A nontechnical term for what actually exists.

A nontechnical term for what actually exists.

See: true reality

A stable, correct understanding of some point in the Dharma, such as voidness, which brings about a lasting attainment and change in the person who has it. Compare: "attainment".

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

See: subsequent attainment

See: simultaneous realization and liberation

To understand correctly, in a stable manner, some point in the Dharma, such as voidness, such that it brings about a lasting attainment and change in the person who has gained it.

To gain a stable, correct understanding of voidness, either conceptually or nonconceptually, such that it brings about a lasting attainment and change in the person who has it.

See: six realms of existence

A full presentation of the Dharma, in the traditional manner, in terms of beginningless uncontrollably recurring rebirth.

See: better rebirth states

See: three better rebirth sates

See: three worse rebirth states

See: worse rebirth states

In tantra, the meditation practice with which one recites 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.

The mental factor (subsidiary awareness) of distinguishing an object as being something specific, such as when studying the Dharma, oneself as being a sick person, one's spiritual teacher as being a doctor, and the Dharma as being medicine.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: discrimination)

See: three recognitions

See: identifiable

See: samsara

See: samsara

See: without a referent aim

The validly knowable phenomena that the names and concepts for them, imputed on a basis for labeling, refer to.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: designated phenomenon; phenomenon imputed)

The actual "thing" referred to by a name or concept, corresponding to the names or concepts for something, and which is findable, establishing its own existence by its own power, on the side of the referent object of the name or concept. In Gelug, according to Prasangika it is nonexistent and according to lower tenet systems it is existent.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: designated object)

See: mental derivative

See: mental derivative

Turned in on itself.

An appearance of a cognitive object that arises automatically from a person's clear light mind itself. Such an appearance may be either impure (with an appearance of truly established existence) or pure (without such an appearance).

(1) The cognitive faculty within a cognition, asserted in the Sautrantika and Chittamatra tenet systems, that takes as its cognitive object the consciousness within the cognition that it is part of. It also cognizes the validity or invalidity of the cognition that it is part of, and accounts for the ability to recall the cognition. (2) In the non-Gelug schools, this cognitive faculty becomes reflexive deep awareness -- that part of an arya's nonconceptual cognition of voidness that cognizes the two truths of that nonconceptual cognition.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: self-knower; self-knowing; self-cognizing consciousness)

(1) In Kagyu and Sakya, that aspect of an arya's nonconceptual cognition of voidness that cognizes its own two-truth nature. (2) In Nyingma, that aspect of pure awareness (rigpa) that cognizes its own two truths or its own threefold nature. Synonymous with self-arising deep awareness.

See: safe direction

See: take safe direction

A spiritual mentor who has kept one of the sets of pratimoksha vows purely for a certain number of years and in whose presence spiritual seekers formally take refuge (put a safe direction in their lives), thus committing themselves to the Buddhist path.

See: negation phenomenon

See: firm conviction

The subsidiary awareness (mental factor) of not wishing to repeat doing something, either proper or improper, that one did or that someone else made one do.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: regret; contrition; feeling sorry; remorse)

Entrusting oneself, through mind and actions, to a fully qualified spiritual mentor. Also called: relying on a spiritual mentor, entrusting oneself to a spiritual mentor, whole-hearted commitment to a spiritual mentor. Often translated as: guru-devotion.

See: conventional bodhichitta

See: superficial true phenomenon

See: superficial truth

See: automatically releases itself in its own place

See: something that supports something else

See: stupa

Remembering the kindness of motherly love, remembering all the beneficial things that all beings have shown us when they were our mothers. The second of the six part cause and effect quintessence teaching for developing bodhichitta.

(1) The definite determination to be free of samsara and to gain liberation, and with which one is willing to give up true suffering and true causes. Also translated as "determination to be free." (2) In Theravada, the mental factor to give up all attachment to worldly possessions, social status, and even one's body. When conjoined with a bodhichitta aim, it becomes a far-reaching attitude.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: definite emergence/deliverance/leaving from cyclic existence. definite emergence [from cyclic existence])

See: short-lived all-exited renunciation

Appreciating the beneficial things that all beings have shown us when they were our mothers and wishing to benefit them in return. The third of the seven part cause and effect quintessence teaching for developing bodhichitta.

See: mental representation

A conceptual denial of something that is true or is present.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: deprecation; depreciation; denial; underestimation)

One of the ten far-reaching attitudes in the Theravada tradition. An attitude of determination with which a bodhisattva never abandons what he or she needs to do in order to benefit others.

See: exceptional resolve

See: appreciation

A temporary rest or a break from a state of no leisure for Dharma practice, such as the worst states of rebirth. Some translators render the term as a "freedom" or a "liberty."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: leisure)

See: responsiveness

The influencing nature of pure awareness (rigpa) - namely, that it responds to others effortlessly and spontaneously with compassionate communication. See: responsive awareness.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: compassion)

See: dominating result

See: dominating result

See: dominating result

See: man-made result

See: dominating result

See: dominating result

See: ripened result

In the context of basis, pathway, and resultant levels of something being specified, the level of something, for instance Buddha-nature, in the state of a Buddha when it is fully purified.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: effect; result; fruit)

In the twelve links of dependent arising, the three and a half links of resultant loaded consciousness, nameable mental faculties with or without gross form, stimulators of cognition, and contacting awareness, which occur during the development of an embryo in the womb in the life that is thrown by the activated karmic aftermath of throwing karma.

