Glossary
Abhidhamma(Pali), Abhidharma(Sanskrit)
Analysis of Dharma or Further Dharma, one of the three pitakas of the Pali scriptures
Amitabha
The Buddha presiding over the Pure land Buddhism
Arhat
Enlightened person who has no defilements, cravings and attained nirvana.
Avalokiteshvara
Mahayana bodhisattva of compassion, central to Tibetan dharma. Also called Kuan Im(Kuan-Yin). Usually recognise by the small Buddha adorning Her crown.
Bodhi
Sanskrit for Enlightenment
Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta, Great Mind)
The spirit of Enlightenment. The aspiration to achieve it. ( acieve Buddhahhood and rescue all sentient)
Bodhisattva
in Hinayana a future Buddha; in Mahayana an "enlightened being" who strives to lead others to nirvana
Buddha
Awakened, enlightened; the historical figure Siddhartha Guatama (566-486BC), the enlightened one of the present era
Dhamma(Pali), Dharma(Sanskrit)
Buddhist teaching; "what is"; mental or material phenomenon
Guatama(Sanskrit), Gotama(Pali)
Siddhartha's clan name
Hinayana
The "Small Vehicle": a term given by Mahayanists to those who were alleged to seek enlightenment for themselves rather than for others.
Lotus Sutra
A major Buddhist text and widely read.
Mind
Key concept in Buddhist teaching. One comparison between the ordinary deluded mind (thoughts with feeelings, concepts etc) to the True Mind (Self Nature) is like looking at the water and the waves. They are the same but also different. Both cannot be separated.
Mahayana
The "Great Vehicle", school of Buddhism, so called because it carries many to nirvana
Mandala
Circle, meditative pattern, magical diagram representing consciousness and the cosmos
Mantra
Sacred syllable used in meditation
Nirvana
A blowing out, extinction of self, the condition of enlightenment
Om
A universal mantra
Pali
Language of Southern Buddhism into which the Theravada scriptures were translated in 5th century AD
Sri lanka
Pitaka
"basket" or body of texts in the Pali scriptures; the three pitakas are Suttas((Discourses), Vinanya(Monanstic Dicipline), Abhidhamma(Further Dharma)
Puja
Ritual offering; worship
Sanskrit
Literary and sacred language of ancient India, the language of many Mahayana texts
Shakyamuni
Sage of the Shakyas, a name for the Buddha
Siddhartha
The Buddha's personal name
Sutra(Sanskrit), sutta(Pali)
Buddhist discourse
Tara
"female savior", a female deity in Mahayana
Tantra
Esoteric Hindu or Buddhist text; a late school of the Mahayana that heavily influenced Tibetan Buddhism
Theravada
Doctrine of the Elders, major school of southern Hinayana
Ti-pitaka(Pali), Tri-pitaka(Sanskrit)
The "three baskets" of texts in the Pali scriptures: Suttas, Vinaya, Abhidhamma