Akshayamati—Bodhisattva of Infinite Thought.

ashravas—All phenomena can be categorized as ashrava, “with leaks,” or anashrava, “without leaks.” When our actions are “ashrava,” they don’t yet have the nature of true insight and liberation, so they create more seeds of delusion in our mind. When our actions are “anashrava,” they produce no unwholesome karmic fruit.

asura—A god or spirit who is fond of fighting and subject to frequent outbursts of anger.

Avalokiteshvara—Bodhisattva of Compassion and Deep Listening

bell of mindfulness—The sound of a bell or a clock, an electric beeper, or even the ring of a telephone that is used to call an individual or the community back to their breathing and the practice of mindfulness.

bhikkhu (Pali), bhikshu (Sanskrit)—One who seeks alms, referring to monks whohave received full ordination (as opposed to novice ordination).

bhikkhuni (Pali), bhikshuni (Sanskrit)—One who seeks alms, referring to nuns who have received full ordination (as opposed to novice ordination).

bodhicitta—The awakening mind. Sometimes translated as the Mind of Love, because it is our awakened nature that impels us to love beings unconditionally and our understanding that enables us to do this.

Bodhisattva—(“Bodhisattvebhyah” is the dative plural meaning “to the bodhisattvas.”) Literally “enlightened being,” one committed to enlightening oneself and others so that all may be liberated from suffering.

brahmacarya—A holy life in harmony with the mindfulness trainings; chastity, especially the celibate life of a Buddhist monk or nun.

Buddha—(“Buddhaya” is the dative singular meaning “to the Buddha.”) The Awakened One. Refers also to the capacity within every being to be “awake” or “enlightened.”

cakravartin—World ruler, universal monarch.

chiliocosm—Inconceivably vast space. Thousand-world universe, each world having a Mount Sumeru, sun, moon, and four continents surrounded by oceans.

Cundi—A form of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, depicted with one thousand arms.

deva—Celestial being, angel.

Dharma—(“Dharmaya” is the dative singular meaning “to the Dharma.”) The true teachings of the Awakened One, the path of understanding and love.

dharma—Phenomenon, thing, object of mind.

Dharmadhatu—The entire cosmos of dharma elements. The underlying indestructible togetherness of the ultimate and historical dimensions.

Dharmakaya—The body of the Dharma; what remains when the historical Buddha is no longer with us. The true and ultimate reality.

discourse—A teaching given by the Buddha or one of his enlightened disciples (“sutra” in Sanskrit, “sutta” in Pali).

Eight Misfortunes—Obstacles to one’s capacity to receive and practice the true teachings. To be (1) in the hell realms, (2) a hungry ghost, (3) an animal, (4) lazy when having excessive comforts, (5) ignorant without favorable conditions for awareness, (6) without hearing, sight, or speech,* (7) caught in arrogant speculation, (8) born before or after a Buddha’s lifetime.

Eight Virtues—Eight virtues of water: clear, cool, sweet in taste, light in texture, sparkling bright, calm, eliminates hunger and thirst, and nourishes the practice.

Five Eyes—Physical eyes, deva eyes, Dharma eyes, wisdom eyes, Buddha eyes.

Five Faculties—Faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.

Five Powers—Same as the Five Faculties, except that as powers they cannot be shaken by their opposites (e.g., energy cannot be swayed by laziness).

Five Skandhas—The five aspects of a person: form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. Sometimes called Five Aggregates.

Fourfold Sangha—A practicing community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. See also Sangha.

Four Pairs and Eight Kinds of Holy People—Arhat, Non-Returner, Once-Returner, Stream-Enterer. The one who has attained the path heading toward the fruit and the one who has attained the fruit are considered one pair. Individually they are considered the Eight Types of Noble Ones.

Four Quarters—North, South, East, and West.

Four ways of birth—From eggs, from a womb, by metamorphosis, and by division.

Four Wisdoms—Great Mirror Wisdom, Wisdom of Equality, Wisdom of Deep Looking, and Wisdom of Perfect Realization.

Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha—The mantra from the Heart of the Prajnaparamita, uttered by Avalokiteshvara, meaning: “Gone, gone, gone all the way over, gone with all beings to the other shore, enlightenment, rejoice!” gatha—A short poem or verse that we can recite during our daily activities to help us dwell in mindfulness.

hungry ghost—Preta, a being without faith or belief who ceaselessly craves without satisfaction.

Indra’s Net—A limitless net stretching infinitely in all directions, with a jewel in each eye of the net. These jewels are infinite in number, each reflecting in itself all other jewels. This image is taken from the Avatamsaka Sutra and is generally used to illustrate the teachings of interbeing and interpenetration.

kalpa—An inconceivably long time, an eon. Considered a limitation at the time of the Buddha.

