ngondro Preliminary
practices
for the path of mahamudra.
Jamgon-Kongtrul-Cloudless-Sky
Glossary
abhisheka (wang) An empowerment ceremony in which the teacher introduces the student to the mandala of a given yidam and empowers him to meditate on that yidam. Besides the abhisheka, a reading transmission (lung), and an oral ex- planation (thri), are also necessary to effectively practice the vajrayana.
alaya-vijiiana (kiinzhi namper shepa) The consciousness that is the ground of everything. The aspect of mind that constitutes the basis for confusedly identifying with a self and dualistic thinking.
Atisha (982-1054) Also known as Dipamkara Shri }fiana. A meditation master and scholar at the Buddhist University Vi- kramashila in India. After being repeatedly invited to teach in Tibet, he accepted and contributed greatly to establishing the Buddhist teachings there. His student Dromtonpa is the founder of the Kadampa school.
bardo (lit. "in-between state") In general usage refers to the state between death and rebirth. In actual fact, there are six bardos: the bardo of life, sleep, meditation, death, dharmata, and becoming.
bhumi (sa) One of the ten stages on the path of a bodhisattva. bindu See prana, nadi, hindu.
bodhichitta (changchup-kyi sem) A mental attitude orientl'd
toward attaining enlightenment in order to benefit all ! wings ? 121.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
Bodhichitta is divided into two aspects: relative and ultimate. Relative bodhichitta is both the aspiration to attain enlighten- ment for the benefit of others and the practical application of this aspiration through the practice of liberating behavior in the form of the paramitas. Ultimate bodhichitta involves real- izing the inseparability of emptiness and compassion.
bodhisattva (changechup sempa) A person who works tire- lessly to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, without ever feeling discouraged. In the narrow sense, the term refers to someone who has realized emptiness and developed compassion. In the broad sense, it includes anyone who has taken the bodhisattva vow, a ceremony in which one promises to achieve buddhahood for the benefit of others.
BOn A shamanistic religion that was practiced in Tibet before the spread of Buddhism.
Bonpo PractitionerofBOn.
cloudy mind (kleshamanas; nyonmongpe yid) The seventh con- sciousness, an aspect of mind that rests on the alaya-vijfiana, that experiences confusion, and that has the concept of a self.
dakini (khandroma, lit. "sky-walker") Dakinis represent inspi- rational impulses of awareness that help the practitioner in his quest for wisdom. They appear in friendly, semi-wrathful, and wrathful forms. Some dakinis are yidams, while others are types of energy that protect the teachings and the practitioner. There are also some who do not benefit beings.
dependent origination (pratityasamutpada; tenching drelwar jungwa) The pattern of cause and effect in one's experience of life situations, with phenomena arising interdependendy, based on a variety of causes and conditions.
dharma (cho) In this book the term should be taken to mean Buddhist teachings, except in the expression "eight worldly dharmas. ''
dharmadhatu (choying) The space of phenomena; ultimate re- ality.
. 122.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
dharmakaya See kaya.
dharmapala (chokyong) See three roots.
dharma robes The three robes of a monk or nun.
eight transmission lineages (eight lines of transmis- sion) Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyii, Sakya, Shangpa, Shije, Orgyenpa, and Jonangpa. A distinction is made between the "old" and "new" traditions. The old tradition is the Nyingma, that arose during the first spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century, as opposed to the new traditions, that came to Tibet during the second wave of translations of Indian Bud- dhist texts. This phase begins with the translator Rinchen Sangpo (958-1051).
eight worldly dharmas Four pairs of opposites that rule our lives as long as we struggle to achieve the first set and reject the second. These are gain and loss, joy and pain, fame and obscu- rity, praise and blame.
enlightenment Buddhahood. The Tibetan word for Buddha, sanggye, is made up of two syllables that illustrate the two as- pects ofbuddhahood. Sang means "completely purified," that is, purified of all obscurations, including the sleep of igno- rance. Gye means "completely developed" and refers to the development of all qualities and wisdom. Enlightenment or buddhahood is a state of complete purity and wisdom.
five paths A description of spiritual development in the mahay- ana outlined by: path of accumulation, path of union, path of meditation, path ofinsight, and path ofno more learning. With the path of insight, one achieves the first of the ten bodhisattva bhumis. Within the bhumis, a distinction is made between the so-called "impure" bhumis, the first seven, and "pure" bhumis, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. The eleventh bhumi is the realization of complete enlightenment, corresponding to the path of no more learning.
formless realm (zukme kham) See three realms of samsara. form kayas (zuk ku) See kaya.
? 123.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
/our dharmas ofGampopa A short text by Gampopa:
May my mind be one with the dharma, May my practice progress along the path, May the path clarify confusion,
May confusion dawn as wisdom.
four extremes Existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, neither existence nor nonexistence. These are four false notions that may arise when one reflects on reality, and that are countered by madhyamaka.
four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) See Kagyii.
four ordinary and four spedal preliminaries See ngondro.
/our noble truths (denpa zhi) The first teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni: suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
/our yogas Four stages of the path of mahamudra: one-point- edness, one taste, simplicity, and nonmeditation. Each of these four is divided into three levels of realization.
Gampopa (1079-1153) Main student of Milarepa and teacher of the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa. Gampopa blended to- gether two traditions: the Kadampa lineage of Atisha and the mahamudra lineage transmitted to him by Milarepa. At Taklha Gampo he founded the first Kagyii monastery in Tibet. Gam- popa is the source of the four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) of the Kagyii lineage. He is also known as Takpo Lharje, the physician from Takpo.
garuda (khyung) An ancient Indian mythological bird that hatches full-grown from the egg and thus symbolizes the awak- ened state of mind.
ghanta See vajra.
giving and taking (tong len) A form of meditation derived orig-
inally from the Kadampa tradition, aimed at developing bo-
dhichitta and training the mind. guru (lama) See three roots.
