Glossary

Abbreviations: Chin = Chinese; Jpn = Japanese; Skt = Sanskrit

Abhidharma: Higher Dharma

ācārya: Teacher or eminent monk, in Nichiren an assistant to the dōshi.

adhimukti: (Skt) “faith and understanding.” (J. shinge)

Ajita: Another name for Maitreya Bodhisattva.

Amitabha Buddha: The Buddha of Infinite Light who resides in the Western Pure Land. A sambhogakaya buddha.

amrita: (Skt) “deathlessness.” The nectar of the gods that is said to confer immortality.

Ananda: One of the ten major disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. He was a cousin of the Buddha, his personal attendant, and the monk responsible for memorizing all of the Buddha’s discourses or sutras. It is Ananda who says, “Thus have I heard…” at the beginning of every sutra.

Aniruddha: One of the ten major disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. He was well known for his clairvoyant abilities developed through meditation.

anuttara-samyak-sambodhi: (Skt) “perfect complete awakening.”

arhat: (Skt) “worthy one.” A “voice-hearer” (shravaka) disciple of the Buddha who has achieved the goal of Theravada (or Hinayana) Buddhism. An arhat is one who has extinguished the three poisons and broken free of the wheel of becoming, thereby attaining nirvana.

Asanga: Co-founder of the Consciousness Only school of Mahayana Buddhism along with his younger brother Vasubandhu. He lived in the fourth century CE.

asamkhya: (Skt) “innumerable,” or sometimes “1052.”

ashraya paravirti: (Skt) “turn-about at the basis of consciousness.” The inner revolution at the deepest seat of consciousness from delusion to enlightenment according to the Consciousness Only school.

Ashvaghosha: An influential Indian Mahayana teacher and poet in the second century CE.

āsrava: (Skt) “taints” or “outflows” or “leakings” They are the taints that cause suffering through the leaking or flowing away of our awareness and energy in search of external objects. They consist of sensual desire, desire for continued existence, wrong views, and ignorance.

asuras: (Skt) The fighting demons.

Avichi Hell: The hell of ceaseless suffering which is the lowest of the hells.

bhavacakra: (Skt) The wheel of becoming.

bhikshu: (Skt) A Buddhist monk or male mendicant.

bhikshunī: (Skt) A Buddhist nun or female mendicant.

bodhi: (Skt) “enlightenment” or “awakening.”

bodhichitta: (Skt) “awakening mind.” It is the aspiration to attain awakening for oneself and others.

bodhisattva: (Skt) “awakening being.” A being dedicated to attaining buddhahood or enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.

Bodhisattva Never Despise: A past life of Shakyamuni Buddha in which he greeted all those he met by telling them that they would become buddhas.

bodhisattvas who emerge from the earth (caps for liturgy): (J. Jiyū no Bosatsu) The bodhisattvas and their four leaders who appear from the space beneath the ground in the 15th chapter of the Lotus Sutra who are the original disciples of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha.

bonno soku bodai: (Jpn) “defilements are themselves awakening.”

Brahmā: (Skt) The supreme god of the Brahmanistic pantheon. In Buddhism, he is considered a protector of the Dharma.

Brahman: (Skt) The impersonal absolute in Brahmanism, often personified as Brahma.

brahmin: (Skt) The highest caste in Brahmanism. Also, a priest of Brahman.

Brahmanism: The main-stream religion of India at the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Later developed into what is today known as Hinduism.

buddha (caps for liturgy): (Skt) “awakened one.” Someone who has awakened to the true reality of all existence and is therefore able to free all beings from suffering.

Buddha Dharma: The true nature of reality. Also, the teachings of the Buddha.

buddhahood (caps for liturgy): The state of realizing and actualizing awakening.

buddha-land (caps for liturgy): another name for a pure land.

buddha-nature (caps for liturgy): The potential that all beings have to become buddhas. In Skt, this is called “buddhata” or “tathagata-garbha.”

buddhas of the ten directions (caps for liturgy): The buddhas emanated by the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha throughout the universe.

Chang-an: (561-632) The second patriarch of the T’ien-t’ai school. He was the successor to Chih-i, and the compiler of Chih-i’s lectures. Also known as Kuan-ting.

