buddhism vocab

Nirvana

“Extinction/blowing out” release from suffering or cycle of rebirth

Buddha

Refers to Siddhartha Gautama “to awaken” one who has attained enlightenment

Four sights

Four encounters Siddhartha had on an unannounced journey outside of his father‘s palace (world, old age, illness, death in riches do not lead to liberation)

Ascetic

A person who renounces material comforts to live a discipline life

Bodhi tree

Large sacred fig tree at the mahabodhi temple “Awakening” for Buddha

Enlightenment

The state of being awakened about life’s illusions and removed from the cycle rebirth

Middle way

Liberation from Samsara comes neither through serve ascetical practices, nor wild indulgences, but in middle of spectrum between those two opposite

Sangha

Originally the name for the Buddhist monastic community

Relics

Items of religious devotion, especially pieces of the body/personal items of religious figures

Dharma

From sanskirt “uphold” It is that which is in accordance with laws of the cosmos and of nature (teachings of Buddha)

Mahayana Buddhism

“ greater vehicle” branch that accommodates a greater number of people from all walks of life toward enlightenment

Thervada Buddhism

More traditional of two main branches of Buddhism, claiming their roots and historical life of Gautama

Mandala

Geometric figures representing the universe

Five precepts

Basic moral standard by which Buddhists are to live

Gupta Dynasty

Golden age of Hindu rulers universities became a prominent part of monastic centers

Pala

Kings of Pala were patrons of Buddhism building monastic centers

Vajrayana

Diamond vehicle, the prominent branch of Buddhism in Tibet

Bodhisattva

people who compassionately refrain from entering nirvana in order to help others

Lamas

teachers, and often heads of monasteries

Dalai Lama

Head lama of Tibetan Buddhism, who was the spiritual and political leader until communist Chinese

Tripitaka

three baskets compilation of three collections of early Buddhist texts (Pali canon)

Pali canon

Authoritative Buddhist scriptures of thervada Buddhist in pali language

Lotus sutra

Mahayana Buddhist text teaching enlightenment is available to all Buddhists because of great compassion of bodhisattvas

Tantric

words to describe literature, written in sanskirt, ritual acts of body speech, and mind

Antama

Doctrine of “no soul” or “no self” a permanent unchanging independent self does not exist