. 124.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
guruyoga (lame naljor) A form of meditation through which one realizes that one's own mind is inseparable from the mind of the teacher and from ultimate reality, that is, enlightenment.
Hevajra (Kye Dorje) One of the five main yidams of the Kagyii school. Hevajra was one of Marpa's yidams.
incarnation(triilku) Someone who through spiritual realization has attained the ability to manifest deliberately in the world for the benefit of other beings.
Jewel Ornament ofLiberation (Takpo Thargyen) One ofGam- papa's most important texts. It is one of the texts most used by Kagyii teachers to present the gradual path of the mahayana.
K. adampa Name of a tradition that was transmitted by Atisha's students. Although it has not survived as a separate school, it was absorbed into and transmitted by the other lineages of Ti- betan Buddhism.
Kagyii One of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Nyingma, Sakya, and Gelukpa. After Gampopa, the Kagyii lineage was also called Takpo Kagyii. The Kagyii lineage is divided into the so-called four great and eight lesser lineages. The four great lineages date back to Gampopa's main students:
1. theKarmaKagyii(orKamtsangKagyii)school,foundedby the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa
2. thePhakdruKagyii,foundedbyPhakmoDrupa
3. the Tsalpa Kagyii, founded by Ongom Tsiiltrim Nyingpo
and his student Zhang Darma Drak
4. theBaromKagyii,foundedbyBaromDarmaWangchuk
The eight lesser lineages can be traced back to the eight main
students of Phakmo Drupa. They are the Drikung, Taklung, Yamtseng, Thropu, Shuksep, Yelpa, Martsang, and Drukpa. The only surviving schools are the Karma Kagyii among the four great lineages and the Drukpa, Drikung, and Taklung among the eight lesser.
kalpa An inconceivably long span of time; an eon. ? 125.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
karma (le) The inevitability of cause and effect that conditions the different types of existential experience. Mental impres- sions left by actions, words, or thoughts leading to the experi- ence of sUffering are called negative karma, whereas those which lead to the experience of happiness are called positive karma.
Karma Kagyu See Kagyii.
Karmapa As spiritual Head of the Kagyii lineage, the Karmapas
embody all buddha activity. This is expressed in the name itself, since karma means "activity. " The first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa (1110-1193) was Gampopa's main disciple. Before his death, he left behind a letter explaining the precise circum- stances of his next rebirth. In accordance with his description, the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1206-1283) was born de- liberately as an incarnation of the first. He was the first incar- nation to be recognized in Tibetan history. Since that time, the Kagyii lineage has been transmitted by the Karmapas, with each successive Karmapa leaving behind specific instructions concerning his next incarnation.
karuna (nyingje) The quality of the bodhisattva which involves extending kindness toward all sentient beings without distinc- tion.
kaya (ku) Enlightenment body. Dharmakaya (cho ku) is the state of buddhahood itself; it is the nature of mind, or empti- ness, and is meaningful for oneself. The two form kayas, the sambhogakaya (long ku) and nirmanakaya (trill ku) manifest out of compassion for the benefit of beings and are meaningful for others. Sambhogakaya buddhas such as Vajrasattva can only be experienced directly by realized bodhisattvas, whereas nirmanakayas such as Shakyamuni Buddha manifest as hu- mans and can be perceived by beings with no particular reali- zation. The unity of the three kayas is called the svabhavikakaya (ngowonyi-kyi ku).
lineage A succession of Buddhist teachers who transmit a par- ticular tradition.
? 126.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY"?
lineage supplication A supplication to the Takpo Kagyii trans- mission lineage that describes mahamudra in concise form. Composed by Jampal Zangpo, disciple of the sixth Karmapa and teacher of the seventh.
lower realms The hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. See three realms of samsara.
madhyamaka (uma) Philosophy taught by the Buddha with re- gard to the nature ofemptiness, the ultimate mode ofexistence of all things. These teachings of Buddha were later commented on by Indian teachers likeNagarjuna, Chandrakirti, and others and constitute the philosophical foundation for the vajrayana.
maha ati (dzokpa chenpo, dzokchen) The "great perfection. " Similar to the mahamudra of the Kagyii tradition, it is trans- mitted mainly by the Nyingma school. In their nature and pur- pose, mahamudra and maha ati are the same, although the methods and the path differ.
mahamudra (chakgya chenpo) The "great seal" or great symbol of reality. A distinction is made between ground, path, and fruition mahamudra. Ground mahamudra concerns the nature of mind and the proper view, path mahamudra the application of mahamudra meditation, and fruition mahamudra the reali- zation of the nature of mind.
Mahamudra Supplication A prayer by the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, describing the nature of mind.
mahasiddha (drupchen) A practitioner of the vajrayana who has attained all the ordinary and extraordinary siddhis. See sid- dhi.
mahapandita An Indian title given to highly accomplished scholars.
mahayana See yana.
Maitripa (eleventh century) Also called Maitri. Indian mahas-
iddha from whom Marpa received the mahamudra transmis-
sion.
mandala (khyil khor) The term has several meanings: It refers:
(a) to the spiritual force-field of the buddhas; (b) to the utterly ? 127 ?
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
beautiful universe full of previous objects that one visualizes mentally in order to offer it to the buddhas in the mandala offering; and (c) to the round disk on which this universe is constructed symbolically.
mantra (sang ngak) Words or syllables used in vajrayana medi- tations.
mantrayana Vajrayana. See yana.
Mara Difficulties and obstacles due to confusion, false views
about reality, and wrong behavior.
