Anuttara-Samayak-Sambodhi

The incomparably, completely and fully awakened mind; it is the attribute of buddhas.

 (See also: Anuttara-Samayak-Sambodhi , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Arthakrtya

One of the Four All-Embracing Virtues: performance of conduct profitable to others in order to lead them toward the truth.

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

Apaya-bhumi

States of woe: the three realms of existence characterized by extreme discomfort and delusion--i.e., hell-states, animal-birth and the hungry ghosts, or pretas.

 (See also: Apaya-bhumi , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

anicca (anicca): Inconstant; unsteady; impermanent.

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

adhitthana (adhi.t.thaana): Determination; resolution. One of the ten perfections (paramis).

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

bhikkhu (bhikkhu): A Buddhist monk; a man who has given up the householder's life to live a life of heightened virtue (see sila) in accordance with the Vinaya in general, and the Patimokkha rules in particular.

See sangha, parisa, upasampada.

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

Dana

The practice of generosity or charity: one of the Paramitas as well as one of the All- Embracing Virtues, where it means, in the latter, giving others what they want just to lead them towards the truth.

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

Heretical views

The sutras usually refer to sixty-two such views. They are the externalist (non- Buddhist) views prevalent in Buddha Shakyamuni's time.

 (See also: Heretical views , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

akaliko (akaaliko): Timeless; unconditioned by time or season.

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

Four Noble Truths

(1)  Sufferings;

(2)  Cause of Sufferings;

(3)  )Cessation of sufferings;

(4)  The Path leading to the cessation of sufferings.

 (See also: Four Noble Truths , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Five Corruptions

See "Five Turbidities."

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

bhavana (bhaavanaa): Mental cultivation or development; meditation. The third of the three grounds for meritorious action.

See also dana and sila.

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

Asura (asura): A race of beings who, like the Titans of Greek mythology, fought the devas for sovereignty over the heavens and lost.

See apaya-bhumi.

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

Dharma (Dhamma): Translated as law. In Buddhism, the Dharma is the canonical texts.

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

Bodhisattva-Tao

The way of the practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism.

One following this path aspires to the attainment of Enlightenment for the sake and benefit of all sentient beings.

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

anatta (anattaa): Not-self; ownerless.

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

Ki: The energy of the spirit. This is not the soul or the ego, it is only energy. It is also activity, and the energy of the cosmos and everything within the cosmos, especially in living things.

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

Buddharupa

A statue or Image of the Buddha, used for devotional purposes.

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

Avidya: In Hinduism this is one of the conditions involved in samsara and reincarnation, meaning ignorance. This is ignorance of spiritual perception, not book knowledge. The origin of tanha (craving) is avidya (ignorance), where tanha is what keeps the living in the cycle of samsara. We can see this reflected in the third noble truth, where the source of greed is illusion, and in order to overcome illusion we must overcome avidya, ignorance.

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

Bhaisajyaguru

Sanskrit word, the Buddha of Medicine, who quells all diseases and lengthens life. His is the Buddha in the Pure Land of the Paradise of the East.

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

Asamkhiya (kalpa)

Term related to the Buddhist metaphysics of time. Each of the periodic manifestations and dissolutions of universes which go on eternally has four parts, called asamkhiya kalpas.

 (See also: Asamkhiya (kalpa) , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dharini

Extended mantra used in esoteric branch of Buddhism to focus and expand the mind. Its words, or sounds, should not communicate any recognizable meaning.

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