Literally, a method of actualization, namely a meditation method for actualizing oneself as a Buddha-figure for which one has received empowerment. Performing a sadhana entails recitation of a ritual meditation text describing the self-visualization process and a complex series of further practices based on that self-generation, such as reciting mantras and making offerings. Synonymous with "self-generation" and "antecedent practice for realization."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: means of achievement)

A direction that one puts in one's life that will protect one from true suffering and its true causes, and, when one reaches the goal of this direction, allows one to avoid true suffering and its true causes forever. Some translators render this as "refuge."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: refuge; protection; something like a dandelion which grows in the woods and has three flowers to a stalk)

See: provisional source of safe direction

See: take safe direction

See: ultimate source of safe direction

One of the New Translation traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, deriving from the five masters who were descendants of Kon Konchog-gyelpo.

A follower of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

See: absorbed concentration

See: Corpus of Full Use

The relationship between two facts about the same attribute of a phenomenon. In a sense, the two facts are referring to the same phenomenon from two points of view. The two facts may be naturally inseparable, such as the two truths about the phenomenon, or they may constitute a joined inseparability arising from the power of meditation, such as a blissful awareness and an awareness of voidness. Some translators render the term as "one by nature."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: one entity; same entity)

Uncontrollably recurring rebirth under the power of disturbing emotions and attitudes and of karma. Some translators render it as "cyclic existence."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: cyclic existence; cycle [of powerless birth, aging, sickness, and death])

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit term is a "community"; the literal meaning of the Tibetan translation is "those intent on a constructive goal." Four or more people from any of the four groups of the monastic community: full or novice monks or nuns - the four need not necessarily be all from one group or one from each group - and who have unlabored renunciation and are intent on ridding themselves of disturbing emotions and attitudes and thus attaining liberation.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: spiritual community; assembly; aspirants to virtue)

See: apparent Sangha Gem

See: deepest Sangha Gem

See: nominal Sangha Gem

See: New Translation

One of the eighteen divisions of the Hinayana tradition of Buddhism and within which Vaibhashika and Sautrantika are subdivisions.

A Hinayana school of Indian Buddhism that asserts the true existence of both reflexive awareness and 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.

According to Gelug, a subdivision of the Svatantrika Madhyamaka tenet system that does not assert reflexive awareness, but does assert external phenomena as having existence established by their individual defining characteristic marks.

See: twelve scriptural categories

See: scriptural teaching

See: subtle discernment

See: four hallmarks of the Dharma

See: faulty actions

See: thick actions

The offering of a blissful awareness, or of a nonconceptual blissful awareness of voidness with a clear-light mind. Also called: hidden mandala.

See: hidden offering

The level of mind of arya sharavakas, arya pratyekabuddhas, and arya bodhisattvas with which they first attain a joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana focused nonconceptually on voidness -- or, in general, on the sixteen aspects of the four noble truths -- and with which they rid themselves of one or both sets of doctrinally based obscurations. Often translated as "path of seeing."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: path of seeing)

In Nyingma, the aspect of pure awareness (rigpa) that automatically arises with awareness of its own two truths or its own threefold nature. Synonymous with reflexive deep awareness.

See: self-awareness

An attitude focused on one's conventional "me" and that distinguishes and knows correctly the mental factors, such as the motivation, disturbing emotions, level of feeling of happiness, and so on, that are presently manifest on one's mental continuum.

The attitude with which one considers oneself as the most important being and has affection for and takes care of only oneself.

Being so concerned about oneself and what others think of oneself and that one doesn't make any mistakes, that one becomes awkward and cannot act naturally. Often teenagers are like this. They have pimples on their faces and are so self-conscious about them that they think everyone is looking at them.

See: self-conscious

See: moral self-dignity

See: moral self-dignity

See: moral self-dignity

See: ethical self-discipline

See: ethical self-discipline

See: existence established by self-nature

Something, the existence of which is established by its own power, independently of anything else, and which obscures the realization of Buddha-nature on one's mental continuum. This refers to an impossible manner of existence of the mind, and does not exist at all.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: natural defilements)

See: self-nature

See: pratyekabuddha

Synonymous with "sadhana." A meditation method in which one visualizes and imagines oneself to be a Buddha-figure for which one has received empowerment. See: sadhana.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: self-generation; self generation)

A tantric meditation practice in which one visualizes receiving the entire empowerment (initiation) ritual for a Buddha-figure, performed in order to renew one's tantric vows. It may only be performed if one has done the serviceability retreat of that particular Buddha-figure and the fire-puja afterwards.