Marpa (1012-1097) The "Great Translator," considered an em- anation of Hevajra. Marpa traveled three times from Tibet to India in order to receive teachings from his main gurus Naropa and Maitripa. He was the first Tibetan lineage holder of the Kagyii school and Milarepa's guru.
merit (sonam) See two accumulations.
Milarepa (1040-1123) An important teacher of the Kagyii
school who attained complete enlightenment in one lifetime. He is also called the greatest of yogis. Milarepa was Gampopa's guru.
nadi See prana, nadi, hindu.
Naropa (1016-1100) Also called Naro. An Indian mahasiddha, disciple ofTilopa and Marpa's guru.
ngondro Preliminary practices for the path of mahamudra. A distinction is made between the four ordinary and the four special preliminaries. The ordinary preliminaries are the four reminders: precious human birth; impermanence; karma; and suffering of samsara. The special preliminaries are: refuge and bodhichitta, vajrasattva meditation; mandala offering; and gu- ruyoga.
nine techniques ofshamatha Experiences on the path of sha- matha meditation are presented in nine points in the commen- taries. They are: resting the mind, continuous resting, renewed resting, precise resting, disciplining, calming, calming com- pletely, one-pointedness, and evenly resting. The pith instruc-
. 128.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
tions describe the development of mental calmness in five stages, which are illustrated through five images: a waterfall, a mountain torrent in a narrow gorge, a broad, slowly flowing river, a calm ocean, and a butter lamp in a room with no drafts.
nirmanakaya See kaya.
nirvana (nyangde) State of liberation from the circle of re-
births. Often used as a synonym for enlightenment.
obscurations Everything that prevents one from realizing bud- dhahood, the nature of one's mind.
paramita (parol-tu chinpa) The six paramitas or liberating ac- tions are the essence of the mahayana: generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and prajfia. According to some systems, there are four additional paramitas: skillful means, as- piration, strength, and wisdom.
path ofcauses and characteristics (gyu tsen nyi thekpa) Another name for the sutra path. In order to recognize emptiness, the characteristic, one practices the path, thus accumulating merit for enlightenment. See also yana.
path ofliberation See path of skillful means.
path ofinsight See five paths.
path of skillful means (thap lam) Although all yanas contain skillful means for attaining realization, the vajrayana is specifi- cally called the path of skillful means or upayayana because of its wealth of powerful techniques. Within the vajrayana a dis- tinction is made between meditations involving visualizations, which are the path of skillful means, and meditations without such visualizations, which are the path of liberation (drollam).
prajfia (sherap) The sixth paramita, transcendent knowledge. Only through prajfia do the first five paramitas become instru- ments of liberation. Prajfiaparamita is the realization that real- ity is beyond the duality of being versus nonbeing. Since it is this realization that leads to enlightenment, prajfiaparamita is often called the "mother of all the buddhas" and represented as a female buddha.
? 129.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
prana, nadi, hindu (tsa, lung, thikle) On the vajrayana path of skillful means one meditates on the nadis or different pathways of energy in one's body, the energy winds or prana which cir- culate through them, and the hindus or essential components of the body. This type of meditation belongs to the special skill- ful means of the vajrayana.
Literally, the term hindu means "drop;" and describes the essence or pith of something. In shamatha meditation, the hin- dus are sometimes used as an "essential" support for concen- tration in the form of tiny visualized spheres. In the human body, hindu is the quintessence of maleness or femaleness through which life arises.
pratyekabuddha (rang sanggye) A state of liberation from sam- sara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the follow- ing characteristics: they fear samsara, strive for nirvana, have little compassion, are proud, keep their teacher secret, and long for solitude. Their path consists mainly in meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination. See also yana.
reality A distinction is made between relative and ultimate lev- els of reality. Relative reality is the world of one's experience, based on dependent origination. Ultimate reality is emptiness, the true unconditioned nature of things. These two aspects of reality or levels of truth are inseparable from each other.
realm ofdesire (do kham) See three realms of samsara.
realm ofform (zuk kham) See three realms of samsara.
refuge (kyap dro) Taking refuge involves the decision to inte-
grate the three gems into one's life. One takes refuge in the Buddha as an example of one who has attained the goal, in the dharma or teachings as the path, and in the sangha or com- munity of practitioners as helpers on the way. In addition, in the vajrayana one takes refuge in the three roots.
refuge tree A way of depicting the three gems and three roots, visualized during prostations. See ngondro.
Rinpoche (lit. , "precious one") A Tibetan title and form of ad- dress for a realized Buddhist teacher.
. 130.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
Sakya Pandita (1181-1251) Title ofKiinga Gyaltsen, one ofthe most important teachers of the Sakya school.
samadhi (ting nge dzin) State of mental absorption.
sambhogakaya See kaya.
sampannakrama See utpattikrama and sampannakrama.
samsara (khorwa) A state of ignorance characterized by suffer- ing, in which one experiences a continuous round of rebirths.
sangha (gendiin) Community of Buddhist practitioners.
sevenfold service A type of prayer for accumulating merit, con- sisting of seven sections: prostrating, offering, confessing, re- joicing, requesting to teach, asking to remain, and dedicating the merit for the benefit of beings.
shamatha (shine) A form of meditation that involves dwelling in mental peace.
