Protectors of the [Sacred] Teachings chos-skyong/srung-ma, Skt. dharmapāla
There are two main categories of protectors: 1) supramundane protectors, such as Mahākāla, Ekajaṭῑ, Dorje Lekpa, and Rāhula, who are the wrathful manifestations of enlightened beings; and 2) worldly protectors, many of whom were originally malevolent forces who were subdued by accomplished masters such as Padmasambhava and then assigned to protect the teachings. In both cases their activity is to protect the sacred teachings and its sincere practitioners from obstacles.
Provisional Meaning drang-don, Skt. neyārtha
See under Definitive Meaning.
Pure Illusory Body dag-pa’i sgyu-lus
See Illusory Body.
Pure Realm
See Buddha Field.
Pure Realm of the Sky-farers dag-pa’i mkha’-spyod-kyi zhing, Skt. khecarῑkṣetra
The pure realm or fields of the sky-farers represents the level on which the awareness-holders (vidyādhara) are said to abide.
Pure Vision/Perception dag-pa’i snang-ba
In the terminology of the Nyingma school, the expression ‘pure vision’ frequently refers to a type of revelation, through which meditational deities or accomplished masters of the past appear in a vision to impart their teachings. This mode of pure vision, therefore, has some affinity with the revelations of the treasures (gter-ma). More generally, ‘pure vision’ denotes the purity of perception of meditational deities, symbolically represented by their respective maṇḍalas, which is cultivated in the generation stage of meditation. However, the Tibetan equivalent dag-pa’i snang-ba is also used colloquially to mean a ‘positive perspective’ or ‘positive outlook’ on life.
Purification sbyong-ba, Skt. śodhana
The verb ‘to purify’ has two distinct meanings in a Buddhist context. Firstly, purification can refer simply to the purification of non-virtuous habits or dissonant mental states, etc., in which the objects of purification are, without qualification, totally eradicated from one’s mental continuum. In the second meaning, which arises more in the context of tantra, the term ‘purification’ has rather different implications. Here, the significance of the word is understood in terms of transmutation from an impure, polluted state into an unstained, purified state. This process is exemplified by the practices related to Carrying the Three Buddha-bodies on to the Path (sKu-gsum lam-’khyer). In this context, the phases of ordinary death, intermediate state, and rebirth when experienced choicelessly as a result of one’s past actions, are the bases of purification. The meditations on the Three Buddha-bodies are the purifying paths and the accomplishments of the Buddha-body of Reality, the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource, and the Buddha-body of Emanation are the purified results.
Purification of the Lower Realms ngan-song sbyong-ba, Skt. durgatipariśodhana
This is the Tantra of the Purification of the Lower Realms (Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatantra ), which is recited to assist the deceased in avoiding the pitfalls of rebirth as a sentient being trapped in the three lower existences.
Quiescence zhi-ba, Skt. śānti
This is a synonym for the quiescent state of nirvāṇa, in which all dissonant mental states and misconceptions concerning actual reality have ended, and rebirth in cyclic existence no longer occurs. As such, it is the antithesis of the rebirth process (srid-pa). See also under nirvāṇa.
Rainbow Light [Body] ’ja’-lus
The appearance of rainbow light at the time of death is indicative of the deceased’s adeptness in the practices of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa chen-po) or in certain other perfection stage practices. There are many incidents recorded in Tibetan biographical literature concerning the attainment of the rainbow-light body at the time of death. On occasions when this attainment is residual, the physical body will shrink dramatically or vanish into light, leaving only the hair or fingernails of the deceased’s physical form behind. However, when there is no residue, the entire physical form will vanish into light. In these latter cases, the body of rainbow light (’ja’-lus) or body of light (’od-kyi sku) is equivalent to the attainment of the Buddha-body of Great Transformation (Skt. mahāsaṃkrāntikāya, Tib. ’pho-ba chen-po’i sku). See Buddha-body.
