Arhat "Worthy One," who has attained the highest level of the Hinayana, and who possesses the certainty that all defilements and passions have been extinguished and will not arise again in the future. The arhat attains full extinction immediately following this life.

bhumi Land, ground, level, stage. The ten stages or levels of realization that the Bodhisattva must go through to attain Buddhahood. The ten Bodhisattva Bhumis are (1) the land of joy, (2) the land of purity, (3) the land of radiance, (4) the land of blazing brilliance, (5) the land extremely difficult to conquer, (6) the land of wisdom realization, (7) the land of reaching far, (8) the land of unwavering, (9) the land of good thoughts (here the Bodhisattva knows the nature of all dharmas and expounds the teaching), and (10) the land of dharma clouds.

bodhichitta Bodhi means awakening, while chitta means mind. Thus bodhichitta means the awakening mind; the mind of enlightenment, one of the central notions of Mahayana Buddhism. There are two types of bodhichitta, absolute or ultimate bodhichitta, and relative bodhichitta. The former is the non-dual realization of emptiness inseparable from compassion. The latter is the compassionate mind of the bodhisattvas, which aspire and work to liberate all sentient beings from samsara.

Bodhidharma Tamo in Chinese. ca. 470-543(?); the twenty-eighth patriarch after Shakyamuni Buddha in the Indian lineage and the first Chinese patriarch of Ch'an (Zen). Bodhidharma was the student and dharma successor of the twenty-seventh patriarch Prajnadhara and the teacher of Hui-Ko, whom he installed as the second patriarch of Zen in China. After Bodhidharma was confirmed by Prajnadhara as the 28th patriarch, he travelled by ship from India to south China. After a brief unsuccessful attempt to spread his teaching there, he wandered further to Lo-Yang in north China and finally settled at the Shaolin Monastery on Sung-Shan Mountain. Here he practiced the Unmovable (menbi in Chinese) for nine years until Hui-Ko was accepted as his disciple. see mianbe

bodhisattva Awakening and enlightening being. In Mahayana Buddhism a bodhisattva is a being who seeks buddhahood through the systematic practice of the perfect virtues but renounces complete entry into nirvana until all beings have attained enlightenment.

chakra Circle, wheel. The energetic centers of subtle or refined energy in the human body (astral body). They concentrate, transform, and distribute the energy that streams through them. The chakras are points where soul and body connect with and penetrate each other.

channels Pathways of neural energies within the subtle nervous system of practitioners. These are considered physical. In Taoism the channels include the Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbits. In the Tantric the channels consist of the main central, left and right channels, and are somewhat analogous to the central nervous system of physiology.

Chi Prana in Sanskrit (Indian). Chi is the vital breath, life force, living energy, or electromagnetic energy prevalent in nature and all living beings. Qi is the term used in mainland China.

Chi-Kung It is a system of training that combines mind, body and breath simultaneously. Through practice one can strengthen the internal energy flow and hence heal physical ailments and develop one's inherent potential. Qi Gong is the term used in mainland China.

Dan Tien The energy ocean (field) of our body. It commonly refers to the lower Dan Tien, an important acupuncture point. It is located roughly four (two for female) finger widths below the navel point and one finger width behind the abdominal wall. A finger width is the length of the middle section of the middle finger. The finger width, of course, varies with each individual.

Desire Realm One of the three realms of existence within samsara. It comprises the gods, asuras (demi-gods), humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. It is called the Desire Realm because beings are reborn and experience suffering within this realm due to gross attachment and desire. see Form Realm and Formless Realm.

dharma Truth, law, way, path. The teachings of the Buddha, who recognized and formulated the teaching that expresses the universal truth. The dharma in this sense existed already before the birth of the historical Buddha, Who is no more than the manifestation of it. It is in the dharma in this sense that a Buddhist takes refuge. In other contexts dharma refers to phenomena or mental and physical objects.

dharmakaya One of the three bodies of a Buddha, the ultimate truth body. It corresponds to the mind aspect of the Buddha which is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. It is primordially inherent in all sentient beings and accompanies them through their transmigrations. However, sentient beings cannot recognize it or even acknowledge its existence because of their deluded mind and strong attachment.

dharmadhatu Realm of dharma. According to Hinayana the nature of things, a rule to which they hold. In the Mahayana it is the unborn realm of all-encompassing space in which all things arise, exist, and cease.

drops Chemical essences, a term used most often in Tantric Buddhism. The drops are associated with materials that are the essence of the male and female sexual fluids. In the subtle body, the drops serve as the nodes of subjectivity that focus our primordial awareness. The nodes open up when consciousness has been withdrawn from its gross functions.

