Buddhism

dukkha

(diagnosis) "unsatisfactoriness/suffering/frustration/ dislocation/discomfort"; like an axel not being centered correctly on a wheel so it is unaligned; one of the Three Marks of Existence; first of the Four Noble Truths; basic insight that suffering is part of the human condition; there is no lasting peace in the universe; there is physical/mental pain and frustration of not getting wants in all realms; sense that things never measure up to our expectations; clinging leads to suffering

the Buddha

(doctor) title given to Siddhartha Gautama; one of the Three Jewels; renounced his worldly possessions and taught of a way to overcome suffering; one of many Buddhas across space and time; began his path to enlightenment billions of lifetimes ago

tanha

(etiology) "desire/thirst/craving/grasping/attachment"; second of the Four Noble Truths; selfish desire and interaction with impermanence which causes dukkha; all suffering is the result of past action; unpacked as three interlocking afflictions/animals or poisons (hatred, greed, ignorance) that drive the Bhavachakra

Dharma/Dhamma

(medicine) one of the Three Jewels; the way/teachings/path of the Buddha; pathway to enlightenment

Sangha

(nurse) "assemblage/community"; one of the Three Jewels; whole monastic community of monks and nuns (spiritual athletes); take vows and own little; have a symbolic and symbiotic relationship with the laity in Theravada Buddhism

Noble Eightfold Path

(therapy) fourth of the Four Noble Truths; defines the basic ongoing practices of Buddhism that lead to nirvana; prescription for a cure to the human condition; sets forth a life of moderation; 3 main parts relating to wisdom, morality (ethics, Five Precepts), and meditation (prolonged concentration)

Buddhism

(therapy) western word form the late 19th century; a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha; belief system that started in India in the 500s BC as an offshoot of Hinduism; the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation leads to happiness and releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth; believers seek enlightenment and the overcoming of suffering; non-theistic

Pure Land Buddhism

(way of the cat) new Buddhist movement in China; tradition of Mahayana Buddhism; biggest school of Buddhism in East Asia; focused on Amitabha Buddha and paying him homage

Chinese Buddhism

Shakyamuni Buddha transformed into a Chinese sage; Buddhism and China's conquest over each other (new Chinese Buddhas gain importance like Maitreya, local deities become conflated with bodhisattvas, Buddhist ideas are expressed using Daoist concepts, monasticism now contributes to Confucian social order and dutiful piety to older generations as it wasn't practical or familial in its original form with the requirement of celibacy, Daoism shapes Chan by introducing spontaneity and naturalness, distrust of scripture, and the embrace of this life and living in the every moment, Daoism incorporates Buddhist elements like monasteries, vegetarianism, prohibition, and doctrine of emptiness)

Daoist pessimism

about human knowledge of the Dao and regarding the potential for virtuous human action

Pali

ancient language of India similar to Sanskrit but more commonly understood; local dialect spoken by the common people; used in the writing of the earliest Buddhist texts; most important for Theravada Buddhism

Five Precepts

basic moral requirements that are binding for all Buddhists; 1. do not take life 2. don't take what is not given 3. don't engage in sensuous misconduct 4. don't use false speech 5. don't drink intoxicants

Three Marks of Existence

basis of the Buddha's wisdom about the world; characteristics that summarize the changing nature of reality; everything is marked by or all conditions/things are... 1. anatta 2. anicca 3. dukkha

Maitreya

celestial Bodhisattva expected to appear on Earth in the future; fat incarnation in art (statue is the most prized art in Korea)

Kshitigarbha/Jizo

celestial bodhisattva in charge of the underworld (Japan)

Four Noble Truths

central teachings of Buddhism at the heart of the tradition's doctrinal dimension; truths for the noble on the path to enlightenment; perfect summation of the human condition and the means for transcending it; discovery gave the Buddha enlightenment; 1. to live is to experience suffering 2. suffering is caused by desire 3. (prognosis) suffering can be brought to a cessation 4. solution to suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path

