The Secrets of the Realized Ones
Glossary

One of a common list of eleven positive mental states (kuśalacaittya) found in Buddhist abhidharma lists. Remorse is what one feels after having realized that one has done something wrong, and it serves as a mental state that hinders one from engaging in such wrong actions again. Often paired with hrī (ngo tsha shes pa).

One of a common list of eleven positive mental states (kuśalacaittya) found in Buddhist abhidharma lists. Shame is what one feels after having realized that one has done something wrong, and it serves as a mental state that hinders one from engaging in such wrong actions again. Often paired with apatrāpya (khrel yod pa).

The buddha domain of the Buddha Akṣobhya.

A realized one whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra.

A capital city of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the four continent world Lovely Illumination

A higher or more refined state of meditative equipoise than those listed as the four meditations (dhyāna); often listed as a second set of four states that follow the four dhyānas.

See “patience.”

The third and final stage of the three levels of intellectual receptivity or acceptance (kṣānti) of the Dharma. Tantamount to an acceptance of the emptiness of all things, the fact that they do not arise or cease as substantial or essentially real phenomena. It follows from the second level of acceptance, which brings one into conformity with the Dharma (ānulomika­dharmakṣānti), which is in turn preceded by a first stage of acceptance in which one follows the voice (ghoṣānugā kṣānti) of the teacher of the Dharma. This is a distinctive but related use of the term kṣānti, which is also translated in this sūtra as “patience,” when it refers to the perfection (pāramitā) and virtue of patience more generally.

The second of three levels of intellectual receptivity or acceptance (kṣānti), following from an earlier stage in which there is an acceptance that “follows the voice” (ghoṣānugā) of the teacher of the Dharma. At this second stage, there is a deeper acceptance that results in one’s thoughts and actions coming into accord with (literally, “going with the grain of”) the Dharma; that is, with the teachings and the nature of things. The third stage is the acceptance of the fact that things do not arise (anutpatti­kadharmakṣānti). This is a distinctive but related use of the term kṣānti, which is also translated in this sūtra as “patience,” when it refers to the perfection (pāramitā) and virtue of patience more generally.

See “supply.”

The name of the capital city in the abode of Vajrapāṇi, as attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra. The manuscript of the sūtra contains the variant spelling Abhagavatī, which could be a spelling error, though it occurs multiple times in the manuscript. The spelling of the name can vary in other texts, too, as the same term is attested for Alakāvatī, Aḍakavatī, and Aṭakāvatī in other sources. Its precise relationship to Alakāvatī, the capital of Vaiśravaṇa, as given in the Mahābhārata, is not entirely clear.

The fivefold basic grouping of the components out of which the world and the person are formed.

One of the three doṣas in traditional Indian medicine.

King of Magadha after his father, Bimbisāra, whom he is said to have imprisoned and had killed, an act to which this sūtra alludes. Both he and his father are often portrayed in Buddhist texts as great supporters of the Buddha and his community.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Lit. “Not Disturbed” or “Immovable One.” The buddha in the eastern realm of Abhirati. A well-known buddha in Mahāyāna, regarded in the higher tantras as the head of one of the five buddha families, the vajra family in the east.

The Sanskrit name for a particular state of meditation the corresponding Pāli of which is appānaka or appāṇaka. An alternate Buddhist Sanskrit term is āspharaṇaka. This meditation is described most famously in the Mahāsaccaka Sūtta of the Majjhima Nikāya where it is explained as a type of meditation in which the breathing is fully stopped, which then prompts the Bodhisattva to experience a loud and unpleasant sound. He then abandons the meditation. Edgerton cites a different explanation found in the Lalitavistara in which the meditation involves pervading everything while not agitating or disturbing the space element at all.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

“Higher motivation”‍—an even stronger motivation to pursue the exalted goal of the Buddhist path.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

A bodhisattva whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra, which says he will become the last of the one thousand buddhas in this fortunate eon.

A realized one whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra.

