Five Turbidities (Corruptions, Defilements, Depravities, Filths, Impurities) They are.

1. the defilement of views, when incorrect, perverse thoughts and ideas are predominant;
2. the defilement of passions, when all kinds of transgressions are exalted;
3. the defilement of the human condition, when people are usually dissatisfied and unhappy;
4. the defilement of the life-span, when the human life-span as a whole decreases;
5. .the defilement of the world-age, when war and natural disasters are rife.

These conditions, viewed from a Buddhist angle, however, can constitute aids to Enlightenment, as they may spur practitioners to more earnest cultivation.

 (See also: Five Turbidities, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Bodhi-Tao

Bodhi-path: The way or path to the Supreme Enlightenment of Buddhahood.

 (See also: Bodhi-Tao, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Tripitaka Lit., three baskets:

The earliest Buddhist canonical text consisting of three sections:

1. Buddha's discourses (sutras),
2. Rules of Discipline (Vinaya),
3. Analytical and explanatory texts or commentaries (sastras); usually referred to as the Pali canon.

 (See also: Tripitaka, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

anapanasati (aanaapaanasati): Mindfulness of breathing. A meditation practice in which one maintains one's attention and mindfulness on the sensations of breathing.

 (See also: Anapanasati, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Sage

A wise and virtuous person, an accomplished one who is second in rank to a saint.

 (See also: Sage, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Lesser Vehicle

The early Buddhism. A term coined by Mahayanists to distinguish this school of Buddhism (whose modern descendent is Theravada) from Mahayana.

It is so called because the teaching of this school puts emphasis on one's own liberation, whereas the teaching of Mahayana stresses the attainment of Buddhahood for all sentient beings.

Theravada is now prevalent in southeast Asia, while Mahayana has spread over the northern area (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan ...) (G.C.C. Chang).

 (See also: Lesser Vehicle, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Chakra: (Cakra) The centers of force that are within specific organs of the body. These organs "collect, transform, and distribute the forces flowing through them" (Kapleau, p.15).

 (See also: Chakra, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Faith: A belief; in the religious sense, faith is a belief in the supernatural or whatever other force brings the believers together. Faith has nothing to do with fact.

 (See also: Faith, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Mahayana

Lit., great vehicle; the dominant Buddhist tradition of East Asia.

Special characteristics of Mahayana are

1. Emphasis on bodhisattva ideal,
2. The accession of the Buddha to a superhuman status,
3. The development of extensive philosophical inquiry to counter Brahmanical and other scholarly argument,
4. The development of elaborate devotional practice.

 (See also: Mahayana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

acariya (aacariya): Teacher; mentor. See kalyanamitta.

 (See also: Acariya, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dhyana

The practice of concentration--i.e., meditation. Also, more specifically, the four form concentrations and the four formless concentrations.

 (See also: Dhyana, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Lotus Sutra

Or Saddharma-pundarika, Dharma Flower, or "The Lotus of the True Law." The sutra is the basis for the Lotus sect (T'ien-t'ai in Chinese). Among the sutras of the Mahayana canon. One of the earliest and most richly descriptive of the Mahayana sutras of Indian origin.

It became important for the shaping of the Buddhist tradition in East Asia, in particular because of its teaching of the One Vehicle under which are subsumed the usual Hinayana (Theravada) and Mahayana divisions. It is the main text of the Tendai (T'ien T'ai) school. (Joji Okazaki.)

This School has a historically close relationship with the Pure Land School. Thus, Master T'ai Hsu taught that the Lotus Sutra and the Amitabha Sutras were closely connected, differing only in length.

 (See also: Lotus Sutra, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Buddhism: The religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (ca 624544 bce). He refuted the idea of man's having an immortal soul and did not preach of any Supreme Deity. Instead he taught that man should seek to overcome greed, hatred and delusion and attain enlightenment through realizing the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path.

Prominent among its holy books is the Dhammapada. Buddhism arose out of Hinduism as an inspired reform movement which rejected the caste system and the sanctity of the Vedas. It is thus classed as nastika, "unbeliever," and is not part of Hinduism. Buddhism eventually migrated out of India, the country of its origin, and now enjoys a following of over 350 million, mostly in Asia.

See: Buddha.

(See also: Buddhism, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Religion: Derived from the Latin word religio, meaning to bind or bring together. Religion is that which brings people together.

 (See also: Religion, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Arhat

Arhatship is the highest rank attained by Sravakas.

An Arhat is a Buddhist saint who has attained liberation from the cycle of Birth and Death, generally through living a monastic life in accordance with the Buddhas' teachings. This is the goal of Theravadin practice, as contrasted with Bodhisattvahood in Mahayana practice.

The stage is preceded by three others:

1. Stream Winner,
2. Once-Returner,
3. Non-Returner.

See also "Sravakas."

 (See also: Arhat, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

foundation of mindfulness: see Satipatthana.

 (See also: Foundation of mindfulness, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Brahmin

The highest of the four Castes in Hinduism. They served Brahma, his offering, the keepers of the Vedas, i.e. priestly.

 (See also: Brahmin, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dedication of Merit

See "Transference of Merit."

 (See also: Dedication of Merit, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Avatamsaka (Flower Ornament) Sutra

The basic text of the Avatamsaka School. It is one of the longest sutras in the Buddhist Canon and records the highest teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni, immediately after Enlightenment. It is traditionally believed that the Sutra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other high spiritual beings while the Buddha was in samadhi.

The Sutra has been described as the "epitome of Buddhist thought, Buddhist sentiment and Buddhist experience" and is quoted by all schools of Mahayana Buddhism, in particular, Pure Land and Zen.

 (See also: Avatamsaka (Flower Ornament) Sutra , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Truth: That which is believed to be, not necessarily what really is (fact).

 (See also: Truth, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Amitabha Sutra See "Three Pure land Sutras."

 (See also: Amitabha Sutra, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)