This glossary is in process (and may always be in process). The purpose of the glossary is to supply tools for further investigation to serious students and researchers, not to give a final and definitive description. We also hope it will be useful to the less motivated student and curiosity seeker. Many (most?) entries do not yet have glosses, but will shortly. An ellipsis (...) indicates that either an existing gloss will be expanded or that a gloss will be supplied — and at this point most entries have ellipses. An active link from inside of a gloss will take you to the referenced location. If that location is in the glossary, it will contain a gloss. Ultimately, all terms in the lexicon will be glossed, but this process will be on-going. A set of links to letters of the alphabet will be added in the future, but time hasn't been kind lately. If you're looking for a Buddhist term or master that doesn't appear here, or if you have constructive or destructive criticisms or changes, please notify us at nalanda@earthlink.net. In the "Subject" field enter "ODN Lexicon". Inquiries will be gladly answered. If you don't want to browse the list, Netscape and Internet Explorer users can search any word on the page by using the key combination "Control-F". If you don't have Netscape or Internet Explorer, you can download a free trial version of an up-to-date version of Netscape from their site. This page was last updated on August 2, 1998.
	Abhidharma	Abhidharma (Sanskrit): Abhi=manifest, realised, or experienced; dharma=phenomenon, knowledge, truth, or reality. The early philosophical application of the word "Abhidharma" was used to specify phenomenological states of direct perception experienced by enlightened beings. Over time, the term (and the scope of study related to it) has acquired meanings relating to epistemology, phenomenology, psychology, and cosmology. Abhidharma focuses on the training of discriminating knowledge, and is one of the "Three Baskets" (Sanskrit Tripitaka, Sutra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma. In other words, the Abhidharma teachings are derived from the teachings of the Buddha. A primary aim of Abhidharma analysis is to overcome the Four Errors. Abhidharma analysis proceeds by examining dharmas: the Five Knowables and the Seventy-Five Dharmas, also known as the Five Skandhas. Other forms of Abhidharma analysis employ the Eighteen Dhatus, the Twelve Ayatanas, the Twenty-Two Indriyas and/or the Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination. [glosses and entries for these to come] Generally, there are two categories of Abhidharma: the so-called Hinayana and the Mahayana. "Hinayana" Abhidharma (specifically the Vaibashika school, the only branch of which surviving today is the Theravada school) takes its modern form primarily from the Abhidharmakosha of Vasubandhu (Fourth Century, younger brother of Asanga) [bibliographical entry to come]. The work is held in high regard by all schools, and continues to be considered authoritative. The Mahayana Abhidharma in its modern form can be traced to the Abhidarmasamuccaya of Vasubandu's older brother Asanga. For discussions of Abhidharma or treatment of Abhidharma analysis, see Gateway to Knowledge and Wheel of Analytical Meditation (both by Mipham), Ways of Enlightment, Glimpses of Abhidharma, Mind in Buddhist Philosophy ...
	Afflictive Emotions	See Kleshas.
	Animal Realm	The Animal Realm...
	Aryadeva	Aryadeva... See also Aryadeva in Bibliography.
	Asanga	Asanga.... See Asanga in Bibliography.
	Avalokiteshvara	Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan Chenrezig) is the Bodhisattva of compassion. His mantra is OM MANI PEME HUNG. ... To see an image of Avalokiteshvara, go to...
	Bhumi	The Bhumi are the ten levels of Bodhisattva progress toward enlightenment...
	Bodhicharyavatara of Shantideva	The Bodhicharyavatara is one of the most important works in the Buddhist cannon. Its primary subject is the conduct of the Bodhisattva. See Shantideva in the Bibliography for available translations, commentaries, and manuscripts...
	Bodhicitta	As Refuge is the foundation of Buddhism, the Bodhicitta Vow is the cornerstone of Mahayana Buddhism...
	Bodhisattva	The Bodhisattva is the ...
	Buddha Nature	See Tathatagarba.
	Buddhist India	A great Buddhist civilization flourished in India...
	Candrakirti	Candrakirti... See Candrakirti in the Bibliography.
	Catuhsataka of Aryadeva	The Catuhsataka is one of the most important works in the Buddhist cannon. See Candrakirti in the Bibliography for available translations, commentaries, and manuscripts.
	Chagdud Gompa	Chagdud Gompa is the Organization founded by Chagdud Rinpoche...
