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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

Vinaya (Skt)

dul wa (Tib); ’dul ba (Wyl)

The Buddha's teachings on ethical discipline (morality), monastic conduct and so forth; one of the three baskets (Tripitaka) of the Buddhist canon. See also Sutra and Abhidharma.

virtue

kushala (Skt); gewa (Tib); dge ba (Wyl)

Positive karma; that which results in happiness.

virtuous friend

kalyana mitra (Skt); ge wä she nyen (Tib); dge ba’i bshes gnyen (Wyl)

The “noble friend” or “friend of virtue”, the term refers to the spiritual teacher or guru.

virtuous mental factors

kushala-chaitta (Skt); ge wä sem jung (Tib); dge ba’i sems byung (Wyl)

One of the six groups of mental factors, the virtuous mental factors are positive qualities of the mind that counteract the non-virtuous mental factors—the root delusions and secondary delusions. There are eleven: faith, shame (or self-respect), embarrassment (or consideration for others), non-attachment, non-hatred, non-ignorance, effort, pliancy, conscientiousness, equanimity, and non-harmfulness.

vows

dom pa (Tib); sdom pa (Wyl)

Precepts taken on the basis of refuge at all levels of Buddhist practice. The pratimoksha vows (individual liberation vows) include the five lay vows and the vows taken by monks and nuns. There are also the eight Mahayana precepts, as well as bodhisattva vows, which are given in various Mahayana contexts, and tantric vows, which are given only with Highest Yoga Tantra initiations.

Vulture’s Peak

The mountain near Rajgir, India, where the Buddha taught the Heart Sutra.