Glossary | Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive

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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

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Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen (1713–93)

Tsechokling Rinpoche. A recent lineage lama of Mahamudra; tutor of the Eighth Dalai Lama; founded Tsechok Ling Monastery in Lhasa.

Kadam (Tib)

bka’ gdams (Wyl)

The order of Tibetan Buddhism founded in the eleventh century by Atisha, Dromtönpa and their followers, the "Kadampa geshes"; the forerunner of the Gelug School.

Kadampa geshe

A practitioner of the Kadam lineage. Kadampa geshes are renowned for their practice of thought transformation.

Kagyü (Tib)

bka’ brgyud (Wyl)

The order of Tibetan Buddhism founded in the eleventh century by Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, and their followers. One of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Cf. Nyingma, Sakya and Gelug.

kaka

Slang for feces.

Kalachakra (Skt)

du kyi khor lo (Tib); dus kyi ‘khor lo (Wyl)

Literally, Cycle of Time. A male meditational deity of Highest Yoga Tantra. The Kalachakra Tantra contains instructions in medicine, astronomy and so forth.

Kalarupa (Skt)

shin je chö gyel (Tib); gshin rje chos rgyal (Wyl)

Wrathful male meditational deity connected with Yamantaka.

Kamalashila (740–795)

The great Indian scholar from Nalanda Monastery who accompanied Shantarakshita to Tibet to try to revitalize Buddhism there. He is noted for his three texts called Stages of Meditation (Skt: Bhavanakrama).

Kanakamuni

The second buddha of this eon. See also Krakucchanda, Kashyapa, and Maitreya.

Kangyur (Tib)

bka’ ‘gyur (Wyl)

The part of the Tibetan Canon that contains the sutras and tantras; literally, "translation of the (Buddha's) word." It contains 108 volumes.

kapala (Skt)

to pa (Tib); thod pa (Wyl)

Skull cup, e.g., the one held by Yum Dorje Nyemma.

karma (Skt)

lä (Tib); las (Wyl)

Action; the working of cause and effect, whereby positive (virtuous) actions produce happiness and negative (non-virtuous) actions produce suffering.