Buddhism

• Anatta

  Belief that there is no fixed self / no soul - one of the three marks of existence
• Anicca

  Impermanence. Belief that nothing is permanent - one of the three marks of existence
• Arhat

  A perfected person - in Theravada Buddhism this is a person who has become enlightened
• Ascetic

  A life free from worldly pleasures, involves giving up material possessions - often has the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals
• Bodhisattva

  In Mahayana Buddhism this is a person destined for enlightenment but postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help others
• Buddha

  • Siddhartha Gautama
  • An awakened or enlightened person
• Buddhahood

  Reaching enlightenment
• Buddha-nature

  In Mahayana Buddhism this is the fundamental nature of all beings, therefore all beings can become enlightened and reach Buddhahood
• Buddha rupa

  An image or statue of the historical Buddha or a being believed to have attained Buddhahood.
• Chanting

  Singing of rhythmic repetition of a word, prayer or sound
• Karuna

  Compassion - sympathy and concern for the suffering of others
• Concentration

  Focusing one's attention - an important part of meditation and mindfulness of breathing
• Consciousness

  Fifth of the five aggregates - that state of being aware of something and your surroundings before or without perception
• Tanha

  Craving - Ongoing state of desire which causes suffering
• Paticcasamupada

  Dependent arising - the belief that everything exists because other things do, everything is interconnected and everyone affects everyone else.
• Dhamma (dharma)

  The teachings of the Buddha, these are the ultimate truth. Can also refer to following the Buddhist path (following the dharma)
• Dhammapada

  A source of wisdom and authority - part of the Pali Canon that includes some of the most famous teachings of the Buddha
• Dukkha

  Suffering - belief that all life includes suffering and unsatisfactoriness, one of the three marks of existence
• Th Eightfold Path (magga)

  The fourth noble truth - known as the middle way - it includes: right view, right intentions, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration
• Energy

  One of the Mahayanan six perfections, making a courageous effort to attain enlightenment
• Enlightenment

  A state of wisdom that enable total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence, achieving enlightenment allows a being to be freed from the cycle of rebirth
• Ethics (sila)


  Moral principles that inform behaviour and attitudes - part of the eightfold path
• The Five Aggregates (skandhas)

  The belief that human beings are composed of five factors - form, sensation, perception, mental formation, consciousness
• The five moral precepts

  Part of Right Action - these include: not taking life, not stealing, not misusing the sense, not lying, not drinking or doing drugs
• Form

  Matter, physical experiences through the sense organs - the first of the five aggregates
• The Four Noble Truths

  Explains the truth about existence, these include: suffering, cause of suffering, end of suffering, the path to the end of suffering
• The Four Sights

  • Old man, Ill man, Dead man, Holy man
  • These sights led Siddhartha to give up his life of luxury, to follow an ascetic life, to find the truth about suffering
• Generosity

  The sincere and selfless desire to benefit others with no expectation of reward - one of the Mahayanan six perfections
• Gompa

  Tibetan monasteries associated with learning and studying the dharma
• Greed

  One of the Three Poisons - the attachment to material things and the ongoing selfish desire for more
• Hate

  One of the three poisons - a feeling of intense dislike, anger and wishing other harm
• Ignorance

  One of the three poisons - the inability to see things as they really are, it is like a veil that prevents us from understanding the truth of dukkha, anicca and anatta
• Kamma (karma)


  Literally 'action'. The belief in cause and effect, intentions and actions will affect the future.
• Loving kindness (metta)

  A key part of Buddhist ethics - a pure love which is selfless and not possessive
• Mantra recitation

  A short sequence of words or syllables chanted repetitively as a form of meditation
• Mahayana

  Literally 'greater vehicle'. Focuses on the achieving enlightenment for the sake of all beings (Bodhisattva)
• Malas

  Strings of beads used as a prayer aid
• Mental Formations

  The fourth of the five aggregates - mental activities which lead a person to do actions and produce karma
• Meditation

  Spiritual experience that opens a person up to the highest state of consciousness - one of the Mahayanan six perfections and part of the eightfold path
• Mindfulness of breathing

  A form of meditation found in Theravada, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. Focuses on the practice of breathing