Chih-i: (538-597) The founder of the T’ien-t’ai school. Also known as T’ien-t’ai.

daimoku: (Jpn) see Odaimoku.

danrin: (Jpn) The schools for Buddhist novices that existed at least from the Muromachi period into the Meiji period when they were replaced by the modern university system.

Dengyō: (767-822) The founder of the Japanese Tendai school.

deva: (Skt) The gods who reside in the heavens.

Dharma: (Skt) A term meaning Truth, Law, Reality, or the teachings of the Buddha.

dharma: (Skt) The lower case form of Dharma which is used when the word refers to “phenomena,” “realities,” “entities,” or “events.”

Dharma-body: The universal body of a buddha, which is reality itself. In Skt, this is called “dharma-kāya.”

dharma-kāya: (Skt) “Dharma-body.”

Dharma-realm: Reality as experienced by a buddha. In Skt, this is called the “dharmadhatu.”

dhyāna: (Skt) “meditation’ or “absorption.” In China, this is called “ch’an.” In Japan, this is called “zen.”

Diamond Chalice Precept: The true spirit of all the precepts. The term comes from the Brahma Net Sutra but in Nichiren Buddhism it refers to upholding the Odaimoku.

dojo: place of practice

Dragon Girl: The eight year old daughter of the Dragon King Sagara who instantly becomes a buddha after offering the Buddha a priceless gem in the 12th chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

Eagle Peak: One possible translation of Mt. Grdhrakuta, where the Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra.

eho shobo: primary and secondary fruitions [of past causes].

eight consciousnesses: The first of the nine consciousnesses. See nine consciousnesses.

eighteen elements (dhatu)

eightfold path: The Middle Way consisting of

30. right view (drsti)

31. right intention (samkalpa)

32. right speech (vac) – no false speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, idle chatter

33. right action (karmanta)

34. right livelihood (ajiva)

35. right effort (vyayama)

36. right mindfulness (smrti)

37. right concentration (samadhi)

eighth consciousness: See storehouse consciousness.

eight major events (in the life of the Buddha):

Descent from the Tushita Heaven
Entering Queen Maya’s womb
Emerging from Queen Maya’s womb
Leaving home
Overcoming Mara
Attaining perfect and complete awakening
Turning the Wheel of the Dharma
Entering parinirvana

eight sufferings: The sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, meeting with those one dislikes, not getting what one desires, and the inherent suffering of the five aggregates.

emanation bodies: J. funjin

emptiness: The lack of a static, independent selfhood in any entity or phenomena. In Skt, this is called “shunyata.”

enjoyment-body: The ideal body of a buddha. It is the buddha’s enjoyment of enlightenment which is shared by the bodhisattvas. In Skt, it is called the “sambhoga-kaya.”

esho funi: (Jpn) “non-duality of living beings and their environment.”

Eternal Buddha: See Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha

Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha: The unity of the historical, ideal, and universal aspects of the buddha in the person of Shakyamuni Buddha as revealed in the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Also called the Original Buddha since all other buddhas are emanations of the Eternal Buddha.

52 Stages of Bodhisattva Practice:

Ten Levels of Faith (1-10)
Ten Abodes (11-20)
Ten Levels of Practice (21-30)
Ten Levels of Merit Transference (31-40)
Ten Stages (41-50)
Preliminary Awakening (51)
Supreme Subtle Awakening (52)

fighting demons: The proud and jealous anti-gods. In Skt, they are called the “asuras.”

five aggregates: The components of a sentient being –

rupa – form

vedana – feeling

samjna – perception

samskara – mental formations

vijnana – consciousness

five characters: the five Chinese characters which are pronounced Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo in Sino Japanese.

five components: See the five aggregates.

five constant virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness.

five defilements: The decay of the age, of desires, of living beings, of views, and of lifespan.

five desires: fortune, sex, food & drink, fame, and sleep; or desires connected top the five physical senses.

five faculties

13. faith (sraddha)

14. energy (virya)

15. mindfulness (smrti)

16. concentration (samadhi)

17. wisdom (prajna)

five-fold Dharma-body: of precepts, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge of liberation.

five grave offences: killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, injuring a Buddha, causing a schism in the Sangha.