	Chagdud Rinpoche	Chagdud Rinpoche...
	Chöd	A yogic practice of cutting attachment with its foundations in the Prajnaparamita. Practiced primarily by the Nyingma and Kagyu schools...
	Cittamatra	See Yogacara herein.
	Commentary	The commentary is an important component of the Buddhis tradition in India and Tibet, largely because root texts are often composed in aphoristic verse (resembling, in some aspects, a cross between Lucretius and Wittgenstein). Often, a master would compose a commentary about his or her own text in order to elucidate complex points...
	Compassion	Compassion (.. Sanskrit, .. Tibetan) is a very important component of Mahayana Buddhism — and should be understood from the Buddhist perspective, which varies somewhat from the multi-connotational English word...
	Conduct	Conduct (.. Sanskrit, .. Tibetan) is a technical term regarding the behavior of monks, nuns, lay practitioners, and Vajrayana practitioners. See Dudjom Rinpoche in Bibliography.
	Dakini	Dakini (Tibetan Khandro. Follow this link for a definition of Dakini elsewhere on this site.
	Dalai Lama	Dalai Lama is a Mongolian term that was picked up by the Brittish during their colonization of China. In Tibet, the Dalai Lama is referred to as Gyalpa Rinpoche or Kundun. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people...
	His Holiness Dalai Lama XIV	His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is one of the great leaders of the world as well as one of the great spiritual practitioners of the world...
	Danakosha Lake	Guru Rinpoche took miraculous birth from a lotus pistil in Dahakosha Lake...
	Definitive Ultimate Truth	Definitive Ultimate Truth (.. Sanskrit, .. Tibetan)...
	King Trisong Deutsen	The Dharma King Trisong...
	Deva	The Deva, or god, realm is one of the six realms of samsara...
	Dharma	When Buddhists speak of the Dharma, they usually mean the Buddha Dharma, which includes the Bhuddist Scriptures, the Buddhist Path, and Buddhist Conduct. However, the word dharma is a common Sanskrit word which has ten traditional meanings: 1) that which is knowable, 2) the Buddhist Path, 3) nirvana, 4) mental objects, 5) merit, 6) lifespan, 7) Buddhist Scriptures, 8) material objects, 9) rules of conduct, and 10) doxology. Generally speaking, when "dharma" is capitalised ("Dharma") it refers to the Buddha Dharma. When it is lower-case ("dharma") and/or plural, it refers to one of the other aspects of the word, which can usually be derived from context.
	His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse	H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was the second Supreme Head of the Nyingma School in exile from Tibet. He made great efforts to encourage the spread of the Dharma to the west. He was a great master and the holder of the Khyentse lineage... See Dilgo Khyentse in the Bibliography.
	His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche	His Holines Dudjom Rinpoche was the first Supreme Head of the Nyingma School in exile from Tibet. His first activities upon arriving in India from Tibet (with the Chinese army in pursuit) was to ensure the survival of as many Tibetan refugees as possible... In this dangerous and uncertain environment, he also sought to preserve as much of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings as possible. Among the many activities he engaged in to achieve this aim was the writing of a history of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism... See Dudjom Rinpoche in the Bibliography.
	Dzogpa Chenpo	Often referred to as "Dzogchen", Dzogpa Chenpo refers to the higest of the three Inner Tantras practiced by the Nyingma school, Atiyoga Tantra...
	Dzogchen Monastery	Dzogchen Monastery is located...
	Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche	The Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche are...
	Eight Worldly Concerns	The Eight worldly concerns are profit/loss, pleasure/pain, praise/blame, and fame/obscurity...
	Eighty-Four Tantric Mahasiddhas	The 84 Tantric Mahasiddhas were...
	Eighty-Four Thousand Afflictions...	The 84,000 Afflictions (kleshas)...
	Eighty-Four Thousand Collections of Teachings	The 84,000 Collections of Teachings are...
	Emanation	The concept of emanation is very important in Tibetan Buddhism, ...
	Emptiness	Emptiness is a crucial concept in all of Buddhism. Different schools look at emptiness from different aspects. Khenpo's commentary on Mipham Rinpoche's "Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" available on this site is intimately concerned with the concept of emptiness.
	Enlightenment	What constitutes enlightenment in Buddhism is dealt with at length in Khenpo's commentary on Mipham Rinpoche's "Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" available on this site is intimately concerned with the concept of emptiness.
