See Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche (1914–83) and Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche 2.

A renowned tenth century master from Muara Jambi in Suvarnadvipa, the “golden island,” now known as Sumatra. Serlingpa was the main teacher of Lama Atisha, who travelled to Sumatra and studied thought transformation with him for twelve years.

One of two methods used in Tibetan Buddhism for developing bodhicitta. The seven points are: 1) seeing all beings as your mother; 2) remembering the kindness of the mother; 3) wishing to repay the kindness; 4) love; 5) compassion; 6) special intention; 7) generating the mind of enlightenment. The other method is equalizing and exchanging the self with others.

Symbolizing the seven factors of enlightenment, they are: the precious wheel (mindfulness), the precious elephant (wisdom) the precious horse (energy), the precious jewel (joy), the precious queen (tranquility), the precious minister (concentration) and the precious general (equanimity).

They are: faith, ethics, learning, generosity, consideration for others, integrity and wisdom.

The seven limbs are: prostrating, making offerings, confession, rejoicing, requesting to turn the Dharma wheel, requesting the teachers to remain in the world and dedicating.

They are: 1) legs in vajra (full lotus) position or crossed; 2) hands in meditation mudra; 3) back straight; 4) jaw relaxed, tongue against palate; 5) head tilted forward; 6) eyes slightly open, gaze directed downwards; 7) shoulders level and relaxed.

Music; one of the offering substances.

The clan of Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, located in present-day Nepal.

The last of the great Indian scholars to travel to Tibet. He remained in Tibet for ten years, where he taught many Buddhist texts and founded four major monastic centres in Ü and Tsang regions.

Fourth of the one thousand founding buddhas of this present world age. Born a prince of the Shakya clan in north India, he taught the sutra and tantra paths to liberation and enlightenment; founder of what came to be known as Buddhism. (From the Skt: buddha—"fully awake.")

An eighth century Indian scholar and disciple of Shantarakshita, Shakyaprabha was learned in the Vinaya (ethical discipline). He is usually thought to be one of the Two Supreme Ones.

Calm abiding; a state of concentration in which the mind is able to abide steadily, without effort and for as long as desired, on an object of meditation. There are nine stages in its development.

Eighth century Indian Buddhist philosopher and bodhisattva who propounded the Prasangika Madhyamaka (Middle Way Consequence) view. Shantideva wrote the quintessential Mahayana text, A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Skt: Bodhicarayavatara; Tib: jang chub sem pä chö pa la jug pa).

Ordained by Geshe Potowa and guru of Geshe Chekawa.

One of the two principal disciples of the Buddha, with Maudgalyayana.

The lower part of a Tibetan monk’s or nun’s robes.

A native of the Everest region of Nepal. Two famous Sherpas are Sherpa Tenzin, the first person to climb Mt. Everest, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

See shamatha.

A hearer; a Hinayana practitioner who strives for liberation from cyclic existence on the basis of listening to teachings from a teacher. There are four divisions: stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner and arhat. Each of these divisions has two stages, a developing level and a resultant level, thus there are eight levels in total. Cf. pratyekabuddha.

The Hearer Vehicle. One of the branches of the Hinayana. The path of hearers (shravakas), practitioners who strive for liberation from cyclic existence on the basis of listening to teachings from a spiritual guide or teacher. See also Pratyekabuddhayana.

Dorje Shugden, also known as Dolgyal, is a worldly spirit previously practiced by many followers of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated that Shugden is a spirit, not an enlightened being or Dharma protector, as claimed by some, and strongly advises against it. See Lama Zopa Rinpoche's advice on Shugden.

See emptiness.

The prince of the Shakya clan who became Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha.

A realization or attainment, either common or supreme. Common siddhis refer to psychic powers acquired as a by-product of the spiritual path; supreme siddhi refers to great liberation or enlightenment. See also eight common siddhis.

A red powder used in tantric practices, especially Vajrayogini.

A state of deep meditative absorption; single-pointed concentration on the actual nature of things, free from discursive thought and dualistic conceptions. See also analytical meditation.

Also called laxity or sluggishness, sinking thought is a mental factor which causes the object of meditation to appear in a dull manner. Gross laxity is a dull and heavy mind which holds the object of meditation but lacks clarity and lucidity. Subtle laxity is a stable mind which holds the object of meditation clearly but lacks intensity. Sinking thought and scattering are the two main hindrances to single-pointed concentration. See also lethargy.

From the lowest to the highest, they are: 1) The heaven of the four great kings (Tib: gyalchen rizhi; Wyl: rgyal chen ris bzhi); 2) The heaven of the thirty-three (Tib: sumchu tsa sum; Wyl: sum cu rtsa gsum); 3) Free from conflict (Tib: thab dräl; Wyl: 'thab bral); 4) Joyful (Tib: ganden; Wyl: dga' ldan); 5) Joyful emanation (Tib: trulga; Wyl: 'phrul dga'); and 6) Power over others' emanations (Tib: zhentrul wangje; Wyl: gzhan 'phrul dbang byed). See also desire realm, which is one of three realms of samsara.

The six equanimities are defined in The Great Gomde Dictionary as a tradition of Mahamudra practice advice coming from the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tsangpa Gyarey (1161-1211) and so forth. The six are: taking discursive thoughts onto the path (rnam rtog lam 'khyer), taking afflictions onto the path (nyon mongs lam 'khyer), taking sickness onto the path (na tsha lam 'khyer), taking deities and demons onto the path (lha 'dre lam 'khyer), taking suffering onto the path (sdug bsngal lam 'khyer), and taking death onto the path ('chi ba lam 'khyer). This practice was concealed as a terma by Jetsun Rechungpa and revealed by Drogon Tsangpa Gyarey.

The practitioner is like the patient, the Dharma is medicine, the guru is like a skilled doctor and the Sangha are like nurses, Dharma practice is like the cure, the guru is as holy as the buddhas, the Dharma should remain a long time.

The six great Indian scholars, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga and Dharmakirti, who together with the Two Supreme Ones, Gunaprabha and Shakyaprabha, wrote extensive commentaries on the Buddha's teachings.

The practices of a bodhisattva. On the basis of bodhicitta, a bodhisattva practices the six perfections: generosity, morality, patience, enthusiastic perseverance, concentration and wisdom. See also Paramitayana.

1) Cleaning the space and preparing the altar; 2) making offerings on the altar; 3) sitting comfortably, checking the state of the mind, taking refuge and generating bodhicitta; 4) visualizing the merit field; 5) offering the seven-limb prayer and a mandala; 6) requesting the guru for inspiration.

The general way that Buddhism divides the whole of cyclic existence; there are three lower realms (hell, hungry ghost and animal) and three upper realms (human, demigod and god).

See root delusions.