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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.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