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Glossary
If you're new to Buddhism in general, and the New Kadampa Tradition in particular, some of the terms used on this site may be unfamiliar to you. Here are definitions of several terms that might be useful to you as you learn more about Buddhism.
- Blessing
- The transformation of our mind from a negative state to a positive state, from an unhappy state to a happy state, or from a state of weakness to a state of strength, through the inspiration of holy beings such as our Spiritual Guide, Buddhas and Boddhisattvas.
- Bodhichitta
- Sanskrit word for ‘mind of enlightenment’. ‘Bodhi’ means ‘enlightenment’ and ‘chitta’ means ‘mind’. There are two types of bodhichitta: conventional bodhichitta and ultimate bodhichitta. Generally speaking, the term ‘bodhichitta’ refers to conventional bodhichitta, which is the mind that spontaneously wishes to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Ultimate bodhichitta is a wisdom motivated by conventional bodhichitta that directly realizes emptiness, the ultimate nature of phenomena.
- Bodhisattva
- A person who has generated spontaneous bodhichitta but who has not yet become a Buddha. From the moment a practitioner generates a non-artificial, or spontaneous, bodhichitta, he or she becomes a Bodhisattva and enters the first Mahayana path, the path of accumulation. An ordinary Bodhisattva is one who has not realized emptiness directly, and a Superior Bodhisattva is one who has attained a direct realization of emptiness.
- Buddha
- In general, ‘Buddha’ means ‘Awakened One’, someone who has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and sees things as they really are. A Buddha is a person who is completely free from all faults and mental obstructions. Every living being has the potential to become a Buddha.
- Buddhist
- Anyone who, from the depths of his or her heart, goes for refuge to the Three Jewels: the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel and the Sangha Jewel.
- Dharma
- Buddha's teachings and the inner realizations that are attained in dependence upon practicing them. ‘Dharma’ means ‘protection’. By practicing Buddha's teachings, we protect ourselves and others from suffering and problems.
- Delusion
- A mental factor that arises from inappropriate attention and functions to make the mind unpeaceful and uncontrolled. There are three main delusions: ignorance, desirous attachment and anger. From these arise all other delusions, such as jealousy, pride and deluded doubt.
- Emptiness
- Lack of inherent existence, the ultimate nature of phenomena. (Please note: People can study and meditate sincerely for years, or even lifetimes, before understanding the true meaning of ‘emptiness’. Whatever it sounds to you like it means, be assured: it doesn't mean that.)
- Enlightenment
- Omniscient wisdom, free from all mistaken appearances. See the books Transform Your Life and Joyful Path Of Good Fortune.
- Faith
- A naturally virtuous mind that funcitons mainly to oppose the perception of faults in its observed object. There are three types of faith: believing faith, admiring faith and wishing faith.
- Geshe
- A title given by Kadampa monasteries to accomplished Buddhist scholars. Contracted form of the Tibetan ‘ge wai she nyen’, which literally means ‘virtuous friend’.
- Happiness
- There are two types of happiness: mundane and supramundane. Mundane happiness is the limited happiness that can be found within samsara. Supramundane happiness is the pure happiness of liberation and enlightenment.
- Kadampa
- A Tibetan word in which ‘ka’ means ‘word’ and refers to all Buddha's teachings, ‘dam’ refers to atisha's special Lamrim instructions known as the “stages of the path to enlightenment”, and ‘pa’ refers to a follower of Kadampa Buddhism who integrates all the teachings of Buddha that they know into their Lamrim practice.
- Kadampa Buddhism
- A Mahayan Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (982-1054 CE).
- Kadampa Tradition
- The pure tradition of Buddhism established by Atisha. Followers of this tradtition up to the time of Je Tsongkhapa are known as “Old Kadampas”, and those after the time of Je Tsonghkapa are known as “New Kadampas”.
- Karma
- Sanskrit word meaning ‘action’. Through the force of intention, we perform actions (“make causes”) with our body, speech and mind, and all of these actions produce effects. The effect of virtuous actions is happiness and the effect of negative actions is suffering.
- Lamrim
- A Tibetan term, literally meaning “stages of the path”. A special arrangement of all Buddha's teachings that is easy to understand and put into practice. It reveals all the stages of the path to enlightenment. For an introduction, see The New Meditation Handbook; for a full commentary, see Joyful Path Of Good Fortune.
- Mahayana
- Sanskrit word for “Great Vehicle”, the spiritual path to great enlightenment. The Mahayana goal is to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings by completely abandoning delusions and their imprints.
- Mantra
- A Sanskrit word, literally meaning ‘mind protection’. Mantra protects the mind from ordinary appearances and conceptions. There are four types mantra: mantras that are mind, mantras that are inner wind, mantras that are sound and mantras that are form. In general, there are three types of mantra recitation: verbal recitation, mental recitation and vajra recitation.
- Meditation
- A method for working on the mind. First we learn how to identify our different positive and negative mental states. Then we apply methods for eliminating negative states and cultivating positive ones.
- Merit
- The good fortune created by virtuous actions. It is the potential power to increase our good qualities and produce happiness.
- Puja
- A Sanskrit word, literally meaning ‘offering’. A prayer and meditation practice usually related to a particular Buddha, done in order to receive his or her blessings on our way to attaining his or her realizations and pure, virtuous qualities.
- Pure Land
- A pure environment in which there are no true sufferings.
- Sadhana
- A Sanskrit word, literally meaning ‘method for receiving attainments’. A sadhana is a ritual that is a method for attaining spiritual realizations. It can be associated with Sutra or Tantra. Sadhanas contain prayers, meditation and often mantra recitation.
- Sangha
- The spiritual community of those sincerely following the same spiritual path. According to the Vinaya tradition, any community of four or more fully ordained monks or nuns. In general, ordained or lay people who take Bodhisattva vows or Tantric vows can also be said to be Sangha.
- Spiritual Guide
- ‘Guru’ in Sanskrit, ‘Lama’ in Tibetan. A Teacher who guides us along the spiritual path.
- Sutra
- The teachings of Buddha that are open to everyone to practice without the need for empowerment.
- Tantra
- Tantric teachings are distinguised from Sutra teachings in that they reveal methods for training the mind by bringing the future result, or Buddhahood, into the present path. Tantric practitioners overcome ordinary appearances and conceptions by visualizing their body, environment, enjoyments and deeds as those of a Buddha. Tantra is the supreme path to full enlightenment. Tantric practices are to be done in private, and only by those who have received a Tantric empowerment. Synonymous with “Secret Mantra”.
- Three Jewels
- The three objects of refuge, which are the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel and the Sangha Jewel. They are called “Jewels” because they are both rare and precious.