A world visited by the Buddha, as narrated by Vajrapāṇi in this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Saddharma­puṇḍarīka.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

A nāga king in the audience of this sūtra whose name is attested in the Mahāvyutpatti.

One of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s wives in this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript.

The name of a world where a buddha named Ratnacandra dwells. The name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra.

One of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s wives in this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript. The name Anaupamyā is attested for the same Tibetan translation of the name of a goddess in the Amogha­pāśakalparāja.

A nāga king whose name is attested in the Mahāvyutpatti.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested by Negi as one found in the Sarva­durgatipari­śodhana.

A world mentioned in this sūtra as the home of the bodhisattva Vegadhārin and the buddha domain of Campakavarṇa.

A general term for a person who is living a religious life, often involving renunciation, a broader category that includes both non-Buddhist religious renunciants and Buddhist monastics, used especially in the context of the phrase “ascetics and brahmins.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the general Mahāyāna teachings the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) is the intention to attain the complete awakening of a perfect buddha for the sake of all beings. On the level of absolute truth, the mind of awakening is the realization of the awakened state itself.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).

An ascetic practice in which the practitioner lights four fires, one for each of the four directions, and then sits down in the middle of them as the sun, the fifth fire, blazes directly overhead. This practice is also said to be done especially during the hot season.

A type of Buddhist biographical tale, typically including a story of the present and a story of a past life and the karmic connection between them. It is listed as one of the twelve types of Buddhist literature.

A well-known bodhisattva featured in a number of Mahāyāna sūtras; in this sūtra, mentioned as one of the bodhisattvas in the audience.

These “qualities” (dharma) pertain to actions or states of body, speech, and mind. Often translated as “nonvirtues,” they are typically listed as a group of ten: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, senseless speech, covetousness, ill will, and wrong views.

A future buddha mentioned in this sūtra, but in a passage not found in the Sanskrit manuscript.

A term that can also mean a “stark naked” person. It is used to describe wrestlers’ and ascetics’ bodies, as well as beings who possess strong muscular bodies and those with perfect physical form. The Tibetan translation, tshan po che chen po, emphasizes the feature of great physical prowess.

The belief in a permanent, substantial, essentially real individuality or personhood. It is a difficult expression to translate literally, because the term kāya is a common word for the body. The Sanskrit word kāya apparently derives from the verb root ci (“to accumulate”), and this meaning is captured in the Tibetan translation, tshog. Sometimes this etymological sense of the word is drawn out in literary and doctrinal contexts, as it is in this sūtra. However, the term in this particular context refers more to the core of the person, and in common pan-Buddhist usage, as Edgerton points out, it is used in this expression more or less synonymously with ātman, the “self.”

A god whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra.

One of two merchant brothers, the other being Trapuṣa, who make offerings to the Buddha shortly after his awakening.

A common epithet of great bodhisattvas, the precise meaning of which is contested but that seems to describe someone as possessing great courage, magnanimity, and great strength of character. The term is explained in the *Mahā­prajñā­pāramitopadeśa, which has a short chapter on this term, also as a being who possesses great love and great compassion.

See “karoṭapāṇi yakṣa.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (Sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (Mahābrahmā).

A name for nickname for Brahmā, which could be rendered Brahmā, “the one with the topknot” (śikhin), who in this sūtra seems to be identical to Great Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world (mahābrahmā sahāṃpati).

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa.

The mountain range made of vajra that forms the world’s perimeter, as described in this sūtra.

A term for a general style and state of Buddhist meditation in which one focuses the mind and abides in a state of calm, as implied by the Tibetan translation of the term. Associated with the states of meditation, concentration, and absorption, and the achievement of supernormal faculties as well as awakening itself. Often presented as part of a pair of meditation techniques, with the other technique being “deep insight.”

A realized one mentioned in this sūtra, who presides over the buddha domain called Arindamāyā. His name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

The Sanskrit term literally means “color” or “complexion,” and is used broadly in this sūtra to describe the various appearances of buddhas or persons. In this instance, though, the term varṇa seems to refer more specifically to the categories of person and group, such as the brahmin caste or the kṣatriya caste, which contribute to the formation of the elaborate social fabric of traditional Indian society. “Social class” is a possible alternative translation.