Dhammapada

collection of short sayings attributed to the Buddha

sankara

conditions (part of lived reality)- world is always changing and defined by suffering

Daoist ideal

conformity to nature rather than society; pure spontaneous simplicity free from the deception of culture; naturalness and individualism; self-forgetfulness by losing the self in the mysterious Dao; intellectual drop-out scene (quitting the bureaucratic rat-race and hanging out with other disappointed scholars)

dharma

constituents of reality

Yin

dark, moist, soft, and feminine part of the cosmic balance

stupa

dome-shaped shrine; relics distributed within them; place of pilgrimage to circumambulate as a part of meditation

chi

energy

Middle Way

ethical approach; rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism; focus on a practical approach to spiritual attainment that is neither too strict nor too easy; a healthy spiritual life depends on a healthy physical and mental life; discovered by the Buddha on his journey

First Watch

evening; the first stage of the Buddha's Awakening; perceived his previous lifetimes in which his castes and deeds shaped him

Budai/Hotei

figure from Chinese folklore; jolly monk who carries a sack of sweets; happy figure of bounty; bodhisattva that will become Maitreya

Third Watch

late night; the third stage of the Buddha's Awakening; discovered the Four Noble Truths; his suffering is extinguished and he sees nirvana; recognizes in instantaneous present that his atman is a mere projection and isn't real as it has no underlying essence; there is a chain of causation but aside of it there isn't an agent

Yang

light, dry, harsh, and masculine part of the cosmic balance

metta

loving-kindness; destroys hatred in the cessation of suffering

Rinzai

major sect of Zen Buddhism; brought to Japan in 12th century AD by Eisai; school of sudden awakening; emphasizes the experience of awakening

Soto

major sect of Zen Buddhism; brought to Japan in 13th century AD by Dogen; school of gradual awakening; emphasizes the day-to-day practice of Zen

Second Watch

middle of the night; the second stage of the Buddha's Awakening; acquired the divine eye which gave him the ability to perceive the deaths and rebirths of all living beings and how its mechanism of karma works

First Sermon at the Deer Park

the Buddha teaches five ascetics the Middle Way and Four Noble Truths; they attain enlightenment and become arhats and the Buddha's first followers; deer are symbols of Dharma

Mara's Attacks

the god of craving and death attempted to defend his realm by frightening the Buddha; sends his daughters the goddesses Lust, Thurst, and Desire as well as nine scary storms but the Buddha was unmoved and Mara was defeated; the Buddha overcame distractions of passion and fear

Four Passing Sights

the things the Buddha saw upon leaving his palace which made him decide to leave his princely life; 1. old age 2. sickness 3. death 4. ascetic

dhamma

things or phenomena (outside of lived reality)- awakened state of nirvana is constant and defined by not suffering

Great Going Forth

when the Buddha gives up his princely life and leaves his palace; removes his jewels and cuts off his hair; goes off on his quest and enters the world to live as an ascetic

sutta/supta

writing; begin with "thus I have heard" indicating oral tradition

Confucianism

{Chinese} [Yang- outward, optimistic] the Analects are their texts; started by King Fu-zi; sacralization of Chinese social order and moral propriety; takes human social etiquette and empowers it as its own religion; ritualizes human social interactions and makes them holy by focusing on the sacredness in the treatment of others; virtue engineering as virtue is contagious around others (emperor is virtuous as is like the north star that everything revolves around- must sit and dress properly for all to be well- trickle-down approach to establishing harmony in accord with the Dao); emphasizes rituals, hierarchical social order, and conventional morality; Confucian literary meritocracy (empire run by scholar-officials; mastery of the classics is the ideal and equals power and prestige; government and priestly duties combined; emperor is the son of heaven who rules by the mandate of heaven)

Taoism/Daoism

{Chinese} [Yin- interior, pessimistic] the Dao de Jing is their text; started by Lao Zi in the 6th-4th century BCE who may just be legendary; more philosophical/religion than Confucianism; go with the flow (be a soft stream of power that flows but still shapes rocks- martial arts like Tai Chi and Karate are about redirecting your opponent's power to defeat them)

