Buddhist terms and concepts
Encyclopedia : B : BU : BUD : Buddhist terms and concepts
Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. Below are given a number of important Buddhist terms, short definitions, and the languages in which they appear. In this list, an attempt has been made to organize terms by their original form and give translations and synonyms in other languages below the definition.
Languages and traditions dealt with here:
- Bumese (Bur): Theravada Buddhism
- English (Eng.)
- Pāli: Theravāda Buddhism
- Sanskrit (or Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit): primarily Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Thai: Theravāda Buddhism
- Tibetan (Tib): Tibetan Buddhism
- CJKV languages
- *Chinese (Cn): Chinese Buddhism
- *Japanese (Jp): Japanese Buddhism
- *Korean (Ko): Korean Buddhism
- *Vietnamese (Vi): Vietnamese Buddhism
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A
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| abhidhamma A category of scriptures that attempts to use Buddhist teachings to create a systematic, abstract description of all worldly phenomena |
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| Abhidhamma Pitaka The third basket of the Tripitaka canon, the reorganization of all doctrines in a systematic way |
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| acariya, lit. "teacher", One of the two teachers of a novice monk - the other one is called upādhyāya |
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| addiction, see tanha |
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| Agama The Buddhist texts in Sanskrit |
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| ahimsa The devotion to non-violence and respect for all forms of life. Practicers of ahimsa are often vegetarians or vegans |
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| alayavijnana, see store consciousness |
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| Amitabha The main buddha of the Pure Land school |
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| anagarika A white-robed student in the Theravada tradition who, for a few months, awaits being considered for Samaneras ordination |
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| anapanasati Mindfulness of the breath meditation |
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| anatta The principle denial of the Soul in any phenomena. See also negative theology. |
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| anicca Impermanence |
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| arhat, lit. "the Worthy One", A living person who has reached Enlightenment |
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| atman literally "self", sometimes "soul" or "ego". In Buddhism, the inappropriate belief in atman is the prime consequence of ignorance, the foundation of samsara |
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| avidya "ignorance" or "delusion" |
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| bardo, lit. "intermediate state" or "in-between state", according to Tibetan tradition, the state of existence intermediate between two lives on earth |
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| bhante, the polite particle used to refer to Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition. Bhante literally means "Venerable Sir." |
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| bhava Becoming, being, existing; the 10th link of Pratitya-samutpada |
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| bhikkhu, lit. "beggar", A Buddhist monk |
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| bhikkhuni A Buddhist nun |
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| bija, lit. "seed", A metaphor for the origin or cause of things, used in the teachings of the Yogacara school |
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| bodhi Awakening or Enlightenment |
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| Bodhi tree The Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) tree under which Gautama reached Enlightenment |
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| bodhicitta The motivation of a bodhisattva |
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| bodhisattva One with the intention to become a Buddha in order to liberate all other sentient beings from suffering |
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| Buddha A Buddha; also, the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama. |
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| buddha nature The ability shared by sentient beings to achieve Enlightenment; the innate (latent) Buddha nature (esp. in Tendai/Tiantai, Nichiren thought) |
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| dakini A supernatural female with volatile temperament who serves as a muse for spiritual practice. Dakinis are often depicted naked to represent the truth |
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| Dalai Lama, lit. "the lama with wisdom like an ocean", The most important spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism |
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| dana generosity or giving; in Buddhism, it also refers to the practice of cultivating generosity |
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| dependent origination, see Pratitya-Samutpada |
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| dhamma/dharma Often refers to the doctrines and teachings of the faith, but it may have broader uses. Also, it is an important technical term meaning something like "phenomenological constituent." This leads to the potential for confusion, puns, and double entendres, as the latter meaning often has negative connotations |
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| dhammavinaya The dharma and vinaya (roughly "doctrine and discipline") considered together. This term essentially means the whole teachings of Buddhism as taught to monks |
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| dharmacakra a symbolic representation of the continuous cycle of birth, life and death (the samsara) |
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| dharmapala a fearsome deity (usually a bodhisattva) known as protector of the Law |
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| dhyana, see jhana |
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| doan In Zen, a term for person sounding the bell that marks the beginning and end of Zazen |
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| dokusan A private interview between a Zen student and his master. It is an important element in the Zen training, as it provides an opportunity for the student to discuss problems in his practice and to demonstrate his understanding |
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| dukkha Suffering, dissatisfaction, stress |
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F
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Five Five-Hundred-Year Periods Five sub-divisions of the three periods following the Buddha's passing (三時 Cn: sānshí; Jp: sanji; Vi: tam thời), significant for many Mahayana adherents:
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Four Noble Truths
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| fukudo In Zen, term for person who strikes the han |
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| gassho A position used for greeting, with the palms together and fingers pointing upwards in prayer position; used in the Zen tradition, but also common in many cultures in the East. It expresses greeting, request, thankfulness, reverence and prayer. Also a mudra or inkei of Japanese Shingon. See also: Namaste |
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| geshe An academic degree awarded at the conclusion of lengthy studies often lasting nine years or more |
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| gongan, lit. "public case", a meditative method developed in the Chan/Seon/Zen traditions, generally consisting of a problem that defies solution by means of rational thought; see koan |
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| Guan Yin The bodhisattva of compassion in East Asian Buddhism, with full name being Guan Shi Yin. Guan Yin is considered to be the female form of Avalokiteshvara but has been given many more distinctive characteristics. |
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H
| Definition | Etymology | In other languages
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| han In Zen monasteries, wooden board that is struck announcing sunrise, sunset and the end of the day |
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| Hinayana, lit. "inferior vehicle", A coinage by the Mahayana for the Buddhist doctrines concerned with the achievement of Nirvana as a Śrāvakabuddha or a Pratyekabuddha, as opposed to a Samyaksambuddha |
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| ino, lit. "bringer of joy to the assembly", in Zen, one of the leaders of a sesshin; in Zen temples, the temple official in charge of maintaining the zendo, or meditation hall |
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| jhana Meditative contemplation; more often associated with śamatha practices than vipaśyana. See also: shamata, samadhi, samapatti |
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| jisha In Zen, a senior priest's attendant |
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| karma, lit. "action", The law of cause and effect in Buddhism |
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| kensho In Zen, enlightenment; has the same meaning as satōri, but is customary used for an initial awakening experience |
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| khyenpo, also khenpo, An academic degree similar to a doctorate in theology, philosophy, and psychology |
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| kinhin Zen walking meditation |
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| koan A story, question, problem or statement generally inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to Intuition |
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| ksanti (sanskrit) The practice of exercising patience toward behavior or situations that might not necessarily deserve it -- it is seen as a conscious choice to actively give patience as a gift, rather than being in a state of oppression in which one feels obligated to act in such a way. |
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| kyosaku In Zen, a flattened stick used to strike the shoulders during zazen, to help overcome fatigue or reach satori |
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L
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| lama A Tibetan teacher or master; equivalent to Sanskrit "guru" |
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| lineage The official record of the historical descent of dharma teachings from one teacher to another; by extension, may refer to the sect of a set of practitioners |
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M
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N
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O
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P
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R
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S
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T
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U
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V
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Z
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See also
External links
- [Pali Text Society Dictionary] (Be sure to check the "Unicode font" option, and to have one; also, if looking for a word, choose "words that match")
- [Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
- [Digital Dictionary of Buddhism] (Login with userid "guest")
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