five hindrances (nivaranas)

kammachanda – sensual desire

vyapada – ill will

thina-middha – dullness and drowsiness

uddhacca-kukkucca – restlessness and remorse

vicikiccha – doubt

five kinds of eyes (panca-caksus):

physical eye (mamsa-caksus)
heavenly eye (divya-caksus)
wisdom eye (prajna-caksus)
dharma eye (dharma-caksus)
buddha-eye (buddha-caksus)

five kinds of wisdom (or knowledge): The transformation of the nine consciousnesses into the wisdom of pure awareness, the mirror-like wisdom, wisdom of equality, the distinguishing wisdom, and the all-performing wisdom.

five major writings: The five most important works of Nichiren Shonin. The five major writings are: Rissho ankoku ron (Treatise on Spreading Peace Throughout the Country by Establishing the True Dharma), Kaimoku sho (Open Your Eyes), Kanjin no honzon sho (Spiritual Contemplation and the Focus of Devotion), Senji sho (Selecting the Right Time), and Ho’on sho (Recompense of Indebtedness).

five paths (panca-marga):

accumulation (sambhara-marga)
preparation (prayoga-marga)
seeing (darshana-marga)
cultivation (bhavana-marga)
no-more-learning (ashaiksha-marga)

five periods

Flower Garland
Deer Park
Expanded
Wisdom
Lotus and Nirvana

five powers

18. faith

19. energy

20. mindfulness

21. concentration

22. wisdom

five precepts: The five precepts for lay people: not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to lie, and not to indulge in intoxicants.

five signs of decay: The five signs that a god is about to leave the heavens and be reborn into one of the other six worlds. They are: their clothes become dirty, their garlands begin to wilt, they develop body odor, they begin to perspire, and they become depressed.

five worldly desires: Craving for pleasant sights, sounds, tastes, fragrances, and things to touch. Alternatively, craving for food, sex, sleep, wealth, and fame.

four bodhisattvas: The leaders of the bodhisattvas from underground who appear in the 15th chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

four debts of gratitude:

four devils: Four things which distract or scare us away from enlightenment. They are the devil of the aggregates (our mental and physical needs), the devil of the defilements (our self-centered desires), the devil of death (our fear of death), and the devil king of the sixth heaven (our fear of the unknown and craving for security).

four divine abodes: See the four infinite virtues. In Skt, these are called the “brahma-viharas.”

four dhyanas – absorptions

1st dhyana – thought, examination, rapture, happiness, one-pointedness

2nd dhyana – rapture, happiness, one-pointedness

3rd dhyana – happiness, one-pointedness

4th dhyana – equanimity, one-pointedness

Four Doctrinal Teachings:

Tripitaka
Shared
Distinct
Perfect

four forms of birth: Birth from eggs, birth from wombs, birth from moisture, birth by transformations. It is a comprehensive description of the forms of birth within the six worlds.

four foundations of mindfulness

1. body (kaya)

2. feelings (vedana)

3. mind (citta)

4. mental objects (dharmas)

four great oceans: Refers to the four great oceans which surround the mythical Mount Sumeru. It is a way of referring to all the world’s oceans.

four great vows: The four great vows of a bodhisattva to save all sentient beings, quench all defilements, study all the Buddha’s teachings, and attain the Way of the Buddha.

four higher worlds: The four worlds of the disciples (shravakas), privately awakened ones (pratyekabuddhas), bodhisattvas, and buddhas.

four immeasurable minds: See four infinite virtues.

four infinite virtues: The four positive emotions which enable one to make good causes. They are: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. In Skt, they are called the “catur-apramanas.” Also called the four immeasurable minds or the four divine abodes.

four lands: The Land of the Awakened and Unawakened, the Land of Transition, the Land of Actual Reward, and the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light.

four lower paths: The four worlds lower than the heavens or humanity which are dominated by suffering. They are the paths of the hells (narakas), hungry ghosts (pretas), animals (tiryagyonis), and the fighting demons (asuras).