Ratna Family rin-chen rigs, Skt. ratnakula
One of the five enlightened families (pañcakula) into which the meditational deities of the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource are subdivided. The deities of the Ratna family include the peaceful buddhas Ratnasambhava and Māmakῑ and the corresponding wrathful aspects Ratna Heruka and Ratnakrodheśvarῑ. See Appendix Two.
Realisation rtogs-pa, Skt. adhigama
This refers to the spiritual experiences that a practitioner gains through insight into and transformation of the mental continuum whilst on the path to enlightenment, and to the resultant attainment of liberation or buddhahood.
Reality chos-nyid, Skt. dharmatā
In our text the term ‘reality’ has been used interchangeably with ‘actual reality’. See Actual Reality.
Reality’s Expanse chos-dbyings, Skt. dharmadhātu
See Expanse of [Actual] Reality.
Refuge skyabs-’gro, Skt. śaraṇagamana
This term in Buddhist usage indicates the act of entrusting one’s spiritual growth and well-being to the Three Precious Jewels. The Three Precious Jewels are the objects of refuge, and the nature of the refuge sought from each of the three differs. In the Buddha, the fully enlightened teacher, guidance on a correct path to buddahood is sought; in the sacred teachings, the realisations of the path are sought; and in the monastic/supreme community (saṅgha) perfect companionship on the path to buddhahood is sought. The successful taking of refuge in the Three Precious Jewels requires the following two conditions: a) a genuine anxiety in the face of the potential for future suffering and b) a genuine confidence in the capacity of the Three Precious Jewels to offer protection from these potential sufferings. In the context of our text, the act of going for refuge constitutes the first of the five uncommon preliminary practices (thun-min sngon-’gro). Here, the three levels of refuge are recognised: the outer refuge (phyi’i skyabs-’gro), which is taken in the Buddha, the sacred teachings and the monastic community; the inner refuge (nang-gi skyabs-’gro), which is taken in the spiritual teacher, the meditational deity and the ḍākinῑ and the secret refuge (gsang-ba’i skyabs-’gro), which is taken in the Buddha-body of Reality, the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource and the Buddha-body of Emanation.
Relative Truth kun-rdzob bden-pa, Skt. samvṛtisatya
See under Two Truths.
Relics gdung/ring-srel
See under Bone Relics.
Renunciation nges-’byung/spang-ba, Skt. naiṣkramya/prahāṇa
The English term renunciation translates both the Tibetan terms nges-’byung and spang-ba. In the former sense, renunciation refers to Sākyamuni Buddha’s renunciation of the household life and it is defined as a mental attitude free from impulsive clinging to all worldly attributes such as wealth, fame, position and the thought of a favourable rebirth in a future life. It is only on the basis of such an attitude that the practitioner can spontaneously generate a genuine wish to be free from cyclic existence. Hence the real meaning of renunciation lies not just in mere physical separation from objects of desire but more importantly in a quality of mental liberation which is free from even the slightest degree of craving for mundane values. The Tibetan word nges-’byung literally means a ‘definite emergence’, indicating a definite emergence from the bonds of our normally narrow-minded attachment to worldly pleasures. In the latter sense (Skt. prahāṇa), renunciation refers to the four correct trainings which are included among the thirty-seven aspects of the path to enlightenment (bodhipakṣikadharma) cultivated by those aspiring to enlightenment, namely: 1) to not develop non-virtuous actions which have not arisen, 2) to renounce non-virtuous actions which have arisen, 3) to develop virtuous actions which have not arisen, and 4) to not renounce virtuous actions which have arisen.
Rinpoche rin-po-che
This term literally means ‘high in value or esteem’, and in ordinary language indicates a precious jewel. By extension, in Tibetan Buddhism, the term has come to refer to an incarnate master who is ‘high in value’ or ‘most precious’. Accordingly, the title ‘Rinpoche’ is widely used by Tibetans to refer to any incarnate spiritual teacher. See Tulku.
Rite for Affirmation of Vows ’bogs-chog
The rite for the affirmation of vows is that through which the ability to fulfil and restore impaired commitments taken in association with the tantras is transferred.
Rites of Enrichment, Pacification, Subjugation and Wrath zhi rgyas dbang drag-gi las
See Four Aspects of Enlightened Activity.
