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Abstinences > "Eight Abstinences." Aeon. Sanskrit for > "Kalpa." Afflictions. Another name for negative emotions. Alms. In Buddhism, the offering of food to monks on their daily rounds and the donation of goods and money to the monasteries. Amida. > Amitabha Buddha. Amida Butsu. Japanese for > Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha Buddha. (Amitayus Buddha, Amida Buddha) The most commonly used name for the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life. Amitabha is a transhistorical Buddha who created and presides over the Pure Land, a Buddha land to the West called Sukhavati ("Blissful"); Land of Ultimate Bliss. Pure Land is described in several Sutras. Amitabha Buddhist Society of USA. The Amitabha Buddhist Society of USA (http://www.amtb-usa.org) is the original publisher of "Pure Land - Pure Mind". Especially the texts of the Chinese masters you find on this web site are taken from this book. Amitabha Sutra. A Sutra that describes the wonders and adornments of Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land and explains why we should seek rebirth there. It also tells us how we can attain rebirth in the Pure Land, and describes the appearance, characteristics, and natures of the the hosts of Buddhas who dwell in the Pure Land and in other Buddha-lands. One of the five Pure Land Texts that are considered of paramount importance to Pure Land students. Amitayus (Buddha). "Infinite Lifespan". Sanskrit for > "Amitabha Buddha." Ananda. Cousin of Buddha, who later became one of his ten prominent disciples. Animal Realm. One of the six realms of existence, where the mind is consumed by survival. The animal realm is characterized by stupidity. Arhat. Worthy One or Pure One, one far from defilement, one who has broken the wheel of birth and death, one without secrets: the mind totally and finally free of greed, anger, and delusion; void of "I" and "mine". The Arhant should not be regarded as a "person" or "individual." An Arhat is a Buddhist saint who generally lives a monastic life in accordance with the Buddhas' teachings. Ariya. Noble, ideal. Also, a "Noble One" Ariya-puggala. Noble person; enlightened individual. Asuras (male), Asuris (female). Also referred to as Titans, they are originally from Hindu mythology where they are lesser gods who strive to overcome the power of the deities. In Buddhism, they are a symbolic manifestation of the ego, representing certain states of mind. This beings are just above humans in the Six States of Existence. Asuras are demigods, or semi-blessed beings, who are powerful but are also fierce and quarrelsome. Like humans, they are partly good and partly evil. Awakening (vs. Enlightenment). A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the Way (Great Awakening) and attaining the Way (attaining Enlightenment). Note: there are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., Buddhahood. Bodhi. Sanskrit for > "Enlightenment". Bodhi Mind. The spirit of enlightenment, which has two parallel aspects: the determination to achieve Buddhahood, and an aspiration to help all sentient beings become enlightened. Bodhi Tree. (Sanskrit for enlightenment.) The tree under which Shakyamuni Buddha, meditating, attained enlightenment. Bodhisattva. One who aspire to Supreme Enlightenment and Buddhahood for themselves and all beings. The word Bodhisattva can therefore stand for a realized being such as Avalokitesvara or Samantabhadra but also for anyone who has developed the Bodi Mind, the aspiration to save oneself and others. Buddha. The highest state that an enlightened being can attain. Any person who has attained the transcendental wisdom, and has broken the bondage of birth and death, is ready to enter the Nirvana. There have been innumerable Buddhas in the past, and there will be many more. Buddha-land. A purified field surrounds all buddhas, also called Pure Land. It is a space without defilements, naturally created by virtue of the buddhas great compassion and wisdom. See also > "Nirvana." Butter lamp. A lamp with wicks made of cotton or cloth that has been dipped in butter. Cultivator.
One who practices Buddhism. Cyber sangha. (sangha, "crowd, host") The Buddhist internet community. Devas. Celestial beings who are often regarded as gods in religions other than Buddhism. They rank above humans and Asuras in the six stages of existence. Many devas have godlike powers and reign over celestial kingdoms, and most devas live in delightful happiness and splendor. Devas have lifetimes that are unimaginably long by human standards, but their lives eventually do come to an end because devas are not yet free from the cycle of birth and death. That distinction belongs only to Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. The devas dwell in celestial regions called the "six heavenly realms." Dharani.
