that can be rolled up and
transported from place to place. Nomads in the Tibetan plateaus favored
them, since they could be carried easily. They generally feature paintings
of Buddhist deities or Buddhist symbols.
Theraveda:
Literally meaning "Path of the Elders," This is the original Buddhist
school and remains closest to the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and
the Pali Canon. The focus of Theravada Buddhism is on individual liberation
and concentration on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
This school of Buddhism is found predominantly in Southeast Asia.
Transcendental
Buddhas: They are emanations of Adibuddha and serve as the meditation
Buddhas. These are five images of the Buddha in meditation, and are
considered as different aspects of Buddhahood. In Mahayana and Vajrayana
Buddhism, they have evolved in to five "families" representing different
cosmic elements and being guardians of five different directions (North,
South, East, West, and Center).
Vajra
(Dorje in Tibetan): Often translated as a diamond or as a thunderbolt,
it is a symbol used in ritual or found in the hands of various Mahayana
deities. They represent either the clear insight (such as a lighting
bolt cutting through a darkened sky), or pure understanding (such
as the clarity of a diamond).
Vajrayana:
Also referred to as Tantric Buddhism, it literally means The Diamond
Vehicle and is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. See Tantra above.
Vipassana:
This is a form of meditation known as insight meditation, and is considered
key to enlightenment by Theravada Buddhists.
Yoga:
The English word "Yoke" is derived from this word, and its meaning
is "Union" or being connected to something. The understanding is that
it is the integration of personal experience into wisdom, both from
physical and meditative practices.
Zen:
This is one school of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism. It developed
in China (where it was known as Chan Buddhism), and spread into Japan
and Korea. It has incorporated several ideas from Taoism.
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Buddhism Information:
An
Introduction to Buddhism | The Dharma | Glossary
of Buddhist Terms | Insight Meditation
| Thai Temples in North
America
Meditation and Yoga Techniques:
Chi and Breathing
Articles on the Dharma and Meditation:
Desire (Kilesa) | Buddhist Attitude | Blatant Dharma | Bodhinyana (A Dharma Collection) | Suffering and Buddhism | Right Concentration | Developing Your Skill in Dharma | Dharma in Daily Life 1 | Dharma in Daily Life 2 | Understanding the Dharma | Developing Awareness | Insight Meditation | Developing a Right Mindset | Death And Dying | Marriage and Dharma | Meditation Freedom and Focus | Timelessness of the Dharma
Hinduism (General):
Glossary of
Hindu Terms | Hindu Temples In America | Holi Festival
| Shivaratri (Shiva Festival)
Hindu
Deities:
Agni | Apsaras
| Asuras | Brahma
| Chandra | Devi
| Durga | Gandharvas
| Ganesha
| Ganga |Hanuman
| Indra | Kali
| Kama | Krishna
| Lakshmi | Nagas
| Parvati
| Pisachas
| Rahu
| Rakshas
| Rama
| Rudra | Saraswati
| Shiva | Surya
| Varuna | Vishnu
| Yakshas
Hindu Religious Texts:
Baghavad Gita | Mahabharata
| Rig Veda | Vedas