Yin and Yang

{Chinese} exactly equal balance, colors carry each other, polar opposites are complementary and intertwined

Tian/Way of Heaven

{Chinese} impersonal sacred power

li

{Confucianism} custom or rite; transferred from the realm of the gods to the realm of human affairs

ren

{Confucianism} human virtue; both shaped by and empowering li; rituals and virtues empower each other; be serene and happy in your present life as doing what is right should flow naturally

zi-ran

{Daoism} "naturalness" as opposed to li

Wu-wei

{Daoism} "soft power" that is passive; action through non-action

the Dao

{Daoism} "the way/path/channel/One/Flow of Everything" that is indescribable (landscape paintings act as conduits to direct experience of it)

arhat/arhant/arahant ideal/path

{Theravada} "worthy one"; still-living saint; one who has become enlightened and forever transformed; fully aware of the truth of the Buddha's teachings; perfectly compassionate towards all living things; guided by the Buddha but achieve nirvana by their own effort; will be free from rebirth when they die; nirvana is escape from samsara into cessation going beyond the ordinary world; person who seeks nirvana for themselves which isn't what the Buddha did

Pali Vinaya

{Theravada} code of conduct; 227 rules for the monastic order undertaken for training; stepping stones for mental resolve; ritually recitated; has more rules for nuns than it does monks

Wesak

{Theravada} festival that celebrates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and passing away

mandalas

{Vajrayana} "circle"; invoke sight; prominent practice to harness the sensual energies of life; patterned icons that visually excite; used to enhance meditation

vajra

{Vajrayana} Buddha's diamond scepter; used in ritual symbolizing compassion

mudras

{Vajrayana} invoke movement; prominent practice to harness the sensual energies of life; choreographed hand movements that draw on the energies of movement used in rituals

mantras

{Vajrayana} invoke sound; prominent practice to harness the sensual energies of life; resonating phrases or syllables that harness the spiritual potency of sound chanted to evoke a deity or to enhance meditation

lama

{Vajrayana} religious leader/teacher in the hierarchy of clergy

Dalai Lama

{Vajrayana} spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism; believed to be an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara; there have been 14 so far in a direct lineage of succession determined through rebirth (successor sought through supernatural and mundane means)

enso

{Zen} "circle"; common symbol of enlightenment

zazen

{Zen} "seated meditation"; basic method of meditation; practiced with the intent of clearing the mind and attaining insight to be taken into daily life; traditionally practiced while seated in the lotus position with eyes half-closed; consumes most of the monks' time (sit for hours each day); seated in rows on a slightly raised platform within the meditation hall; appointed attendant delivers a blow to the back with an encouragement stock to slackers to focus them; freed Zen from the confines of the monastery

sumie

{Zen} black ink painting; beautifully portray the elements of nature; places great significance on empty spaces; convey concern for simplicity

nirvana/nibbana

"blowing out/extinguishing/quenching"; life energy of an arhat is snuffed out; ultimate goal of all Buddhists; extinction of desire and any sense of individual selfhood; results in complete liberation from samsara and its limiting conditions; state of eternal bliss/coolness/calm/freedom that is the ultimate salvation; cessation of suffering and absolute peace; final goal and the result of spiritual fulfillment; sense of individual existence has passed away; reached when one has followed the Noble Eightfold Path all the way through; can't be understood until it is experienced as the mind and body cease; achieved through wisdom and meditation; giving up of clinging to unhook the three animals at the center of the Bhavachakra; permanent state

I Ching

"book of changes"; to predict the will of heaven and guide decisions; Chinese book of oracles consulted to answer ethical and practical problems