Du channel The Du (Governor or back meridian) channel includes twenty-eight acupuncture points. It runs from the Cheng-Jiang point (a point at the back of the anus between the perineum and the coccyx bone) traveling up and along the inner side of the spine into the Crown (Bai Hui point) of the head and terminates at the Yin-Jiao point (a point between the upper lip and the upper gum in the babial frenum). The Du channel is the main Yang (positive energy) channel of the body. see Microcosmic Orbit

emptiness The teaching that the self and all phenomena are empty of, or lack, inherent or independent existence.

Five Visions The five types of eye sight to be attained as spiritual development advances. They are the physical eyes, the divine eye, the wisdom eye, the dharma eye, and the Buddha eye.

Form Realm A god realm where the beings are free from the desires of the Desire Form, but still have attachment to subtler forms and sensations. There is neither taste nor smell in the Form Realm. The beings reborn here have cultivated either various meditative absorptions or the ten wholesome actions. They are huge in "physical size" and live extremely long lives. see Desire Realm and Formless Realm.

Formless Realm The highest god realms, where beings have cut off attachment to both the Desire and Form Realm objects, but are still fixed on the bliss of meditation. They have no tangible bodies since they have transcended form. see Desire Realm and Form Realm.

Four Books Also known as "The Four Shu." The Four Books consist of the books of Four Philosophers, namely, 1) Confucian Analects, 2) The Great Learning, 3) The Doctrines of The Mean, and 4) The Works of Mencius. The Four Books is recognized as one of the highest authority of Chinese Classics.

Four Types of Tathagata Wisdom The four unlimited powers of interpretation or reasoning in 1) the dharma, 2) the meaning of dharma, 3) any language or form of expression of the dharma, and 4) eloquence, pleasure in speaking and argument.

Great Compassionate Water It is a common practice of all Buddhist schools of invoking Kuan- Yin (Avalokitesvara) Bodhisattva's blessing to empower water for healing and cleansing.

Hinayana Small Vehicle; originally a derogatory designation used by the representatives of the Mahayana for early Buddhism. The followers of Hinayana themselves usually refer to their teachings as the Theravada (Teachings of the Elders). Although the virtues of loving-kindness and compassion are taught within the Hinayana, meditation, mindfulness, non-attachment, and strict moral discipline are emphasized as the keys to developing penetrating wisdom, which would lead one to nirvana or the liberation from suffering.

Hui-Neng 638-713, the sixth patriarch of the Ch'an (Zen) school of China. Hui-Neng was one of the most important Ch'an masters. He gave Ch'an, which had hitherto been strongly marked by the traditional Indian Buddhism, a typical Chinese stamp. Thus he is sometimes regarded as the real father of the Ch'an (Zen) tradition. The Southern school of Zen founded by him flourished and brought forth all the important schools and outstanding masters of Zen.

Hung-Jen 601-674; the fifth patriarch of the Zen in China; the dharma successor of Tao-Hsin and the master of Hui-Neng and Shen-Hsiu. According to tradition Hung-Jen met the fourth patriarch at age fourteen and impressed Tao-Hsin by his deep realization of Zen mind.

kalpa Term for an endlessly long period of time. A kalpa is divided into four parts: the arising of a universe, the stabilization of the arisen universe, the demise of that universe, and the returning to emptiness.

karma Action. The universal law that what we experience now is the result of our previous actions; and what we experience in the future will be determined by our current actions. Thus, karma is understood as 1) a mental or physical action; 2) the consequence of a mental or physical action; 3) the sum of all consequences of the actions of an individual in this or some previous lives; and 4) the chain of cause and effect in the world of morality. Karma is subdivided into positive, negative, and neutral depending upon the wholesome, unwholesome and neutral acts.

Koans Public notice, the Chinese Kung-an (koan) originally meant a legal case constituting a precedent. In Zen a koan is a phrase from a sutra or teaching on Zen realization, an episode from the life of an ancient master, whatever the source, each points to the nature of ultimate reality. Essential to a koan is paradox, i.e., that which is beyond thinking, which transcends the logical or conceptual. Thus, since it cannot be solved by reasoning, a koan is not a riddle. Solving a koan requires a leap to another level of comprehension.

Law of Causality Cause and effect. Every cause has its effect, as every effect arises from a cause.

