Buddhism Terms

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Samsara

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Pattern of death and renewal

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Siddhartha Gautama

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Also known as Gautama Buddha (after he developed buddhism)

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Buddha

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Enlightened one

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nirvana

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Similar to Moksha, release from desire and suffering, realization of shunyata/emptiness

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karma

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Can backfire in buddhism, cosmic balance

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parinirvana

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nirvana-after-death, term for someone who achieved nirvana in their lifetime, now afterlife

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samsara

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Cycle of death and rebirth

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anitya

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Buddhist idea of impermenance

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sutra

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Buddhist scripture, the "words of buddha"

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abhidharma

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Ancient buddhist texts (3rd CE), scholarly treatises

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vinaya

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Rules for Buddhist monks and nuns

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tripitaka

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3 baskets, collections of scriptures (Vinaya, abhidharma, sutra)

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anatman

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The soul is not permanent, and therefore, no part of me can be said to be "me"

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shunyata

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Absence of being, elements lack own essence

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dharma

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"Duty"

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Rahula

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Buddha's Son

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Theravada

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"Elder Path" - more traditional 'religious' buddhism. Male monks can achieve enlightenment, everyone else just helps them along, more othrodox, common in south, doesn't deify Buddha

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Mahasamghikas

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monks questioning Buddha's role, view him as celestial figure, quesiton if monks can handle money

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Ananda

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Buddha's student, hears Buddhas last words, gives account of his teachings at the 1st Buddhist Council

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bodhi

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"Awakened" - Mahayana Buddhism

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upasaka

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the "Laymen" of buddhism

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Prajapati

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First buddhist nun (bhikshuni) and buddha's aunt

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bhikshu

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Buddhist Monk

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bhikshuni

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Buddhist Nun

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dana

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"giving of necessities", important part of Theravada buddhism

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duhkha

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First noble truth - life is suffering

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arhat

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Theravada Monk who has achieved enlightenment

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bodhisattva

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One able to reach nirvana, but doesn't to aid others in reaching it (Mahayana buddhism), may or may not be enlightened. Vow to save all beings from samsara.

prajna (wisdom or break through knowledge)
karuna (compassion or empathy)
upaya (appropriate action/expertise)

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prajna

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Wisdom or break through knowledge

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karuna

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Compassion/Empathy

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upaya

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Appropriate action, expertise, and experience

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pratityasamutpada

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Broadly- things have lots of causes, and everything is interconnected. Specifically, can be the 12-fold pratityasamutpada

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sangha

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"Community"

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trishna

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thirsting, hankering after (trishna)

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Mahayana

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"Greater Vehicle" - more popular, esp. in western and northern countries, less orthodox

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Vajrayana

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"Third Vehicle" - Common in tibet and japan

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Shuddhodana

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Buddha's father, married to queen Maya

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Yashodhara

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Buddha's wife, fathered Rahula

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Ashoka

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Spread buddhism throughout India, 3rd Century

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Dalai Lama

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Leader of Vajrayana, tibetan buddhism

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upasika

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Laywomen

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Buddha-kshetra

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Aka Buddhafield; "The Buddha Land"; Buddha's sphere of activity