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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.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