World Religions - Buddhism Vocabulary

Dukkha

Important Buddhist concept translated as “suffering” , “pain”, or “stress” in relation to life

Tanha

Second of the Four Noble Truths, selfish desire, which causes dukkha (suffering)

Annic

Impermanence; essential doctrine/part of 3 marks of existence

Anatta

Idea that there is no permament, underlying substance that can be called a soul

Buddha

Enlightened one; founder of Buddhism

Bodhisattva

Person who has attained enlightenment but postpones nirvana in order to help others achieve enlightenment

Nirvana

Condition of great peace or happiness (enlightenment); the final goal of Buddhism

Arahant

Individual who has achieved individual enlightenment

Samsara

Cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound

Kamma

Sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences

Maya

Supernatural power wielded by gods and demons to produce illusions

Sangha

Buddhist community of monks and nuns

Dhamma

Teaching or religion of the Buddha

Bhavana

Development or production in the sense of calling into existence; spiritual cultivation

Karuna

Compassion; part of the spiritual path of Buddhism

Panna

Direct insight (wisdom) into the truth taught by Buddha, as a faculty required to attain enlightenment; one of the three divisions of the Eightfold path

Sila

Moral conduct; one of the three sections of the Eightfold Path

Upaya

Refers to an aspect of guidance along the Buddhist Paths to liberation where a conscious, voluntary action is driven by an incomplete reasoning about its direction