Naisan: An unscheduled and secret visit with a roshi at any time of the day or night, when there are special circumstances to warrant the unscheduled visit.
Nembutsu: "Calling the name." Used by the Pure Land sect, to ritually call the name of Amitabha Buddha, as an assurance of faith that Amitabha will provide a rebirth into the land of the Buddha, the Pure Land.
Oryoko: The bowls given to a Buddhist upon being ordained, particularly the largest of these bowls that is used for begging and eating. This word means, "that which holds just enough."
Sampai: The prostrating bows performed during practice, where the forehead touches the ground and the hands are held palms up next to the head. The hand gesture is symbolic, according to tradition, of recieving the feet of Buddha. This is a sign of profound respect and reverence, although not necessarily for Buddha or any other thing in particular. It is respect for the self, and a position that teaches humility and impermanence.
Satori: A state of consciousness, often associated with enlightenment. Satori is an awareness of Buddha nature, similar to Tao-sheng's concept of enlightenment. In this text satori is placed one step below enlightenment. Satori is essential wisdom (prajna) for the practice of Zen. See also kensho.
Seiza: Traditional Japanese sitting posture, with the buttocks on the heels of the feet, large toes crossed, and a straight posture. This is a typical posture assumed in martial arts dojos.
Shikan-taza: Meditation without any object, without counting, focus on breathing, nor koans. It is intense sitting, where there is unshakeable conviction that zazen is the actualization, and there is nothing else to gain. At the root, this frame of thought realizes that there is not a struggle involved in the attainment of satori.
Shojo: The Hinayana form of Zen, or Lesser Vehicle. This form, as opposed to the Daijo, is very individualistic, intending to take only the practitioner from maya to nirvana.
Theravada: The preferred name for the school sometimes called Hinayana. This is the older school of Buddhism, that emphasizes asceticism; "thera" means elders,thus it is a school reserved for the elders of the faith, whose teachings are presented to future elders committed to asceticism. Prefer to use the Pali language, and adhere closer to Gautama's acts as a bodhisattva.
Three Treasures: (Three Jewels; Tri-ratna) The three central elements or principal features of Buddhism. They are: Buddha Gautama, the Dharma, and the sangha.
Three Worlds: One of Buddhist cosmologies, in which the cosmos is divided into three parts: Desire, Form, and Non-form. The first and last of these three represent attachment to the senses, and are undesirable. Those in the second level have a body but do not cling to the world of illusion and senses. In Zen practice the three worlds are also considered levels or dimensions of consciousness.
T'ien: In Chinese tradition, this is translated as Heaven. T'ien is an important theme in Chinese religion, philosophy, and the Chinese conception of the dynasty and cycle.