A dharani is a chanted incantation held to bring spiritual benefit or
serve as an aid to furthering one's progress towards awakening. Dharma. a) The teachings of the Buddha (generally capitalized in English); b) duty, law, doctrine; c) things, events, phenomena, everything. Dharmakara. A monk, later a Bodhisattva, who attained Buddhahood and became > "Amitabha Buddha." Eight
Abstinences, Eight Precepts. Consists of the > "Five precepts"
and to refrain from taking food after midday, abstain from indulging
in songs, dances, music and shows, as well as the use of ornaments,
perfumes and cosmetics, refrain from using a high or luxurious seat
or bed. Enlightenment. > "Awakening vs. Enlightenment." Five Desires (Five Sensual Pleasures). Desires connected with the five senses, i.e., form, sound, aroma, taste and touch. Five
Grave Offenses. This offenses cause rebirth in the Uninterrupted
Hell. Those who fall into it suffer, die and are instantly reborn to
suffering without interruption. Five
Precepts. The precepts taken by lay Buddhists. Gautama. Name of the ruling clan of the Sakyas; name by which Shakyamuni Buddha is designated in ancient texts. \ Ghosts. > "Hungry ghosts." Great Vehicle. A term used to describe what is known in Pure Land study as the Bodhisattva path. Hell
realms. Characterized by aggression. Evil acts that cause the fall
into one of the hell realms: Hungry ghosts. Spirits, or demons, who are always hungry because they have pinpoint mouths and ravenous appetites. If someone creates the karma of selfish carving, feeding oneself by deceiving the group, he falls into the hungry ghost realm. Incarnation. Rebirth. > "Samsara." Jodo
Shinshu. >
"Pure Land buddhism." > "Amitbaha Buddha." Kalpa. (Sanskrit "Aeon") Too long to be reckoned by any ordinary calendar, during which the evolution of a physical universe takes place. This evolution occurs in four stages: (1) The antara-kalpa, in which the universe is formed; (2) the vivartta-siddha-kalpa, in which the universe possesses continued stability; (3) the samvartta-kalpa , in which the universe is gradually destroyed; and (4) the sunyakalpa, in which the universe disappears. After the sunyakalpa, the process of cosmic activity begins again in a cyclic evolution. There are three kinds of kalpas: (1) A great (full) kalpa of 1,344,000,000 years (1344 billion years), (2) a medium kalpa of 336,000,000 years (336 millionen years), and (3) a small kalpa of 16,800,000 years (16.8 millionen years). Karma.
The law of cause and effect. The existence of favorable or unfavorable
karma depends on whether past deeds were good or evil. Most people have
both good and bad karma because they have performed both good and bad
deeds in the past. So most people's lives are a mixture of misery and
happiness. Koti.
Sanskrit for "ten million." Mahayana. The "Great Vehicle" of Buddhist practice, whose object it is to attain enlightenment not only for oneself, but also for all other beings. Maitreya. ("the benevolent") Maitreya, also referred to as the Bodhisattva Ajita, is the future Buddha of our Saha-World - that is, the Buddha who is to come when Buddhism has perished in this world, in about ten thousand years, as foretold by Shakyamuni in the Maitreya Vyakarana Sutra. According to the traditions, this event will be several trillion years in the future. Mara. ("death") The personification of evil. Mara is a very important god who rules over the World of Desires: four stages of unfortunate destinies (hells, animals, ghosts and asuras) and seven stages of fortunate destinies (humans and six stages of divinities who, in their quest to taste pleasures more and more ethereal are no less bound to the satisfaction of the senses). Manjushri.
Often called the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, is among the most deeply revered
Buddhist devotional figures. Manjushri is "the bodhisattva who
embodies this practice of seeing things as they really are, beyond limited
views." He is described as being considerably older than most other
bodhisattvas; in fact, he is said to have been the teacher to several
buddhas in previous eons. Mantra. A verbal formula repeated as a form of meditation. Nibbana The Pali word for > "Nirvana" Nirvana. (1) Enlightenment. (2) The point in time at which a Buddha or other enlightened being leaves our world and moves on to the Buddha-realms, Buddha-lands. Non-Retrogression.
