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Glossary

This glossary contains an alphabetical list of Buddhist terms that you may find on this website. Many of the terms now include phoneticized Sanskrit (Skt) as well as two forms of Tibetan—the phonetic version (Tib), which is a guide to pronunciation, and transliteration using the Wylie method (Wyl). Search for the term you want by entering it in the search box or browse through the listing by clicking on the letters below. Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

divine pride

lhe ngargyäl (Tib); lha'i nga rgyal (Wyl)

The non-deluded pride in deity yoga practice, where the appearance of oneself as the deity is held, as an antidote to ordinary appearance. See generation stage.

dob dob (Tib)

ldob ldob (Wyl)

A monk within the Gelug monasteries in Tibet who had less interest in studying and more in worldly matters such as appearance, sport and fighting. Dob dobs usually did much of the manual labor, as well as cooking, serving tea in assemblies and caring for elderly monks.

Doga, Geshe (b. 1935)

Resident teacher for more than thirty years at Tara Institute, the FPMT center in Melbourne, Australia.

Domo Geshe Rinpoche (d. 1936)

A famous ascetic meditator in his early life who later established monastic communities in the Tibet-Nepal border area and in Darjeeling; the guru of Lama Govinda, who wrote The Way of the White Clouds.

dorje (Tib)

vajra (Skt); rdo rje (Wyl)

The magical weapon of the Vedic god Indra, made of metal and very sharp and hard; adamantine. A thunderbolt. A tantric implement symbolizing method (compassion or bliss), held in the right hand (the male side), usually in conjunction with a bell, which symbolizes wisdom and is held in the left hand (the female side).