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 Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

three vajras

dorje sum (Tib); rdo rje gsum (Wyl)

The holy body, speech and mind of a buddha.

three ways sentient beings are kind

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches that sentient beings are kind in three ways: 1) all our happiness, including enlightenment, comes from sentient beings’ kindness; 2) our perfect human rebirth comes from their kindness; and 3) our shelter, food, and clothing come from their kindness.

three white and three red substances

A human body is said to be constituted of the three white substances received from the father—sperm, bone and marrow—and the three red substances from the mother—skin, blood and flesh.

throwing karma

phen jä kyi lä (Tib); 'phen byed kyi las (Wyl)

Also called projecting karma, the karmic imprint that ripens at the time of death to propel us into the next rebirth. See also completing karma.

thugpa (Tib)

A popular noodle soup made in the Himalayan Nepal and Tibet.

tirthika (Skt)

mu teg pa (Tib); mu stegs pa (Wyl)

An outer being, a proponent of a non-Buddhist system of beliefs with tenets that assert either eternalism or nihilism, views which bind them to samsara. Also known as an outsider (Tib: phy rol pa), one who adheres to an outsider doctrine (Tib: gzhan sde pa).

torma (Tib)

balimta (Skt); gtor ma (Wyl)

An offering cake used in tantric rituals. In Tibet, tormas were usually made of tsampa, but other edibles such as biscuits and so forth will suffice.