Shepa dorje "Laughing Vajra," name given to Milarepa by his teacher Marpa. See Milarepa.
shravaka (nyen tho) A state of liberation from samsara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the following charac- teristics: they are afraid of samsara, strive after nirvana, and have little compassion. Their path mainly involves meditating on the four noble truths and their sixteen subdivisions. See also yana.
siddha (drupthop) See mahasiddha.
siddhi (ngodrup) Special abilities developed through medita- tion. A distinction is made between general siddhis and the ultimate siddhi. General siddhis are extraordinary physical and mental abilities, whereas the ultimate siddhi is the realiza- tion of the nature of mind, that is, emptiness.
six consciousnesses The five sense consciousnesses and mind- consciousness.
six dharmas ofNaropa (Naro cho druk) Six intl~nsiw nwditu tion practices, sometimes called the six yo~as, dull huvc lwc? n handed down mainly through the Kagyii lincagt? : i1n1t"l lw? ? l
. 131.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
(tummo), illusion body (gyulii), dreaming (milam), luminosity (osel), ejection of consciousness (phowa), and in-between state (bardo). The goal of these practices is to realize the nature of mind. Naropa received them from various teachers and passed them on to his student Marpa.
skandha (pungpo) The five skandhas are the aggregates of which an individual and his experiences are made up. These are form, feeling, perception/impulse, formation, and con- sciousness. As long as one is in a state ofconfusion, one believes that one ofthe skandhas or all ofthem are real. However, ifone looks into them, one cannot find an ego either in an individual skandha, in all five, or outside the skandhas.
sugatagarbha Buddha-nature, the potential for enlightenment inherent in every being.
sutra (do) Buddha's teachings can be divided broadly into the sutrayana and the tantrayana. The sutrayana comprises all the hinayana and mahayana teachings, and the tantrayana refers to the vajrayana. See also yana.
sutrayana See yana.
svabhavikakaya See kaya.
tathagata (deshin shekpa) "One who has gone to suchness"; a
name given to buddhas.
Takpo buddha See Kagyii Lineage.
tantrayana See yana.
ten bhumis See five paths.
ten directions The four cardinal directions, the four interme-
diate directions, plus zenith, and nadir. Can also mean "beyond
all directions. "
three gems (konchok sum) Buddha, dharma (teachings of the
Buddha), and sangha (community of practitioners). See also
refuge.
three realms ofsamsara (kham sum) The desire realm, the form
realm, and the formless realm. To the realm of desire belong the hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, jealous god, and
? 132.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
"lower" god realms; in these realms, the senses are the most important element of one's existential experience. The other two realms correspond to the "higher" levels ofthe god realms. In the form realm, one still experiences the illusion of a subtle body, as opposed to the formless realm which is purely mental.
three roots (tsawa sum) Guru, yidam, and dharmapalas; an ex- panded form of refuge in the vajrayana. The guru is the source ofinspirationandenablesonetoexperiencethenatureofone's own mind. The yidams are the source of siddhis. Although these sambhogakaya forms-subtle manifestations of dhar- makaya- are only experienced by realized bodhisattvas, in the vajrayana they are visualized as objects of meditation. As med- itational deities, the yidams embody the practitioner's enlight- ened nature. The dharmapalas are also sambhogakaya forms. They are the source of actions and protect the practitioner from obstacles along the way to buddhahood. Both yidams and dharmapalas are in their essence inseparable from the guru.
three times (tii sum) Past, present, and future.
three-year retreat A traditional form of retreat which lasts three
years, three months, and three days.
Tilopa (988-1069) Also called Tilo. Indian mahasiddha and one of the forefathers of the Kagyii lineage. He was Naropa's guru.
transcendent knowledge See prajiia.
two accumulations The accumulation of merit (sonam-kyi tsok), that is, of positive impressions in the mind, and the ac- cumulation of wisdom (yeshe-kyi tsok), that is, insight into the nature of things.
Uddiyana (Orgyen) The pure land of the dakinis, the dwelling place ofTilopa.
utpattikrama and sampannakrama (kye rim, dzok rim) In the vajrayana path of skillful means, a distinction is made between two stages in meditation practice: the utpattikrama or devel- opment stage of stabilizing a particular visualization, and the
? 133.
? vajrayana (dorje thekpa) also yana.
Victorious One (Gyalwa) conquered all illusion.
vipashyana (lhakthong) nature of mind.
Another name for the tantrayana. See Name given to buddhas who have Clear awareness, clear insight into the
? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
sampannakrama or completion stage of dissolving the visuali- zation into emptiness.
vajra and ghanta Two of the most important ritual implements in the vajrayana. The vajra (dorje) symbolizes indestructibility and compassion and is always held in the right hand. The bell or ghanta (drilbu) symbolizes supreme knowledge and is held in the left.
Vajradhara (Dorje chang) The enlightened state, or dharma- kaya, in sambhogakaya form. See kaya.
Vajrasattva (Dorje Sempa) Buddhahood in sambhogakaya form, expressing the purifying force of enlightenment. See kaya.
visualization Meditation technique used in the vajrayana which consists, for instance, in imagining a yidam.
vows Three types of vows are distinguished: outer, inner, and secret. Outer vows involve a form of discipline through which one avoids harming othes. They are called the vows of individ- ualliberation and consist of seven or eight subsets of vows, for monks, nuns, lay householders, and so on. The inner vow is the bodhisattva vow. Secret vows are tantric vows of the vajrayana.
wisdom (yeshe) See two accumulations.
yana (thekpa) Although the literal meaning is "vehicle," it is
applied to the Buddhist path. Three yanas are distinguished in Buddhism: the shravakayana, the pratyekabuddhayana, and the bodhisattvayana. The first two belong to the so-called hi- nayana (thek men) or "small vehicle. " Briefly stated, the main feature of these two yanas is that practitioners strive mainly for individual liberation.
? 134?
