Zen Wisdom 349

GLOSSARY

• AGAMAS:
  A collection of Hinayana teachings. The Four Agamas are distinguished as: Dirghagama (long), Madhyamagama (medium), Samyuktagama (miscellaneous) and Ekottaragama (numerical).
  
• AMITABHA BUDDHA:
  The Buddha of the Western Paradise of the Pure Land sect. See "PURE LAND."
  
• ARHAT:
  ("noble one") In Buddhist tradition, especially Theravadin, the arhat has completed the course of Buddhist practice, and has attained full liberation, or nirvana. As such the arhat is no longer subject to rebirth and death. The Mahayana tradition regards the arhat as a less than perfect ideal, in comparison to that of the bodhisattva who vows to postpone his own liberation until all sentient beings are delivered. See "BODHISATTVA"
  
• AVATAMSAKA SUTRA:
  A massive Mahayana Buddhist sutra translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in the fifth century, seventh century, and early ninth century. The sutra became quite popular among Chinese Buddhists and eventually became the basis of the Hua-yen philosophical school. The Ch'an school has always held it in especially high regard.
  
• AVICI:
  The last of the eight hells in which suffering continues without termination.
  

• BHUMI:
  The bhumis (earth, region, plane or level) are the stages of the bodhisattva's career on his way to enlightenment.
  
• BODHI:
  Enlightenment; function of wisdom.
  
• BODHI-MIND:
  (Sanskrit: bodhicitta, "mind of awakening") In the Mahayana tradition, the aspiration for enlightenment in behalf of all sentient beings. Giving rise to the Bodhi-mind is the first step in establishing oneself on the Bodhisattva Path.
  
• BODHISATTVA:
  The role model in the Mahayana tradition. The bodhisattva is a being who vows to remain in the world life after life, postponing his own full liberation until all other living beings are delivered.
  
• BUDDHA:
  The Supremely Enlightened One. See "THREE JEWELS."
  
• BUDDHADHARMA:
  The truths and teaching of Buddhism; the Dharma as taught by the Buddha. See "DHARMA.
  

• CH'AN:
  (Japanese: zen) The Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit word dhyana. Generally, the term refers to the cultivation or experience of meditative states as means for attaining enlightenment. Specifically, the term refers to the school of Chinese Buddhism known as "Ch'an." In this context Ch'an also refers to the direct experience of prajna, or insight. Being within the Mahayana tradition, the Ch'an school, while emphasizing meditation, took the bodhisattva ideal as the realization of Buddhist practice. In Japan, the practice and school became known as "Zen."
  

• DHARMA:
  Dharma has two basic meanings. On the one hand, it means the Buddhist "Law" or 'Teaching." One the other hand dharma simply refers to a "thing" or "object, " a physical or mental phenomenon. See "THREE JEWELS."
  
• DHARMA BODY:
  (Dharmakaya) One of the three bodies of the Buddha: the body of ultimate truth.
  
• DHYANA:
  A Sanskrit term designating certain states of meditative absorption cultivated by Buddhist practitioners as a technique for attaining enlightenment. See "CH'AN."
  
• DIAMOND SUTRA:
  (Sanskrit: Vajracchedika sutra) A sutra belonging to the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) system of literature, which expounds on the ultimate truth of emptiness. With the Heart Sutra, it is one of the most important scriptures in the Ch'an (and Zen) schools.
  

• HINAYANA:
  The "lesser vehicle" of the sravakas (hearers of Buddha's teaching) and arhats who strive mainly for their own personal liberation. In contrast, Mahayana, or the "great vehicle, " is the broader teaching of the bodhisattva who, out of compassion, puts his own salvation last and uses all available means to save sentient beings. (Hinayana is sometimes used to refer to Theravada, the form of Buddhism practiced in Southeast Asian countries.)
  
• HUA-T'OU:
  (Japanese: wato) Literally, the source of the words (before they are uttered), a method used in the Ch'an school to arouse the doubt sensation. The practitioner meditates on such baffling questions as: "What is Wu?" "Where am I?" or "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" He does not rely on experience, logic, or reasoning. Often, these phrases are taken from kung-ans, at other times, they are spontaneously generated by the practitioner. The term "hua-t'ou" is often used interchangeably with "kung-an." See "KUNG-AN."
  
• HUA-YEN:
  schools of Chinese Buddhism. The fundamental teaching of this school is the equality of all things and the dependence of all things on one another.
  

• INCENSE BOARD:
  (Chinese: hsiang-pan; Japanese: kyosaku) A long, flat board used in the meditation hall to hit dozing practitioners or to help provide the final impetus to realization for those who are "ripe."
  

• KARMA:
  Basically, the law of cause and effect, to which all sentient beings, indeed, all things, are subject. Also, the cumulative causal situation affecting one's destiny as a result of past acts, thoughts, emotions.
  
• KARMIC AFFINITY:
  A bond or connection between people due to a relationship (either good or bad) formed in a previous life. Frequently such an affinity is discussed in terms of "causes and conditions." Cause focuses on the specific karmic disposition of the individual; conditions refer to the nexus of causes that make up his situation.
  
• KARMIC OBSTRUCTIONS:
  Hindrances to one's practice or life arising specifically as a result of deeds performed in this life or in past lives.
  
• KSITIGARBHARAJA:
  (Chinese: Ti-tsang, "earth store") Bodhisattva known for his great vows to liberate all sentient beings, even descending into the hell realm in order to lead the beings there out of suffering.
  
• KUAN-YIN:
  (Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara, "the lord who looks down") Literally, "he/she who observes the sounds, " the Great Bodhisattva of Compassion who hears and responds to the cries of all living beings. Avalokitesvara can be both male and female, but in China is usually depicted in the female form of Kuan-yin.
  
• KUNG-AN:
  (Japanese:koan) Literally, a "public case, " as in a law case. Ch'an method of meditation in which the practitioner energetically and singlemindedly pursues the answer to an enigmatic question posed by his master, or which arises spontaneously. The question can only be answered by abandoning logic and reasoning, and by intuitively resolving the "doubt sensation" that gave rise to the question. Famous kung-an encounters were recorded and used by masters to test their disciples' understanding, or to arouse in them the enlightenment experience. The term "kung-an" is often used interchangeably with "hua-t'ou." See "HUA-T'OU."
  

• LOTUS SUTRA:
  (Sanskrit: Saddharmapundarika sutra, "the Sutra of the Lotus of the True Dharma") One of the earliest and most influential scriptures in the Mahayana, translated six times into Chinese between 255-601 A.D., the Lotus Sutra describes the bodhisattva ideal, and holds that the perfect vehicle to ultimate liberation is the Great Vehicle, the Mahayana.