	Excellent Pair	Candrakirti and Dharmakirti.
	Father or Mother	All beings have at one point been your father or mother...
	Final Nirvana	See Parinirvana.
	Five Enlightened or Buddha Families	Sanskrit Pancakula, Tibetan Gyalpa Rigna: sometimes translated as "Dhyani Buddhas", though this was the invention of a western scholar; if one prefers a Sanskrit term to the English translation, "Pancakula" would be better. These five families (literally "lineages") are very important in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools, and play a central role in the Bardo teachings and practices composed by Guru Rinpoche and revealed by Karma Lingpa. On a simplistic level, each of these Families is associated with a) a Buddha (male aspect of Buddhahood); b) a Consort (feminine aspect of Buddhood); c) a cardinal direction; d) a primary color; and e) a mental obscuration, conflicting emotion, or "poison" (Sanskrit klesha, Tibetan dug which is transformed into f) a wisdom, or pristine cognition (Sanskrit jnana, Tibetan Yeshe. These are not to be looked at as separate from one's own mind. Depending upon the tradition from which the teaching or practice derives, the color and/or positions of the Buddha and Vajra Families are reversed from what is presented here. The arrangement below follows Karma Lingpa's text and is the predominant arrangement employed in the Nyingma school. The Buddha/Consort union (Yabyum) is symbolic of the union of compassion and emptiness: primordial wisdom, and should not be conceived of as a carnal activity. The practices of the "Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities" associated with this Terma require empowerment, so the texts and practices will not be referenced here. However, teachings about the Bardos are available in: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (an excellent introductory text), The Bardo Guidebook, The Mirror of Mindfulness, Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos (a recent book by Gyatrul Rinpoche), and discoveries of teachings by Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) by Karma Lingpa. 1. Tathagata or Buddha Family (Sanskrit Tathagatakula, Tibetan Deshin Shegpa Rigs): a) Buddha: Vairocana b) Consort: Akashadhatvisvari c) Direction: Center d) Color: Blue e) Obscuration: Ignorance/delusion (Sanskrit moha, Tibetan gti mug) f) Wisdom: Wisdom of the Expanse of Reality (Sanskrit Dharmadhatujnana, Tibetan chos dbyings ye shes) 2. Vajra or Indestructible Family (Sanskrit Vajrakula, Tibetan Dorje Rig): a) Buddha: Vajrasattva b) Consort: Buddhalocana c) Direction: East (front) d) Color: White e) Obscuration: Anger/hatred (Sanskrit dvesa, Tibetan zhe sdang) f) Wisdom: Mirror-Like Wisdom (Sanskrit Adarshajnana, Tibetan Melong Yeshe) 3. Ratna or Jewel Family (Sanskrit Ratnakula, Tibetan Rinchen Rig): a) Buddha: Ratnasambhava b) Consort: Mamaki c) Direction: South (right) d) Color: Gold (yellow) e) Obscuration: Pride (Sanskrit mana, Tibetan nga rgyal) f) Wisdom: Wisdom of Equanimity or Sameness (Sanskrit Samatajnana, Tibetan mNyam nyid Yeshe) 4. Lotus Family (Sanskrit Padmakula, Tibetan Padma Rig): a) Buddha: Amitabha b) Consort: Pandaravasini c) Direction: West (behind) d) Color: Red e) Obscuration: Desire/Attachment (Sanskrit raga, Tibetan 'dod chags) f) Wisdom: All-Discerning Wisdom (Sanskrit Pratyaveksanajnana, Tibetan So sor rtog pa'i Yeshe) 5. Karma or Activity Family (Sanskrit Karmakula, Tibetan Lakyi Rig): a) Buddha: Amoghasiddhi b) Consort: Samaya Tara (Green Tara) c) Direction: North (left) d) Color: Green e) Obscuration: Envy (Sanskrit irsya, Tibetan phra dog) f) Wisdom: All-Accomplishing Wisdom (Sanskrit Krtyanusthanajnana, Tibetan Bya ba grub pa'i Yeshe )
	The Five Knowables	The Five knowables are the four conditioned knowables of form, mind, mental events, and non-associated objects plus the non-conditioned knowable.
	Five Paths of The Mahayana	The five paths of the Mahayana are the Path of Accumulation, the Path of Application, the Path of Seeing, the Path of Meditation, and the Path of No More Learning...