Four Methods of Teaching:

Sudden
Gradual
Secret
Indeterminate

four noble truths: The truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the means of ending suffering, which is the eightfold path.

four reliances:

rely on the Dharma, not upon persons
rely on the meaning, not upon the words
rely on wisdom, not upon knowledge
rely on the sutra that completely reveals the truth, not upon sutras that do not reveal the whole truth

four right efforts

5. prevent unarisen unwholesome states (samvara) nonarising

6. overcome arisen unwholesome states (pahana) abandoning

7. generate unarisen wholesome states (bhavana) arising

8. maintain arisen wholesome states (anurakkhana) maintenance

four seals of the Dharma: The three marks of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness which characterize all phenomena; and the perfect peace of nirvana. Any teaching that conforms to the four seals of the Dharma can be considered authentic Buddha Dharma.

four sightings: The four things which Prince Siddhartha saw upon leaving the palace which prompted him to leave home to seek enlightenment. They are the sight of an old man, the sight of a sick man, the sight of a dead man, and the sight of a holy man.

four sufferings: birth, old age, sickness, and death.

four views of the sala trees: Four different views of the sala trees under which Shakyamuni Buddha passed away. The ordinary people view it as the Land of Enlightened and Unenlightened beings, the disciples view it as the Land of Transition, the bodhisattvas view it as the Land of Actual Reward, and the buddhas view it as the Pure Land of Eternally Tranquil Light.

four ways to power

9. resolution (chanda)

10. energy (virya)

11. mind (citta)

12. investigation (vimamsa)

four worlds of the holy ones: See the four higher worlds.

funjin: emanation bodies

gandharva: being to be born

gāthā: (Skt) A verse.

Gohonzon: (Jpn) “Essential Focus of Devotion.” In Nichiren Buddhism, the Gohonzon is the transmission of the Wonderful Dharma by the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha to all sentient beings, especially the bodhisattvas from underground, during the Ceremony in the Air. This is often, but not always, depicted in the form of a calligraphic mandala.

Grdhrakuta: (Skt). “Eagle Peak.”

Great King Yama: The judge and ruler of the underworlds, including the hells, in Brahmanism.

Hinayana: (Skt) “Small Vehicle.” A Mahayana term for those who only wish to attain liberation for themselves and do not try to benefit others by striving for buddhahood.

hōen: (Jpn) A lineage of priests in a master-disciple relationship that can be traced back to students of a particular danrin. Currently, the successors of a temple will be from the same hōen. See danrin.

honzon: (Jpn) See Gohonzon.

icchantika: (Skt) “incorrigible disbeliever.” Someone who has no potential for enlightenment. the Lotus Sutra, however, teaches that even an icchantika can attain enlightenment.

ichinen sanzen: (Jpn) “three thousand worlds in a single thought-moment.” The T’ien-t’ai teaching, based upon the Lotus Sūtra, that all modes of existence are present in every single moment of conscious awareness.

Indra: The thunder god of the Brahmanistic pantheon and a protector of the Dharma.

Jambudvīpa: (Skt) “Island of the Jambu Tree.” The name for the southern continent upon which we are said to live in Buddhist cosmology.

Jewel Net of Indra: The net of Indra is said to cover the universe and has a gem in every interstice, each of which reflects all the others. A symbol of interdependence.

jinshu (or jinju): sacred spells

Kaidan: (Jpn) “Precept Platform.” Originally, an officially sanctioned place to receive the monastic precepts and receive ordination as a monk. In Nichiren Buddhism, it refers to anywhere that one upholds the Odaimoku.

kalpa: (Skt) An aeon.

kanjin: (Jpn) “contemplation of mind.”

kannō-dōkyō: correspondence between the receptivity of sentient beings and the Buddha’s response.

karma: (Skt) “action.” Karma means an action and its consequences. It is also called the “law of cause and effect.”

King Yama: See Great King Yama.

kleshas – defilements

kundoku: (Jpn) “understandable chanting.” This is the way of chanting the sutra in the vernacular. The word, however, particularly connotes chanting the sutra in the written style of Meiji period Japanese. This was begun by Udana Nichiki.

kuon jitsujo: attaining awakening in the remotest past

Latter age of the Dharma: The fifth five hundred year period after the death of the Buddha. During this period the true spirit of the Dharma is completely lost and all that is left is sectarianism and bickering. In Jpn, it is called “mappo.”

Limitless Practice Bodhisattva: One of the four leaders of the bodhisattvas from underground in the Lotus Sutra.

Madhyamaka: (Skt) “Middle Way school.” The school founded by Nāgārjuna that emphasizes the dialectics of emptiness. A follower of the school is a Madhyamika.

