Glossary from Crystal Clear

glossary of texts, people and technical terms from Crystal Clear by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche; compiled by Erik Pema Kunsang

• Abhidharma (chos mngon pa). One of the three parts of the Tripitaka, the Words of the Buddha. Systematic teachings on metaphysics focusing on developing discriminating knowledge by analyzing elements of experience and investigating the nature of existing things.
• arhat (dgra bcom pa). 'Foe destroyer;' someone who has conquered the four maras and attained nirvana, the fourth and final result of the Hinayana path.
• Aspiration of Mahamudra (phag chen smon lam). Famous chant by the third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje. See Mahamudra Teachings of the Supreme Siddhas and Song of Karmapa, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche.
• Chö, the Dharma tradion set forth by the great female master Machik Labdrön. Literally, cutting or severance, Chö carries the meaning of cutting through the root of dualistic mind, negative emotions, extreme views, hope and fear, and indecision, in order to reveal transcendent knowledge, Prajnaparamita. Chö is one of the famous Eight Practice Lineages of Buddhism in Tibet.
• Creation and Completion by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodro Thaye, translated by Sarah Harding, Wisdom Publications.
• development and completion stage (bskyed rdzogs). The two main aspects, 'means and knowledge,' of Vajrayana practice. Briefly stated, development stage means positive mental fabrication while completion stage means resting in the unfabricated nature of mind. The essence of the development stage is 'pure perception' or 'sacred outlook,' which means to perceive sights, sounds and thoughts as deity, mantra and wisdom. 'Completion stage with marks' means yogic practices such as tummo, inner heat. 'Completion stage without marks' is the practice of Dzogchen and Mahamudra.
• dharmata (chos nyid). The inherent nature of phenomena and mind.
• Dorje Chang Tunma. Famous chant by Bengar Jampal Sangpo combining a supplication to the Kagyü lineage with a summary of instructions. It is available from Nalanda Translation Committee.
• Drubdra (sgrub grva). Practice center; the secluded setting for the traditional three-year retreat. Here the meditator will undergo intensive training that includes ngöndro, development and completion.
• Düsum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa) 1110-1193. The first in the incarnation line of the Karmapas.
• Dzogchen (rdzogs pa chen po), (rdzogs chen); Skt. mahasandhi, maha ati, Great Perfection. The teachings beyond the vehicles of causation, the highest of the inner tantras of the Nyingma School, first taught in the human world by the great vidyadhara Garab Dorje. Dzogchen is the ultimate of all the 84.000 profound and extensive sections of the Dharma. It is the realization of Buddha Samantabhadra, exactly as it is. The aspects of means and knowledge of Dzogchen are known as Trekchö and Tögal.
• Entering the Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhisattva Charya Avatara) by Shantideva; also Way of the Bodhisattva.
• four schools (grub mtha' bzhi). The four Buddhist schools of thought are: Vaibhashika, Sautrantika, Mind-Only or Chittamatra, and Middle Way or Madhyamika. The former two are Hinayana and the latter two Mahayana.
• Gampopa (sgam po pa) 1079-1153. Foremost disciple of Milarepa, who possessed both supreme realization and great scholarship. He was the author of The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. After he studied and practiced the Kadampa teachings, at the age of 32 he met Jetsün Milarepa, of whom he was to become the foremost disciple. Among his main disciples were the first Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa and Phagmo Drubpa.
• giving and taking (gtong len). A bodhichitta practice of giving one's virtue and happiness to others and taking their suffering and misdeeds upon oneself.
• Heart Sutra (shes rab snying po'i mdo). The short version of the Prajnaparamita Sutra.
• heat and summit (drod dang rtse mo). Two of the 'four aspects of ascertainment' on the path of joining. Getting close to the flame-like wisdom of the path of seeing by possessing concentration concurrent with discriminating knowledge.