Bhavachakra

"disk/wheel"; represents samsara and our ever-changing reality; has six different realms where dukkha is always present at different levels and twelve spokes representing a causal chain; inner ring is the life of an individual human being; held by the god of death; the Buddha points to the moon outside of the cycle to show is is not a part of it and is now in a cool place where we could be as well

a Buddha

"enlightened/awakened one"; those who by their own insight attained perfect enlightenment; accomplish liberation on their own without a model

Parinirvana

"full/entering"; nirvana achieved after death; suffering and desire extinguished; sensation of cool as the fires within have ceased

Manjushri

"gentle glory"; celestial bodhisattva of wisdom (India)

yanas/divisions of Buddhism

"great rafts/vehicles"; Buddhism has divided into three divisions over the centuries; differences have resulted from regional variations throughout most of Asia; three rafts from crossing the river from the ordinary world of suffering samsara to the final destiny of absolute peace nirvana with crossing as the process of religion and tradition as the raft (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana); each charts its own course but they all ultimately reach the goal beyond this experience of life (even Buddhism itself must be abandoned to finish the journey); all focus on the spiritual condition of the human being

Five Aggregates/Khandas/Skandhas

"groups/bundles"; come together to form the sense of self; affect our choices, impulses, and intentions; enlightenment with realization that these don't possess a permanent entity; 1. matter 2. feeling 3. perception 4. mental formations/fabrications 5. consciousness

Eight Garudhammas

"heavy rules"; rules in addition to those given to monks for discipline; extra rules to allow women to be ordained as nuns; total subordination to all monks

anicca

"impermanence/inconsistency"; one of the Three Marks of Existence; doctrine that all existent things and the world are constantly changing

Ch'an

"meditation (dhyana)"; new Buddhist movement in China (minor in China today); tradition of Mahayana Buddhism; brought by the 28th Zen patriarch Bodhidharma in 520 AD; began to flourish under the direction of Hui-neng in 7th century AD (didn't name a successor and ended the tradition position of patriarchs); less emphasis on sutras, philosophy, elaborate ritual, devotion to Buddhas and bodhisattvas

Zen

"meditation"; Japanese equivalent of Ch'an (flourishes in Japan today- mixture of Indian Buddhism and Chinese Daoism); branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on highly disciplined meditation (primary means for attaining enlightenment) and intuition; focuses on the experience of enlightenment beyond words and logical thinking; discards what Ch'an does (speculation regarding the nature of reality); mindfulness is usually lost in thoughts and feelings so those who practice seek to clear the mind to discover the truth at the heart of things through direct experience; our true nature/being (Zen/beginner's mind or Buddha nature) hidden by thoughts, feelings, personality, and ego that we are not actually as these are self-centered and selfish desires of fears and longings; acts as a path to freedom from this identity tangle; paradoxical and contradictory teachings (Zen points the way but isn't the way and cannot ultimately be taught); expressed through the immediate beauty of the natural world (Japanese landscape design- temple rock gardens); see things as their most basic simplicity (see the world in a new light); focus is the here and now; rigorous training and menial tasks as part of the monastic lifestyle (authority and physical discipline in master-disciple relationship)

zen

"meditation"; experiential dimension; nurtures a heightened state of awareness; heart of Buddhist practice that lies in concentration; from which the Buddha obtained his primary teachings and their truths are only fully understood when an individual attains the same level of insight

anatta/anatman

"no-self"; one of the Three Marks of Existence; doctrine denying a permanent self; individuality isn't part of an ultimate reality; what is called the self is just a transient collection of physical/mental constituents, a social/metal construct/label, and a bundle of energy moving along; the self is an illusion as we aren't out thoughts, feelings, and perceptions

Om Mani Padme Hum

"praise to the Jewel in the Lotus"; mantra addressed to Avalokiteshvara (Tibet, Nepal)

