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The Panchen Lama's monastery in Shigatse in Tibet; built by the First Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Gendun Drub; now re-established in exile in south India.

Epithet for a buddha; literally, “one who has gone to suchness.”

Anyone from the Tehor region in the eastern part of Kham in Tibet. Tehor is the largest of the fourteen regional house groups at Sera Je Monastery.

The worldly happiness of humans and gods.

With the five great mantras, these are especially beneficial at the time of death. They are: 1) Chenrezig long and short mantra; 2) Namgyälma long and short mantra; 3) Milarepa’s mantra; 4) the mantra of Kunrig; 5) Medicine Buddha mantra (short); 6) Zung of the Exalted Completely Pure Stainless Light; 7) Stainless Pinnacle mantra; 8) Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha; 9) Buddha Mitukpa mantra; 10) the mantras of Buddha Maitreya’s promise.

The ten stages a bodhisattva progresses through once reaching the path of seeing, the first level being there, the second to seventh during the path of meditation and the eighth to tenth during the path of no more learning. See also bhumi.

Three of body (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct); four of speech (lying, speaking harshly, slandering and gossiping); and three of mind (covetousness, ill will and wrong views). General actions to be avoided so as not to create negative karma. See also the ten virtuous actions.

The six perfections plus four perfections mentioned in the Heart of Wisdom sutras (Prajnaparamita sutras) as aspects of the sixth perfection, wisdom; they are method, skillful means, prayers and transcendental wisdom.

Along with the eight freedoms, the defining features of the perfect human rebirth: being born as a human being, in a Dharma country and with perfect mental and physical faculties; not having committed any of the five immediate negativities; having faith in the Buddha's teachings; being born when a buddha has descended, the teachings have been revealed, the complete teachings still exist and there are still followers of the teachings; and having the necessary conditions to practice Dharma, such as the kindness of others.

Actions of body, speech and mind which are the opposite of the ten nonvirtuous actions, therefore, one refrains from killing, speaks the truth and so forth.

A general term for a religious and/or philosophical system, whether Buddhist or non-Buddhist. It is often used as shorthand to refer to the four major Buddhist tenet systems that emerged from India. See the four Buddhist philosophical schools.

See four Buddhist philosophical schools.

The part of the Tibetan Canon that contains the Indian pandits' commentaries on the Buddha's teachings. Literally, "translation of the commentaries." It contains about 225 volumes (depending on the edition).

See Dalai Lama.

The Spanish reincarnation of Lama Thubten Yeshe.

A painted or appliquéd depiction of a deity, mandala or motif such as the Wheel of Life, usually set in a framework of colorful brocade. Artists follow strict guidelines and traditional techniques, and thangkas are rich in symbolic meaning.

The village in Solu Khumbu, Nepal, where Lama Zopa Rinpoche was born.

A tradition of Buddhism that upholds the Pali Canon and the noble eightfold path, which leads practitioners to liberation (nirvana), a state free from the suffering of conditioned existence. Theravada is one of the four root divisions of the Hinayana schools and is widely practiced in Sri Lanka and most of continental South-east Asia.

The Thirteen Golden Dharmas of the Sakya are said to have come from the time of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158). They are: the three Khechara Vajrayoginis, the three major red deities, the three minor red deities, Amaravajradevi, Red Zhambala, Simhamukha and Black Manjushri.

Also called Thirty-five Confession Buddhas. Used in the practice of confessing and purifying negative karma, the group of thirty-five buddhas visualized while reciting the Sutra of the Three Heaps and performing prostrations.

Also called the thirty-seven aids to, or factors of, enlightenment. They are: 1) the four foundations of mindfulness; 2) the four thorough abandonments; 3) the four legs of magical manifestation; 4) the five powers; 5) the five strengths; 6) the seven branches of enlightenment; and 7) the eight branches of superiors' path.

A set of practices that embraces all the aspects of the bodhisattva's path to enlightenment, based on a mind training text by Thogme Zangpo.

See Heaven of Thirty-three.

A buddha in the sambhogakaya aspect displays thirty-two major marks and eighty minor signs; the major signs are: 1) feet with a level tread; 2) thousand-spoked wheel marks on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; 3) projecting heels; 4) long fingers and toes (often taken as fingers the same length and likewise the toes); 5) soft and tender hands and feet; 6) web-like (reticulated) hands and feet; 7) high-raised ankles; 8) legs like antelopes; 9) ability to touch the knees without bending; 10) male organ enclosed in a sheath; 11) complexion like gold; 12) skin so smooth no dust can adhere to it; 13) separate body-hairs, one to each pore; 14) the body-hairs are bluish-black, curling in rings to the right; 15) the body is divinely straight; 16) the body has seven convex surfaces (the backs of the four limbs, the two shoulders and the trunk); 17) the front part of the body is like a lion’s; 18) no hollow between the shoulders; 19) proportioned like a banyan—the height of the body is equal to the span of outstretched arms; 20) the bust is evenly rounded; 21) a perfect sense of taste; 22) jaws like a lion; 23) forty teeth; 24) the teeth are even; 25) no spaces between the teeth; 26) the canine teeth are very bright; 27) the tongue is very long; 28) a Brahma-like voice; 29) the eyes are deep blue; 30) the eyelashes like a cow’s; 31) the hair (mole) between the eyes is soft like cotton down; 32) the head is like a royal turban (Skt: ushnisha). See also Study Buddhism, by Berzin Archives, Rigpa Shedrup Wiki and the Dhammakaya International Society of Belgium.

Also known as Gyalse Ngulchu Thogme. A great master of the Nyingma and Sakya traditions and author of Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva and a famous commentary on Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life.

Also known as “mind training” or “mind transformation”. A powerful approach to the development of bodhicitta, in which the mind is trained to use all situations, both happy and unhappy, as a means to destroy self-cherishing and self-grasping.

See Tripitaka.

See three kayas.

Impermanence, non-self, nirvana.

Body, speech and mind.

The happiness of future lives, liberation and enlightenment. See also the three ways a perfect human rebirth is highly meaningful.

The three higher trainings of ethics, concentration and wisdom when conjoined with refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. See three trainings.

Three places in the Himalayas that represent Heruka's body, speech and mind, they are: Mt. Kailash, Tsari and Lapchi.

Also called the Triple Gem or the Three Rare Sublime Ones. The objects of Buddhist refuge: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Lama Zopa Rinpoche prefers “Three Rare Sublime Ones” as a more direct translation of kon chog sum.

The classification of a buddha's body into three: the dharmakaya (truth body), sambhogakaya (enjoyment body) and nirmanakaya (emanation body). These three bodies are manifestations of the enlightened mind. See also two kayas and four kayas.

See the graduated path of the three capable beings.