See: lack of an impossible "soul"

See: lack of an impossible "soul" of all phenomena

See: lack of an impossible soul of a person

Something on the side of an object or phenomenon that (1) establishes the existence, in general, of the object or phenomenon and (2) establishes, as well, what the object or phenomenon is. A self-nature may do this either by its own power alone, or by its own power in conjunction with mental labeling. The term may also be translated as "self-establishing nature."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: nature; own-being; inherent existence; exist inherently; fundamental nature; inherent nature)

An attitude of thinking only about oneself, as if one were the only one in the world, and not thinking about anyone else; narcissism.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: the conception as/of I; conception of [an inherently existent] I)

See: self-preoccupation

See: pratyekabuddha

A validly knowable phenomenon that, when actually cognized, does not rely on actual cognition of or by something else, for instance actual cognition of the object's basis for labeling.

The absence of any phenomenon existing, by "self"-nature, in an impossible manner.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: emptiness of self)

All levels of awareness (levels of mind) that are tainted with the fleeting stains of the emotional and cognitive obscurations. All levels of awareness other than rigpa. Translated as "limited awareness."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: verb: think [in the sense of have an opinion]; contemplate; noun: mind; consciousness; thought; continuum)

See: mental aspect

See: mind division

The subsidiary awareness (mental factor) of feeling totally fit to do something, and which is both exhilarating and blissful, physically and mentally, but in a nondisturbing way.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: pliancy; flexibility; servicability; suppleness)

See: sense of fitness

Sense data; forms of physical phenomenon that, in one moment, occupy an extended location and are cognized by one of the five types of sense consciousness; the data or information concerning one moment of the sight, sound, smell, taste, or physical sensation of an object having physical qualities.

See: cognitive sensor

See: limited being

See: stilled and settled state of mind

An intensive tantric meditation practice, done over many meditation sessions, during which one performs the sadhana and recites the mantra of a Buddha-figure ten thousand, one hundred thousand, or many hundreds of thousands of times, depending on the number of syllables in the mantra. When completed and finished off with the appropriate fire puja, this intensive practice makes the mind fit to be used (fit to be put into service) for more advanced tantric practices with that Buddha-figure.

Set theory has to do with the logical pervasions between two or more sets -- mutually exclusive, totally congruent, overlapping, etc. A set is a collection or a group of many items, like the set of all nonstatic phenomena.

See: seven-part cause and effect quintessence teaching for developing bodhichitta

One of the two methods for developing a bodhichitta aim. Based on the development of equanimity, (1) mother-awareness, (2) remembering kindness, (3) repaying kindness, (4) love, (5) compassion, (6) exceptional resolve, (7) a bodhichitta aim. The first six, developed consecutively, function as the causes for the seventh as the result.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: seven cause-and-effect quintessential instructions)

The Able One of the Shakya Clan, the Sage of the Shakya Clan, an epithet of Buddha

See: stilled and settled state of mind

See: teaching of shared meaning

Subsidiary awarenesses (mental factors) that share five things in common with the primary consciousness of the cognition in which they occur. (1) According to Vasubandhu: reliance, object, mental aspect, time, and natal source. (2) According to Asanga: natal source, focal aspect, essential nature, time, and plane and bhumi-level of mind.

The enthusiastic and fanatic giving up of everything worldly, often based on blind faith that an external source will save us.

Literally, "listeners" to Buddha's teachings - practitioners of the Hinayana vehicle who, motivated by renunciation, strive to attain liberation from uncontrollably recurring rebirth (samsara) and to become an arhat (liberated being) of either the shravaka or pratyekabuddha class. They practice, based on having listened to Buddha's teachings. Some translators render the term as "hearer."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: Hearer)

A shravaka that has attained liberation. See also: shravaka.

Nonstatic phenomena that can be explicitly cognized by eye consciousness -- namely, colors and shapes. Equivalent to "forms of physical phenomena that can become objects of experience of the eyes." One of the eleven types of forms of physical phenomena.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: form; body; matter; the atomic; visible form)

A cause that is in the same family or category of phenomenon as is the result. For example, a model of a vase is the similar family cause for a vase that one is now making.

An item that must exist prior to the arising of something and which assists in making the arising happen, but which does not transform into what arises, for instance water for a sprout.

