A common epithet of the Buddha and sometimes of other beings, nātha can mean both “lord” or “master,” as well as “benefactor” or “protector” or even “source of refuge,” as the term derives from the verb nāth, which means “to seek aid” as well as “to have power.”

An epithet of the Buddha.

An epithet of the Buddha.

“Lord of the world” is a translation of lokeśvara or lokanātha when these are used in their literal meaning (for the technical meaning of the first see the glossary entry for Lokeśvara). The latter of the two terms has an added connotation of the “protector of the world,” however, in most contexts, the meaning of the “lord of the world” predominates. The phrase is capitalized when used as the title without the name.

“Lord of the World,” an epithet of Avalokiteśvara.

“Lord of the World,” an epithet of Avalokiteśvara.

An alternate name for the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.

An epithet of a buddha.

An epithet for the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A common epithet of the Buddha.

“Lokeśvara” is the title applied to Avalokiteśvara and his male emanations, including Amoghapāśa; in the later tradition there are 108 lokeśvaras. In contexts where the literal meaning, “lord of the world,” is more relevant than the class name, the term has been translated as such (see corresponding glossary entry for “lord of the world”). It is capitalized when used as the title without the name, such as “the Lokeśvara” or “the Lord of the World.”

An epithet of the Buddha.