	Five Skandhas	The Five Skandhas are Form, Feeling, Perception, Volition, and Consciousness. See Abhidharma.
	The Four Errors	The four errors are: 1. We mistake that which is impermanent for something permanent. 2. We pursue the sources of suffering, believing them to be sources of happiness. 3. We believe that the impure is pure. 4. We believe that which is not self to be self. These errors are overcome by Vipassana (analytical meditation) Also see Abhidharma.
	Four Major Schools of Indian Buddhism	The Vaibashika (Theravadin), Sautantrika, Yogacara or Cittamatra, and Madhyamika (Middle Way) schools...
	Four Major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism	In chronological order of formation, the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelugpa schools. See entry for each school.
	Four Noble Truths	The Truth of Suffering, the Truth of the Origin of Suffering, the Truth of The Cessation of Suffering, the Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering. These truths are the foundation of all Buddhism. To gain any real understanding of Buddhism, it is necessary to be intimate with the teachings on the Four Noble Truths. See H.H. Dalai Lama book and/or videotape/audiotape, The Four Noble Truths in the Bibliography...
	Galaxy of Heartdrops	This collection of prayers is available from Chagdud Gonpa's Tibetan Treasures Catalog.
	Gandarva	The Gandarvas...
	Gelugpa	The Gelugpa School is the chronologically fourth school of Tibetan Buddhism ...
	Guru Rinpoche	Guru Rinpoche... See Guru Rinpoche page on this site and Guru Rinpoche in Bibliography, as well as the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche above (not yet glossed)...
	Gyatrul Rinpoche	A great master in both the Palyul and Dudjom lineages of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism... See also Gyatrul Rinpoche in Bibliography.
	Khenpo Gyurmed Trinley Rinpoche	Our teacher. See the Osel Dorje Nyingpo homepage and the teachings on this site.
	Hinayana	Litterally, Lesser Vehicle. Originally employed by the Mahayana to make the point that the Bodhisattva vehicle of compassion is the Greater Vehicle. Not used by Khenpo in any derogatory way. See Vaibashika, Four Main Schools of Indian Buddhism, Theravada, and Pali Canon... [none yet fully glossed]
	Human Realm	One of the Six Destinies in Samsara...
	Precious Human Birth	The highest birth possible in samsara...
	Jelsa Shinventiy	Established Sri Singha College (Tibetan Shedra) at Dzogchen Monastery, where Mipham Rinpoche was trained...
Kagyu	The chronologically third school of Tibetan Buddhism to appear. Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa the Translator, Gampopa, Milarepa...
Kangyur	Words of the Buddha in the Tibetan Buddhis canon, which includes Sutras, Tantras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma translated into the Tibetan language. The divisions of the Kanguyr are: Vinaya, Prajnaparamita Sutras, Avatamsaka Sutras, Ratnakuta Sutras, General Sutra Section (including Abhidharma), Tantras, Ancient Tantras, Kalachakra, and Dharani.
Karma	The law of cause and effect...
Karmapa	Leader of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism...
His Holiness the Karmapa	The current Karmapa...
Kham	Region of Eastern Tibet from which Khenpo comes...
Khenpo	An advanced degree of study in the Nyingma school. Also, simply abbot or preceptor...
Kings and Rulers	In keeping with the times and places, the spread of Buddhism in Asia was effected by Kings and Rulers...
Lama	Sanskrit "Guru", teacher...
Lonchen Rabjam (Lonchenpa)	Lonchenpa was the greatest scholar of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, who mastered, organized, wrote about, and taught the entirety of the Nyingma Buddhist path, with special emphasis on Dzogpa Chenpo or Ati Yoga Tantra... See Longchen Rabjam in Bibliography.
Madhyamakalankar akarika (Umagen)	Tibetan Umagen: Major work by Khenpo Shantarakshita (Khenpo Bodhisattva — not to be confused with the author of books and head of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order)...
Madyamika	The Middle Way School: Mahayana school which follows Nagarjuna, Aryadeva and others... See Peter Della Santina in Bibliography.
Madyamikavattara	Major work by Candrakirti. See Candrakirti in Bibliography.
Mahayana	Greater Vehicle....
Mandala Offering	Foundational Vajrayana activity on a par with Refuge in all Buddhism and the Bodhisattva Vow in Mahayana. Khenpo's commentary on a specific mandala offering is available on this site...