Maha Brahman Devaraja: See Brahma.

Mahākāśyapa: One of the ten major disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. He was well-known for his asceticism.

mahasattva: (Skt) “great being.” This term is sometimes applied to the bodhisattvas, especially to the celestial or extremely advanced bodhisattvas.

Mahāvairocana Tathāgata: The Great Illuminator Buddha who personifies the Dharma-body, especially in Vajrayāna Buddhism.

Mahāyāna: (Skt) “Great Vehicle.” The school of Buddhism which emphasizes the bodhisattva path wherein one strives to become a buddha for the liberation of all sentient beings.

Maitreya Bodhisattva: The bodhisattva who is destined to become the next buddha after Shakyamuni Buddha billions of years from now. In the meantime, he resides in the Tushita Heaven awaiting his time.

Maitreyanātha: The semi-legendary teacher of Asanga in the fourth century.

mandala: (Skt) Diagrams or paintings used to focus the mind and express the ultimate truth.

Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva: A celestial bodhisattva noted for wisdom.

mantra: (Skt) Chants or invocations used to invoke protective powers and the ultimate truth.

Many Treasures Tathagata: The buddha from the past who appears in the jeweled stupa to testify to the truth of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching. In Skt, he is called Prabhutaratna Tathagata.

Māra: The devil king of the sixth heaven. He is the entity whose mission is to entice or threaten beings into remaining within the cycle of birth and death.

Maudgalyāyana: One of the ten major disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. He was well known for his supernatural abilities developed through meditation.

merit: J. kudoku; S. puṇya

Middle Way: Refers to the Middle Way of selflessness that avoids self-indulgence and self-denial. Also refers to right view that avoid the extreme views of existence and non-existence.

monryū: (Jpn) A lineage of priests as determined by master-disciple relationships going back to four (Nissho, Nichiro, Niko, Nikko) of Nichiren’s six major disciples and also Toki Jonin. Today, the hōen is considered more important. See hōen.

Mt. Grdhrakuta: See Mt. Sacred Eagle.

Mt. Hiei: The mountain in Japan where Dengyo established the Tendai school.

Mt. Sacred Eagle: The mountain northeast of Rajagriha where Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra.

Mt. Sumeru: The mythical mountain at the center of this world according to Brahmanism.

mudra: (Skt) Hand gestures used to signify the ultimate truth.

mystic sacred spells: J. himitsu jinju

naga: (Skt) The dragons of Brahmanism who dwell beneath the ocean, many of whom are the guardians of the Dharma.

Nāgārjuna: The founder of the Middle Way school. He lived in the second and third century.

Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō: (Jpn) “Devotion to the Teaching of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.” The Sino-Japanese pronunciation of the two Chinese characters which are used to transliterate the Skt word “Namas” which means “devotion” and the five Chinese characters which are used to translated the Skt title “Saddharmapundarika-sutra” which means “Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.”

Nichiren Shōnin: (1222-1282) The Japanese reformer and teacher who propagated the Lotus Sutra by refuting false teachings and introducing the Three Great Secret Dharmas.

nijo sabutsu: obtainment of buddhahood by the people of the two vehicles

nine consciousnesses: The nine consciousnesses which all people possess. The nine are the six sensory consciousnesses, the seventh or ego consciousness, the eighth or storehouse consciousness, and the ninth consciousness or pure consciousness.

ninth consciousness: See pure consciousness.

nirmāna-kāya: (Skt) “transformation-body.”

nirvāna (caps for liturgy): (Skt) “extinction.” The extinction or extinguishing of the fire of the defilements.

Odaimoku: (Jpn) “Great Title.” Refers to the practice of chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra in the form of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.

One Mind: The One Mind of the Eternal Buddha.

One Vehicle: The one vehicle that leads to buddhahood and subsumes all other vehicles, such as the two vehicles.

Other-power: The power of a transcendent buddha who enables us to attain enlightenment. In Jpn, this is called “tariki.”

Pali canon: The complete canon of the Buddha’s teachings according to the Theravada school. It is written in the Pali language.