Mahayana/Northern Buddhism

"the Great Vehicle/large or great raft"; largest division of Buddhism popular in East Asia; developed in Northern India and spread across the silk roads sometime around the beginning of the common era; created by some monks as a radical reform movement and new path of Buddhism; distinguished itself as a bigger and better vehicle and goal compared to elitist and small-minded Theravada Buddhism; the Buddha himself is celebrated as a divine savior (salvation not dependent on cultivating wisdom through difficult teachings- offered through the infinite grace of his compassion); emphasizes a path for the masses (not just for spiritual elites but also for laypeople); more focused emphasizing devotion and prayer to graceful Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past; more vast/complex/expanded reality/universe/cosmos [China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam- mutual influence and mixing of traditions] more a religion as more ritualistic than Theravada Buddhism

Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism

"the Vehicle of the Diamond" (named for the vajra- the divine savior of the Buddha was depicted holding a diamond scepter); minority of Buddhists; division of Buddhism sometimes included as part of Mahayana Buddhism; unique application of Buddhist teachings resembling in their energetic rigor the strength and clarity of a diamond; common belief that its adherents can attain nirvana in this lifetime here and now; emphasizes the harnessing of the sensual energies of life to attain nirvana/propel the individual towards enlightenment; practices capitalize on the sensual energies as a way of achieving the goal of spiritual enhancement: notion of fighting fire with fire (harnesses the energy of desire and turns it against itself as a means of reaching nirvana); sexuality is a basic energy of life (potent energy for furthering spiritual progress rather than needing to be controlled- Tantrism: carefully guarded set of practices to engage in ritualized sex) [Tibet]

Siddhartha Gautama

"the one who hits the mark/target"; the personal and family name of the founder of Buddhism; the historical Buddha; a kshatriya price of the Shakya clan; very little actually known about him (obscure; ascetic, teacher)

Shakya Muni

"the sage/wise one"; a name of the Buddha based on his clan

bodhi

"wisdom"; the fig tree that the Buddha sat in a lotus position under where he gets confirmation for the Earth and obtains Enlightenment

enlightenment

(cure) spiritual fulfillment in this life; winning of salvation

Theravada/Hinayana/Southern Buddhism

(way of the monkey) "the way of the elders, Small/Lesser Vehicle"; division of Buddhism; conservative sect as it is the closest to the ancient original teachings of the Buddha and follows the earliest texts; the only of the 18 original schools of Buddhism that survived; reverence for the Buddha and use of his teachings as tools to help understand the truth; attain self-liberation through one's own efforts; focus on meditation and concentration; strength in consensus of the sangha; emphasizes monastic lifestyle with laypeople only able to gain merit (religious hierarchy); emphasizes the individual's path to nirvana; more focused on the teaching (cultivating wisdom through the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path) of the historical Buddha (beyond the reach of humans) and earlier texts [Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos] more a philosophy/lifestyle

bhikkhu

Buddhist monk; shave heads and wear orange robes

bhikkhuni

Buddhist nun; typically have a lower status than monks

philosophical Daoism

Daoism is an attitude and way of life (inward turn); flavoured with mysticism and paradox;

maechi

Thai female renouncer/nun; wear white robes; less supported in training than monks and can't perform all 10 precepts that the monks can; lower than bhikkhunis

Chinese religions

mix of traditions (Confucianism, Daoism, Mahayana Buddhism); temples are ambiguous; explore how humanity fits into the universe and nature (landscape paintings with small people); ideal of cosmic harmony, peace, and order (give up individual interest for the common good); have assumptions underlying the three traditions; (1. everything in the universe has a degree of consciousness so there isn't radical distinction between humanity and other things 2. there is a correct pattern of place and behavior for everything 3. humanity must maintain this balance for its survival); participate in ancestor veneration