• jetob, post-meditation, Meditation (mnyam bzhag) means resting in equanimity free from mental constructs, like pure space. Postmeditation (rjes thob) is when distracted from that state of equanimity, and one conceptually regards appearances as an illusion, mirage, dream, etc.
• Jigmey Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa) 1729-1798. The great master of the Nyingtig tradition who had three visions of Longchenpa and received his direct lineage renowned as the Longchen Nyingtig. He collected and organized the tantras known as Nyingma Gyübum and made a catalogue with a full explanation of the lineal history. Among his immediate reincarnations are counted Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Paltrul Rinpoche and Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje.
• King Indrabhuti (indra bodhi). An Indian king at the time of Lord Buddha. He is used as example for the Vajrayana practitioner of the highest capacity who attains liberation simultaneously with understanding the instructions and who is perfect in mingling the teachings with all aspects of daily life.
• King of Samadhi Sutra (ting 'dzin rgyal po'i mdo). A sutra belonging to the third turning of the Wheel of the Dharma. For an overview, see King of Samadhi, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche.
• landawa (la 'da' ba), transcending.
• lenchik kyepa (lhan cig skyes pa) arising together with, co-emergent.
• Machik Labdrön, see 'Chö'.
• Mahamudra by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Shambhala Publications.
• Marpa (mar pa). The great forefather of the Kagyü lineage. See Life of Marpa the Translator, Shambhala Publications.
• Middle Way (dbu ma); Skt. madhyamaka. The highest of the four Buddhist schools of philosophy. The Middle Way means not holding any extreme views, especially those of eternalism or nihilism.
• Milarepa (mi la ras pa). 1040-1123. One of the most famous yogis and poets in Tibetan religious history. Much of the teachings of the Karma Kagyü schools passed through him. For more details read The Life of Milarepa and The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa Shambhala Publications. His name means 'Cotton-clad Mila.'
• Mind-Only (sems tsam pa), Chittamatra. A Mahayana school of Buddhist philosophy propagated by the great master Asanga and his followers. Founded on the Lankavatara Sutra and other scriptures, its main premise is that all phenomena are only mind, i.e. mental perceptions that appear within the all-ground consciousness due to habitual tendencies. Positively, this view relinquishes the fixation on a solid reality. Negatively, there is still clinging to a truly existing 'mind' within which everything takes place.
• Nagarjuna (klu grub). An Indian master of philosophy and a tantric siddha. He is said to have taken birth in the southern part of India around four hundred years after the Buddha's nirvana. Having received ordination at Nalanda Monastery, he later acted as preceptor for the monks. He knew alchemy, stayed alive for six hundred years and transformed ordinary materials into gold in order to sustain the sangha. At Bodhgaya he erected pillars and stone walls to protect the Bodhi Tree and constructed 108 stupas. From the realm of the nagas he brought back the extensive Prajnaparamita scriptures. He was the life pillar for the Mahayana, but specifically he was a major exponent of the Unexcelled Vehicle of Vajrayana.
• namtok (rnam rtog), thinking, conceptual thought.
• nangwa (snang ba), perception, experience, appearance.
• Naropa (na ro pa) 1016-1100. The great mahasiddha of India, chief disciple of Tilopa and the guru of Marpa in the Kagyü Lineage. See The Rain of Wisdom, Shambhala Publications.
• nyam (nyams), meditative experiences or moods. Usually refers to the temporary experiences of bliss, clarity and nonthought produced through meditation practice.
• nyamshak (mnyam bzhag), meditation, mind while composed in samadhi. See also jetob.
• Ornament of the Middle Way, (Madhyamika Alamkara) by Shantarakshita. Translated with Mipham Rinpoche's commentary by Thomas Doctor.
• pandita, master scholar.
• Pema Karpo (kun mkhyen pad ma dkar po) 1527-1592. Great master of the Drukpa Kagyü lineage.
• perception (snang ba), nangwa, any occurrence in the mind. Includes sense impressions, plans, memories and meditative experiences.
• phowa ('pho ba). The yogic practice of ejecting the consciousness to a higher level at the time of death.