Paramārtha: (499-569) A Consciousness Only teacher who brought the teaching of the nine consciousnesses to China.

pāramitās: (Skt) “perfections.” Refers to the bodhisattva’s practice of the six perfections.

parināmanā: (Skt) “transfer of merit.” The bodhisattva’s dedication of their meritorious conduct to the salvation of all sentient beings.

parinirvāna (caps for liturgy): (Skt) “total extinction.” The total extinguishing of all defilements and even physical needs upon the death of the body.

Prabhutaratna Tathagata: See Many Treasures Tathagata.

prajñā: (Skt) wisdom.

pratyekabuddha: (Skt) “private buddha.” The solitary contemplatives who attain enlightenment independent of the Buddha Dharma and who do not try to liberate others.

pretas: (Skt) “hungry ghosts.”

provisionality: The provisional nature of contingent phenomena which are empty of static, independent existence.

pure consciousness: The ninth consciousness which is the true nature or reality. In Skt, it is called the “amala vijnana.”

Pure Land of Eternally Tranquil Light: The true nature of this world as seen by the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha.

Rajagriha: The city near Mount Sacred Eagle.

rākshasa: malevolent spirit

receptivity and response: J. kannō-dōkyō

Sacred Eagle Peak: Jpn. Ryōjusen.

Sahā: (Skt) “Endurance.” The Buddhist name for this world where one must endure many forms of suffering.

Śakra Devānām Indra: See Indra.

Śākyamuni Buddha: The historical Buddha who taught in India 2,500 years ago. Also see Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva: A celestial bodhisattva noted for enlightened activity.

śamatha vipaśyanā: tranquility and insight.

sambhoga-kāya: (Skt) “enjoyment-body.”

samsāra: (Skt) “cycle of birth and death.”

sangha: (Skt) “assembly.” The community of those who uphold the Buddha Dharma.

Śāriputra: One of the ten major disciples. He was well known for his wisdom.

self-consciousness: The seventh consciousness which is the source of our preconscious assumption of the division between subject and object based upon its apprehension of the eighth consciousness. In Skt, it is called “manas.”

self-power: The power of the individual to attain enlightenment through his or her own efforts. In Jpn, this is called “jiriki.”

Semblance age of the Dharma: The third and fourth five hundred year periods after the death of the Buddha. During this period the teachings are spread though the true spirit has been lost.

seven factors of awakening

23. mindfulness (sati)

24. investigation of states (dharma-vicaya)

25. energy (virya)

26. rapture (piti)

27. tranquility (pasaddhi)

28. concentration (samadhi)

29. equanimity (upeksha)

seventh consciousness: See self-consciousness.

shiki shin funi: (Jpn) “non-duality of body and mind.”

shindoku: (Jpn) “proper chanting.” It means to chant the Chinese translation of the sutras using mostly the Japanese approximation of the pronunciations used by the Wu dynasty. Also means to chant the sutra from the beginning to the end. See kundoku.

shoji soku nehan: (Jpn) “birth and death are themselves nirvana.”

Shoka era: The period in Japan from 1257 to 1259 during which there were many disasters.

shoten zenjin: heavenly gods and benevolent deities

Siddhārtha: The name of the prince who became the historical Śākyamuni Buddha.

Sino-Japanese: The Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters. In Jpn, this is called the “On” reading.

six lower worlds: The six worlds.

six objects

forms

sounds

odors

flavors

tangibles

mental objects

six paths: The six worlds.

six perfections: The six practices of a bodhisattva consisting of

dana – generosity

shila – morality

kshanti – patience

virya – energy

dhyana – meditation

prajna – wisdom

six regions: The six worlds.

six relations: Father, mother, children, older brother, younger brother, spouse.

six sense consciousness: The forms of consciousness corresponding to each of the six sense organs.

six sense bases: The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind which are all sensitive to various phenomena.

sixth consciousness: The coordinating consciousness for the impressions of the five senses as well as the consciousness which is aware of feelings and concepts. In Skt, it is called the “mano vijnana.”

six paths: The realms of the hells, hungry spirits, animals, fighting demons, humanity, and the heavens.

six supernatural powers:

supernatural mastery over the body
clairaudience or the divine ear
mind-reading
past life recall
clairvoyance or the divine eye
knowledge of the destruction of the taints

six worlds of illusion: The six paths.

skillful means: J. hoben; S. upaya

sokushin jobutsu: (Jpn) “becoming a buddha in our present form.”