Retrogression is rebirth on earth or other lower realms during the cycle
of birth and death. Rebirth in the Pure Land ends the cycle of birth
and death; Pure Land inhabitants, freed from the cycle of birth and
death, are beyond retrogression, in the state of Non-Retrogression.
Öpamé. Tibetan for "Infinite Light", referred to > "Amitabha Buddha." Paramita. Six stages of study and practice followed by the Bodhisattvas in their progress to Buddhahood. They are (1) charity, or alms-giving; (2) discipline, or observance of the Five Precepts; (3) forbearance, or patient resignation; (4) energy; (5) concentration; and (6) wisdom. Although, there are usually said to be six paramitas, sometimes their number is expanded to ten (with the addition of expedients, vows, power, and knowledge). Precepts. > "Five Precepts." Pure Land. Pure Land is the purified field that surrounds all buddhas, a buddha-land. It is a space without defilements, naturally created by virtue of the buddhas great compassion and immeasurable wisdom. See also > "Amitabha Buddha." Retrogression. See the opposite > "Non-Retrogression." Sakyamuni Buddha. ("the sage of the Sakyas") Name given to the founder of Buddhism. Samadhi. Practice of centering the mind in a single sensation or preoccupation. It means concentration, meditative absorption. Samadhi is the particular final stage of pure concentration. Samantabhadra. A Universal Worthy Bodhisattva. Samantabhadra means "the principle of universal love or compassion." Samantabhadra is also referred to as the Bodhisattva of Great Activity. Samsara.
Cycle of birth and death; realms of Birth and Death. Sangha. ("crowd, host") The Buddhist community. Sanskrit. An ancient classical Indian languages in which many Buddhist and Hindu scriptures are written. The earliest Buddhist books were written in Prakrit; later translated into Pali; and still later translated into Sanskrit. Most Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan Buddhist scriptures are translated from Sanskrit. Shinran Shohin. Founder of > "Pure Land buddhism." Shin buddhism. > "Pure Land buddhism." > "Amitbaha Buddha." Six heavenly realms. > "Devas." Six paramitas > "Paramitas." Six states of existence. The six states in which beings live within the realm of birth and death. Within these states, the lowest three are called the Three Evil Paths, or Three Bad States. They are the states of (1) people in hells, (2) Hungry Ghosts, and (3) animals. Above these three states are the states of (4) humans, (5) Asuras, and (6) devas. Stupa. Characteristic Buddhist monument derived from funerary tumuli; a tower, usually bell-shaped, that houses the relicts of the Buddha or one of his disciples. Sukhavati. "Blissful." The Western Pure Land. Also > "Amitabha.", > "Pure Land." Sutra. Buddhist scripture. Text or discourse containing a sermon of the Buddha or one of his disciples. Tantra. ("weft; context; continuum") One of a set of mystical and magical scriptures, sometimes involving secret rites, that accord particular emphasis to the feminine energy associated with the masculine divinity; arising as a movement in the 6th century, Tantrism penetrated both Brahmanism and Buddhism. Tathagata. One who has gone; one who has followed the Path and arrived at the real suchness; one of the ten titles of a Buddha. Ten
directions.
The ten directions, or ten quarters, are: north, south, east, west,
north-east, south-east, north-west, south-west, the nadir (downside
zenith), and the zenith. Ten
Evil Acts. Ten quarters. > "Ten directions." Upanishads. Set of Hindu scriptures. Watch. In India the nights are divided into three periods, or "watches". Wheel-turning
kings.
Great kings who rule various worlds but are not as high as Buddhas or
great Bodhisattvas. World
Honored Ones. Buddhas. Yoga ("yoke") The ability, care, and concentration of the mind, and the power that results; philosophical system or religious practice. Yojana. A unit of distance in India, said to be equal to 7 miles, or 9 miles; also the distance which the royal army could march in a day. Zen. A Japanese school of Buddhism. |