Manjushri	The great Bodhisattva of Wisdom...
Middle Way Philosophy	See Madyamika herein.
Mind Only School	See Yogacara herein.
Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche	Jamgon Mipham (Jamyang Namgyal Gyatso), 1846-1912, was one of the greatest scholars in the history of Tibet. A master of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, he was accomplished in all forms of endeavor... Portions of Khenpo Gyurmed Rinpoche's commentary on Mipham Rinpoche's "Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" (Neshe Rinpoche Dronme) appear on this site, and the entire teaching will be added over time. See Mipham Rinpoche in the Bibliography.
Naga	Water spirits...
Nagarjuna	Founder of the Mahayana School... See Nagarjuna in the Bibliography.
Nagarjuna's Six Major Commentaries	The six works of Nagarjuna considered to be fundamental to the Madyamika School of Buddhism... See Nagarjuna in the Bibliography.
Nalanda	Great Mahayana University in Buddhist India and Mahanaya monastery in present day India. Our motivation for using the name "Nalanda" for our site name was to promote the name of Nalanda as a fountainhead of Buddhist philosophy and practice...
Ngondro	Literally, "preliminary". In this sense, it refers to taking Refuge and generating the Bodhisattva attitude and taking the Bodhisattva vows. More specifically, Ngondro refers to sets of foundational formal practice cycles in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools...
Nirmanakaya	The Manifestation Body of the Buddha...
Nirvana	Nirvana is a complex concept with differing interpretations among the schools...
Terton Namkai Norbu	Considered by many to be the greatest living Terton, Namkai Norbu Rinpoche....
Thinley Norbu Rinpoche	Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, son of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and holder of the Dudjom Lineage.... See Thinley Norbu in the Bibliography
Nyingma Lama	Frequently Nyingma Lamas are not monks, but householders...
Nyingma	The chronologically first of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism...
Nyoshul Khenpo	A great living Dzogchen master... See Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche in the Bibliography.
Osel Dorje Nyingpo	The Indestructible Nucleus of Inner Radiance. See Osel Dorje Nyingpo on this site. Also the organization directed by Khenpo Gyurmed Trinley Rinpoche for whom and for which this site has been created.
Pali Canon	The earliest Buddhist school formed in reliance on the Pali Sutras, the words of Buddha. See Theravada...
Palyul Monastery	Seat of the Palyul lineage of Nyingma Tibetan Buddhism...
parinirvana	The final nirvana of Buddha, after which he takes no further rebirths...
His Holiness Penor Rinpoche	His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the Supreme Head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, the third head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism in exile... See the wonderful WWW site dedicated to His Holiness at www.palyul.org
Prajnaparamita	The Perfection of Wisdom teachings and Sutras...
Prajnaparamita Literature	The Prajnaparamita literature is a vast subject, containing Sutras and Commentaries...
Rajagrha	Near Vulture Peak...
Refuge	Taking Refuge is the cornerstone of all Buddhist practices...
Request to Turn The Wheel of Dharma	The wheel of Dharma is symbolic of ....
Sakya	The Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism is chronologically the second school of Tibetan Buddhism...
Samsara	The phenomenal world made up of the Six Realms or Six Destinies: The hell realms, the preta or hungry ghost realm, the animal realm, the human realm, the Asura or jealous god realm, and the Deva or god realm...
Saraha	Saraha was....
Sautantrika School	The Sautantrika school...
Seven Branch Offering	The Seven Branch Offering.... Khenpo Gyurmed Trinley Rinpoche's commentary on a particular Seven Branch Offering is available on this site.
Seven Miraculous Events of Shantideva	Shantideva is known to have performed seven miraculous deeds...
Seven Questions of Mipham Rinpoche	The Seven Questions Mipham Rinpoche poses in "The Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" are... [they can be found in The Second Division of "The Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" but will be listed and briefly discussed here in the near future.]
The Seventy-Five Dharmas	According to the Sarvastivadins, The Seventy-Five Dharmas are composed of 11 dharmas of Form, 1 dharma of Mind, 46 dharmas of mental events, 14 non-associated dharmas, and 3 non-conditioned dharmas. The Vaibhashikas noted 82 dharmas...
Shabkar	Shabkar was a great Dzogchen master of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism... See Shabkar in the Bibliography.