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
The third yana, or bodhisattvayana, is the so-called maha- yana (thek chen) or "large vehicle. " Briefly stated, the practi- tioner o f this yana strives to attain enlightenment through com- passion and wisdom for the benefit of all beings. Thus, his responsibility is far greater than in the hinayana. Mahayana can be subdivided into sutrayana and tantrayana, both of which lead toward the same goal. However, in the tantrayana, the practitioner has access to highly effective means for developing compassion and wisdom and transforming impurity to purity.
abhisheka (wang) An empowerment ceremony in which the teacher introduces the student to the mandala of a given yidam and empowers him to meditate on that yidam. Besides the abhisheka, a reading transmission (lung), and an oral ex- planation (thri), are also necessary to effectively practice the vajrayana.
alaya-vijiiana (kiinzhi namper shepa) The consciousness that is the ground of everything. The aspect of mind that constitutes the basis for confusedly identifying with a self and dualistic thinking.
Atisha (982-1054) Also known as Dipamkara Shri }fiana. A meditation master and scholar at the Buddhist University Vi- kramashila in India. After being repeatedly invited to teach in Tibet, he accepted and contributed greatly to establishing the Buddhist teachings there. His student Dromtonpa is the founder of the Kadampa school.
bardo (lit. "in-between state") In general usage refers to the state between death and rebirth. In actual fact, there are six bardos: the bardo of life, sleep, meditation, death, dharmata, and becoming.
bhumi (sa) One of the ten stages on the path of a bodhisattva. bindu See prana, nadi, hindu.
bodhichitta (changchup-kyi sem) A mental attitude orientl'd
toward attaining enlightenment in order to benefit all ! wings ? 121.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
Bodhichitta is divided into two aspects: relative and ultimate. Relative bodhichitta is both the aspiration to attain enlighten- ment for the benefit of others and the practical application of this aspiration through the practice of liberating behavior in the form of the paramitas. Ultimate bodhichitta involves real- izing the inseparability of emptiness and compassion.
bodhisattva (changechup sempa) A person who works tire- lessly to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, without ever feeling discouraged. In the narrow sense, the term refers to someone who has realized emptiness and developed compassion. In the broad sense, it includes anyone who has taken the bodhisattva vow, a ceremony in which one promises to achieve buddhahood for the benefit of others.
BOn A shamanistic religion that was practiced in Tibet before the spread of Buddhism.
Bonpo PractitionerofBOn.
cloudy mind (kleshamanas; nyonmongpe yid) The seventh con- sciousness, an aspect of mind that rests on the alaya-vijfiana, that experiences confusion, and that has the concept of a self.
dakini (khandroma, lit. "sky-walker") Dakinis represent inspi- rational impulses of awareness that help the practitioner in his quest for wisdom. They appear in friendly, semi-wrathful, and wrathful forms. Some dakinis are yidams, while others are types of energy that protect the teachings and the practitioner. There are also some who do not benefit beings.
dependent origination (pratityasamutpada; tenching drelwar jungwa) The pattern of cause and effect in one's experience of life situations, with phenomena arising interdependendy, based on a variety of causes and conditions.
dharma (cho) In this book the term should be taken to mean Buddhist teachings, except in the expression "eight worldly dharmas. ''
dharmadhatu (choying) The space of phenomena; ultimate re- ality.
. 122.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
dharmakaya See kaya.
dharmapala (chokyong) See three roots.
dharma robes The three robes of a monk or nun.
eight transmission lineages (eight lines of transmis- sion) Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyii, Sakya, Shangpa, Shije, Orgyenpa, and Jonangpa. A distinction is made between the "old" and "new" traditions. The old tradition is the Nyingma, that arose during the first spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century, as opposed to the new traditions, that came to Tibet during the second wave of translations of Indian Bud- dhist texts. This phase begins with the translator Rinchen Sangpo (958-1051).
eight worldly dharmas Four pairs of opposites that rule our lives as long as we struggle to achieve the first set and reject the second. These are gain and loss, joy and pain, fame and obscu- rity, praise and blame.
enlightenment Buddhahood. The Tibetan word for Buddha, sanggye, is made up of two syllables that illustrate the two as- pects ofbuddhahood. Sang means "completely purified," that is, purified of all obscurations, including the sleep of igno- rance. Gye means "completely developed" and refers to the development of all qualities and wisdom. Enlightenment or buddhahood is a state of complete purity and wisdom.
five paths A description of spiritual development in the mahay- ana outlined by: path of accumulation, path of union, path of meditation, path ofinsight, and path ofno more learning. With the path of insight, one achieves the first of the ten bodhisattva bhumis. Within the bhumis, a distinction is made between the so-called "impure" bhumis, the first seven, and "pure" bhumis, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. The eleventh bhumi is the realization of complete enlightenment, corresponding to the path of no more learning.
formless realm (zukme kham) See three realms of samsara. form kayas (zuk ku) See kaya.
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/our dharmas ofGampopa A short text by Gampopa:
May my mind be one with the dharma, May my practice progress along the path, May the path clarify confusion,
May confusion dawn as wisdom.
four extremes Existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, neither existence nor nonexistence. These are four false notions that may arise when one reflects on reality, and that are countered by madhyamaka.
four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) See Kagyii.
four ordinary and four spedal preliminaries See ngondro.
/our noble truths (denpa zhi) The first teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni: suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
/our yogas Four stages of the path of mahamudra: one-point- edness, one taste, simplicity, and nonmeditation. Each of these four is divided into three levels of realization.
Gampopa (1079-1153) Main student of Milarepa and teacher of the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa. Gampopa blended to- gether two traditions: the Kadampa lineage of Atisha and the mahamudra lineage transmitted to him by Milarepa. At Taklha Gampo he founded the first Kagyii monastery in Tibet. Gam- popa is the source of the four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) of the Kagyii lineage. He is also known as Takpo Lharje, the physician from Takpo.
garuda (khyung) An ancient Indian mythological bird that hatches full-grown from the egg and thus symbolizes the awak- ened state of mind.
ghanta See vajra.
giving and taking (tong len) A form of meditation derived orig-
inally from the Kadampa tradition, aimed at developing bo-
dhichitta and training the mind. guru (lama) See three roots.