śraddha: (Skt) “faith.” In Japanese this is shin.

śramana: (Skt, lit. striver) A monk or ascetic.

śrāvaka: (Skt) “voice-hearers.” The disciples of the Buddha who were able to hear his teachings.

storehouse consciousness: The eighth consciousness where the seeds of karma are stored until they come to fruition. In Skt, this is called the “alaya vijnana.”

stūpa: (Skt) A Buddhist memorial monument used to store sacred relics.

suchness: The true nature of reality. In Skt, this is called “bhutatathata.” In Jpn, it is called “nyoze.”

Śuddhodana: The father of Prince Siddhārtha.

Sujātā: The village girl who gave Prince Siddhārtha rice gruel when he almost died during his practice of fasting.

Sumeru: See Mt. Sumeru

Superior Practice Bodhisattva: One of the four leaders of the bodhisattvas from underground. Nichiren Shonin taught that he was fulfilling the mission of Superior Practice Bodhisattva.

sutra: (Skt) “thread of discourse.” A Buddhist scripture.

tathāgata: (Skt) “thus come one” or “thus gone one.” Another title for a buddha. It refers to one who comes from and goes to ultimate reality.

Tendai: The Japanese version of the T’ien-t’ai school founded by Dengyo.

ten factors: The ten factors or aspects of reality found in the beginning of the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They are appearance, nature, entity, power, activity, causes, conditions, effects, consequences, and the unity of all phenomena. In Jpn, this is called the “junyoze.”

ten fetters:

identity view

doubt

wrong grasp of rules and observances

sensual desire

ill will

desire for form realm existence

desire for formless realm existence

conceit

restlessness

ignorance

ten courses of wholesome action: The ten forms of good conduct which lead to a heavenly existence and are descriptive of the ethical dimension of the eightfold path. They are: not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to lie, not to engage in malicious speech, not to engage in harsh speech, not to engage in idle chatter (or gossip), not to give in to covetousness, not to give in to ill will, not to hold wrong views. Also called ten good acts.

ten defilements:

greed
hatred
ignorance
arrogance
debilitating doubt
mistaken view of an independent, fixed self
extreme view such as eternalism or annihilationism
heretical views that deny causality
attachment to false views
attachment to non-Buddhist precepts

ten good acts: see ten courses of wholesome conduct

ten worlds: The worlds of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, fighting demons, humanity, heavens, voice-hearers or disciples (śrāvakas), privately awakened ones or solitary contemplatives (pratyekabuddhas), bodhisattvas, and buddhas.

Theravāda: The school of Buddhism found in Southeast Asia that relies upon the Pali canon and does not recognize the Mahāyāna sūtras as canonical.

thirty-seven requisites of awakening: see the four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four ways to power, five faculties, five powers, seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold path.

three ages of the Dharma:

Former Age of the True Dharma
Middle Age of the Semblance of Dharma
Latter Age of the Degeneration of Dharma

three baskets: The three part canon of Buddhism consisting of the sutras, or discourses of the Buddha; the precepts, or monastic rule; and the Higher Dharma, or technical commentaries on the discourses. In Skt, this is called the “tripitika.”

three bodies: The Dharma-body, enjoyment-body, and transformation-body of a buddha. In Skt, this is called the “trikāya.”

three categories of delusions:

delusions of views and attitudes
delusions innumerable as grains of sand
fundamental ignorance

three evil realms: The worlds of the hells, hungry ghosts, and fighting demons.

threefold training: The eightfold path broken down into threefold training

shila – morality

samadhi – concentration

prajna – wisdom

Three Great Secret Dharmas: The Gohonzon, Kaidan, and Odaimoku. In Jpn, they are called the “Sandai Hiho.”

three kinds of activities: Mental, verbal, and physical activity.

three kinds of enemies:

ignorant laypeople
evil monks
false arhats

three marks: The three characteristics of all phenomena which are impermanence, suffering, and non-self.

three merits: Providing benefit to all, extinguishing all defilements, and attaining all wisdom.

three natures (S. trisvabhava):

dependent (paratantra)
imagined (parikalpita)
perfected (parinispanna)

three hindrances: The defilements, unwholesome habits, and painful consequences of those habits which can prevent one from attaining enlightenment.

three paths: Self-centered desires, habitual actions, and suffering.

three poisons: Greed, hatred, and delusion. Alternatively: greed, anger, and ignorance.

three realms: The individual composed of the five aggregates, all sentient beings, and their environments.