See “holy life.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Sanskrit, the term nirvāṇa literally means “extinguishment” and the Tibetan mya ngan las ’das pa literally means “gone beyond sorrow.” As a general term, it refers to the cessation of all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence, as well as to the state in which all such rebirth and suffering has permanently ceased.

More specifically, three main types of nirvāṇa are identified. (1) The first type of nirvāṇa, called nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), is the state in which arhats or buddhas have attained awakening but are still dependent on the conditioned aggregates until their lifespan is exhausted. (2) At the end of life, given that there are no more causes for rebirth, these aggregates cease and no new aggregates arise. What occurs then is called nirvāṇa without remainder ( anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa), which refers to the unconditioned element (dhātu) of nirvāṇa in which there is no remainder of the aggregates. (3) The Mahāyāna teachings distinguish the final nirvāṇa of buddhas from that of arhats, the nirvāṇa of arhats not being considered ultimate. The buddhas attain what is called nonabiding nirvāṇa (apratiṣṭhitanirvāṇa), which transcends the extremes of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, i.e., existence and peace. This is the nirvāṇa that is the goal of the Mahāyāna path.

In this text:

This has also been rendered as “nirvāṇa.”

See “holy life.”

Derived from a verb that means “to play with” or “to engage in sport,” the term often has the sense in Buddhist literature of doing things easily or making easy work of something as a result of having attained great knowledge and power.

A mentor or teacher who guides one’s pursuit of good or virtuous behavior and supports one on the spiritual path.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This refers to what occurs at the end of an arhat’s or a buddha’s life. When nirvāṇa is attained at awakening, whether as an arhat or buddha, all suffering, afflicted mental states (kleśa), and causal processes (karman) that lead to rebirth and suffering in cyclic existence have ceased, but due to previously accumulated karma, the aggregates of that life remain and must still exhaust themselves. It is only at the end of life that these cease, and since no new aggregates arise, the arhat or buddha is said to attain parinirvāṇa, meaning “complete” or “final” nirvāṇa. This is synonymous with the attainment of nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣanirvāṇa).

According to the Mahāyāna view of a single vehicle (ekayāna), the arhat’s parinirvāṇa at death, despite being so called, is not final. The arhat must still enter the bodhisattva path and reach buddhahood (see Unraveling the Intent, Toh 106, 7.14.) On the other hand, the parinirvāṇa of a buddha, ultimately speaking, should be understood as a display manifested for the benefit of beings; see The Teaching on the Extraordinary Transformation That Is the Miracle of Attaining the Buddha’s Powers (Toh 186), 1.32.

The term parinirvāṇa is also associated specifically with the passing away of the Buddha Śākyamuni, in Kuśinagara, in northern India.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In a general sense, samādhi can describe a number of different meditative states. In the Mahāyāna literature, in particular in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, we find extensive lists of different samādhis, numbering over one hundred.

In a more restricted sense, and when understood as a mental state, samādhi is defined as the one-pointedness of the mind (cittaikāgratā), the ability to remain on the same object over long periods of time. The Drajor Bamponyipa (sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa) commentary on the Mahāvyutpatti explains the term samādhi as referring to the instrument through which mind and mental states “get collected,” i.e., it is by the force of samādhi that the continuum of mind and mental states becomes collected on a single point of reference without getting distracted.

Four stages in the development of insight upon the path to awakening, which are given the following names in the Mahāyāna­sūtrālaṃkāra, chapter 14, verse 26ff: “heat” (uṣmagata), “the summit” (mūrdhan), “patience” (kṣānti), and “the highest worldly dharma” (laukikāgra­dharma).

See “self-assurance.”

This expression is used in this sūtra as an adjective modifying wisdom (prajñā) and appears at the moment of supreme awakening.

