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Neyārtha + (Refers to something that is taught for a specific reason, rather than because it is entirely true.)
Sādhana + (Sādhana refers to a method of practice thr … Sādhana refers to a method of practice through which one can actualise a specific spiritual result, and by extension to the texts and manuals which present such methods. A sādhana in the Vajrayāna Buddhist context generally involves the worship and visualisation of a tantric deity, chanting of mantras, and associated practices. The practice often begins with verses of taking refuge and cultivating altruistic thought, then carrying out meditation on emptiness and the mandala of deity, seven-part worship, chanting of mantras, and finally the dissolution of the deity which was visualised.olution of the deity which was visualised.)
Sūtra + (Sūtras mainly refer to the discourses delivered by the Buddha and his disciples, and the Sūtra corpus is one of the three main sets of teachings which form the Buddhist canon.)
Tantra + (Tantra, when juxtaposed with Sūtra, genera … Tantra, when juxtaposed with Sūtra, generally refers to the scriptures and texts which discuss esoteric topics. While the term is used to refer to texts on other topics, it is mostly used to refer to the genre of scriptures and texts on themes and topics associated with Vajrayāna Buddhism.topics associated with Vajrayāna Buddhism.)
Uttaratantra + (The ''Ultimate Continuum'', or ''Gyü Lama'', is often used as a short title in the Tibetan tradition for the key source text of buddha-nature teachings called the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'' of Maitreya/Asaṅga, also known as the ''Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra''.)
Geluk + (The Geluk tradition traces its origin to Tsongkhapa, who propagated a modified version of the Kadampa lojong and lamrim teachings. It is the dominant tradition of Tibet, having established its control of the government under the figure of the Dalai Lama.)
Jonang + (The Jonang tradition was established by Dölpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, a thirteenth-century Sakya monk famous for his Zhentong teachings. The Jonang teachings and monasteries were suppressed in Tibet in the seventeenth century but survived in Amdo.)
Kadam + (The Kadam tradition, which traces its origin to the teachings of Atiśa, was the first of the so-called New Schools of Tibetan Buddhism, traditions which arose during or after the Second Propagation of Buddhism (''phyi dar'') in the tenth century.)
Nyingma + (The Nyingma, which is often described as the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, traces its origin to Padmasambhava, who is said to have visited Tibet in the eighth century.)
Bodhicitta + (The altruistic thought to seek enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. It is said to have two aspects: compassion aimed at sentient beings and their problems and the wisdom of enlightenment as the solution.)
Śrāvaka + (The disciples of the Buddha who aspire to … The disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain individual liberation or nirvāṇa. The final goal of the Hearers is to become an arhat, a state in which one has totally eliminated the inner problems of attachment, hatred and ignorance, the main causes for rebirth in this cycle of existence. There are four stages of a śrāvaka path including eight phases. of a śrāvaka path including eight phases.)
Bodhipraṇidhicitta + (The mind or mental attitude that aspires towards enlightenment.)
Bodhiprasthānacitta + (The mind or mental attitude that actually works towards enlightenment by continuously engaging in the trainings that lead to its accomplishment.)
Rgyu'i rgyud + (The mind's natural mode that abides as suchness, which remains unchanged from the state of an ordinary being up until enlightenment.)
Sarma + (The new Buddhist schools which began to ri … The new Buddhist schools which began to rise in the second millennium in Tibet after Buddhism declined in the ninth century as a result of the fall of the Yarlung dynasty. The Sarma schools were mostly based on Buddhist teachings freshly received from India and Nepal in contrast to the revival of the old teachings which already existed in Tibet. teachings which already existed in Tibet.)
Ekayāna + (The notion that ultimately there is only one vehicle, or means, of achieving enlightenment.)
Saṃbhogakāya + (The physical form of a buddha which reside … The physical form of a buddha which resides in a pure buddha realm, possesses the marks and tokens of an enlightened being, teaches Mahāyāna teachings to a retinue of Bodhisattvas for eternity. This embodied form of a buddha is the source from which all the forms of emanation originate.hich all the forms of emanation originate.)
