Key Words - Mixed themes and papers

• Bodhisattva - In Mahayana Buddhism this is a being destined for enlightenment, who postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help living beings.
• Buddha - An awakened or enlightened person
• Buddhahood - Reaching enlightenment
• Buddha nature - In Mahayana Buddhism this refers to the fundamental nature of all beings which means that all being can become enlightened/reach Buddhahood.
• Buddha rupa - and image or statue of the historical Buddha
• Chanting - singing or rhythmic repetition of a word, prayer or sound
• Concentration - Focusing ones attention ( key for meditation )
• Divine - of or relating to a god, especially the Supreme Being.
• Divine Providence - God's intervention in the Universe. A form of general revelation.
• Enlightenment (Buddhism) - a state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence.
• General revelation - Indirect revelation; the idea of being able to see something of God through nature and scriptures.
• Gompa - Tibetan monasteries associated with studying the dharma.
• Informal worship - A service which does not follow a set text or ritual; sometimes spontaneous orcharismatic.
• Iona - Place of pilgrimage founded by St Columba in the fourth century.
• Kasina - an object used for Samatha meditation to aid mindfulness
• Liturgical worship - a church service which follows a set structure or ritual
• Lord's prayer - the prayer taught to the disciples by Jesus; also known as the 'Our Father' and widely said by Christians in both church services and privately.
• Lourdes - Place of pilgrimage where the Virgin Mary appeared to St Bernadette in a series of visions.
• Mahayana - literally "greater vehicle"; this school of Buddhism focuses on achieving enlightenment for the sake of all beings (Bodhisattva). It is the main school of Buddhism in China, Tibet and Japan.
• Malas - string of beads used as a prayer aid.
• Mantra recitation - A short sequence of words or syllables chanted repititively as a form of meditation.
• Meditation - A 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 (Samadhi)
• Mindfulness breathing - The practice of breathing found in Theravada, Zeb and Tibetan Buddhism.
• Miracle - An event that contradicts the laws of nature
• Monastery - A place where monks live and work, often in a community.
• Nature - the phsyical world
• Non-liturgical worship - A service which does not follow a set text or ritual; sometimes spontaneous or charismatic.
• Omnibenevolent - All loving
• Omnipotent - All powerful
• Omniscient - All knowing
• Pilgrim - Someone who undertakes a pilgrimage.
• Pilgrimage - A religious journey to a holy site/sacred place, it is an act of worship and devotion.
• Prayer - Communicating with God through words of praise, thanksgiving or confession.
• Private worship - A believer giving God praise and worship on their own.
• Puja - The name given to ceremonies that involve meditation, prayer and offerings.
• Retreat - Temporarily leaving one's everyday life and going to special places to aid spiritual development.
• Samatha - Concentration and tranquility. A method of meditation; a state of calmness
• Set prayers - These are prayers written throughout the centuries which many Christians worldwide use.
• Scripture - holy writings
• Shrine 0 A room or part of a room which contains a B uddha rupa, candles, an incense burner and sometimes other offerings.