Two items simultaneously arise if, when one of them arises or happens, the other does also, at the same time. The two items may arise simultaneously either naturally or through the power of meditation. Also called: innate.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: innate; inborn; natural)

A cause that arises simultaneously with its results, such as the elements that make up a material object.

See: negative karmic force

Sincerity has two factors included in it: (1) lack of hypocrisy (g.yo-med) – not hiding our own faults, (2) lack of pretension (sgyu-med) – not pretending to have qualities that we do not have.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: verb: think; thinking; imagine; wish noun: thought; thinking; wish. ... dga' ba: joyful thought)

Also called: all-curing single white epanacea, single white remedy, self-sufficient white remedy

Literally, the six families of wandering beings. The six types of samsaric rebirth: (1) hell-beings (trapped beings in the joyless realms), (2) clutching ghosts (hungry ghosts), (3) animals (creeping creatures), (4) humans, (5) would-be divine beings (anti-gods), and (6) divine beings (gods).

In Gelug, a practice, recited six times daily, required of those who have received an anuttarayoga empowerment, through which they keep the nineteen closely bonding practices for the five Buddha-families.

A set of sixty-two incorrect positions regarding the past, present and future of the self, the universe, and so on, propounded by the eighteen non-Buddhist extremeists and refuted in Buddhism. Sometimes translated by others as the sixty-two bad views.

See: skill in means

The special discriminating awareness concerning the most effective and appropriate internal methods for actualizing the Buddha's teachings and the most effective and appropriate external methods for making limited beings ripe for attaining liberation and enlightenment. In Mahayana, when conjoined with a bodhichitta, the seventh of the ten far-reaching attitudes.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: skill in means)

A "me" that exists as a concrete, autonomous entity, as if it had a line around it or were encapsulated in plastic. A general, nontechnical term for the false "me" (the "me" to be refuted), which has never existed at all.

See: solid "me"

See: pratyekabuddha

See: property-possessor

Something that rests upon or is contained within something else, for instance the people in relation to the house in which they live. Also translated as "what is supported" or simply as "supported."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: depend; rely; resort to; support)

Something that serves as the foundation or container for something else, for instance a house in relation to the people living inside it. Also translated as "what supports" or simply as "support."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: verb: support; depend; rely noun: basis; support; base)

According to non-Buddhist Indian tenet systems, something findable, either with or without being a conscious phenomenon, inside the body of a person, and which is static, a partless monad, separable from the body, and self-sufficiently knowable.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: self; I [can be used to refer to oneself]; nature; entity)

See: impossible "soul"

An object explicitly cognized by ear consciousness.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: sound; term; roar)

See: audio category

See: natal source

See: provisional source of safe direction

See: ultimate source of safe direction

See: exceptionally perceptive state of mind

Synonym for "resultant taking of safe direction."

Praises that Buddha uttered with joy for the sake of the long life of his teachings, and not for the sake of specific individuals. One of the twelve scriptural categories.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: saying; sayings; purposeful expressions)

In the Karma Kagyu system, the aspect of mental activity that is aware of the specific type of awareness of an object that has arisen and the specific object that it is aware of. In a looser sense, awareness of the details that have arisen and one is aware of in a cognition.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: consciousness; main consciousness; [ordinary] consciousness; knower; cognition)

In the Karma Kagyu system, a synonym for alayavijnana. See: all-encompassing foundation for all.

See: specific awareness

See: Buddha's enlightening speech

See: open sphere

A Buddhist teacher who has had stable realizations, who embodies the teachings in the sense of having integrated them into his or her life, and who confers vows on disciples.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: spiritual guide; virtuous friend; virtuous spiritual friend; spiritual friend)

A general term for the four levels of Buddhist teachers: a Buddhism professor, a Dharma instructor, a meditation trainer or ritual trainer, and a spiritual mentor.

The functional nature of rigpa (pure awareness), which is that it automatically, without any effort, gives rise to pure appearances.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: spontaneity; spontaneously)

See: mental stability

A method for habituating oneself to an insight, understanding, or state of mind in which one focuses on an object with that desired insight, understanding, or state of mind and with full conviction in its validity, but without the mental factors of gross detection (investigation) or subtle discernment (scrutiny). Also translated sometimes as "fixating meditation."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: stabilizing meditation)

In mahamudra meditation, the state of mind in which the meditator has nonconceptual bare cognition of there being no dualism of meditator and meditation.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: realization; realize; cognize; understand)

Something that obscures the Buddha-nature factors, preventing them from being fully realized.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: stain; taint; defilement; contamination)

See: fleeting stain

See: self-established stain

See: self-established stain

The quality of something standing out sharply and dramatically in its appearance, without anything adorning it (like a rock mountain in a desert, totally devoid of any vegetation); the quality of being barren.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: empty; vacuity)

See: primordial state

The state of mind that is parted from conceptual constructs.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: free from elaborations)

The state of mind that is parted from conceptual constructs -- in other words, equivalent to the state parted from mental fabrication.

