Buddhism 

Buddha- derived from budha, “to awaken”; Siddhartha Gautma and all others who have by their own insight attained enlightenment

Middle Way- a basic Buddhist teaching that rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism, focusing on a practical approach to spiritual attainment

Nirvana- “blowing out”; ultimate goal of all Buddhists, the extinction of desire and any sense of individual selfhood- resulting in liberation from samsara and its limiting conditions

Sangha- “assemblage”; Buddhist community of monks and nuns; one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism

Dharma- teachings of the Buddha, and one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism

Pali- ancient language of India, similar to Sanskrit but more commonly understood, and used in the writing of the earliest Buddhist texts; most important for Theravada Buddhism

Three Marks of Existence- characteristics that summarize the changing nature of reality; annatta, anicca, dukkha

Annatta- one of the Three Marks of the Existence; the Buddhist doctrine denying a permanent self

Anicca- one of the Three Marks of Existence; the Buddhist doctrine that all existent things are constantly changing

Five Precepts- basic moral requirements that are binding for all Buddhists

Four Noble Truths- central teachings of Buddhism: to live is to experience suffering; suffering is caused by desire; the cessation of suffering can be achieved; the solution is the Noble Eightfold Path

Dukkha- “suffering”, “frustration”, “dislocation”, or “discomfort”; the first of the Four Noble Truths, the basic Buddhist insight that suffering is part of the human condition; Three Marks of Existence

Tanha- “desire”, “thirst”, or “craving”; the second of The Four Noble Truths, selfish desire, which cause dukkha

Noble Eightfold Path- fourth of the Four Noble Truths; defines the basic human practices of Buddhism that lead to nirvana

Arhat- one who has become enlightened; the ideal type for Theravada Buddhism

Theravada- “the way of the elders”; prevalent form of Buddhism in Cambodia, Burma (the union of Myanmar), Sri Lanka, and Thailand; focuses on the earliest texts and emphasizes monastic lifestyle

Mahayana-  “the Great Vehicle”; largest of Buddhism’s three divisions, prevalent in China, Japan, and Korea; encompasses a variety of forms; including those that emphasize devotion and prayer to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas

Bodhisattvas- future buddhas; as the ideal types fro Mahayana Buddhism, beings who have experienced enlightenment but, motivated by compassion, stop short of entering nirvana so as to help others achieve it

Vajrayana- “the Vehicle of the Diamond”; named for the vajra, the Buddha’s diamond scepter; prevalent form of Buddhism in Tibet; emphasizes the harnessing of sensual energies to attain nirvana

Mandalas- “circles”; patterned icons that visually excite; used in Vajrayana Buddhism to enhance meditation

Mudras- choreographed hand movements used in rituals of Vajrayana Buddhism

Mantras- phrases or syllables chanted to evoke a deity or to enhance meditation; used in Hinduism and Buddhism, especially in Vajrayana

Dalai Lama- spiritual leader of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, believed to be an incarnation of the bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara

Ch’an- the Chinese sect of Buddhism that focuses on the experience of enlightenment; it began to flourish under the direction of Hui-neng in the seventh century AD; the Japanese equivalent is Zen

roshis- Zen masters who are deemed competent to teach others

Rinzai- the school of sudden awakening, brought to Japan in the twelfth century AD by Eisai; one of the two major sects of Zen.

satori- the Zen experience of enlightenment, a flash of insight in which the true nature of one’s being is known directly

koan- a verbal puzzle designed to short-circuit the workings of the rational, logical mind; used especially in Rinzai Zen as a means of triggering satori

Soto- the school of gradual awakening, brought to Japan in the thirteenth century AD by Dogen; one of the two major sects of Zen

zazen- the basic method of Zen meditation, traditionally practiced while seated in the lotus position in a meditation hall

dokusan- a periodic meeting with the master during which the disciple offers an answer to an assigned koan

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