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guruyoga (lame naljor) A form of meditation through which one realizes that one's own mind is inseparable from the mind of the teacher and from ultimate reality, that is, enlightenment.
Hevajra (Kye Dorje) One of the five main yidams of the Kagyii school. Hevajra was one of Marpa's yidams.
incarnation(triilku) Someone who through spiritual realization has attained the ability to manifest deliberately in the world for the benefit of other beings.
Jewel Ornament ofLiberation (Takpo Thargyen) One ofGam- papa's most important texts. It is one of the texts most used by Kagyii teachers to present the gradual path of the mahayana.
K. adampa Name of a tradition that was transmitted by Atisha's students. Although it has not survived as a separate school, it was absorbed into and transmitted by the other lineages of Ti- betan Buddhism.
Kagyii One of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Nyingma, Sakya, and Gelukpa. After Gampopa, the Kagyii lineage was also called Takpo Kagyii. The Kagyii lineage is divided into the so-called four great and eight lesser lineages. The four great lineages date back to Gampopa's main students:
1. theKarmaKagyii(orKamtsangKagyii)school,foundedby the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa
2. thePhakdruKagyii,foundedbyPhakmoDrupa
3. the Tsalpa Kagyii, founded by Ongom Tsiiltrim Nyingpo
and his student Zhang Darma Drak
4. theBaromKagyii,foundedbyBaromDarmaWangchuk
The eight lesser lineages can be traced back to the eight main
students of Phakmo Drupa. They are the Drikung, Taklung, Yamtseng, Thropu, Shuksep, Yelpa, Martsang, and Drukpa. The only surviving schools are the Karma Kagyii among the four great lineages and the Drukpa, Drikung, and Taklung among the eight lesser.
kalpa An inconceivably long span of time; an eon. ? 125.
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karma (le) The inevitability of cause and effect that conditions the different types of existential experience. Mental impres- sions left by actions, words, or thoughts leading to the experi- ence of sUffering are called negative karma, whereas those which lead to the experience of happiness are called positive karma.
Karma Kagyu See Kagyii.
Karmapa As spiritual Head of the Kagyii lineage, the Karmapas
embody all buddha activity. This is expressed in the name itself, since karma means "activity. " The first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa (1110-1193) was Gampopa's main disciple. Before his death, he left behind a letter explaining the precise circum- stances of his next rebirth. In accordance with his description, the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1206-1283) was born de- liberately as an incarnation of the first. He was the first incar- nation to be recognized in Tibetan history. Since that time, the Kagyii lineage has been transmitted by the Karmapas, with each successive Karmapa leaving behind specific instructions concerning his next incarnation.
karuna (nyingje) The quality of the bodhisattva which involves extending kindness toward all sentient beings without distinc- tion.
kaya (ku) Enlightenment body. Dharmakaya (cho ku) is the state of buddhahood itself; it is the nature of mind, or empti- ness, and is meaningful for oneself. The two form kayas, the sambhogakaya (long ku) and nirmanakaya (trill ku) manifest out of compassion for the benefit of beings and are meaningful for others. Sambhogakaya buddhas such as Vajrasattva can only be experienced directly by realized bodhisattvas, whereas nirmanakayas such as Shakyamuni Buddha manifest as hu- mans and can be perceived by beings with no particular reali- zation. The unity of the three kayas is called the svabhavikakaya (ngowonyi-kyi ku).
lineage A succession of Buddhist teachers who transmit a par- ticular tradition.
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lineage supplication A supplication to the Takpo Kagyii trans- mission lineage that describes mahamudra in concise form. Composed by Jampal Zangpo, disciple of the sixth Karmapa and teacher of the seventh.
lower realms The hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. See three realms of samsara.
madhyamaka (uma) Philosophy taught by the Buddha with re- gard to the nature ofemptiness, the ultimate mode ofexistence of all things. These teachings of Buddha were later commented on by Indian teachers likeNagarjuna, Chandrakirti, and others and constitute the philosophical foundation for the vajrayana.
maha ati (dzokpa chenpo, dzokchen) The "great perfection. " Similar to the mahamudra of the Kagyii tradition, it is trans- mitted mainly by the Nyingma school. In their nature and pur- pose, mahamudra and maha ati are the same, although the methods and the path differ.
mahamudra (chakgya chenpo) The "great seal" or great symbol of reality. A distinction is made between ground, path, and fruition mahamudra. Ground mahamudra concerns the nature of mind and the proper view, path mahamudra the application of mahamudra meditation, and fruition mahamudra the reali- zation of the nature of mind.
Mahamudra Supplication A prayer by the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, describing the nature of mind.
mahasiddha (drupchen) A practitioner of the vajrayana who has attained all the ordinary and extraordinary siddhis. See sid- dhi.
mahapandita An Indian title given to highly accomplished scholars.
mahayana See yana.
Maitripa (eleventh century) Also called Maitri. Indian mahas-
iddha from whom Marpa received the mahamudra transmis-
sion.
mandala (khyil khor) The term has several meanings: It refers:
(a) to the spiritual force-field of the buddhas; (b) to the utterly ? 127 ?
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beautiful universe full of previous objects that one visualizes mentally in order to offer it to the buddhas in the mandala offering; and (c) to the round disk on which this universe is constructed symbolically.
mantra (sang ngak) Words or syllables used in vajrayana medi- tations.
mantrayana Vajrayana. See yana.
Mara Difficulties and obstacles due to confusion, false views
about reality, and wrong behavior.