The idea that the mind, or wisdom as a factor of mind, comes into contact with perfect awakening (sambodhi) or correct knowledge (samyagjñāna) in a single moment or a single moment of thought.

A list of factors conducive to and forming the components of awakening, including the following: mindfulness (smṛti), analytic observation of things (dharma­pravicaya), heroic effort (vīrya), joy (prīti), tranquility (praśrabdhi), concentration (samādhi), and equanimity (upekṣā).

Sometimes rendered “trichiliocosm,” this term refers to a container (dhātu) of worlds (loka) numbering one thousand to the third power, which equals one billion. It is sometimes contrasted with smaller groups of worlds translated herein as “a galaxy of a thousand worlds” and “a galaxy of a hundred thousand worlds.” While in English, the cosmos refers to the entire universe of many billions of galaxies, in present usage following Buddhist cosmology, it may represent only one of many universes.

A class of nonhuman beings sometimes used to refer to asuras more generally, but also more specifically to those nonhuman beings who are said to descent from Diti.

Discernment of the true nature of things, somewhat like prajñā, and also a term for a general style of Buddhist meditation practice that involves the application of insight to one’s experience, often as a rehearsal of insights or concepts from the Dharma, while resting in a state of basic meditative concentration. Often translated as “insight” or “analytical meditation.”

A place near Vārāṇasī where the Buddha is said to have taught the first sermon.

The third great park in the King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s city.

The second great park in the King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s city.

Physical postures defined basically as the four positions of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Connected with physical activity and behavior.

A pond in one of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s parks.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist cosmology, this is our own realm, the lowest and most coarse of the three realms of saṃsāra. It is called this because beings here are characterized by their strong longing for and attachment to the pleasures of the senses. The desire realm includes hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, and the lowest six heavens of the gods‍—from the Heaven of the Four Great Kings (cāturmahā­rājika) up to the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations (para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin). Located above the desire realm is the form realm (rūpadhātu) and the formless realm (ārūpyadhātu).

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

The realized one who the prince Śrīgupta will become. The name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra, and elsewhere as a bodhisattva.

From the Sanskrit verb dhṛ (“to hold”), the term refers to the ability to hold or retain the Buddha’s teachings in the memory, and the specific mnemonic formulas or aids to doing so, which also distill the teachings into shorter utterances. From there the term also carries a strong sense that such formulas or devices, when spoken or rehearsed in the mind, have extraordinary power to effect change in the world and in oneself.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra whose name is attested in several related texts, including the Rāṣṭrapāla­pari­pṛcchā and Saddharma­puṇḍarīka. This correspondence is also attested in this sūtra, where at one point the term is used by an earth-dwelling deity to refer to the Buddha Śākyamuni while he is still a bodhisattva in his last life. The term means “earth bearer,” and has a broad usage in Indian literature. It has been used to refer to the king, a deity like Viṣṇu or Śiva, a mountain, the tortoise supporting the earth, and so forth.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Lalitavistara.

A polyvalent term that can refer to the collection of qualities (dharma), which taken together constitute the true nature of a buddha, such as great wisdom, great compassion, and so on, but it can also refer to the body or collection of the Dharma; that is, to the Buddha’s teachings (dharma) taken as a whole; and by extension it also can refer to the true nature of things (dharma) as such.

A young bodhisattva who vows to become Vajrapāṇi in later lives. The name is attested in the Sanskrit fragments of this sūtra, but is also attested as the name for a king in the Lalitavistara.

A young bodhisattva who vows to become Brahmā Sahāṃpati in later lives. The name is attested in the Sanskrit fragments of this sūtra.

In this sūtra, a wheel-turning king in the past whose thousand sons vow to become the buddhas of this fortunate eon; also in this sūtra, used once seemingly to refer to the blind king in the Mahābhārata epic. Finally, although not used in this sūtra, the name of one of the Four Great Kings, the one who presides over the eastern quarter and rules over the gandharvas.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra. The name is a reconstructed guess based on the next name in the passage which is attested in the Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa. Could be Dīpapāṇi, too.