Macrocosmic Orbit Also known as the Large Heavenly Cycle. The pathway of the Macrocosmic Orbit consists of the Microcosmic Orbit, the Twelve Channels (a system of twelve bilateral energy pathways through the body), and the Eight Extra Channels (these are more subtle energy channels of the body).

mianbi Facing the wall, a Zen expression which refers to the practice that Bodhidharma spent nine years in a sitting absorption meditation at Shaolin Monastery. The expression mianbe should not be understood as describing the outer appearance of the practice. The inner meaning is to let the practitioner face a situation where he/she is unable to make a "single step forward", as though he/she were standing in front of a massive wall. The situation and the despair arising from it can bring the practitioner to the point where he/she finally lets go of all thoughts, wishes, concepts, and goals and in a sudden intuitive leap breaks through the wall, i.e., realizes that such a wall never exists. see Bodhidharma

Microcosmic Orbit Also known as the Small Heavenly Cycle. The pathway of the Microcosmic Orbit consists of two major channels: the Ren and the Du channels. To connect the two channels the tip of the tongue should lightly touch the upper palate of the mouth. Once these two major channels are cleared and connected, the vital Chi energy circulation will be enhanced throughout the entire body. see Macrocosmic Orbit; Du and Ren channels

Mahayana Great Vehicle. It is one of the two great schools of Buddhism, the other being Hinayana. The Mahayana arose in the first century before the common era. It opens the way of liberation to a great number of people and expresses the intention to liberate all beings. The aspiration is characterized by the path of the bodhisattva. By following it the goal of Buddhahood or the total spiritual awakening, equal to that of the historical Buddha, can be attained.

Mahayana Zengong It is a progressive and systematic teaching which is mainly based on the practices of the Zen school. It includes mind development and physiological cultivation. The contents of the teaching and benefits of practicing it are described in great detail in this book.

mudra Gesture, seal, sign, symbol. Mudra general refers to the hand gestures during Vajrayana practices that symbolize the qualities and actions related to a specific Buddha, Bodhisattva, or Dharma Protector. Thus mudra supports mantra and samadhi in the process of invoking the enlightened beings.

Paramita see Six Paramitas

Pratyekabuddha "Solitary awakened one," who due to insight into the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination has attained enlightenment on his own and only for himself/herself. In the levels of sainthood, pratyekabuddha is placed between the arhats and the buddhas who have attained complete enlightenment. Sometimes this term is also applied to enlightened ones who live in a time when there is no buddhas.

Pureland Often refers to the buddha field of Buddha Amitabha, known as the Pureland of Ultimate Bliss. But it also refers to other buddha fields, or pure places where Buddhas abide. Beings of the Pureland are free from defilements and suffering. It is completely opposite to our world.

Qi, Qi Gong see Chi, Chi Kung

refuge One formally becomes a buddhist when one takes refuge in the Three Jewels; the Buddha as the teacher or guide, the Dharma as the teaching or path, and the Sangha as one's companions on the spiritual journey. In Tantra, one adds taking refuge in the Three Roots: the guru as the root of all blessings, the yidam as the root of all attainments, and the Dharma Protectors as the root of all enlightened activity. In Mahayana Zengong, one adds taking refuge to the Self- nature.

Ren channel The Ren (Conception or front meridian) channel includes twenty-four acupuncture points. It runs from the Cheng-Chiang point (a point at the back of the upper palate of the mouth) traveling down the front of the body and terminates at the Hui-Yin point (also called perineum). The Hui-Yin point is located between the anus and the testicles (for a male) or between the anus and the back of the labium (for a female). The Ren channels is the main Yin (negative energy) channel of the body. see microcosmic orbit

Samadhi Meditative concentration or absorption. A state when the meditation and the mind of the meditator become inseparable. It includes the practices of tranquility and insight.

Samsara Cyclic existence, wheel of life and death. In the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth this present life is but a single instance. Samsara is the state of ordinary beings that experience suffering in the six realms of transmigratory existence due to primordial ignorance.

self It is the reflexive pronoun made into an entity, the ego of individual existence. The deluded beings strongly hold to the idea of self as an absolute, fixed, intrinsically identifiable identity which Buddha Shakyamuni called mis-knowledge. That is the source of all suffering. However, the Buddha often refers to the self who should assume the responsibility for the individual's fate. see selflessness

selflessness There are two kinds of identity, the subjective selflessness and objective selflessness. The former is the reality of our not having fixed, substantial selves. It is the absence of a solid, unchanging core of self. A synonym of objective selflessness is emptiness or voidness, which is not a realm of blankness, but the fact that things are empty of intrinsic reality, void of intrinsic identity. see self and Self-nature

Shen-Hsiu 605-706; one of the principal disciples of Hung-Jen, the fifth patriarch of the Zen school. Shen- Hsiu founded the Northern school of Ch'an (Zen), in which the Zen of earlier patriarchs survived for a few more generations. Shen-Hsiu was a Confucian scholar endowed with great intelligence. Driven by inner frustration he turned to Buddhism at approximately forty-six years of age. Shen-Hsiu was already over ninety years old and well known as an outstanding Zen master and an advocate of strict Unmovable (menbi) practice when Empress Wu summoned him to the imperial court.