Marpa (1012-1097) The "Great Translator," considered an em- anation of Hevajra. Marpa traveled three times from Tibet to India in order to receive teachings from his main gurus Naropa and Maitripa. He was the first Tibetan lineage holder of the Kagyii school and Milarepa's guru.
merit (sonam) See two accumulations.
Milarepa (1040-1123) An important teacher of the Kagyii
school who attained complete enlightenment in one lifetime. He is also called the greatest of yogis. Milarepa was Gampopa's guru.
nadi See prana, nadi, hindu.
Naropa (1016-1100) Also called Naro. An Indian mahasiddha, disciple ofTilopa and Marpa's guru.
ngondro Preliminary practices for the path of mahamudra. A distinction is made between the four ordinary and the four special preliminaries. The ordinary preliminaries are the four reminders: precious human birth; impermanence; karma; and suffering of samsara. The special preliminaries are: refuge and bodhichitta, vajrasattva meditation; mandala offering; and gu- ruyoga.
nine techniques ofshamatha Experiences on the path of sha- matha meditation are presented in nine points in the commen- taries. They are: resting the mind, continuous resting, renewed resting, precise resting, disciplining, calming, calming com- pletely, one-pointedness, and evenly resting. The pith instruc-
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tions describe the development of mental calmness in five stages, which are illustrated through five images: a waterfall, a mountain torrent in a narrow gorge, a broad, slowly flowing river, a calm ocean, and a butter lamp in a room with no drafts.
nirmanakaya See kaya.
nirvana (nyangde) State of liberation from the circle of re-
births. Often used as a synonym for enlightenment.
obscurations Everything that prevents one from realizing bud- dhahood, the nature of one's mind.
paramita (parol-tu chinpa) The six paramitas or liberating ac- tions are the essence of the mahayana: generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and prajfia. According to some systems, there are four additional paramitas: skillful means, as- piration, strength, and wisdom.
path ofcauses and characteristics (gyu tsen nyi thekpa) Another name for the sutra path. In order to recognize emptiness, the characteristic, one practices the path, thus accumulating merit for enlightenment. See also yana.
path ofliberation See path of skillful means.
path ofinsight See five paths.
path of skillful means (thap lam) Although all yanas contain skillful means for attaining realization, the vajrayana is specifi- cally called the path of skillful means or upayayana because of its wealth of powerful techniques. Within the vajrayana a dis- tinction is made between meditations involving visualizations, which are the path of skillful means, and meditations without such visualizations, which are the path of liberation (drollam).
prajfia (sherap) The sixth paramita, transcendent knowledge. Only through prajfia do the first five paramitas become instru- ments of liberation. Prajfiaparamita is the realization that real- ity is beyond the duality of being versus nonbeing. Since it is this realization that leads to enlightenment, prajfiaparamita is often called the "mother of all the buddhas" and represented as a female buddha.
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prana, nadi, hindu (tsa, lung, thikle) On the vajrayana path of skillful means one meditates on the nadis or different pathways of energy in one's body, the energy winds or prana which cir- culate through them, and the hindus or essential components of the body. This type of meditation belongs to the special skill- ful means of the vajrayana.
Literally, the term hindu means "drop;" and describes the essence or pith of something. In shamatha meditation, the hin- dus are sometimes used as an "essential" support for concen- tration in the form of tiny visualized spheres. In the human body, hindu is the quintessence of maleness or femaleness through which life arises.
pratyekabuddha (rang sanggye) A state of liberation from sam- sara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the follow- ing characteristics: they fear samsara, strive for nirvana, have little compassion, are proud, keep their teacher secret, and long for solitude. Their path consists mainly in meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination. See also yana.
reality A distinction is made between relative and ultimate lev- els of reality. Relative reality is the world of one's experience, based on dependent origination. Ultimate reality is emptiness, the true unconditioned nature of things. These two aspects of reality or levels of truth are inseparable from each other.
realm ofdesire (do kham) See three realms of samsara.
realm ofform (zuk kham) See three realms of samsara.
refuge (kyap dro) Taking refuge involves the decision to inte-
grate the three gems into one's life. One takes refuge in the Buddha as an example of one who has attained the goal, in the dharma or teachings as the path, and in the sangha or com- munity of practitioners as helpers on the way. In addition, in the vajrayana one takes refuge in the three roots.
refuge tree A way of depicting the three gems and three roots, visualized during prostations. See ngondro.
Rinpoche (lit. , "precious one") A Tibetan title and form of ad- dress for a realized Buddhist teacher.
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Sakya Pandita (1181-1251) Title ofKiinga Gyaltsen, one ofthe most important teachers of the Sakya school.
samadhi (ting nge dzin) State of mental absorption.
sambhogakaya See kaya.
sampannakrama See utpattikrama and sampannakrama.
samsara (khorwa) A state of ignorance characterized by suffer- ing, in which one experiences a continuous round of rebirths.
sangha (gendiin) Community of Buddhist practitioners.
sevenfold service A type of prayer for accumulating merit, con- sisting of seven sections: prostrating, offering, confessing, re- joicing, requesting to teach, asking to remain, and dedicating the merit for the benefit of beings.
shamatha (shine) A form of meditation that involves dwelling in mental peace.