A past buddha who in this sūtra is said to have been King Dhṛtarāṣṭra in a past life and the buddha before whom the Buddha Śākyamuni made a bodhisattva vow.

See “wisdom.”

A term for the Buddha’s followers, those who heard his teachings and were responsible for preserving and spreading them. The term derives from the verb śru (“to hear”), and can thus mean “one who hears,” but it is also closely connected to the senses of “learning” (śravaṇa) and of “causing (something) to be heard” (śrāvaṇa). In these ways, the term has some similarities in the meaning and usage to the English word disciple, which derives from a Latin verb that means to learn. The term śrāvaka is used in some Buddhist texts, such as this sūtra, as distinct from and sometimes in opposition to the “solitary buddha” (pratyekabuddha) and the bodhisattva.

The first great park in the King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s city.

Superhuman eyesight, one of the five or six supernormal faculties possessed by the gods, as well as by buddhas and some advanced disciples, bodhisattvas, and other superhuman beings.

Superhuman hearing, one of the five or six supernormal faculties possessed by the gods, as well as by buddhas and some advanced disciples, bodhisattvas, and other superhuman beings.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested as Dṛḍhamati, but Sthiramati also seems to be attested for the same Tibetan translation.

A term of respect used to refer to senior Buddhist monks. In this sūtra used only to refer to Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana.

Eighteen collections of similar elements or factors of experience, under which all compounded and uncompounded things may be included: the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, plus their objects: visible forms, sounds, smells, flavors, tangible things, and mental phenomena, plus the six elements of consciousness that arises from the interaction of each of the preceding twelve. They constitute one system of categorizing the constituent parts of sentient experience.

A challenging term that derives from a Sanskrit verb that can mean to authorize or empower as well as to stand over, depend on, or serve as a basis for something. As a noun, it can refer to one’s determination or resolve that something be the case, and the object of one’s resolution. Its noun and verb forms are also used in this and other sūtras to convey a sense of extraordinary mastery and power, a kind of superhuman willpower to make things happen.

See “empowering authority.”

A nāga king in the audience of this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is unattested in Sanskrit but there is a possibility that it is something like Sadādhimukta, similar to Sadāprarudita, the name of a bodhisattva in the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is unattested in Sanskrit but it could be reconstructed into Sanskrit as Sadāhasitasuharṣiteśvara or something similar.

A bodhisattva who is one of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons in this sūtra and predicted to be the future buddha Kusumottama.

A type of short narrative that exemplifies an idea or gives an example or standard for an action or form of behavior, either good or bad, often using metaphor or allegory to convey the meaning.

A genre of Buddhist literature, which may refer obliquely to the class of Mahāyāna sūtras. Some sūtras include it in the list of twelve types of Buddhist literature. In this sūtra, the Sanskrit manuscript refers to itself as a vaipulya in one of its chapter colophons.

An individual’s sphere of activity and influence; literally, a pasture or place where cows roam.

A list of five virtues conducive to the spiritual life, including faith (śraddhā), heroic effort (vīrya), mindfulness (smṛti), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā).

The second of the three realms of saṃsāra, situated above the desire realm and below the formless realm. It is characterized by a subtle degree of materiality and divided into a seventeen different heavens.

The highest of the three realms of saṃsāra, characterized by the fact that the beings reborn there dwell in deep states of meditation. It is divided in four levels according to each of the four formless meditations (ārūpyāvacara­dhyāna), namely, the Sphere of Infinite Space (Ākāśānantyāyatana), the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness (Vijñānānantyāyatana), the Sphere of Nothingness (Akiñcanyāyatana), and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception (Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃ­jñāyatana).

Of four types related to intention (chanda), diligence (vīrya), attention (citta), and analysis (mīmāṃsā), respectively. These are foundations for superhuman power in the sense that they are said to be foundational mental qualities to be cultivated in the practice of the path. They are traditionally included among the seven sets of qualities making up the thirty-seven factors conducive to awakening (bodhipakṣya­dharma).