Rites of ‘Liberation’ sgrol-ba
The rites of ‘liberation’ refers to practices, only to be applied by accomplished masters who have attained proficiency in consciousness transference, which end the life of a hostile being who is wholly intent on vicious negative activities. The consciousness of the harmful being is compassionately transferred to a realm of higher rebirth thus freeing him or her from the inevitable consequences of their future and past actions.
Ritual Officiant las-mkhan, Skt. karmācārya
The ritual officiant is the one who leads the students into the presence of a spiritual teacher at the time when empowerment is conferred, covering the students’ eyes with a red blindfold and placing a flower and a vajra in their hands.
Ritual Service bsnyen-pa, Skt. sevā
See Four Aspects of Ritual Service and Means for Attainment.
Rosary phreng-ba, Skt. mālā
The Tibetan rosary generally has one hundred and eight beads, and is used for the counting of mantra recitations.
Rudra ru-dra
As expounded, for example, in the Sūtra which Gathers All Intentions (mDo dgongs-pa ’dus-pa) and later treasure (gter-ma) revelations as well, Rudra is the embodiment of rampant egohood, a being who assumed a powerful malevolent form, having misapplied the practice of the tantras in a previous life, and who was consequently subdued by the wrathful means of the buddhas Hayagrῑva or Mahottara Heruka. The metaphor illustrates the origins of the outer attributes of the wrathful deities, who are in essence the peaceful deities, but who adopted the outer terrifying characteristics of Rudra in order to actively confront deep-seated egohood. The metaphor illustrates that the wrathful deities represent the spontaneous process of transformation of the outer deluded state to its actual or enlightened nature.
Sacred Substances rdzas, Skt. dravya
According to the tantras, ritual substances or articles are employed in order to symbolise the bond between the practitioner and the meditational deity and in some cases these actually symbolise the meditational deities or their attributes. In the context of an empowerment ceremony, symbolic implements, such as the vajra and bell, or diadem, vase and so on are known as sacred substances of empowerment (dbang-rdzas).
[Sacred] Teachings [dam-pa’i] chos, Skt. [sad]dharma
The Sanskrit term dharma carries a very broad range of meanings, derived from the Sanskrit word dhṛ, meaning ‘to hold’. The Tibetan equivalent chos literally means ‘change’ or ‘transformation’, and refers both to the process of spiritual transformation and to the transformed result. Ten classical definitions of dharma are given by Vasubandhu in his Rational System of Exposition (Vyākhyāyukti), namely: phenomenon, path leading to enlightenment, attainment of enlightenment, object of consciousness, merit, living thing, scripture, material thing, regulation, and spiritual tradition. In terms of the spiritual tradition of Buddhism, the term refers specifically to the second of the Three Precious Jewels (Skt. triratna), i.e. to the sacred teachings. See Transmission.
Sakya sa-skya
One of the four principal schools of Tibetan Buddhism, named after a monastery of the same name which was founded by Khon Konchok Gyalpo in the eleventh century in western Tibet, at a site which has a slightly whitish rock surface. Sakya literally means ‘pale earth’. The widespread influence of the early Sakya masters soon evolved into a whole new school of Tibetan Buddhism, the school reaching its full maturity during the time of the Sachen Gongma Nga, the five great founders of Sakya, and in particular through the influence of perhaps the greatest of these, Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyaltsen. The essence of the Sakya school’s thought and practice is enshrined in the sets of instructions called ‘the path and its fruit’ (lam-’bras).
Śākyamuni Buddha śākya thub-pa
Our historical buddha, who is considered to have been the fourth supreme Buddha-body of Emanation to have appeared during this particular aeon (in which context Maitreya is regarded as the fifth or future buddha). The Buddha Sākyamuni is considered by historians to have lived in the sixth century BC and is credited, according to Buddhist tradition, as the progenitor of all the contemporary Buddhist lineages relating to the sūtras and certain of those related to the tantras, and for the establishment of the early Buddhist monastic community.
Śākyasiṃha śākya senge
An epithet of Śākyamuni Buddha.