Six Paramitas Also known as Six Perfections or Six Transcendent Virtues. Cultivation of the six paramitas is the basis of the Mahayana, the path of the Bodhisattva. The six paramitas are generosity, ethics or moral disciplines, patience, joyous effort or diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom.

six realms of existence The six dimensions of samsaric existence within the Desire Realm, namely, the gods, demi-gods (asuras), humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings. The first three worlds are known as the upper realms of samsara, and the last three are known as the lower realms. see Desire Realm.

Six Supernatural Powers The powers obtained by Bodhisattvas above the third Bhumi. The six supernatural powers are 1) the divine sight, 2) the divine hearing, 3) knowledge of others' minds, 4) the abilities to perform miracles, 5) knowing former and future lives, and 6) perfect knowledge of all things.

Six Wonderful Ways of Dhyana One of the important works of Chih-I (538-597), the founder of Tien-Tai school of Chinese Buddhism. The Six Wonderful Ways of Dhyana consist of six progressive meditation methods: the breath-counting, the breath-following, dwelling in tranquility, the insight, the transformation of consciousness to wisdom, and the tranquility to nirvana methods.

soul That which is the deepest personal essence of a living being, which journeys from life to life and takes rebirth, and which becomes enlightened finally. The extremely subtle body-mind qualifies as the soul of the being who is undergoing the death, birth, or liberation.

sugatagarbha essence Sugata is another term for a Buddha. The essence of sugatagarbha is often equated with the Buddha nature, the true nature of mind, the Self-nature, the absolute Truth, and the True Reality. It is primordially pure, clear, wakeful, and luminous.

sutra The recorded discourses attributed to Buddha Shakyamuni. Sutra can also refer to the "causal path," as compared to tantra, the "result path." see tripitaka.

tantra Tantra generally refers to the fundamental texts of the Vajrayana, and to the systems of meditation described therein. Because of its many skillful methods of practice, tantric Buddhism is often called "the short path" to enlightenment. It is possible to attain complete Buddhahood in one lifetime through tantra.

Ten Wisdom Forces of Buddhas Giving complete knowledge of 1) what is right or wrong in every condition; 2) what is the karma of every being, past, present, and future; 3) all stages of dhyana liberation and samadhi; 4) the powers and faculties of all beings; 5) the desires or moral direction of every being; 6) the actual condition of every individual; 7) the direction and consequences of all laws; 8) all causes of morality and of good and evil in their reality; 9) the end of all beings and nirvana; and 10) the destruction of all illusion of every kind.

Three Jewels The three objects of refuge are the Buddha or awakened teacher, the Dharma or teachings, and the Sangha or community of fellow practitioners. These three form the essential basis for successful spiritual practice.

Three Insights The powers obtained by Arhats. The three insights are 1) insight into the mortal conditions of the self and others in previous lives, 2) divine insight into future mortal conditions, and 3) nirvana insight of the present mortal sufferings so as to overcome all passions or temptations.

Three Knowledges In this context the Three Knowledges refer to three of the six supernatural powers. They are 1) the divine sight, 2) knowledge of former and future lives, and 3) perfect knowledge of all things.

three minds and four appearances According to the Diamond Sutra the three minds refer to the mind of the past, the present, and the future. The four appearances refer to one's own ego-selfness, the ego-selfness of another, the ego-selfness of sentient beings, and the eternal life of ego-selfness

three poisons Greed, hatred or aversion, and ignorance. Buddha taught that from these three all the suffering of samsara arises.

three Realms The Desire, Form, and Formless Realms. The three realms consist of a total of twenty-eight heavens.

tripitaka Three baskets of the buddhist scriptures. It consists of abhidharma, vinaya, and sutra.

vinaya One of the "Three Baskets" of Buddhist scriptures. The vinaya deals with Buddhist ethics and rules of conduct governing the life of the Sangha. The bulk of the vinaya pertains to monks and nuns, but it also contains precepts, teachings, and advice for lay people.

winds Winds in Tantric Buddhism are equivalent to Chi in Taoism. In the subtle body winds serve as the energies that move things and cause transformations of experience.

Zen see the chapter of Questions and Answers

Arhat "Worthy One," who has attained the highest level of the Hinayana, and who possesses the certainty that all defilements and passions have been extinguished and will not arise again in the future. The arhat attains full extinction immediately following this life.

Four Great Books

kalpa Term for an endlessly long period of time. A kalpa is divided into four parts: the arising of a universe, the stabilization of the arisen universe, the demise of that universe, and the returning to emptiness.

Pratyekabuddha "Solitary awakened one," who due to insight into the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination has attained enlightenment on his own and only for himself/herself. In the levels of sainthood, pratyekabuddha is placed between the arhats and the buddhas who have attained complete enlightenment. Sometimes this term is also applied to enlightened ones who live in a time when there is no buddhas.

Three Knowledges In this context the Three Knowledges refer to three of the six supernatural powers. They are 1) the divine sight, 2) knowledge of former and future lives, and 3) perfect knowledge of all things.