In the twelve links of dependent arising, the two links of conception and aging and dying in a future rebirth thrown by the activated karmic aftermath of throwing karma.

A taking of safe direction (refuge) that takes as its sources of safe direction the Triple Gem that one will attain oneself in the future, based on actualizing one's own Buddha-nature. Synonymous with "special taking of safe direction."

A result that in some way resembles its cause, either in the wish to repeat its causal action or in the experience of something happening back to one that resembles what one did.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: causally concordant effect)

The subsidiary awareness (mental factor) of liking or wishing to do an action, in a particular moment, similar to what one has done in the past. Also translated as "result that is similar to its cause in one's behavior" and "result that is similar to its cause in one's instinctive behavior."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: functionally causally concordant effect)

The experience of a situation in which something similar to one's previous action happens back to oneself. Also translated as "result that is similar to its cause on one's experience."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: experientially causally concordant effect)

A static state that is attained by means of effort, but which is neither produced by nor ripens from that effort.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: effect of separation)

See: result that corresponds to its cause in one's experience

See: result that corresponds to its cause in one's behavior

See: result that corresponds to its cause in one's behavior

See: serviceability retreat

A form of physical phenomenon, asserted in the Vaibhashika and Gelug Prasangika schools, that shows (reveals) the motivation behind it, and which may be a constructive, destructive or unspecified phenomenon. Examples are the shape of one's body when performing an action, the sound of the words when one speaks, the expression on someone's face, and so on. In general, such a phenomenon may be either one of the five sensory objects or one of the five sensory cognitive sensors.

One of the twelve scriptural categories. (1) Buddha's revelations of what has happened in the past or prophesies of what will occur in the future. (2) According to some explanations, scriptures of definitive meaning.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: prophesy; prophesied; taught in scripture; scriptural teaching)

A static state in which an emotional obscuration or a cognitive obscuration has been removed forever from a mental continuum. Equivalent to a true stopping (true cessation). Translated by others as "abandonment."

(Jeffrey Hopkins: abandon; eliminate; give up; dispel; abandonment)

See: pure awareness

See: appearance-making basis rigpa

See: basis rigpa

See: effulgent rigpa

See: essence rigpa

Pure awareness (rigpa) from the point of view of its resultant level as the Dharmakaya of a Buddha.

(1) A karmic cause developing or growing to the point at which it can bear fruit, which means produce its result. This is ripening in its definitional sense. (2) A karmic causal factor on a mental continuum exhausting and finishing its presence there as it produces its fruit.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: ripen; mature; fructify; maturation; ripening; matured; ripened)

A nonobstructive unspecified item conjoined with the mental continuum of a limited being, such as the body, consciousness, and feelings of happiness and unhappiness, and which comes from a ripening cause that was also conjoined with his or her mental continuum.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: fruitional result; fruitional effect)

The process whereby a karmic cause gives rise to its result. See: ripen.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: ripen; mature; fructify; maturation; ripening; matured; ripened)

A destructive or tainted constructive phenomenon that, unless one has rid one's mental continuum forever of craving, has the power to produce the nonobstructive unspecified items contained in the five aggregate factors of future rebirth states, such as the body, the types of consciousness, and the feelings.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: fruitional cause)

See: expiation ritual

See: offering ritual

A specially consecrated torma offered to one's tantric master, inseparable from the Buddha-figure, during a tantra ceremonial round of offering.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: collection; stock; assembly; gathering; group; accumulation; community)

Also called puja. See: offering ritual.

A teacher who instructs one in how to perform Buddhist rituals.

The eighteen primary bodhisattva vows which, if kept purely, act as a root for attaining enlightenment, and which, if fully transgressed, act as a root for rebirth in one of the worse rebirth states.

A transgression of a root bodhisattva or root tantric vow, which, if it is a full transgression, acts as a root for falling to rebirth in one of the worse rebirth states.

See: Kalachakra tantra root downfall

The spiritual teacher that inspires one the most, such that his or her inspiration serves as the root giving sustenance to one's spiritual growth.

See: roots of positive force

(Jeffrey Hopkins: virtuous/wholesome root(s); roots of virtue)

The network of positive force (collection of merit), described from the point of view of it serving as the "root" for one to grow into a Buddha.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: virtuous/wholesome root(s); roots of virtue)

See: roots of positive force

The fourteen primary tantric vows which, if kept purely, act as a root for attaining enlightenment, and which, if fully transgressed, act as a root for rebirth in one of the worse rebirth states.

(1) The scriptural texts that discuss the ethical discipline and vows for the monastic community of monks and nuns. (2) The subject matter discussed in the above texts.

(Jeffrey Hopkins: discipline; monastic discipline; to be tamed; to be trained)

See: Corpus of Forms