Malunkyaputta Sutta

monk following the Buddha who he believes has left some things unexplained because there are contradiction; contemplates quitting if he doesn't get answers; the Buddha says the focus is the present life

karma

moral law of cause and effect; status determines the nature of one's rebirth; what personal identity entirely depends on; constantly affected by the moral adequacy of one's actions; continues on its particular trajectory when an individual dies

religious Daoism

not an organized or unified tradition; reverence for Lao Zi, immortals (mythological humans who have achieved immortality), ancestors, and gods from Chinese folklore; bodily practices for spiritual and emotional health in gaining balance, ecstasy, longevity, and immortality are stressed as channels/fields of energy should be tapped into to rebalance and maximize your energy (Chinese alternative medicine of acupuncture and herbs); rituals for divination and exorcism; sacred places in nature (mountains) are where immortals are believed to hang out

samanera

novice monk

ascetic

one who chooses to lead a homeless life of solitude and self-denial; in search of salvation from this world of suffering

Buddhist

one who takes refuge (seeks protection from sufferings of life, death, and rebirth) in the Three Jewels

samsara

rebirth (endless change that occurs every instant) rather than reincarnation; applies to all beings including gods; based on karma

severe asceticism

reduction of the body would increase spiritual powers; led the Buddha to come close to death from fasting; realizes it has made him no closer to his goal

Three Jewels

refuges and focal elements; 1. Buddha 2. Dharma 3. Sangha

mendicant

religious person who owns nothing and begs for necessities like food and clothing

Five Points of Clarification

sangha response to the international conference called by the Dali Lama to discuss women's role in Buddhism; state that nuns are lower than monks; established to be an obstacle for bhikkhuni ordination

Daoist

seeks to be in tune with the Dao which entails spontaneity, simplicity, humanity, and moderation

Jataka Tales

tales that tell the story of the Buddha's previously incarnated lives before he became the Buddha; often highlight compassion

bodhisattva ideal/path

{Mahayana} "Buddha to be"; person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing and comes back to this world in order to help others achieve enlightenment; figure who has vowed to be a Buddha in the future for the good of others in a way that brings everyone along with them; path of nobility and compassion (supreme virtue) rather than the Theravada arhat path of solitude and selfishness as they lead others on the path to Buddhahood with wisdom; savior figures that we can pray to as they don't go completely beyond our realm (dwell in one of the Buddhist heavens from which they provide divine assistance to those who worship them); celestial bodhisattvas are mythological and have different names/associations in different places; in art depicted with highly ornamented clothing; nirvana is awakening to the true understanding and vision of reality as it really is; can live normal lives but still incorporate the Buddha's values to make them available for others and be engaged in the world in a positive/affirmative way

karuna

{Mahayana} "compassion"; virtue cultivated by bodhisattvas; active seeking of the welfare of others by making the understanding available to them; renounce nirvana to lead others to it and don't become a Buddha until everyone is ready

sunyata

{Mahayana} "emptiness"; needed to be able to see form; Middle Way in that the reality and unreality of phenomena are denied

Bodhicitta

{Mahayana} "mind of/that seeks enlightenment"; cultivated/generated in order to enter the bodhisattva path; starts with a gut feeling to help others; moral (aspiration to seek enlightenment for the sake of all living beings), cognitive (perception of self as being interdependent with all other beings), and ontological (awareness of own being and expression of own Buddha nature rising from within) components; preliminary stirring of one's own Buddhahood rising out of moral aspiration

Avalokiteshvara

{Mahayana} "the Lord who looks down"; celestial bodhisattva of perfect wisdom and compassion; star of The Heart Sutra; said to reincarnate in the Dalai Lama; has associated goddesses that are his/their consorts or manifestations that correspond to different countries and are the tears of his compassion (White and Green Tara)

prajuna

{Mahayana} "wisdom"; virtue cultivated by bodhisattvas; contemplative and quiet; understanding of no self that frees one from attachment

skillful means

{Mahayana} bodhisattvas rescue beings from suffering by providing them with preliminary exercises meant to start them off on the path to salvation; ability of creatively/imaginatively using the categories of this world to move people to enlightenment; can use actions which appear wrong or immoral to lead disciples to the greater good of a religious life

Vairocana Buddha

{Mahayana} manifestation of universal Buddha essence that pervades the whole universe; at the todaiji and tong cave temples