Shepa dorje "Laughing Vajra," name given to Milarepa by his teacher Marpa. See Milarepa.
shravaka (nyen tho) A state of liberation from samsara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the following charac- teristics: they are afraid of samsara, strive after nirvana, and have little compassion. Their path mainly involves meditating on the four noble truths and their sixteen subdivisions. See also yana.
siddha (drupthop) See mahasiddha.
siddhi (ngodrup) Special abilities developed through medita- tion. A distinction is made between general siddhis and the ultimate siddhi. General siddhis are extraordinary physical and mental abilities, whereas the ultimate siddhi is the realiza- tion of the nature of mind, that is, emptiness.
six consciousnesses The five sense consciousnesses and mind- consciousness.
six dharmas ofNaropa (Naro cho druk) Six intl~nsiw nwditu tion practices, sometimes called the six yo~as, dull huvc lwc? n handed down mainly through the Kagyii lincagt? : i1n1t"l lw? ? l
. 131.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
(tummo), illusion body (gyulii), dreaming (milam), luminosity (osel), ejection of consciousness (phowa), and in-between state (bardo). The goal of these practices is to realize the nature of mind. Naropa received them from various teachers and passed them on to his student Marpa.
skandha (pungpo) The five skandhas are the aggregates of which an individual and his experiences are made up. These are form, feeling, perception/impulse, formation, and con- sciousness. As long as one is in a state ofconfusion, one believes that one ofthe skandhas or all ofthem are real. However, ifone looks into them, one cannot find an ego either in an individual skandha, in all five, or outside the skandhas.
sugatagarbha Buddha-nature, the potential for enlightenment inherent in every being.
sutra (do) Buddha's teachings can be divided broadly into the sutrayana and the tantrayana. The sutrayana comprises all the hinayana and mahayana teachings, and the tantrayana refers to the vajrayana. See also yana.
sutrayana See yana.
svabhavikakaya See kaya.
tathagata (deshin shekpa) "One who has gone to suchness"; a
name given to buddhas.
Takpo buddha See Kagyii Lineage.
tantrayana See yana.
ten bhumis See five paths.
ten directions The four cardinal directions, the four interme-
diate directions, plus zenith, and nadir. Can also mean "beyond
all directions. "
three gems (konchok sum) Buddha, dharma (teachings of the
Buddha), and sangha (community of practitioners). See also
refuge.
three realms ofsamsara (kham sum) The desire realm, the form
realm, and the formless realm. To the realm of desire belong the hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, jealous god, and
? 132.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
"lower" god realms; in these realms, the senses are the most important element of one's existential experience. The other two realms correspond to the "higher" levels ofthe god realms. In the form realm, one still experiences the illusion of a subtle body, as opposed to the formless realm which is purely mental.
three roots (tsawa sum) Guru, yidam, and dharmapalas; an ex- panded form of refuge in the vajrayana. The guru is the source ofinspirationandenablesonetoexperiencethenatureofone's own mind. The yidams are the source of siddhis. Although these sambhogakaya forms-subtle manifestations of dhar- makaya- are only experienced by realized bodhisattvas, in the vajrayana they are visualized as objects of meditation. As med- itational deities, the yidams embody the practitioner's enlight- ened nature. The dharmapalas are also sambhogakaya forms. They are the source of actions and protect the practitioner from obstacles along the way to buddhahood. Both yidams and dharmapalas are in their essence inseparable from the guru.
three times (tii sum) Past, present, and future.
three-year retreat A traditional form of retreat which lasts three
years, three months, and three days.
Tilopa (988-1069) Also called Tilo. Indian mahasiddha and one of the forefathers of the Kagyii lineage. He was Naropa's guru.
transcendent knowledge See prajiia.
two accumulations The accumulation of merit (sonam-kyi tsok), that is, of positive impressions in the mind, and the ac- cumulation of wisdom (yeshe-kyi tsok), that is, insight into the nature of things.
Uddiyana (Orgyen) The pure land of the dakinis, the dwelling place ofTilopa.
utpattikrama and sampannakrama (kye rim, dzok rim) In the vajrayana path of skillful means, a distinction is made between two stages in meditation practice: the utpattikrama or devel- opment stage of stabilizing a particular visualization, and the
? 133.
? vajrayana (dorje thekpa) also yana.
Victorious One (Gyalwa) conquered all illusion.
vipashyana (lhakthong) nature of mind.
Another name for the tantrayana. See Name given to buddhas who have Clear awareness, clear insight into the
? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
sampannakrama or completion stage of dissolving the visuali- zation into emptiness.
vajra and ghanta Two of the most important ritual implements in the vajrayana. The vajra (dorje) symbolizes indestructibility and compassion and is always held in the right hand. The bell or ghanta (drilbu) symbolizes supreme knowledge and is held in the left.
Vajradhara (Dorje chang) The enlightened state, or dharma- kaya, in sambhogakaya form. See kaya.
Vajrasattva (Dorje Sempa) Buddhahood in sambhogakaya form, expressing the purifying force of enlightenment. See kaya.
visualization Meditation technique used in the vajrayana which consists, for instance, in imagining a yidam.
vows Three types of vows are distinguished: outer, inner, and secret. Outer vows involve a form of discipline through which one avoids harming othes. They are called the vows of individ- ualliberation and consist of seven or eight subsets of vows, for monks, nuns, lay householders, and so on. The inner vow is the bodhisattva vow. Secret vows are tantric vows of the vajrayana.
wisdom (yeshe) See two accumulations.
yana (thekpa) Although the literal meaning is "vehicle," it is
applied to the Buddhist path. Three yanas are distinguished in Buddhism: the shravakayana, the pratyekabuddhayana, and the bodhisattvayana. The first two belong to the so-called hi- nayana (thek men) or "small vehicle. " Briefly stated, the main feature of these two yanas is that practitioners strive mainly for individual liberation.
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The third yana, or bodhisattvayana, is the so-called maha- yana (thek chen) or "large vehicle. " Briefly stated, the practi- tioner o f this yana strives to attain enlightenment through com- passion and wisdom for the benefit of all beings. Thus, his responsibility is far greater than in the hinayana. Mahayana can be subdivided into sutrayana and tantrayana, both of which lead toward the same goal. However, in the tantrayana, the practitioner has access to highly effective means for developing compassion and wisdom and transforming impurity to purity.