Kshitigarbha—Earth Store Bodhisattva, who vows to save beings in the realms of greatest suffering.

Lotus Throne—Seat of a Buddha.

Mahasattva—(“Mahasattvebhyah” is the dative plural meaning “to the Great Beings.”) Great Being, one who has realized the highest truths.

Mandarava—Flowers that fall from the sky in the Pure Land, Sukhavati.

Manjushri—Bodhisattva of Understanding.

Manasarowara Lake—Also known as Anavatapta Lake, meaning cool, where there exists no heat of the afflictions.

Mara—The tempter, the Evil One, the killer, the opposite of the Buddha nature in each person; sometimes personalized as a deity. The obstacles to our practice, which arise in our own minds.

mindfulness trainings (formerly “precepts”)—Guidelines offered by the Buddha to protect us and help us live in mindfulness, in the form of precepts prescribing a particular course of conduct.

mudra of peace—Also known as Seal of Peace, the sign made with the right hand when blessing water. The thumb joins the tip of the bent fourth finger while the second, third, and fifth fingers are held straight.

Naga King—A water deity governing springs, rain, rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Nagapushpa Assembly—The assembly that gathers around the Dragon Flower Tree to hear the teachings of Maitreya, the Buddha-to-be.

Namo—A phrase uttered when paying homage or respect to someone or something. Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa—“Homage to him, the World-Honored One, who is worthy of offerings, the One endowed with Perfect Understanding.”

nirvana—The extinction of all views and concepts and the suffering based on them, to have no attachments to the realm of birth and death. Refers to the ultimate reality.

Prajnaparamita—Perfection of Wisdom, crossing to the other shore with understanding.

Pure Land—Sukhavati, the land of great happiness where the Buddha Amitabha dwells. An ideal place to practice the path of liberation.

Roseapple Island—Jambudvipa; an ancient name for India, the continent where humans live. From jambu, meaning roseapple tree.

Sadaparibhuta—The Bodhisattva Never Despising, or Never Disparaging.

Samantabhadra—Bodhisattva of Great Action, who made the ten great vows of practice.

samsara—Cycle of birth and death.

Sangha—(“Sanghaya” is the dative singular meaning “to the Sangha.”) The Community that endeavors to practice the true teachings in harmony.

Sanghakaya—The collective body of the Sangha.

Shakyamuni—(“Shakyamunaye” is the dative singular meaning “to Shakyamuni.”) Literally, “sage of the Shakya clan.” Refers to the historical Buddha whose awakening and teachings laid the foundation for the practice of Buddhism.

Six Dark Paths—Gods, humans, asuras, hells, hungry ghosts, animals.

Six Miracles (The Six Miraculous Powers)—(1) To see a great distance, (2) to hear all sounds, (3) to know one’s past lives, (4) to perceive others’ thoughts, (5) to travel anywhere at will, (6) to take on any form at will.

Six Tastes—Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent.

Sugata—Well-Gone One, one who has lived and practiced skillfully; another name for the Buddha.

Tathagata—One who comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, an epithet the Buddha used when referring to himself.

Ten Directions—Eight compass directions plus above and below. Refers to the entire universe.

Ten Stages—Bhumi, the stages through which a bodhisattva passes on the path of awakening.

Ten Unwholesome Deeds—Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, deceiving, exaggerating, contradicting, coveting, being angry, having wrong views.

Three Actions—Actions of body, speech, and mind.

Three Baskets—Tripitaka: discourses (sutras), precepts (vinaya), and commentaries on the Buddha’s teachings (abhidharma).

Three Bodies of Buddha—Dharmakaya (body of true nature), Sambhogakaya (body of bliss or enjoyment), Nirmanakaya (transformation body).

Three Jewels, Three Gems, Triple Gem—Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

Three Paths of Suffering—Hells, hungry ghosts, animals.

Three Qualities (of food)—Sattva (pure), rajas (fiery), and tamas (heavy).

Three Realms—Form, formlessness, desire.

Three Times—Past, present, future.

Three Virtuous Positions of the Bodhisattva Path—Dwelling firmly in the practice (ten abodes), manifesting right actions (ten actions), and transferring all merit to the liberation of all beings (ten offerings).

Two Truths—The absolute truth and the relative truth. The absolute truth cannot be expressed directly in words and concepts, while the relative truth can. According to the absolute truths there is no self. However, the absolute and relative truths inter-are; there cannot be one without the other.

upasaka m., upasika f.—Layman or laywoman practitioner. Literally, “one who is close,” i.e., practices closely with monks and nuns.

Vulture Peak—Gridhakuta. The mountain near the town of Rajagriha where the Buddha sometimes stayed and taught.

yaksha—A ghost or demon, usually harmful but sometimes a protector of the Dharma.