Saṃsāra

'khor ba, khorwa

(conditioned) cyclic existence

Saṅgha

dge ’dun, gendün

Those Who Aspire for Virtue; holy community

Siddha

grub thob, drubthop

Adept or accomplished yogic practitioner

Siddhi

dngos grub, ngödrub

Spiritual power, yogic accomplishment, realization

Sikṣā

bslab bya, labja

precepts for training

Sthāpyabhāvanā

’jog sgom, jokgom

settling meditation

Sudhana

gzhon nu nor zang, Zhönu Norzang

The Merchant’s Son, who became a highly realized bodhisattva

Sugata

bde bar gshegs pa, dewar shekpa

One Gone to Bliss

Sukhāvatī

bde ba can, Dewachen

Pure land of Buddha Amitābha

Svabhāvikakāya

ngo bo nyid sku, ngowo nyiku

essence body

Svātantrika

rang rgyud pa, rangyüpa

Autonomists

Sādhanā

sgrub thabs, drubthab

“Means of Accomplishment”; liturgic text of Vajrayāna Buddhism

Sūtra

mdo, do

discourse; Buddha’s word

Sūtra

mdo, do

“Buddha’s Word”; Buddhist texts which are said to contain Buddha’s direct teachings

Tathāgata

de bzhin gshegs pa, Dezhin Shegpa

“Thus-gone one”; an epithet of the Buddha

Tri-stub

gsum sngags, sum ngag

“Tri-praise”; a form of composition in Sanskrit grammar

Upadeśa

man ngag, mengak

pith instructions

Upasarga

nye bsgyur, nyegyur

Prepositional factor in Sanskrit grammar

Upavāsa

bsnyung gnas, Nyung-né

A fasting practice where the practitioner abstains from food, speech, etc.

Upavāsa

bsnyen gnas, Nye-né

A one-day fasting practice during which the practitioner takes one meal per day only

Utpannakrama-Niṣpannakrama/ Utpattikrama-Niṣpattikrama

bskyed (rim) rdzogs (rim), kyedzog

Creation and completion stages of Vajrayāna practices

Vaidūrya

bai-durya, bendurya

A stone similar to Lapis Lazuli

Vaiśākha

sa ga zla ba, Saga Dawa

The 4th month in the Tibetan calendar which is considered particularly important since Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing fall into it

Vajrayāna

rdo rje theg pa, dorjé thekpa

Vehicle of the Thunderbolt

Varadha

mchog sbyin, chokjin

Mudrā of supreme generosity

Varuṇa

chu'i lha, chu-i lha

God of water

Vidyā

rig pa, rikpa

primordial awareness; knowledge

Vighna

gegs, gek

obstacle, obstruction

Vinaya

’dul ba, dülwa

(self-) discipline, disciplinary code

Vāsanā

bag chag, bakchak

habitual tendencies

Vāyu

rlung lha, lung lha

God of wind or air

Yama

gshin rje, shindje

Lord of death

Yogatantra

rnal ’byor rgyud, naljor gyü

Yogatantra

Yogācāra

rnal ’byor spyod pa, naljor chöpa

(School of) Yoga Practitioners

Yāna

theg pa, thekpa

vehicle

Ādāna-pradāna

gtong len, tonglen

sending and receiving

Āgama

lung

reading transmission

Āgama-anuvāda/Buddhavacana

bka' 'gyur, Kangyur

“Translated Words of the Buddha”; (Tibetan) Buddhist canon

Ālaya

kun gzhi, künshi

universal basis

Ārya

'phags pa, phagpa

Noble, Superior

Īśvra

dbang phyug, Wangchuk

“All-mighty”; Supreme god of the form realm (rūpadhātu)

Śamatha

zhi gnas, shiné

calm abiding

Śruta cintā bhāvanā

thos bsam sgom gsum, thösam gomsum

hearing, contemplation, meditation

Śrāvaka

nyan thos, nyenthö

Hearer

Śrī Jagatamitra Nanda

dpal 'gro ba'i mgon po dga' bo, Pal Drowä’i Gönpo Gawo

A great yogi from Kashmir

Śrī Singha

dpal gyi seng ge, Palgyi Senge

A siddha and accomplished master of great compassion

Śākyamuni Buddha

sangs rgyas shAkya thub pa, Sangye Shakya Thubpa

The Buddha of our era.

Śāstra

bstan 'gyur, Tengyur

Collection of commentaries on the Buddha’s teachings; part of the canon

Ḍhāraṇī

gzungs, zung

A long mantra, retentive formula

Ḍākinī

mkha' 'gro, Khandro

“Sky-goer”; a (female) realized being who supports tantric practitioners