buddhist ethics

• Kamma

  Literally 'action'. Deliberate actions that affect the believer's circumstances in this and future lives; cause and effect.
• Karma

  The belief that actions in this life, whether good or bad, will decide your place in the next life.
• Skilful

  Good, ethical actions or behaviour.
• Unskilful


  Bad, unethical actions of behaviour.
• The Six Realms of Rebirth

  The gods, the angry gods, animals, tormented beings, hungry ghosts and humans.
• Human Realm

  The best realm for reaching enlightenment.
• Karuna


  Compassion.
• Four Sublime States

  The four qualities of love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity which the Buddha taught that Buddhists should develop.
• Equanimity

  Staying stable and calm in the face of happiness and suffering.
• Rokpa

  A Tibetan word meaning 'help' or 'friend'. Name of a charity motivated by acting compassionately towards others.
• Metta

  Loving Kindness. The desire for others to be happy.
• Bodhisattva

  Mahayana Buddhists believe compassion is an essential quality to achieving Bodhisattva (delaying Nirbanna to help others).