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See Pratyekabuddhayana.

The area in north-eastern Nepal, bordering Tibet, where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born; populated by the Sherpas.

Geshe Sopa was an eminent Buddhist scholar based at Deer Park in Wisconsin, USA. He is a guru of both Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

The six internal sources (of consciousness) are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mental sense powers; the six external sources (of consciousness or fields of consciousness) are the form source, sound source, odor source, taste source, object-of-touch source and phenomenon source.

The sixth of the seven points of cause and effect technique for developing bodhicitta, where the practitioner takes on the responsibility to lead all sentient beings to enlightenment by him- or herself. This is the final step before actually attaining bodhicitta.

See insight meditation.

Beings not usually visible to ordinary people; can belong to the hungry ghost or god realms; can be beneficent as well as harmful.

The ancient kingdom of the Kosalas now situated in modern Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the site of the Jeta Grove, where the Buddha would spend the rainy season in retreat and where many ruins from that time have been excavated.

See lamrim.

Buddhist reliquary objects ranging in size from huge to a few inches in height and representing the enlightened mind. Also known as chorten.

See merely labeled.

See obscurations to knowledge.

The main character in the Gandavyuha Sutra, the last chapter of the Avatamsaka (Flower Ornament) Sutra. Sudhana is a youth whose search for enlightenment takes him on a journey to 53 spiritual teachers; he is used as an example of perfect guru devotion.

What is normally regarded as pleasure, which because of its transitory nature sooner or later turns into suffering. See the three types of suffering.

See suffering of suffering.

Aka the suffering of pain; the commonly recognized suffering experiences of pain, discomfort and unhappiness. See the three types of suffering.

An epithet for a buddha, literally “excellent (su) gone one (gata).”

Semolina.

The pure realm of the Buddha Amitabha. Literally Land of Bliss, it is located in the western direction.

Also called supramundane siddhi, this refers to enlightenment, often in reference to the attainment of clear light within the Mahamudra system. See also common siddhi, eight common siddhis and siddhi.

A tantric practice where tsampa is burned and offered to the spirits.

Another term for deva or god.

See central channel.

A discourse of the Buddha recognized as a canonical text.

One of the three baskets (Tripitaka) of the Buddha's teachings. See also Abhidharma and Vinaya.

See Sautrantika.

The Sutra Vehicle, another name for Bodhisattvayana or Paramitayana; the non-tantric path that encompasses both Hinayana practices such as the thirty-seven wings of enlightenment and Mahayana practices such as the six perfections, in order to gather the two accumulations of merit and wisdom, the respective causes of the rupakaya and the dharmakaya, hence its other name, the causal vehicle.

The essential purity of the mind that is the dharmakaya (truth body). See also jnanakaya.

The Middle Way Autonomy school, a sub-school of the Middle Way school of Buddhist philosophy. The Autonomy school accepts autonomous reasons and does not assert true establishment even conventionally. There are two divisions: 1) Sutra Middle Way Autonomists (Skt: Sautrantika-Svatantrika-Madhyamaka) and 2) Yogic Middle Way Autonomists (Skt: Yogacara-Svatantrika-Madhyamaka). See also Prasangika Madhyamaka and the four Buddhist philosophical schools.

Also called Swayambhunath; the ancient stupa complex in Kathmandu Valley, west of the city.

The meditation practice of generating bodhicitta by taking on the suffering of others and giving them happiness. See also equalizing and exchanging the self with others.

See chulen.

Literally, thread, or continuity. The secret teachings of the Buddha; a scriptural text and the teachings and practices it contains. Also called Vajrayana or Mantrayana.

Vows taken by tantric practitioners.

A female meditational deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the buddhas; often referred to as the mother of the buddhas of the past, present and future. The Twenty-one Praises to Tara prayer is usually recited before debate sessions at Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

A Highest Yoga Tantra aspect of Tara that is especially practiced by the Gelug lineage.