Sal Tree shing sā-la
A tall tree (Vatica robusta) indigenous to the Indian subcontinent, with wide branches and thick foliage.
Samantabhadra kun-tu bzang-po
The male buddha Samantabhadra is the foremost figure in the assembly of the forty-two peaceful deities. It is important to differentiate the male buddha Samantabhadra from the male bodhisattva Samantabhadra. See below and Appendix Two.
Samantabhadra (bodhisattva) byang-sems kun-tu bzang-po
The male bodhisattva Samantabhadra is one of the four outer male bodhisattvas among the forty-two peaceful deities. See Appendix Two.
SAMAYA rgya rgya rgya
Certain chapters of the present work end with these words of admonition that the seal of commitment (samayamudrā), through which buddha-mind is secured, is to be resolutely applied by those who receive the teaching. See Seal and Commitment.
Saṃsāra ’khor-ba
See Cyclic Existence.
Śāntarakṣita zhi-ba’i ’tsho / mkhan-po bo-dhi-sattva
A monastic preceptor and exponent of Madhyamaka philosophy from Zahor, who officiated at the great Nālandā Monastic University in India before his arrival in Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Detsen during the eighth century. In Tibet, he was responsible together with King Trisong Detsen and Padmasambhava for the construction of Samye Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery to be built in Tibet. King Trisong Detsen, Padmasambhava and Śāntarakṣita jointly established Buddhism as the state religion of Tibet. Śāntarakṣita is the author of a highly influential encyclopaedic work on classical Indian philosophies entitled Tattvasaṃgraha and a short, but influential, work on Madhyamaka known as Ornament of the Middle Way (Madhyamakālaṃkāra).
Seal phyag-rgya, Skt. mudrā
According to the sūtras, the word ‘seal’ denotes a secure realisation of emptiness. In the tantras it refers to the various hand-gestures which accompany the recitation of mantras, and by extension refers also to the meditational deity’s symbolic hand-emblem (phyag-mtshan) - the vajra, bell and so forth. In this context therefore the seals are the resonance of buddha-body. Furthermore, in the Yogatantras, in particular, there are four seals which secure the aspects of mundane consciousness (vijñāna) as their corresponding aspects of pristine cognition (jñāna): among them, the great seal (mahāmudrā) of buddha-body secures the ground-of-all consciousness (ālayavijñāna) as the mirror-like pristine cognition (ādarśajñāna); the seal of the sacred teachings (dharmamudrā) of buddha-speech secures the mental consciousness (manovijñāna) as the pristine cognition of discernment (pratyavekṣaṇajñāna); the seal of commitment (samayamudrā) of buddha-mind secures the deluded consciousness (kliṣṭamanovijñāna) as the pristine cognition of sameness (samatājñāna); and the seal of action (karmamudrā) of buddha-activity secures the five sensory consciousnesses (pañcadvāravijñāna) as the pristine c
ognition of accomplishment (kṛtyupasthānajñāna). Then, according to Mahāyoga, in the perfection stage of mediation, when the practices of sexual yoga (sbyor-ba) are applied in order to actualise the union of great bliss (mahāsukha) and emptiness, the term ‘action seal’ (karmamudrā) denotes an actual sexual partner, while the term ‘seal of pristine cognition’ (jñānamudrā), by contrast, denotes a mentally visualised consort. For a description of the meditative tradition known as Mahāmudrā see under Great Seal.
Secret Mantra gsang-sngags, Skt. guhyamantra
See Mantra.
Seed-syllable yig-’bru, Skt. bῑjākṣara Generally this refers to Sanskrit syllables or letters visualised as the quintessential basis from which arise the forms of meditational deities in the practices of the Vehicle of Indestructible Reality. Often these letters or syllables are the first letter of the name of the deities themselves, or syllables or letters that are associated with specific enlightened families. So, for example, in the case of many of the deities belonging to the Vajra family of Aksobhya, they are visualised as arising from the letter HŪṂ, while for deities belonging to the Padma family, the letter ĀḤ is often utilised, and so on.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead Page 59