• Pointing Out the Dharmakaya by Wangchuk Dorje translated and published by Nalanda Translation Committee (restricted text).
• prajña (shes rab), knowledge, insight, intelligence.
• Prajñaparamita scriptures (sher phyin gyi mdo). Sutras belonging to the second turning of the wheel of Dharma, empasizing emptiness.
• Profound Sutras of Definitive Meaning. Sutras belonging to the third turning of the wheel of Dharma, emphasizing buddha-nature.
• Rain of Wisdom, the Ocean of the Songs of the Kagyü Gurus (bka' brgyud mgur mtsho). A collection of songs of the masters of the Kagyu Lineages. Shambhala Publications.
• Rangjung Dorje (rang byung rdo rje). The third Karmapa.
• rang-rig (rang rig), self-knowing.
• rupakayas (gzugs kyi sku). 'Form body.' A collective term for both sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya.
• salcha (gsal cha). The cognizant, knowing quality of mind.
• Samadhi Raja Sutra (mdo ting 'dzin rgyal po). See King of Samadhi Sutra.
• Saraha, Indian mahasiddha and lineage master in the Mahamudra transmission. Several of his songs are translated into English.
• Sautrantika (mdo sde pa). A hinayana school of philosophy and the second of the four major Buddhist Schools known for its reliance on the sutras rather than Abhidharma.
• sem (sems). When opposed to ordinary mind, it means the state of dualistic thinking which is ignorant of its own nature and produces karma for further samsaric rebirth.
• sewa (bsre ba). Mingling.
• Shantideva (zhi ba lha). Indian mahasiddha and scholar at Nalanda university during the first half of the 8th century. He astounded the monks of Nalanda with his famous poem on bodhichitta, the Bodhisattva Charyavatara. He was one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas of India.
• shedra (bshad grva), study center. College of spiritual studies.
• Six Doctrines of Naropa (na ro chos drug). Tummo, illusory body, dream, luminosity, bardo, and phowa.
• tangka (thang kha). Painted scroll of spiritual nature.
• tathagata (de bzhin gshegs pa). 'Thus-gone.' Same as a fully enlightened buddha.
• tamal kyi shepa (tha mal gyi shes pa). The Tibetan for 'ordinary mind.'
• threefold freely resting (cog bzhag gsum) chokzhak sum.
• Tilopa (til li pa). Indian mahasiddha, the guru of Naropa and father of the Kagyü lineage.
• tonglen (gtong len), see giving and taking.
• torma (gtor ma). An implement used in tantric ceremonies. Can also refer to a food offering to protectors of the Dharma or unfortunate spirits.
• Treasury of Oral Instructions (gdams ngag mdzod). Contains the most essential advice and transmissions from the eight main Practice Lineages of Buddhism in Tibet. Compiled by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye.
• tummo (gtum mo), 'inner heat' one of the Six Doctrines of Naropa.
• Vaibhashika (bye brag smra ba). One of the two main Hinayana schools of philosophy. It is based on the Abhidharma teachings compiled in the Mahavidhasa, the treatise known as the Great Treasury of Detailed Exposition (bye brag bshad mdzod chen mo).
• Vairochana (rnam par snang mdzad lo tsa ba). One of the five families, the chief buddha of the tathagata family.
• Vajra Yogini (rdo rje rnal 'byor ma). A semiwrathful yidam. She is red, with one face and two arms, young and beautiful but enraged and wearing ornaments of human bones. She represents the transformation of ignorance and passion into shunyata and compassion. In the Kagyu tradition, her sadhana is often given as the students's entry into anuttarayoga practice.
• Wangchuk Dorje (dbang phyug rdo rje) 1556-1603. The ninth in the incarnation line of the Karmapas.
• Way of the Bodhisattva. Shantideva's classic on bodhichitta and the six paramitas. Exists in several translations, from both Sanskrit and Tibetan.
• wind disorder (rlung). Imbalance of the energies in the body.