Shakyamuni Buddha	Shakyamuni Buddha...
Shantarakshita	Shantarakshita was a leading Indian Buddhist master who was among the first to bring Buddhism to Tibet. For a discussion of his Apoha theory, Dreyfus in the Bibliography. For information regarding translations and texts, see Shantarakshita in the Bibliography.
Shantideva	Shantideva is one of the most influential Indian masters on the Buddhism of Tibet... See Shantideva in the Bibliography.
Shechen Monastery	Shechen Monastery...
Six Ornaments of The Human Realm	The Six Ornaments of the Human Realm...
Six Paramitas	The six paramitas are generosity, ethical discipline, patience, joyous effort, meditative concentration, and wisdom...
Six Realms of Samsara	The six realms of Samsara are Deva, Asura, Human, Animal, Preta, and Hell....
Skandha	See Five Skandas
Sri Singha	Sri Singha was...
Sri Singha College	Sri Singha College at Dzogchen monastery was ... Mipham was trained there...
Sutra	Sutra is one of the Tripitka: Sutra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma... [an extensive listing of Sutras will be added to the Bibliography]
Tanjur	The Tanjur is the collection of the commentaries of the great Indian masters, and a selection of Tibetan Masters, which make up that portion of the Tibetan canon. The sections of the Tanjur are Eulogies, Tantra, Prajnaparamita, Madhyamika, Sutra, Yogacara, Abhidharma, Vinaya, Jataka Tales (stories of the previous lives of the Buddha), Letters and Accounts, Logic, Language, Medicine, Art, Conduct, and Miscellaneous. See Kanjur for the actual Sutras and Tantras of the Tibetan Canon.
Tantra	Tantra (Sanskrit; Tibetan Gyud): Continuum. According to Jigmed Tenpa'i Nyima, in the Gyud Chima (the Chima Tantra), it is said:      Tantra means continuum of      The cause (basis), skillful means (path),           and result.      The Practice of Dzogchen, pg 10
Tara	Tara is among the most important Bodhisattvas in the Buddhist world. In China, she is Kuan Yin and in Japan Kuanon. Green Tara (Samayatara; Jetsun Drolma) is the main form of Tara in Tibet as she was in India. Khenpo's commentary on The Profound Essence Mind Terma of Tara is available on this site. [Tara will be discussed in this glossary at length in the future]
Tathagatagarba	Buddha Nature...
Terma	Terma...
Terton	One who discovers Terma...
Theravada	The Theravada...
Three Kayas	Nirmanakaya, Sambogakaya, and Dharmakaya...
Tripitaka	Vinaya, Abidharma, Sutra ... The Pali Tripitaka... The Mahayana Tripitaka...
Tsok (Tsog)	A discussion of Tsok is available on this site.
Twelve Great Deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha	The Twelve Great Deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha were 1. His decision to be born in the human realm; 2. his Decent from the Tushita heaven; 3. his entrance into the womb; 4. his physical birth; 5. his mastery of the worldly arts; 6. his life of pleasure; 7. his departure from home; 8. his Ascetic life; 9. his conquest of Mara; 10. his enlightenment; 11. his teaching; 12. his passing into nirvana. See also: Shakyamuni Buddha, Lalitavishtara Sutra...
Twenty-Five Intimate Students of Guru Rinpoche	The 25 Intimate Students of Guru Rinpoche were...
Vaibashika School	The Vaibashika school....
Vaisali	Vaisali is...
Vajrayana	Vajrayana, Secret Mantrayana, Tantra...
Varanasi	Varanasi...
Verse in Buddhism	Verse is an important vehicle...
View, Meditation, and Conduct	View, Meditation, and Conduct...
Vinaya	The Vinaya is a division of the Buddhist Tripitaka: Sutra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma.
Vipassana	The fundamental Buddhist meditation that enables one to achieve liberation from samsara. A solid foundation in Shamata meditation is necessary for effective Vipassana, but Shamata, while producing states of the god realms in its highest accomplishment, will not free beings from samsara...
Virtuous in the Beginning, Middle, and End	Virtuous in the Beginning, Middle, and End...
Vulture Peak	Vulture Peak...
Waning of Budhism in India	Indian history...
Wheel of Dharma	The Wheel of Dharma...
Yogacara	Yogacara, Cittamatra, Mind Only...