A Hinayana school of Indian Buddhism that does not assert reflexive awareness and does assert external phenomena; a subdivision of the Sarvastivada school of Hinayana. One of the four Indian Buddhist tenet systems studied by all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

See: Vajra Corpus

See: Immutable Vajra Corpus

In some dzogchen systems, the voidness factor of the deep awareness of a Buddha's pure awareness (rigpa); the unchanging nature of the other corpuses of a Buddha. Also called Vajra Body.

See: Immutable Vajra Corpus

The Diamond-strong Vehicle of Mind, within Mahayana, that makes use of the tantra methods. Synonymous with "Mantrayana" and "Tantrayana."

Bare cognition that is fresh and nonfallacious. See: bare cognition.

(1) According to Gelug Sautrantika, Gelug Chittamatra, and Gelug Svatantrika-Madhyamaka, a fresh, nonfallacious cognition. (2) According to Gelug Prasangika and all tenet systems according to non-Gelug, a nonfallacious cognition.

Phenomena that can be the objects of valid cognition. Synonymous with "existents."

A phenomenon that is validly knowalble now.

Straightforward cognition that is nonfallacious. See: straightforward cognition.

See: Vanquishing Master Surpassing All

An epithet of a Buddha - one who has conquered (vanquished) all obstacles, attained (mastered) all good qualities, and gone beyond (surpassed) any of the Hindu gods for whom the epithet Bhagavan has also been applied. Some translators render the term as "Blessed One."

An adjective used to describe a Mahayana practice, practitioner, person, aim, or motivation. It implies something that involves a mind that is aimed at the vastest goal (enlightenment) for the vastest number of beings (everyone).

See: Vast Vehicle of Mind

See: Mahayana

See: vehicle of mind

See: Paramitayana

A level of state of mind that acts as either (1) a vehicle for bringing one to the spiritual goal of either liberation or enlightenment, or (2) the resultant goal of liberation or enlightenment to which one is brought.

See: melodic verses

See: metered verses

See: special verses

A collection or mental synthesis that extends over time, such as a human body over a lifetime.

A synonym for voidness (emptiness). Some translators render the term as "thusness."

See: Triumphant One

In the description of a Buddhist system in terms of the view of reality, a way of meditating, and way of behaving that it espouses, the main way for regarding and understanding reality. See also: outlook.

See: distorted outlook

A way to describe a Buddhist system that specifies it in terms of its main way for regarding and understanding reality, its main topic of meditation, and its main manner of acting in the world.

See: rules of discipline

Vipassana (Pali for vipashyana) is a state of mind that cognizes clearly, distinctly and directly the true nature of the breath, thoughts, and all other affecting variables -- namely their being nonstatic (impermanent), suffering, and, in relation to them, the lack of an impossible soul. Also, the Theravada practices leading to this state of mind. See also: exceptionally perceptive state of mind.

(spiritual hero)

(spiritual heroine)

See: constructive

See: devoid form

An absence of an impossible way of existing. The impossible way of existing has never existed at all. Translators often render the term as "emptiness."

See: other-voidness

See: realize voidness

See: self-voidness

(1) In the Sautrantika, Chittamatra, and Madhyamaka schools other than Gelug Prasangika, the subsidiary awareness (mental factor) to restrain from a certain type of detrimental behavior, which, during a specific ceremony, one has formally promised to restrain from. (2) In the Vaibhashika and Gelug-Prasangika systems, a non-revealing form on a person's mental continuum that performs the same function as in (1) by shaping one's behavior.

See: vow

A spiritual mentor who has kept one or more of the sets of pratimoksha vows purely for a certain number of years and who confers on disciples one of the sets of pratimoksha vows that he or she has kept purely.

See: bodhisattva vows

See: tantric vows

See: pratimoksha vows