Prakṛtisthagotra + (The potential for awakening that is inherently present in all beings.)
Tattva + (The reality or the objective state of thin … The reality or the objective state of things as they are. In the Buddhist context, it refers to the ultimate nature of things although what exactly suchness means would depend on the philosophical position of the specific schools. The Middle Way school, for instance, consider emptiness as the suchness of all things.r emptiness as the suchness of all things.)
Pāramitā + (The six or ten types of practices which le … The six or ten types of practices which lead an individual to Buddhahood. The practice of perfections is particularly important in Mahāyāna Buddhism in which the entire path of the Bodhisattva to reach full enlightenment is included in the six or ten perfections. The six perfections are that of giving, of discipline, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom. The perfection of skill-in-means, aspirations, power, and pristine wisdom are added to them to make ten perfections.are added to them to make ten perfections.)
Great Madhyamaka + (The term ''Great Madhyamaka'' is utilized … The term ''Great Madhyamaka'' is utilized in different contexts depending on the tradition. In the Jonang tradition, it generally refers to the Zhentong Madhyamaka philosophy as it was developed and systematized by Dölpopa. In this context, the Great Madhyamaka refers to the presentation of ultimate truth, while Madhyamaka describes the emptiness of the relative level of truth. In the Nyingma tradition, Great Madhyamaka refers to the subtle, inner Madhyamaka that unifies the philosophical positions of Nāgārjuna and Asaṅga. This is presented in opposition to the coarse, outer Madhyamaka that is the dialectic approach of Prāsaṅgika and Svātantrika. In the Kagyu tradition, the term is used in a similar vein in that Madhyamaka is used to refer to philosophical inquiry, while Great Madhyamaka is used to refer to the view arrived at through yogic accomplishment. However, in all of these traditions, Great Madhyamaka is heavily associated with buddha-nature (''tathāgatagarbha'') and the definitive status of these teachings. the definitive status of these teachings.)
Trikāya + (The three enlightened forms of a buddha on … The three enlightened forms of a buddha one attains when one becomes fully enlightened. They include the truth body (''dharmakāya''), enjoyment body (''saṃbhogakāya''), and the emanation body (''nirmāṇakāya''). The three bodies comprise the many qualities and powers associated with buddhahood and thus are the result sought through Mahāyāna Buddhist practice.sought through Mahāyāna Buddhist practice.)
Mahāyoga + (This is first one of the inner tantric sch … This is first one of the inner tantric schools according to the Nyingma tradition. Mahāyoga includes two sub-sections of the tantras which includes eighteen tantras and the sādhanās that includes the eight sādhanā practices. Mahāyoga focuses on the Development Stage and espouses the view of equality and purity in which equality refers to equal nature of phenomena in being empty and purity refers to all appearances being inherently enlightened energies. The Mahāyoga path leads to four stages of vidyadharas. path leads to four stages of vidyadharas.)
Tridharmacakrapravartana + (Three successive stages of the Buddhist te … Three successive stages of the Buddhist teachings. Though they are traditionally attributed to the historical Buddha, modern scholarship tends to view them as developmental stages that occurred over the course of an extended period of time, with interludes of several centuries, in which we see major doctrinal shifts often based on seemingly newly emergent scriptural sources.emingly newly emergent scriptural sources.)
Vinaya + (Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist te … Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline and precepts and is one of the three canonical sets of teachings alongside Sūtra and Abhidharma. It also refers to the monastic tradition which has been passed down since the Buddha's time until our time.wn since the Buddha's time until our time.)

Hīnayāna + (The mainstream teachings and the early sch … The mainstream teachings and the early schools of Buddhism which primarily taught individual liberation through practice-focused renunciation and monasticism, considered lesser than the later movement of the Greater Vehicle (Mahāyāna), which professed enlightenment for all sentient beings and promoted compassion.l sentient beings and promoted compassion.)

Dharmakāya + ("Truth body" or "true being" — One of the three bodies of a buddha. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, it often refers to a kind of fundamental principle or the true nature of reality itself.)