Three Refuges: Another name for the three treasures.

Three Treasures: The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha that every Buddhist takes refuge in.

three truths: Emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle Way.

three virtues: The three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign possessed by a buddha. Also the virtues of providing benefit, removing defilements, and illuminating reality through wisdom.

T’ien-t’ai: The Chinese school of Buddhism founded by Chih-i. Also, the name by which Chih-i is often known.

transformation-body: The historical body of a buddha. This is the body that is manifested in order to teach the Dharma to other beings. In Skt, this is called the “nirmāna-kāya.”

transmigration of change and advance: the rebirths taken by the bodhisattvas and even the arhats and pratyekabuddhas (who believe themselves to be exempt from rebirth but in fact find themselves taking up the way of the bodhisattva according to the One Vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sutra) in order to accumulate merit and wisdom for the attainment of buddhahood.

transmigration with differences and limitations: compulsory rebirth within the six worlds wherein sentient beings are differentiated and limited by the effects of their positive and negative karma.

trikāya: (Skt) three bodies of the Buddha.

Tripitika: Three Baskets, consisting the Sutra-basket, Vinaya-basket, and Abhidharma-basket.

triple world: The desire realm, form realm, and formless realm. The world of desire extends from the hells up to the more concrete heavens. The worlds of form and formlessness include the higher heavens of increasing refinement.

true age of the Dharma: The first two five hundred years after the Buddha’s death. During this period the Buddha’s teachings are practiced in accord with their true spirit.

twelve dhuta: according to the Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra

(1) living in the forest away from the village;

(2) to only beg for food and not accept invitations to dine with householders;

(3) to beg from door to door without discriminating between homes;

(4) to eat only one meal a day;

(5) to eat only one bowl full;

(6) to not drink juice or sap after the noon meal;

(7) to wear only robes patched together from discarded rags instead of accepting new cloth;

(8) to keep only three robes;

(9) to reside in cemeteries;

(10) to reside under a tree;

(11) to reside in the open air;

(12) to sleep sitting up and not ever lie down.

twelve fields: the six sense bases plus their objects: forms, sounds, odors, flavors, tangibles, and mental objects.

twelve-fold chain of dependent origination: The twelve links that describe the process of birth and death over many lifetimes.

1. avidya ignorance

2. samskara volitional formations

3. vijnana consciousness

4. nama-rupa name & form

5. shad ayatana 6 sense bases

6. sparsha contact

7. vedana feeling

8. trishna craving

9. upadana clinging

10. bhava becoming

11. jati birth

12. jara-marana aging & death

twelve stages of transcendent dependent origination: The twelve stages in the process of liberation.

1. duhkha suffering (connects back to feeling)

2. shraddha faith (as opposed to craving)

3. pramodya joy

4. priti rapture

5. prashrabdhi tranquility

6. sukha happiness

7. samadhi concentration

8. yathabhuta-

jnanadarshana knowledge and vision of things as they really are

9. nirveda disenchantment

10. vairagya dispassion

11. vimukti emancipation

12. ashrava-

ksayajnana knowledge of the destruction of the defilements

two vehicles: The teachings for the shravakas and prateyekabuddhas that lead to individual liberation but not to buddhahood. It is another term for Hinayana Buddhism.

upaya: skillful means

Vajrayana: The Diamond Vehicle. The form of Buddhism which emphasizes the practice of mudras, mantras, and mandalas under the instruction of a guru in order to attain buddhahood.

Vasubandhu: Co-founder of the Consciousness Only school along with his older brother Asanga. He lived in the fourth century CE.

Vijñānavāda: (Skt) “Consciousness Only school.” The Mahayana school founded by Vasubandhu, Asanga, and Maitreyanātha that emphasized the role of consciousness in shaping our experience of reality.

yakshas

Yama: The judge of the underworld. -

Yellow Springs: Chinese and Japanese term for the afterlife.

Yogācāra: (Skt) “Yoga Practitioners.” Another name for the Consciousness Only school due to that school’s emphasis on meditation.