Caution! This area is under construction. BUDDHISM A TO Z

A Publication of the Buddhist Text Translation Society

© Copyright 1986, revised 1992, by Ron Epstein and the Buddhist Text Translation Society Compiler and Editor: Ron Epstein

Reviewed by: Dharma Master Heng Shun et. al.

Proofreading by: Lin Chia-hui, Rita Lu, et. al. A NEWLY REVISED PRINT EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE::

Ronald B. Epstein, compiler. Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z.

Burlingame, CA: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. *Please send corrections, including broken links, and suggestions for improvements to Prof. Epstein < epstein@sfsu.edu >.

Editor's note:

I have made the following unfinished work available despite some misgivings. I have done so for two main reasons: 1) I think that much of the material may be of value, particularly to students and to others who are not familiar with basic Buddhist teachings; and 2) it has been many years since I have had time to work on this project, so perhaps by making it known, others can consider helping to bring it to completion. Colleagues in the Buddhist Text Translation Society are working on bringing the work to publication, and I am sure that they would welcome assistance. When the print version is published, which hopefully will be in 2002, I shall also try to make that revised version available online.

Sanskrit diacritical marks are still missing, as are many of the Chinese characters. For the characters that are present, a Chinese internet viewer program is needed. (Otherwise the characters appear as unintelligible symbols.)

Ron Epstein



TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Individual Entries: A - Z

Entries by Alphabetical Category:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Introduction

How to Use This Book

List of Introductory Readings

Technical Notes

Abbreviations

Buddhist Text Translation Society

Other References and Bibliography

Non-BTTS References for Entries

List of Individual Entries: A - Z

abbot

Abhidharma

Ajita (Bodhisattva)

Amita (Buddha)

Amitabha (Buddha) see Amita (Buddha)

Amitabha Sutra

Ananda (Venerable)

anuttarasamyaksambodhi

Arhat

Asanga (Bodhisattva)

asankhyeya/asamkhyeya

asura

attachment

Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva)

Avatamsaka Sutra see Flower Adornment Sutra

Avici Hell

Baozi (Chan Master)

Bhikshu

Bhikshuni

blessings

Bodhi

Bodhidharma (Patriarch)

Bodhi resolve, (bringing forth)

Bodhisattva

bowing

Brahma Net Sutra

Budai (Venerable)

Buddha

Buddhaland

Buddha-recitation

Buddha-vehicle see Three Vehicles

Buddhism/Buddhadharma

Buddhist sects

causation

certification

Changzhi (Chan Master)

Changren (Chan Master)

Chan School

City of Ten Thousand Buddhas see Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

compassion

Consciousness-Only School

cosmology

creation

cultivation

Daosheng (Venerable)

demons

Devadatta

dhamma see Dharma/dharma

dharani

Dharani Sutra

Dharma/dharma

Dharma-door

Dharma-Ending Age

Dharma Flower (Lotus) Sutra

Dharma Master

Dharma-protector

Dharma Realm

Dharma-transmission

dhyana see meditation & Four Dhyanas

dhyana-meditation see Six Paramitas

Earth Store (Bodhisattva)

Eight Consciousnesses

Eighteen Realms

Eightfold Division of Ghosts and Spirits

Eightfold Path

Eight Winds

Eighty-Eight Deluded Viewpoints

Eighty-Four Thousand Dharma-Doors

Eighty-One Cognitive Delusions

Eleven Benefits from Making Images of Buddhas

emptiness

enlightenment

expedient Dharmas

faith

false thinking see polluted thoughts

filial piety (respect for all)

Five Contemplations When Eating

Five Desires

Five Eyes

Five Moral Precepts

Five Skandhas

Five Turbidities

Five Types of Buddhist Study and Practice

Flower Adornment Sutra

Four Applications of Mindfulness

Four Dhyanas

Four Formless Realms

fourfold assembly

Four Great Elements

Four Great Vows

Four Holy Truths

Four Stations of Emptiness see Four Formless Realms

Four Unlimited Aspects of Mind

Gautama/Gotama (Buddha)

ghosts

God

gods

Good and Wise Advisor

good roots

Great Compassion Mantra

Great Vehicle see Mahayana and Hinayana Compared

gongfu

Han-Shan and Shr-De (Bodhisattvas)