Prajñāpāramitā + (A class of Mahāyāna sūtras which represent … A class of Mahāyāna sūtras which represents some of the earliest known literature of this genre of Buddhism. There are around forty texts associated with this category, though the most widespread is the exceedingly brief ''Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra'', popularly known as the ''Heart Sūtra''. This class of literature is typically associated with the second turning of the dharma wheel and especially with the teachings on emptiness (''śūnyatā''). As such, these texts were the primary scriptural source for the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school.r the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school.)
Arhat + (A person who has reached nirvāṇa by elimin … A person who has reached nirvāṇa by eliminating the three poisons of attachment, hatred and ignorance having followed the path of seeking individual liberation as a Śrāvaka or a Pratyekabuddha. An arhat, thus, is a person who has overcome the cause of rebirth in the cycle of existence and will not take an ordinary birth again.and will not take an ordinary birth again.)
Bodhisattva + (A person who seeks enlightenment for the s … A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses.interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses.)
Atiyoga + (A system of esoteric thought and practice … A system of esoteric thought and practice associated with the Nyingma tradition and equivalent to Great Perfection, it is considered as the pinnacle of the nine vehicles or paths one can follow to reach Buddhahood. The system focusses on the pure, luminous and empty nature of the mind as the ground reality which must be realised through the path of trekchö and thögal practice.h the path of trekchö and thögal practice.)
Abhidharma + (Abhidharma generally refers to the corpus … Abhidharma generally refers to the corpus of Buddhist texts which deals with the typological, phenomenological, metaphysical, and epistemological presentation of Buddhist concepts and teachings. The abhidharma teachings present a meta-knowledge of Buddhist sūtras through analytical and systemic schemas and are said to focus on developing wisdom among the three principles of training. The Abhidharma is presented alongside Sūtra and Vinaya as one of the three baskets of the teachings of the Buddha.ee baskets of the teachings of the Buddha.)
Original enlightenment + (According to East Asian Buddhism, the intr … According to East Asian Buddhism, the intrinsic enlightenment of all sentient beings. This is obscured by the many stains present in the ''ālayavijñāna''. When these are purified, the natural state of enlightenment is recovered, a status known as "actualized enlightenment."tatus known as "actualized enlightenment.")
Actualized enlightenment + (Actualized enlightenment is enlightenment … Actualized enlightenment is enlightenment that is attained through practice. It is contrasted with original enlightenment, which is the mind's innate purity in its natural state. Ultimately, there is no difference between them. Because of the presence of ignorance, sentient beings are blind to their true nature. By removing that ignorance, one actualizes enlightenment.t ignorance, one actualizes enlightenment.)
Yogācāra + (Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the t … Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the ''Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra'' and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).arma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).)
Madhyamaka + (Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two … Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the ''Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras'', though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's ''Mūlamadhyamakakārikā''.d in Nāgārjuna's ''Mūlamadhyamakakārikā''.)
Bodhigarbha + (An alternative term for tathāgatagarbha fo … An alternative term for tathāgatagarbha found in early Nyingma sources. Though it is back-translated as ''bodhigarbha'', this term does not seem to be found in Sanskrit sources. However, in other contexts, the Tibetan ''byang chub snying po'' is often used to translate the Sanskrit term ''bodhimaṇḍa'', which is often translated as the "seat of enlightenment."translated as the "seat of enlightenment.")
Nirmāṇakāya + (An fully enlightened Buddha is said to hav … An fully enlightened Buddha is said to have the power to manifest in many forms in order to help the sentient beings. The emanation body of a buddha, as the third of the three bodies of a buddha, refers to the many forms in which a buddha can manifest and which are accessible to ordinary sentient beings. Buddhist scholars present four types of emanation bodies: emanation as supreme being, emanation as rebirth, emanation as artisan and emanation in diverse forms.as artisan and emanation in diverse forms.)
Svasaṃvedana + (An important term for the Yogācāra that re … An important term for the Yogācāra that refers to a consciousness of consciousness itself, or how one knows that they know something. It was a hotly debated topic that was disputed by followers of the Madhyamaka. In Tibet it would later become a common Dzogchen term, though with the entirely different meaning of one's own innate awareness (''rig pa''), a crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.crucial concept in the Dzogchen teachings.)
