Buddhism
& Meditation Dictionary
Pali
Definition: This is the language that the early Buddhist scriptures,
the Tipitaka, were written in.
Parinibbana
Definition: This is the entry into nibbana at death for one who has
attained enlightenment in this life. For this individual, there are no
further rebirths.
Paticcasamuppada
Definition: Dependent origination. This is a Buddhist analysis of
existence in terms of cause and effect. There are twelve links to this,
forming a circle. The starting point is ignorance which leads to the
following in turn: volition, consciousness, mental and physical
existence, sense organs, sense impressions, feeling, craving, clinging,
process of existence, rebirth, decay and death. To destroy craving
(tanha), therefore, is to break the circle.
Pure Land
Definition: This school of Buddhism emerged in China in about 400 C.E.
and later spread to Japan. This school venerates the Bodhisattva
Amitabha who is said to reside in the Western Paradise (Sukhavati), or
Pure Land. This is very much a faith based school. The belief is that
devotion to Amitabha will result in being reborn in the Pure Land from
where the attainment of Nibbana is guaranteed. Pure Land Buddhists use
the mantra Namu Amida Butsu ('Hail to Amitabha Buddha' ) as an
expression of their faith.
Rebirth
Definition: Buddhism , like Hinduism, adheres to the view that at death
beings are reborn. However, unlike Hinduism, the idea of a permanent
self or soul that passes from one birth to the next is denied. Beings
are reborn according to their deeds, according to the seeds they sow.
Good deeds will lead to rebirth as a human or a god. Bad deeds lead to
rebirth in one of the hell worlds or as a ghost or an animal.
Samadhana
Definition: Mental equilibrium
Samatha
Definition: Calm meditation. This is one of two principal methods of
Buddhist meditation. The emphasis at first is on attaining
concentration or 'one-pointedness'. As the practice deepens, states of
great joy known as jhanas can be entered into. Samatha meditation is
seen to have many benefits, offering tranquility of mind and body.
However, for attaining nibbana, vipassana meditation is needed. Often
both types of meditational practice are combined so they should not be
seen as necessarily in conflict with each other.
Samsara
Definition: Wandering. This refers to the cycle of birth and death of
which there are said to be six worlds containing six types of being:
hell beings, ghosts, animals. humans, jealous gods, gods. None of these
worlds is seen to be permanent, though it is hard to escape from a hell
world because the opportunities for doing good deeds are negligible.
The heavenly words, though full of pleasure and delight, are also
temporary. The human world is seen to be most precious as it offers the
best chance to win nibbana. This is because there is an awareness of
suffering denied the gods which acts as a catalyst for the search for
the ultimate bliss offered by nibbana.
Sangha
Definition: The Buddhist community of monks and nuns. The third of the
three refuges/jewels.
Shradda
Definition: Faith
Sunyata
Definition: Emptiness. The idea in Mahayana Buddhism that nothing has a
self, soul or essence, that the world is made up of a stream of ever
changing mental and physical phenomena.
Sutta
Definition: Discourse. A sutta (sutra in Sanskrit) consists of the
Buddhist teaching on a particular aspect of the doctrine. It is from
these, written down in the Pali Canon (tipitaka), that form the basis
of Buddhism.
Tanha
Definition: Craving. This is the second noble truth. Craving causes
suffering because we constantly desire what is ultimately passing and
impermanent.
Tathagata
Definition: Thus gone one. A term the Buddha used about himself as an
individual who has brought an end to suffering and has reached nibbana.
Theravada
Definition: The Teachings of the Elders. This is the earliest 'school'
of Buddhism and is practiced in countries such Myanmar, Sri Lanka and
Thailand. It gives special significance to the practice of 'insight'
meditation known as vipassana. It has been sometimes disparagingly
referred to as the Hinayana school (which means 'lesser vehicle) by the
Mahayana tradition.
Three Jewels
Definition: The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha. Jewels, as precious
stones, signify the extent to which these three essentials of Buddhism
are valued.
Three
Marks of Existence
Definition: These are suffering (dukkha), impermanence (anicca) and
not-self (anatta). The realization of these through meditation is to
see things as they really are.
(Read this related article)
Three
Refuges
Definition: The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha. These are often recited
as a means of confirming one's commitment to Buddhism. The formula is
as follows:
I take refuge in the Buddha; I take refuge in the Dhamma; I take refuge
in the Sangha.
Tipitaka
Definition: The Three Baskets. This is the Pali term for the earliest
Buddhist scripture known as the Pali canon. It consists of three
categories of writings: Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka), Discourses (Sutta
Pitaka) and Higher Teachings (Abhidhamma Pitaka). The first consists of
a list of rules for monks and nuns. The second comprises the teachings
of the Buddha arranged into discourses (suttas). The third provides a
philosophical and psychological systemization of the Buddha’s
teaching.
Titiksha
Definition: Tolerance
Trikaya
Definition: The Three Body Doctrine. With the rise of the Mahayana
school, a radical reinterpretation of the Buddha developed known as the
three-body doctrine. This teaching saw the Buddha as having three
bodies: 1. The Appearance Body (Nirmanakaya). This is the Buddha as he
appeared in history but not necessarily as a flesh and blood figure but
an almost magical manifestation coming out of compassion for all
beings. 2. The Enjoyment Body (Samboghakaya). This is the Buddha who
appears in his own Buddha land for the enjoyment of Bodhisattvas
(beings on the verge of Buddhahood who have vowed to postpone their own
entry into nibbana until all sentient beings have also been freed from
suffering). 3. The Dharma Body (Dharmakaya). This is the Buddha who is
at once the embodiment of the essence of Buddhist truth and ultimate
reality.
Uparati
Definiton: Abstinence
Vairagya
Definition: Non Attachment
Vipassana
Definition: Insight meditation. A form of meditation widely practiced
in Theravada Buddhism in particular. Its purpose is to get us to see
things as they really are; to realize experientially that all things
have the underlying characteristics of suffering, impermanence and
not-self.
Viveka
Definition: Discrimination
Zazen
Definition: Sitting meditation. This is a form of meditation widely
practiced in the Zen school of Buddhism. In one sense, this form of
meditation is simply just sitting, often with a blank wall in front of
one. The idea is to let go of thoughts and let the Buddha nature emerge
naturally from within. Paradoxically, one shouldn't strive to attain
anything otherwise the original pure mind, the Buddha nature, will
remain obscured.
Zen
Definition: This school of Buddhism originally emerged in China and was
known as Ch'an, a word derived from the Sanskrit word dhyana meaning
meditation. The founder of Zen Buddhism, was Bodhidharma, an Indian
monk who came to China in 520 C.E. The Zen approach can be seen as
quite radical, dismissing the importance of the scriptures and
emphasizing the experiential dimension. The special transmission of
teachings from master to disciple is seen as particularly significant.