See: static phenomena

See: static phenomena

The noncongruent affecting variable of not changing from moment to moment. Sometimes translated as "permanence."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: permanent; permanent phenomenon; permanence)

Phenomena that are unaffected by causes and circumstances and, consequently, do not change from moment to moment and do not produce any effects. Somewhat similar to unchanging facts, they are imputed about some validly knowable phenomenon and only exist and can be validly known so long as the basis for their imputation lasts. Sometimes translated as "static abstractions." Some translators render the term as "permanent phenomena."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: permanent; permanent phenomenon; permanence)

The disturbing emotion that exaggerates the good qualities of an object that one possesses, that clings to it like glue, and does not wish to let go.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: attachment)

A state of mind, attained through meditation, in which the mind is stilled of all mental flightiness and mental dullness, is settled down on an object and remains there, and is accompanied by an exhilarating sense of fitness. Also called a "serenely stilled and settled state of mind," "shamatha." Some translators render the term as "calm abiding" or "mental quiescence."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: calm abiding)

Also translated as "increase."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: verb: extend; fill; spread; increase; further adjective: extensive; broad; wide; full)

The focal conditions and dominating conditions that give rise to the six types of cognition -- namely, the cognitive objects and cognitive sensors of each of the six cognitive faculties. In the case of the five sensory faculties, the objects and sensors are forms of physical phenomena, such as sights and photosensitive cells. In the case of the mental faculty, the objects may be any validly knowable phenomenon, while the sensors are the immediately preceding moments of mental cognition. Usually counted as the twelve stimulators of cognition, but in the list of the twelve links of dependent arising, referred to as the six stimulators of cognition, in which case the two cognitive stimulators of each cognitive faculty are counted as one.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: sense-sphere; sensory sphere; source [of consciousness]; sphere)

See: link of stimulators of cognition

See: twelve stimulators of cognition

The total elimination of something such that it never recurs.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: cessation; stopping)

See: true stopping

See: all-encompassing foundation consciousness

In the Gelug Prasangika system, cognition of an object, which occurs without relying on a line of reasoning in the moment immediately prior to it. Straightforward cognition may be either conceptual or nonconceptual.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: direct perception; direct perceiver; obvious object)

A succession of moments of something.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: continuation; continuum; mental continuum; life continuum; stream; continuity)

The special discriminating awareness employed for expanding one's discriminating awareness and not letting it be crushed by countering factors, such as attachment to anything. One of the ten Mahayana far-reaching attitudes (ten perfections).

(Jeffrey Hopkins: power; force; strength)

A monument within which are kept the relics of a great Buddhist master. Translated as a reliquary monument.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: reliquary; basis for worship)

See: cognitive clear light

See: subliminal cognition

A cognition in which the consciousness gives rise to a mental hologram of a cognitive object and, in which, the cognitive object appears, through that hologram, only to the consciousness of the subliminal cognition and only that consciousness cognizes it. The cognitive object of the subliminal cognition does not appear to the person and is not cognized by the person. Nor does it appear to or is it cognized by the consciousness of the manifest cognition that is simultaneously occurring and overpowering the subliminal cognition.

A state of mind having the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana, and in which absorbed concentration is focused single-pointedly on a voidness that is like an illusion. It is attained only upon rising from total absorption on space-like voidness and may occur either while still in meditation or after arising from meditation. It may be either conceptual or nonconceptual. Sometimes translated as "subsequent realization." Other translators often render the term as "post-meditation."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: subsequent attainment; state subsequent to meditative equipoise; attainment subsequent [to meditative equipoise])

One of the seven ways of knowing something: a nonfraudulent, but not fresh, cognition of an object. It is the second phase of a valid bare cognition or inferential cognition, and is asserted only by the Gelug Sautrantika, Chittamatra, and Svatantrika tenet systems.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: subsequent cognizer; subsequent cognition; re-cognition)

A tantric ritual for a specific Buddha-figure, received in order to strengthen further the Buddha-nature factors that were previously activated with a full empowerment. Usually called by its Tibetan name, "jenang."

