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Rang stong + (Since relative phenomena arise in dependen … Since relative phenomena arise in dependence on causes and conditions, they cannot be said to exist based solely on their own defining characteristics. Thus they are deemed to be empty of an innate nature. As a noun, this term generally refers to the more traditional, or orthodox, philosophical stance of the Madhyamaka school and its view of emptiness, as opposed to those who profess other-emptiness (''gzhan stong''). For the latter group, self-emptiness is also asserted to be true, but it is only used to describe the relative truth. However, for traditional Mādhyamikas, emptiness is universally applied, and thus the lack of inherent existence is itself the ultimate truth.nt existence is itself the ultimate truth.)
Neyārtha + (Something that is taught as a means to an end.)
Kagyu + (The Marpa Kagyu (''mar pa bka’ brgyud'') t … The Marpa Kagyu (''mar pa bka’ brgyud'') tradition originated in the eleventh century with the Tibetan translator Marpa Chokyi Lodro, who studied in India with Nāropa. Marpa’s disciple Milarepa famously attained enlightenment in the caves of southern Tibet after renouncing a life of violent revenge; his disciple Gampopa merged the lay siddha practice of his master with the Kadampa monasticism and scholarship that he had previously studied. Gampopa founded the first Kagyu monastery, Daklha Gampo, in southern Tibet. Following Gampopa the tradition split into multiple autonomous subsects known as the four primary (Barom, Pakdru, Karma, and Tselpa), and eight secondary traditions (Drigung, Drukpa, Martsang, Shukseb, Taklung, Tropu, Yabzang, and Yelpa Kagyu). [https://treasuryoflives.org/tradition/Marpa-Kagyu Read more at Treasury of Lives]arpa-Kagyu Read more at Treasury of Lives])
Pāramitā + (The Sanskrit and Tibetan terms pāramitā and phar phyin imply crossing over or reaching the other side because these practices help the individual practitioner to cross the ocean of cycle of existence and reach Buddhahood.)
Dpyad sgom + (The practical approach to gaining incontro … The practical approach to gaining incontrovertible conceptual certainty is called analytical meditation or superior insight. ([[Brunnhölzl]], ''[[The Center of the Sunlit Sky]]'', 29)"Another division of meditation is into “the analytical meditation of scholars” and “the resting meditation of mendicants,” or simply analytical meditation and resting meditation. The analytical meditation of scholars refers to the intellectual examination of all phenomena through reasoning. There are two key terms here: “discriminating knowledge” and “personally experienced wisdom.” The first step in this analytical meditation is to cultivate discriminating knowledge. This refers to all the levels of increasingly refined inferential valid cognition that are based on reasoning and developed through studying, reflecting, and meditating." ([[Brunnhölzl]], ''[[The Center of the Sunlit Sky]]'', 279)"The general scope of analytical meditation encompasses all of the teachings of the Buddha, starting from contemplating impermanence and the preciousness of human existence up through ascertaining the two kinds of identitylessness. Resting meditation includes all types of meditations in which the conclusions achieved through preceding investigation become absorbed by the mind." ([[Brunnhölzl]], ''[[The Center of the Sunlit Sky]]'', 281) Sunlit Sky]]'', 281))
Tathāgatagarbha + (The seed or essence of enlightenment. ''Ta … The seed or essence of enlightenment. ''Tathāgata'' loosely translates as "one who has gone to a state of enlightenment," while ''garbha'' has the sense of "womb," "essence," and "embryo." Tathāgatagarbha thus suggests a potential or an innate buddhahood possessed by all sentient beings that is either developed or revealed when one attains enlightenment.r revealed when one attains enlightenment.)
Bodhisattva + (The term Bodhisattva rendered into Tibetan … The term Bodhisattva rendered into Tibetan as བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་ (wyl. byang chub sems dpa') has the sense of heroic beings who have developed the thought of enlightenment or awakening. Thus, a Bodhisattva is defined as a person who has given rise to Bodhicitta or the thought of enlightenment.odhicitta or the thought of enlightenment.)
Arhat + (The term arhat refers to someone worthy of veneration as well as someone who has overcome the enemies. The Tibetan translation has the latter meaning as arhats are said to have defeated the foes of defiling emotions.)
