Property:Gloss-term
From Buddha-Nature
This is a property of type Text.
T
gyung drung;SWASTIKA;Throughout this text the swastika appears as the symbol of the Bon. It is also used, however, in the context of Vajrayana Buddhism and represents immutability and indestructibility. +
'og min;AKANISHTA;In general, this term indicates the highest of all Buddha-fields. Akanishta is in fact divided into six levels, ranging from the highest heaven of the form realm up to the absolute pure land of the Dharmakaya. +
khra 'brug;TRANDRUK;trandruk;One of the most important sacred sites of Tibet, a temple built by the king Songtsan Gampo to the south of Lhasa. +
sngags;MANTRA;Syllables or formulas which, recited in the context of sadhanas, visualizations, etc., protect the mind of the prac-titioner from ordinary perceptions. Mantras are also invocations of, and manifestations of, the yidam in the form of sound. There arc three kinds of mantra: (1) vidya-mantras (rig sngags\ associated with the outer class of tantras, are the essence of skilful means;(2) dharani-mantras (gzungs) are the essence of transcendent wisdom and derive from the teachings of the Prajnaparamita;(3) secret mantras (gsang sngags) related to the Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga. +
rdzogs pa chen po;GREAT PERFECTION;great perfection;mahasandhi, Skt.). Dzogchen, the ultimate view of the Nyingma sc, (ka dag) and spontaneous presence (Ihun grub). +
dkon mchog gsum;THREE JEWELS;three jewels;The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Spiritual Community (Sangha), in which a Buddhist takes refuge. +
KUNTUZANGPO;kuntuzangpo;See Samantabhadra +
thig le;ESSENCE,ESSENCE-DROP;essence,essence-drop;On the external level, this is regarded as the quintessential element of the physical body. On the subtle level, the term is used to refer to the "absolute bodhichitta," in other words, the nature of the mind. FELICITY, GREAT. See Great Bliss +
mdo;SUTRA;Buddhist scripture, a transcribed discourse of the Buddha. There are Mahayana sutras and Hinayana or Shravakayana sutras. +
rdo rje;VAJRA;Diamond or vajra weapon. The symbol of indestructibility and of compassion. A vajra is also a small implement used in conjunction with a bell (dril bu, the symbol of the wisdom of emptiness) during tantric rituals. +
rdo rje 'chang;VAJRADHARA;A Sambhogakaya form of Buddha representing the union of the five Buddha Families. Also used as a title of respect for the lama, the spiritual master. +
sgrub pa bka' brgyad;EIGHT GREAT HERUKAS;eight great herukas;The eight main yidam deities and sadhanas of the Mahayoga tantra. They are gshin rje gshed (Yamantaka—body), rta mgrin (Hayagriva—speech), yang dag (Vishuddha—mind), che mchog (Amrita—qualities), phur pa (Kila—activities), ma mo rbod gtong (or Lame Heruka), dmod pa drag sngags (or Tobden Nagpo), jig rten mchod bstod (or Drekpa Kundul). The last three sadhanas are connected with three classes of worldly deities (jig rten pa'i sde gsum). +
SVABHAVIKAKAYA;See Trikaya +
chos skyong;DHARMAPALA;A protector of the teachings. These normally nonhuman entities arc sometimes emanations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and sometimes local spirits, gods, or demons who have been subjugated by a great spiritual master and bound under oath. The harness-ing of their energy in the service of the Doctrine is considered to have played a decisive role in the preservation of the teachings from its begin-nings in Tibet until the present time. In the form of oracles, such as that of Nechung, for example, the dharmapalas continue to exert a direct influ-ence on Tibetan life. +
bskal pa;KALPA;A time sequence comprising the four phases of formation, duration, and dissolution of a universal system, together with the period of voidness preceding the formation of the subsequent system. +
yi dvags;PRETAS;Hungry ghosts, spirits tormented by lack of nourishment. The pretas constitute one of the six classes of beings in samsara. +
pad ma 'byung gnas;PADMASAMBHAVA;padmasambhava;Lit., Lotus-Born. The Indian Master of the Mantras who is said to be been born miraculously, appearing in a lotus flower in the land of Orgyen. He was predicted by the Buddha Shakyamuni in several sutras and tantras. In the ninth century and at the invitation of King Trisong Detsen, he quelled the forces ob-structing the spread of Buddhism in Tibet and introduced and nurtured there the teachings of the Vajrayana. Some of his other names mentioned in this text are Lotus Guru, Guru Rinpoche or Precious Guru, Precious Master, Guru Drakpo, Guru or Lord of Orgyen, Master of Orgyen, Orgyen Sambha, Guru Senge Dradok, Dorje Drolo, Padma Thodrengtsel. For the detailed story of his life, see The Lotus-Bom: The Life Story oj Padmasambhava, by Yeshe Tsogyal (Boston & London: Shambhala Publications, 1993). +
PANDITA;A scholar, someone learned in the five traditional sciences. See five sciences +
dga ba bzhi;FOUR JOYS;four joys;Four experiences, totally transcending ordi-nary pleasure, that are in essence wisdom. They form an aspect of the practices associated with the third initiation. +
byang chub kyi sems;BODHICHITTA;On the relative level, this is the wish to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, together with the practice necessary to accomplish this. On the absolute level, it is nondual wisdom, the ultimate nature of the mind, and the true status of all phenomena. In certain tantric contexts, it refers to the essential physical substance that is the support of the mind. +