Love, compassion, joy, and equanimity; the cultivation of these four mental qualities puts one in the company of Brahmā. Also known as the four immeasurable states (apramāṇa).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Four gods who live on the lower slopes (fourth level) of Mount Meru in the eponymous Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahā­rājika, rgyal chen bzhi’i ris) and guard the four cardinal directions. Each is the leader of a nonhuman class of beings living in his realm. They are Dhṛtarāṣṭra, ruling the gandharvas in the east; Virūḍhaka, ruling over the kumbhāṇḍas in the south; Virūpākṣa, ruling the nāgas in the west; and Vaiśravaṇa (also known as Kubera) ruling the yakṣas in the north. Also referred to as Guardians of the World or World Protectors (lokapāla, ’jig rten skyong ba).

A genre of Buddhist literature or perhaps a component of the literature, the nidāna refers to the introductory chapter or frame story or even the opening formula or introductory part of the discourses. It is listed as one of the twelve types of Buddhist literature.

A common term of address for individuals in Buddhist sūtras that has the sense of a companion or comrade.

The name of a buddha domain of the past where there lived a buddha named King Arrangement of Manifold Precious Jewels of Virtues Without End.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is attested in the Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies, sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

See “mālādhārin.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Indian mythology, the garuḍa is an eagle-like bird that is regarded as the king of all birds, normally depicted with a sharp, owl-like beak, often holding a snake, and with large and powerful wings. They are traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they are said to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth. Garuḍa can also be used as a proper name for a king of such creatures.

The son of Ajātaśatru according to the Tibetan translation of this sūtra. Unfortunately, the corresponding Sanskrit of this portion of the text is not extant. In Pāli Buddhist literature, Ajātaśatru’s son is named Udāyibhadda, which does not seem to correspond well to this Tibetan translation. In the Lalitavistara, ’jigs byed is attested for the name Bhayaṃkara, but there it refers to one of attendants of Māra. It is also attested as a translation for Bhairava in some Buddhist texts. It is common for sbyin to translate the form datta, which is a common ending in names. Taken together here this gives us Bhairavadatta or Bhayaṃkaradatta. The former is an attested name in India, but it is too tenuous to use it here.

The brahmā deity who is sometimes called Sahāṃpati, “sovereign of this Sahā world.” This is the name given to the great brahmā deity described in this sūtra as the lord (īśvara) of the cosmos of a billion worlds. The name attested in the Sanskrit manuscript. Also called Great Brahmā (mahābrahmā) or even simply Brahmā in this sūtra and elsewhere, as well as vaśavartin, the “powerful one.” In this sūtra, he also seems to be identified with Brahmā Śikhin, but at the same time Brahmā should be distinguished from the class of brahmā deities who dwell in the Brahmā heavens over which Great Brahmā is also lord.

An ordinary language term in Sanskrit that refers to a person’s greatness of character, magnanimity, majesty, or charisma. Connected to mahātma, “one who has a great soul (or self),” a term of great respect in a pan-Indian context.

See “greatness.”

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra whose name is attested in the Saddharma­puṇḍarīka.

A class of nonhuman beings, similar to yakṣas and perhaps synonymous with them in some contexts. They are closely associated with Kubera or Vaiśravaṇa, the lokapāla and god of wealth who is one of the Four Great Kings, but they also have a strong association with Vajrapāṇi, especially in this sūtra. Guhyakas are sometimes considered the guardians of Vaiśravaṇa’s treasure, or even hidden treasures in general, such as veins of gold and other lodes of precious substances concealed or hidden (guhya) beneath the ground. In this way, the terms guhyaka (“divine guardian of hidden treasure”), and guhya (“secret” or “hidden treasure”), play off each other throughout this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

A realized one whose name is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript of this sūtra.

Either a name or a term of endearment for Vajrapāṇi’s eldest son in this sūtra; name attested in other texts as a name for various beings, including a king of kinnaras, a general, and a king of nāgas. The portions of the text in which the name(s) occurs are unfortunately not extant in the Sanskrit manuscript.