Brahman + (Brahman is the universal principle, suprem … Brahman is the universal principle, supreme truth or ultimate reality in the Hindu religion considered to be absolute, eternal and blissful. A metaphysical concept, it is described as the single binding unity behind the diversity of all that exists. In Buddhism, while this metaphysical principle is not presented, one finds frequent mention of the deity named Brahmā, who is the personification of this principle. is the personification of this principle.)
Triyāna + (Commonly seen in a Mahāyāna context, the t … Commonly seen in a Mahāyāna context, the three vehicles are the Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna, which reference the three different types of Buddhist practitioners. However, these three vehicles can also reference the three types of Buddhist teachings of the Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna (or Pāramitāyāna), and the Vajrayāna.yāna (or Pāramitāyāna), and the Vajrayāna.)
Gotra + (Disposition, lineage, or class; an individual's ''gotra'' determines the type of enlightenment one is destined to attain.)
Dzogchen + (Dzogchen is an advanced system of meditation techniques to reveal the innate state of perfection primarily, but not exclusively, espoused by the Nyingma Buddhist tradition and the Tibetan Bön tradition.)
Bodhi + (Enlightenment or awakening. In Tibetan it … Enlightenment or awakening. In Tibetan it is translated as "purified" (''byang'') and "perfected" (''chub''), which corresponds to Siddhartha Gautama's achievement of purifying all obscurations and perfecting or attaining all qualities associated with a buddha.ng all qualities associated with a buddha.)
Prātimokṣasaṃvara + (In the Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya that was pr … In the Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya that was preserved in Tibet, this refers to a set of seven types of vows of individual liberation that constitute formal ordination according to the precepts of the vinaya, or disciplinary code, of the fundamental vehicle. This set of seven is divided by gender and includes the vows for fully ordained monastics, novice monastics, and lay people, as well as specifc vows for novice nuns actively training for full ordination. Sometimes included as an eighth type of vow are the single day lay vows associated with the practice of ''sojong'', "mending and purification" (''gso sbyong''), which is observed twice a month.byong''), which is observed twice a month.)
Lam rim + (Lam rim refers to the stages on the path a … Lam rim refers to the stages on the path and, by extension, more commonly to the genre of teachings which contain practical instructions for training on the stages of the path to enlightenment. Related to the Lojong (བློ་སྦྱོང་ blo sbyong) practice, it is particularly known among the Kadampa and Geluk schools. Tsongkhapa's Byang chub lam rim chen mo is the most well-known in this genre, and the term lam rim is often used specifically to refer to this text.n used specifically to refer to this text.)
Avidyā + (Literally "unknowing," it refers to a lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the nature of reality. As such, it is considered to be the root cause of suffering and the basis for the arising of all other negative mental factors.)
Icchantika + (Literally, "those with great desire," icchantikas could be rendered as hedonists or addicts. However, the term is generally used to refer to those who, due to their insatiable desire, are incapable of enlightenment.)
Vajrapada + (Literally, vajra-footing, or base. In the … Literally, vajra-footing, or base. In the context of the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'', this is the name given to the seven subjects that are addressed in the treatise. These seven are the ''buddha'', ''dharma'', ''saṅgha'', the element (''dhātu''), enlightenment (''bodhi''), enlightened qualities (''guṇa''), and enlightened activities (''karman'')., and enlightened activities (''karman'').)
Mahāyāna + (Mahāyāna, or the Great Vehicle, refers to … Mahāyāna, or the Great Vehicle, refers to the system of Buddhist thought and practice which developed around the beginning of Common Era, focusing on the pursuit of the state of full enlightenment of the Buddha through the realization of the wisdom of emptiness and the cultivation of compassion.ptiness and the cultivation of compassion.)
Zab mo lta brgyud + (One of the two main traditions within the Mahāyāna: the "Profound View" (ཟབ་མོ་ལྟ་བརྒྱུད་) of Nāgārjuna and the "Vast Conduct" (རྒྱ་ཆེན་སྤྱོད་བརྒྱུད་) of Asaṅga.)