Heart Sutra

Hearers see Shravaka

heavens see gods

hells

Hinayana see Mahayana and Hinayana Compared

hungry ghosts see Six Paths of Rebirth

Huayan School

Huineng (Chan Master/Patriarch)

ignorance

impermanence

kalpa

karma

Kshitigarbha (Bodhisattva) see Earth Store (Bodhisattva)

Kumarajiva (Tripitaka Master)

liberating living beings

lineage

living beings

lotus posture

Lotus Sutra see Dharma Flower (Lotus) Sutra

love

Madhyamaka see emptiness, Nagarjuna (Bodhisattva)

maha

Mahakashyapa (Venerable)

Mahamaudgalyayana (Venerable)

Mahaparinirvana-Sutra see Nirvana Sutra

Mahasattva

Mahayana Buddhism see Mahayana and Hinayana Compared

Mahayana and Hinayana Compared

Maitreya (Bodhisattva)

mandala

Manjushri (Bodhisattva)

mantra

Mara see demons

meditation

merit/merit and virtue

Middle Way

mindfulness

moral precepts

Nagarjuna (Bodhisattva)

namo

nirvana

Nirvana Sutra

no outflows see outflows

no self

offerings

One Hundred Dharmas

One Thousand Hands and Eyes

ordination

outflows

Pali

paramita

polluted thoughts

prajna

Pratyekabuddha

precepts see moral precepts

pure land

Pure Land School see Five Types of Buddhist Study and Practice

Qingliang Chengguan (National Master)

ranking the teachings

rebirth

refuge with the Three Jewels

relics

repentance

Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

Shakra/Sakra

samadhi

Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva) see Universal Worthy (Bodhisattva)

samsara

Sangha

Sanskrit

Shakyamuni (Buddha)

Shariputra (Venerable)

sharira/sarira see relics

shastra

shramana

Shravaka/Sravaka

Shr-De (Bodhisattva) see Han-Shan and Shr-De (Bodhisattvas)

Shurangama Mantra

Shurangama Sutra

Six Desire Heavens

Six Paramitas

Six Paths of Rebirth

Six Principles of the Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

Six Spiritual Powers

Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra

Small Vehicle see Mahayana and Hinayana Compared

Sound-Hearer see Shravaka

suffering

sutra

Sutra in Forty-Two Sections

Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva

Syu-Yun (Chan Master)

Sywan-Dzang (Tripitaka Master)

Tantric (Esoteric) School see Five Types of Buddhist Study and Practice--Mysteries

Tathagata see Thus Come One

Tathagatagarbha

Ten Dharma Realms

Ten Grounds/Stages of the Path of the Bodhisattva

Ten Titles of a Buddha

Ten Wholesome Deeds

Theravada Buddhism

Thirty-Two Major Phyical Characteristics of a Buddha

Thousand Handed Thousand Eyed Dharani Sutra see Dharani Sutra

Three Aspects of Learning to Be Without Outflows

Three Bodies of a Buddha/Three Types of Buddha-Bodies

Three Jewels

Three Poisons

Three Refuges see refuge with the Three Jewels

Three Realms see Three Worlds

Three Vehicles

Three Worlds

Thus Come One

time

transference of merit

Transformation-bodies

Tripitaka

Tripitaka Master

Tushita Heaven see Six Desire Heavens

Twelvefold Conditioned Arising

Two Vehicles

Tyan-Tai School

Universal Worthy (Bodhisattva)

upasaka

upasika

vajra

Vajra (Diamond) Prajna Paramita Sutra

Vasubandhu (Bodhisattva)

vegetarianism

Vinaya

Vinaya School

vows

Way see Middle Way

Wayplace

world systems

Yogacara see Consciousness-Only School

yojana

Zen see Chan School

Zhi'i (Venerable)

Zhongguo

Return to "Resources for the Study of Buddhism."

Revised May, 2001.