Pramāṇa + (The term has the sense of being valid, authentic or standard. In Buddhist epistemology, a correct cognition is considered to be the most authentic knowledge or accurate measure of the way things are.)
Abhidharma + (The term has the sense of making knowledge and meaning manifest through intelligent analysis and systematic presentation.)
Sarma + (The term often refers to the new translati … The term often refers to the new translation of Buddhist texts in contrast to the translations carried out in the first millennium, particularly of the tantric literature. The tantric tradition which is based on the tantras translated in the period of Early Diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet came to be known as sngags rnying ma or ancient mantra and those based on tantras translated during the Later Diffusion came to known as sngags gear ma or new mantra. to known as sngags gear ma or new mantra.)
Nītārtha + (The unadulterated truth, in the sense of something that is taught explicitly without any underlying intention or need for further interpretation.)
Buddhadhātu + (This is most likely the direct source of t … This is most likely the direct source of the English term ''buddha-nature'' via its translation into Chinese and Japanese. These traditions tended to treat the Sanskrit terms ''dhātu'', ''gotra'', and ''garbha'' as synonyms when compounded with the term ''buddha'', though the translation of ''buddhadhātu'' seems to have been adopted as the standard technical term to reference the buddha-nature doctrine, as it could cover a wider range of possible meanings. In other words, the term ''dhātu'' could more easily reference both the causal aspect of this nature, commonly associated with the term ''gotra'', and the fruition aspect of this nature, commonly associated with the term ''garbha''.monly associated with the term ''garbha''.)
Prasajyapratiṣedha + (This is the type of negation that is associated with the classical Madhyamaka presentation of emptiness, in which that absence is taken literally. It is typical of the philosophical position that became known as self-emptiness.)
Bīja + (This term can be used in a variety of cont … This term can be used in a variety of contexts, though one of the more common usages is related to the Buddhist notion of karma, cause and effect. In this sense, bīja are the seeds of karmic actions, which have the potential to ripen into karmic consequences.tential to ripen into karmic consequences.)
Avidyā + (This term can have different meanings and … This term can have different meanings and connotations depending on the context. Especially among Tibetan traditions such as the Nyingma, in which ''rig pa'', usually translated as awareness, became a key concept, its opposite, ''ma rig pa'', references the state in which that awareness is not recognized. In this context, ''ma rig pa'' should likely be treated as an indigenous Tibetan term rather than a direct translation of the Sanskrit term ''avidyā''.anslation of the Sanskrit term ''avidyā''.)
Kun gzhi + (This term entered the Tibetan lexicon as a … This term entered the Tibetan lexicon as a translation of ''ālaya'', and thus it is often rendered back to its Sanskrit antecedent in modern scholarship and translations. However, as a Tibetan term, it is more commonly read literally as the compound ''all-ground'', or ''ground of everything''. As such it is often used to describe a common locus, or substrate, out of which both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa emerge. of which both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa emerge.)
Thugs dam + (Thugs dam generally refers to meditation a … Thugs dam generally refers to meditation and spiritual commitment of a religious practitioner but often has the specific meaning of remaining in the state of meditation after death in the Himalayan Buddhist tradition. Highly realised beings are said to remain in this state for period after their death until their enlightened spirit leaves the physical body.lightened spirit leaves the physical body.)
Vinaya + (Vinaya literally means taming, subduing, or conquering because the moral precepts and vows help to tame the practitioner and to develop the good discipline necessary for spiritual practice.)

Kṣaṇasaṃpad + (In Sanskrit it literally means a “fortunate moment,” or “auspicious moment,” in the sense of an “opportune birth” that specifically refers to rebirth as a human being with the conditions that permit practice of the dharma.)

Gotra + (''Gotra'' is used in Buddhist literature in a wide variety of ways. In Yogācāra it is used in the sense of family, lineage, or type to classify beings according to their innate capacity for progress on the path to enlightenment.)
Vajrapada + (''Vajra'' has a variety of meanings depend … ''Vajra'' has a variety of meanings depending on the context, thus it is often left untranslated. For instance, it can refer to both a physical diamond and something which has the physical qualities of a diamond (i.e., something that is indestructible or indivisible). In this latter sense it is often rendered as "adamantine." In the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'' the seven main topics of the treatise are called "vajra" subjects because they are difficult to penetrate through an understanding that is arrived at through merely hearing or contemplating. In other words, they require direct experience.her words, they require direct experience.)
Dhātu + (A term that has numerous meanings dependin … A term that has numerous meanings depending on the context, including physical realms or regions, the (five) elements, as well as aspects of the sense organs, bases, and fields. In terms of buddha-nature theory, it is often treated as synonymous with terms like ''gotra'' and ''garbha'' or even as equivalents of buddha-nature itself, such as ''sugatagarbha''.a-nature itself, such as ''sugatagarbha''.)
Amalavijñāna + (According to East Asian Yogācāra, the abso … According to East Asian Yogācāra, the absolute purity of mind of a buddha. While the Sanskrit term appears in Vasubandhu's ''Abidharmakośa'' and the accompanying ''Bhaṣya'', the term as it is used in the sense of pure consciousness was first used in Chinese by Paramārtha and then expanded and changed by later Chinese Yogācāra writers. While Paramārtha associated it with thusness and used it to refer to a catalyst for enlightenment, it has come to refer to a ninth consciousness which only appears when the ālayavijñāna, the eighth consciousness, ceases. As such, it is pure, luminous, and permanent. Some writers, however, have equated it to the pure aspect of the ālayavijñāna, as well as with prakṛtiprabhāsvaracitta (the absolute purity of mind), tathāgatagarbha, and even emptiness.ind), tathāgatagarbha, and even emptiness.)
Ngo bo + (According to Ives Waldo, it is similar to ''rang bzhin'', but when referring to ''sugatagarbha'', ''ngo bo'' refers to the emptiness part, whereas ''rang bzhin'' refers to the luminosity or clarity part.)
Ka dag + (All things in Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Buddh … All things in Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Buddhism are said to be primordially empty and thus pure and free from extremes and defilements. More specifically, primordial purity refers to the nature of consciousness or buddha-nature, which is empty by nature but endowed with spontaneous luminosity. Primordial purity is the empty aspect of the buddha-nature which is primordially present in all beings.ich is primordially present in all beings.)
'jog sgom + (Also called Settling meditation (Skt. ''st … Also called Settling meditation (Skt. ''sthāpyabhāvanā''; Tib. འཇོག་སྒོམ་, ''jokgom'' or ''jok gom'', Wyl. '' 'jog sgom'') — the counterpart of analytical meditation. The practice of settling or resting the mind, which is alternated with periods of analysis or visualization.Ringu Tulku Rinpoche says:"Whenever we reach a conclusion, or simply get tired, we just remain, settled in peace. This part is a little like shamatha." (Source: Rigpa Wiki)"In placement meditation one goes directly into deep Shamatha meditation and then one "looks at mind" directly without any analysis and perceives its emptiness." (Thrangu Rinpoche, ''Transcending Ego'', 86).rangu Rinpoche, ''Transcending Ego'', 86).)
Tsen Tradition + (Also known as the "meditative tradition" ( … Also known as the "meditative tradition" (''sgom lugs''), this form of exegesis was primarily concerned with the practical application of the teachings contained in the ''Uttaratantra'' as a means to experience buddha-nature for oneself. However, both the Tsen Tradition and its opposing counterpart, the Ngok Tradition, reportedly came from a single source, the Kashmiri scholar-yogi Sajjana.source, the Kashmiri scholar-yogi Sajjana.)
Ngok Tradition + (Also known as the analytic tradition (''th … Also known as the analytic tradition (''thos bsam gyi lugs''), literally, "the tradition of hearing and contemplating," this form of exegesis explicated the ''Uttaratantra'' through philosophical reasoning and debate and thus entailed a primarily scholastic approach to the treatise. However, both the Ngok Tradition and its opposing counterpart, the Tsen Tradition, reportedly came from a single source, the Kashmiri scholar-yogi Sajjana.source, the Kashmiri scholar-yogi Sajjana.)
Dharmakāya + (Although this term is sometimes rendered i … Although this term is sometimes rendered into English as “truth body,” dharmakāya seems to have originally been meant to refer to the entire corpus (''kāya'') of the Buddha’s transcendent qualities (''dharma''). (''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 242)rinceton Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 242))
Śrāvaka + (Because they mainly rely on the words of the Buddha in their spiritual practice, they are known as Hearers or Listeners. The śrāvaka vehicle is the one of the three vehicles or yānas in Buddhism beside the vehicles of Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas)
Bodhigarbha + (Buddha-nature in its ultimate sense as the primordially existing essence of buddhahood present in all beings. It is treated as a Tantric/Dzogchen equivalent of the more Sūtra-based terms ''tathāgatagarbha'' and ''sugatagarbha''.)
Dzogchen + (Dzogchen, or Great Perfection, refers more specifically to the nature of awareness, which is the innate state of perfect enlightenment latent in the mind. More broadly, it refers to the associated system of teachings, theories, and practices.)
Actualized enlightenment + (Enlightenment attained through practice.)
Bodhi + (Enlightenment has the sense of complete ac … Enlightenment has the sense of complete actualization of one's true nature or total understanding of reality and freedom from suffering that comes from achieving that realization. Enlightenment (Skt., ''bodhi''; Tib., ''byang chub'') is a state that can potentially be attained by any being with a mind. The very nature of the mind as a clear and radiant entity, and of the defilements as adventitious entities that are not essential to our nature, is what allows for the possibility of mental purification, and hence of enlightenment. The clearest doctrinal formulation of this idea is to be found in the concept of buddha-nature (''tathagatagarbha''; ''de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po''). Whether buddha-nature is the primordial presence of an enlightened state in the minds of beings, something that merely needs to be uncovered, or only a potential that permits the attainment of that state is of course a disputed point in the tradition. Here, it is only important to note that the vast majority of Mahāyāna schools maintain that all beings, regardless of birth, race, social status, and gender, are capable of the attainment of the state of human perfection known as enlightenment.Source: page 192, “Liberation: An Indo-Tibetan Perspective” by José Ignacio Cabezón. Buddhist-Christian Studies, Vol. 12 (1992), pp. 191-198 Published by: University of Hawai'i Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1389971 URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1389971)
Samudānītagotra + (Fluidity, in that it is a potential that is developed through personal habits of study, practice, and exposure to a particular vehicle of Buddhism.)
Bhūmi + (Generally associated with bodhisattvas, these are major stages arrived at over the course of lifetimes of ongoing spiritual practice and development.)
Kṣaṇasaṃpad +
Mahāmudrā + (It has a sense of being the binding force and refers to the reality of all things. Just as a seal makes a document binding, reality binds all things, including our understanding of the true nature of things. It also refers to a symbolic gesture.)
Brahman + (It has the sense of being pure and expansive as the universal principle. It is the source from which all things emanate, and to which they return.)
Sādhana + (It is the means, method or technique of ac … It is the means, method or technique of achieving a spiritual goal or power, and thus deals with the process of practice but does not explain or discuss concepts or theories. A sādhana is almost always a practical manual written for practice on a specific deity. written for practice on a specific deity.)
Lam rim + (Lam rim has the sense of gradual or graded practice starting from basic techniques to cultivate the thoughts of renunciation, compassion and loving kindness, etc. to insight into ultimate emptiness.)
Mahāyoga + (Mahāyoga is great or supreme with respect to outer tantras and focuses on the skill-in-means, thus mainly refers to what are known as male tantras.)
Prajñā + (One of the most important terms in Buddhis … One of the most important terms in Buddhist philosophy, ''prajñā'', or ''sherab'' in Tibetan, has the sense of "higher knowing" or "special insight." This is the ''prajñā'' in ''prajñāpāramitā'', and it is associated with the wisdom that perceives/knows the actual nature of reality. See also ''jñāna''.ual nature of reality. See also ''jñāna''.)
Niḥsvabhāvatā + (Since phenomena are dependent on causes and conditions, their mode of being is generally characterized as an absence of self-nature or personally distinct essence.)