A bodhisattva in the audience, whose name is not attested in Sanskrit.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name is not attested in Sanskrit but could be something like Sucalitavimalatejodhara or -tejasvin.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra. The Sanskrit could be something like Vajramahāmati.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra whose name is not attested in the Sanskrit, but Dhanamati is a good guess, since Dhanapati is attested.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra, whose name in Sanskrit is not attested but could be something like Viniścitamati.

A bodhisattva in the audience for this sūtra, and in other texts attested as an alternative translation for the name Nārāyaṇa.

One of the three doṣas in traditional Indian medicine commonly associated with or identified as bile.

The first heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the first state of meditation (dhyāna).

The second heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the first state of meditation (dhyāna).

The third heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the first state of meditation (dhyāna).

The twelfth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the fourth state of meditation (dhyāna).

The eighth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the third state of meditation (dhyāna).

The fourth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the second state of meditation (dhyāna).

The seventh heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the third state of meditation (dhyāna).

The fifteenth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the fourth state of meditation (dhyāna).

The sixteenth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the fourth state of meditation (dhyāna).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Tuṣita (or sometimes Saṃtuṣita), literally “Joyous” or “Contented,” is one of the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu). In standard classifications, such as the one in the Abhidharmakośa, it is ranked as the fourth of the six counting from below. This god realm is where all future buddhas are said to dwell before taking on their final rebirth prior to awakening. There, the Buddha Śākyamuni lived his preceding life as the bodhisattva Śvetaketu. When departing to take birth in this world, he appointed the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will be the next buddha of this eon, as his Dharma regent in Tuṣita. For an account of the Buddha’s previous life in Tuṣita, see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 2.12, and for an account of Maitreya’s birth in Tuṣita and a description of this realm, see The Sūtra on Maitreya’s Birth in the Heaven of Joy, (Toh 199).

The fourteenth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the fourth state of meditation (dhyāna).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the heavens of Buddhist cosmology, lowest among the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu, ’dod khams). Dwelling place of the Four Great Kings (caturmahārāja, rgyal chen bzhi), traditionally located on a terrace of Sumeru, just below the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Each cardinal direction is ruled by one of the Four Great Kings and inhabited by a different class of nonhuman beings as their subjects: in the east, Dhṛtarāṣṭra rules the gandharvas; in the south, Virūḍhaka rules the kumbhāṇḍas; in the west, Virūpākṣa rules the nāgas; and in the north, Vaiśravaṇa rules the yakṣas.

The second heaven of heavens of the desire realm, situated on the summit of Mount Meru and ruled by Śakra, whose Vaijayanta Palace is located there.

The highest of the six heavens of the desire realm. Also rendered poetically in this sūtra as The Heaven of Transforming Others’ Delight.

The second highest of the six heavens of the desire realm. Also rendered poetically in this sūtra as The Heaven of Delighting in Magical Creations.

The ninth heaven of the form realm, counting from lowest to highest. Associated with the third state of meditation (dhyāna).

A nāga king in the audience of the sūtra, but also attested as a translation of Hemavarṇa, the name of a former buddha, in the Lalitavistara.

One of the perfections (pāramitā), implying diligence, courage, and the great effort of a hero (vīra).

A term that can refer in some contexts to chastity or complete celibacy, it can also be used in the sense of the overall practice of a religious or spiritual life as a devout person or a renunciant.

The name of a certain kind of kalpa that literally means “incalculable.” The number of years in this kalpa differs in the various sūtras that give it a number. Also, twenty intermediate kalpas are said to be one incalculable kalpa, and four incalculable kalpas are one great kalpa. In light of that, those four incalculable kalpas represent the kalpas of the creation, presence, destruction, and absence of a world. Buddhas are often described as appearing in a second “incalculable” kalpa.

See “mystery.”

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.

A bodhisattva in the audience of this sūtra.