Buddhism Vocab

World Religions

Dukkha

main belief of Buddhism is that life is suffering

Trishna/Tahna

“thirst, greed”, the craving to have attachments which leads to suffering in samsara

Anicca

refers to how everything is always changing and is impermanent

Ahisma

a corre principle of Buddhism is nonviolence and to avoid harming living things with thoughts or actions, places emphasis on compassion

Anatman

important concept in Buddhism says there is no individual self, emphasis on impermanence

Buddha

an individual who has been enlightened and escaped samsara, reaching nirvana. og Buddha created Dharma

Bodhisattvas

an individual who achieved enlightenment but delay their nirvana to stay and help others achieve enlightenment

Nirvana

the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to escape suffering and end Samsara to reach peace without desires or delusions

Arahant/ Arhat

“worthy one”, an individual who achieved enlightenment and transcends the human state, attained nirvana

Samsara

the cycle of rebirth that is driven by karma and consists of suffering, ultimate goal is to escape

Karma

actions, thoughts, and intentions lead to specific consequences which determines the kind of rebirth in samsara

Maya

reality is deceptive and full of illusions that hide the truth of nature and hides the full understanding of Dharma

Sangha

the community of Buddhis practitioners, like monks and lay people (followers)

Dharma

the Buddha’s teachings that outline the truth of reality and the path to enlightenment

Bhavana

the cultivation of one’s mind through meditation to develop thoughts, awareness, and spiritual growth

Karuna

an important virtue for Buddhists is to have compassion and concern for others

Prajna

means wisdom/understanding, important to understand the truth of nature (impermanence, non self, suffering)

Sila

means discipline, refers to ethical conduct, virtue, and morality needed for spiritual growth

Upaya

the ability of an enlightened person to create a message for a specific group of people/ audience

Three Jewels

consists of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha which represent the core beliefs of Buddhism

Four Noble Truths

outlines that life is suffering, the cause is desire but can end by using the 8fold path (core teaching)

Eightfold Path

outlines path to enlightenment to end suffering, a core belief/teaching

Bhikkhu/Bhikkhunis

an ordained Buddhist monk who pursues enlightenment and lives by monastic rules

Pali Canon/Triptika

the collection of scriptures that contain the Buddha’s teachings and monastic rules

3 Marks of Existence

outlines the truth of life being impermanent, full of suffering and there is no individual self

5 Skandhas

the components that make up human existence of individual beings

3 Poisons

the root causes of suffering and attachment in samsara (greed, hatred, delusion)

Lamas

a spiritual teacher who guides students to their own enlightenment

Mandala

symbolic of the universe and deities, used as a tool for meditation and to assist one’s journey to enlightenment

Mudra

hand gestures that represent various aspects of Buddhist teachings, like enlightenment, compassion, and wisdom