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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

Ben Gungyal, Geshe

A Kadampa practitioner and follower of Atisha, he was a robber before he renounced his life of crime and became ordained.

bhagavan (Skt)

chom den dä (Tib); bcom ldan ‘das (Wyl)

Epithet for a buddha; sometimes translated as Lord, Blessed One and so forth. One who has destroyed (chom) all the defilements, possesses all qualities (den) and has transcended the world (dä).

Bodhgaya

Dorjeden (Tib); rdo rje gdan (Wyl)

The small town in the state of Bihar in north India where Shakyamuni Buddha became enlightened.

Bodhicaryavatara (Skt)

jangchub sempä chöpa la jugpa, chöjug (Tib); byang chub sems dpa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa, spyod 'jug (Wyl)

A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Shantideva.

bodhicitta (Skt)

jang chub sem (Tib); byang chub sems (Wyl)

A principal consciousness that combines the two factors of wishing to free all beings from suffering and of wishing to attain enlightenment in order to achieve that; the spontaneous altruistic mind of enlightenment can be either aspirational or engaging.

bodhisattva vows (Skt)

chang sem dom pa (Tib); byang sems sdom pa (Wyl)

The vows taken when one enters the bodhisattva path.

Bon (Tib)

The religion in Tibet that preceded Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has recognized Bön as the fifth tradition along with the four major traditions of Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyü and Gelug. Practitioners of Bön are called Bönpos.