The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (2)
Glossary

“Clear Light.” The highest of the three paradises that correspond to the second dhyāna in the form realm.

A buddha.

(Toh 555: bsnyengs pa mi mnga’ ba’i grags pa)

Albizia lebbeck. A tall tree that can grow to 100 feet. Other common names include Indian walnut, lebbeck, lebbeck tree, flea tree, frywood, koko, and “woman’s tongue tree.” The bark is used medicinally.

A spiritual teacher, meaning one who knows the conduct or practice (ācāra) to be performed. It can also be a title for a scholar, though that is not the context in this sūtra.

These palaces served as both vehicles and residences for deities.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (avidyā). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote.

Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.

Amyris agallocha. Also called agallochum and aloeswood. This is a resinous heartwood that has been infected by the fungus Phialophora parasitica. In India, agarwood is primarily derived from the fifteen Aquilaria (Aquilaria malaccensis) and nine Gyrinops species of lign-aloe trees.

A god who is the king of lightning in the eastern direction.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The eighth and highest level of the Realm of Form (rūpadhātu), the last of the five pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa); it is only accessible as the result of specific states of dhyāna. According to some texts this is where non-returners (anāgāmin) dwell in their last lives. In other texts it is the realm of the enjoyment body (saṃbhoga­kāya) and is a buddhafield associated with the Buddha Vairocana; it is accessible only to bodhisattvas on the tenth level.

A bodhisattva.

A Licchavī youth.

A Licchavī youth.

(Toh 555: nam mkha’ skyabs)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: bsam pa nam mkha’ ci bzhin)

A deva.

(Toh 555: nam mkha’i blo gros rnam par dag pa)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: seng ge’i mtshan thogs pa med pa’i ’od zer ’bar ba)

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 kingdom of yakṣas located on Mount Sumeru and ruled over by Kubera, also known as Vaiśravaