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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''.)
Paramārthasatya + (Reality as it appears to an enlightened being, in which all phenomena are perceived to be empty of an individual, permanent essence. This is contrasted to the "relative truth" as experienced by unenlightened beings.)
Saṃvṛtisatya + (Reality as it is experienced by ordinary p … Reality as it is experienced by ordinary people whose perception is clouded by ignorance, in contrast to "ultimate truth" or "absolute truth," which is reality as perceived by an enlightened being. Relative truth has practical value in daily life, but upon examination all phenomena are found to be empty of individual, permanent existence. empty of individual, permanent existence.)
Tattva + (Reality or the natural state of things are called suchness or thatness in order to indicate that reality is the nature as it is without any any fabrication or imputation.)
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.)
Sūtra + (Sūtras originally referred to the aphorist … Sūtras originally referred to the aphoristic sayings and discourses, although one can find many exegetical and descriptive sūtras. In the Buddhist tradition, sūtras are generally considered to be the words of the Buddha or his immediate disciples, in contrast to the commentarial or synoptic literature, some of which summarized and condensed the teachings in the sūtras.and condensed the teachings in the sūtras.)
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.)
Bodhipraṇidhicitta + (The altruistic wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.)
Sugatagarbha + (The essence of enlightenment present in all sentient beings.)
Bodhiprasthānacitta + (The practical application or fulfillment of the altruistic wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.)
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.)
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.)
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.)
Hīnayāna + (The term was used mainly by the proponents of the Greater Vehicle, who considered the goals, understanding, practices, methods, and results of this school as being lesser in scope.)
Triviṣa + (These three are traditionally featured as … These three are traditionally featured as the central hub in depictions of the so-called wheel of life (Skt. ''bhāvacakra'', Tib. ''srid pa'i 'khor lo''). In these images they are represented by a pig known for sleeping in their own filth and other such behavior as the embodiment of ''moha'', a type of Indian bird that is known for its possessive attachment to its mate as the embodiment of ''rāga'', and a snake that is quick to strike at the slightest provocation as the embodiment of ''dveṣa''. These three are likewise depicted as chasing after, or being pulled along, by each other in a circle to demonstrate how these emotional reactions feed into each other and thus perpetuate this cycle. Though sometimes it is the pig which is pictured biting the tails of both the bird and the snake to show that both those emotional responses are rooted in our lack of understanding.s are rooted in our lack of understanding.)
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.)
Śūnyatā + (Though emptiness is generally predicated o … Though emptiness is generally predicated on the dependent origination of relative phenomena, it is a dialectic method of explaining the ultimate truth through a negative assertion and thereby highlighting what true reality lacks, rather than making a positive assertion of what that reality actually is.ssertion of what that reality actually is.)
Gzhan stong + (Though, as a noun, this term is commonly u … Though, as a noun, this term is commonly used to reference a subsect of the Madhyamaka school that lies in opposition to the more mainstream stance that asserts self-emptiness (''rang stong''), or the universal lack of inherent existence (''rang bzhin med pa''), it can also refer to different types of emptiness that describe the ultimate and relative levels of reality. Hence, relative phenomena are deemed to be self-empty since they lack independent defining characteristics, while the ultimate is said to be empty of other—namely, the afflictions and defilements that only incidentally seem to obscure it but by which it has actually never been sullied. which it has actually never been sullied.)
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.)
Viparyāsa + (Viparyāsa is the mistaken and erroneous understanding of the way things are but also has the connotation of having a totally opposite or perverse view rather than a minor misunderstanding.)

Mahāyāna + (It is known as the Great Vehicle in compar … It is known as the Great Vehicle in comparison to the earlier schools of Buddhism which aimed only to reach individual liberation. Thus, this system claims to be superior to the early Buddhist schools in terms of the philosophical understanding of reality and the moral scope of rescuing all sentient beings.ral scope of rescuing all sentient beings.)

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.)
Ālayavijñāna + (A central tenet of the Yogācāra school, in which it is listed as the eighth consciousness. It is also sometimes equated with tathāgatagarbha, in particular in its latent or impure form at the stage of ordinary sentient beings.)
Kālacakra + (A highly influential and important Tantric corpus throughout Tibetan Buddhism, especially for the Sakya, Geluk, and Jonang traditions.)
Anātman + (A key feature of the Buddha's teachings that stood in direct contrast to the mainstream Indian religious-philosophical notion of an eternal self, or ātman.)
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''.)
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).)
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))
Vajrayāna + (An adamantine system for being based on the innate nature of reality and using the state of Buddha as a way to actualize enlightenment.)
Bodhicitta + (As this is the desire to achieve and help achieve the state of enlightenment for all sentient beings, it is called the thought or mind of awakening or enlightenment.)
Pratyekabuddha + (Because the pratyekabuddhas work on their own to seek enlightenment for themselves, they are considered as self-centred, but because they are superior to the śrāvakas but inferior to the buddhas in their calibre, they are called middling buddhas.)
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.)
Nirmāṇakāya + (Emanation body is considered as an apparit … Emanation body is considered as an apparitional form and thus not the actual physical form of a buddha but one projected for the purpose of helping sentient beings. This concept became later conflated with the Tibetan culture of religious incarnation and many lamas who are considered to be rebirths of earlier ones are also referred to as trulku.rlier ones are also referred to as trulku.)
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.)
Icchantika + (Individuals who are so consumed by their desires or by a particular lifestyle that they would never even consider the need for self-improvement. Therefore, they have no interest in following any spiritual path, let alone the path to liberation.)
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.)
Cittamātra + (It is a philosophical position that places … It is a philosophical position that places mentation at the forefront of our experience of the world, rather than the seemingly real objects that consciousness perceives. It can also be used to refer to a Buddhist school, a genre of texts, or as a section of the Tibetan Buddhist canon. For instance, the ''Gyü Lama'' is in the ''sems tsam'' section of the Tibetan canon.'sems tsam'' section of the Tibetan canon.)
Mahāyāna +
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.)
Prātimokṣasaṃvara + (Moral-ethical disciplinary rules that act as a restraint on one's behavior due to their requirements to abide by a specific code of conduct.)