See: subsequent attainment

A way of cognizing an object that accompanies a primary consciousness, sharing five things in common with that consciousness, and which qualifies or helps with the cognition of the object. Also called "mental factor."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: mental factor)

Within the gross body of humans, the invisible system of energy-winds, energy-channels, energy-nodes (chakras), and creative energy-drops.

See: creative energy-drops

A subsidiary awareness (mental factor) that actively understands the fine details of the nature of something, having scrutinized them thoroughly. It does not imply verbal thinking, although it may be induced by verbally thinking. According to Asanga, one of the four changeable subsidiary awarenesses. Also translated as "scrutiny," "analysis." and "discerning analysis."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: analysis; analyze; investigate; examine; cut; cutting; discrimination)

Subtle forms of energy that move within the subtle energy-channels of the subtle body and which are the "mount" (the physical basis) for consciousness, either in nonconceptual or conceptual cognition, transporting it through the subtle body. Through anuttarayoga complete stage practices, one can cause them to enter, abide, and dissolve in the central energy-channel and thereby make manifest the subtlest clear light mind.

A nonstatic phenomenon's drawing closer each moment to its ultimate end, like a time bomb, based on the fact that the cause for the phenomenon's final disintegration or end is its coming into being, its arising.

Mental consciousness, both conceptual and nonconceptual.

The subtlest life-supporting energy-wind that accompanies each moment of subtlest mind.

See: clear light awareness

See: subtle energy-winds

See: all-pervasively affecting suffering

See: all-pervasively affecting suffering

The suffering of ordinary happiness, which never lasts, never satisfies, and which eventually turns into the suffering of suffering.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: suffering of change/vicissitude)

The suffering of gross pain or unhappiness.

See: Blissfully Gone One

In the Hinayana tenet systems, a true phenomenon that veils or conceals a deeper true phenomenon. Also called: relative true phenomenon, conventional true phenomenon, apparent true phenomenon.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: conventional truth; truth-for-a-concealer; concealer-truth; relative truth; truth-for-an-obscured-mind; obscured truth)

In the Mahayana tenet systems, a true fact about a phenomenon that veils or conceals a deeper true fact about the same phenomenon. Also called: relative truth, conventional truth, apparent truth, surface truth.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: conventional truth; truth-for-a-concealer; concealer-truth; relative truth; truth-for-an-obscured-mind; obscured truth)

See: interpolation

(1) An individual defining characteristic mark findable on the side of a knowable object, upon which a word or label for the object is set. (2) See: "something that supports something else."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: verb: support; depend; rely noun: basis; support; base)

See: something that is supported by something else

The set of Buddha-figures residing inside the immeasurably magnificent palace of a symbolic world system visualized in tantra practice.

The immeasurably magnificent palace of a symbolic world system, together with the environment around it, visualized in tantra practice.

Related to the mental continuum of an arya -- someone who has attained nonconceptual cognition of the four noble truths. Also translated as "with a base beyond perishing," "transworldly" or "transcendent."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: supramundane)

See: superficial truth

(1) Texts by Shakyamuni Buddha, both Hinayana and Mahayana, that discuss themes of practice.(2) Within the context of the Three Baskets (Tripitaka), the texts of Buddha that especially concern the training in higher concentration. (3) Within the context of Buddha's teachings divided into sutra and tantra, the division that does not entail visualization of oneself as a Buddha-figure. (3) Within the context of the twelve scriptural categories, the texts that present what Buddha had to say in a brief and condensed format. Also called: expositions on themes of practice.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: sUtra; discourse; short sentence; axiom; scripture)

Meditations on the nature of the mind with regard to only gross and subtle minds -- in other words, sensory and mental consciousness -- and not with regard to the subtlest mind, clear light.

See: Corpus of Essential Nature

A subdivision of the Madhyamaka school within the Indian Buddhist tenet systems that refutes truly established existence by relying on lines of reasoning the members of which have existence established from their own sides. Gelug adds to this definition that it also asserts that all phenomena lack existence established by an essential nature, but nevertheless conventionally have existence established by their individual defining characteristic marks.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: SvAtantrika; [Middle Way] Autonomy School)

See: Svatantrika

(Jeffrey Hopkins: Middle Way Autonomy School)

See: mental synthesis

See: collection mental synthesis

See: kind mental synthesis

See: object mental synthesis

See: tenet system