The Lotus Sutra

{Mahayana} most famous sutra in East Asia; contains all knowledge needed for awakening; many pay homage to it

The Parable of the Burning House

{Mahayana} parable of The Lotus Sutra; father (the Buddha) lived in a large house with many children (ordinary people ignorant and oblivious to the burden), house catches fire (samsara) and the father tells them to get out but the children are having fun with their toys and don't want to leave, father bribes the children with carts for each of them (lesser disciple and solitary Buddha vehicles like Theravada to lure people out of samsara), father reveals that he doesn't actually have the carts but instead has just one great decorated vehicle (real teaching of the Buddha or Mahayana)

Six Perfections

{Mahayana} series of formal stages to reach the Buddha's experience 1. generosity 2. moral conduct 3. patience 4. courage 5. mental concentration 6. wisdom

The Heart Sutra

{Mahayana} short sutra that states that the Five Aggregates are empty; Sariputra having a vision that no self extends to every phenomena in the world

Second Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma

{Mahayana} turning after the first originally done by the Buddha; new SUTRAS more vast than the Pali Canon full of new innovative ideas in the form of sermons said to have come from the Buddha but hidden for 500 years in magical realms until we were ready to receive/advanced enough to understand his deeper truth/final teaching; original teachings of Theravada Dharma are seen as merely surface truths; practitioners fasted/meditated to receive visions/revelations from Buddhas of the past (preside over Buddha lands/fields or alternate universes like savior figures that can lead us to reborn in these places); new understanding of the MIDDLE WAY as a metaphysical doctrine of emptiness; doctrine of NON-SELF has been expanded to include all dharmas; if everything is empty then there can be no absolute duality or distinction between SAMSARA and NIRVANA; new BODHISATTVAS and BUDDHAS

Amitabha/Amida Buddha

{Pure Land} has a Buddha field/pure land beyond the western mountains of Japan that is said to be perfect as there are no distractions from reaching enlightenment; once a king who made a bodhisattva vow; can be reborn into his land if you called upon him because he is like a savior; depicted as flanked by the bodhisattvas Mahasthamaprapta and Avalokiteshvara; chant homage to him to thank him for saving you and show grace ("Namo Amituofo/Amida Butsu"- way of the cat) especially at the time of death in order to be rebirthed in his Western Paradise/Pure Land

Samatha Meditation

{Theravada} "calming meditation"; earliest form of meditation; used to make the mind calmer and take the person to higher states of consciousness; temporary effects

Vipassana Meditation

{Theravada} "insight meditation"; ancient technique from South Asia renewed in Burma in the 18th century; practice that involves calming the mind through attention to breathing and thoughts; way to gain insight into the true nature of reality as explained in the Dharma through quiet attention; process of letting go mentally; be in the present moment looking within to verify the truths through personal experience; permanent effects

Tripitika/Pali Canon

{Theravada} "three baskets" of 1. teaching 2. monastic discipline 3. philosophy; recorded oral tradition

satori/kensho

{Zen} emphasizes in Rinzai; experience of enlightenment/awakening; beginning and the end of Zen practice; pure experience/flash of insight in which the true nature of one's being is known directly; freedom from the bondage of thought, feeling, and self-centered ego; highest spiritual experience; not a permanent state (multiple experiences that occur with increasing frequency and intensity) as it is a gradual transformation in which a person attains an enlightened perspective; complete mental health (insight enhances the mind's strength and vitality and leads to clarity and alertness); no need for concern about the future

roshis

{Zen} masters who are deemed competent to teach others

dokusan

{Zen} periodic meeting with the master during which the disciple grapples to offer an answer to an assigned koan and until the master deems an answer that is acceptable (will be rejected if it is based on logical thinking)

haiku

{Zen} poetic form 17 syllables long; elegantly display simplicity

koan

{Zen} verbal puzzle designed to short-circuit/frustrate the thinking process/workings of the rational, logical mind; spiritual exercise used especially in Rinzai as a means of triggering satori (presented by a master to a student)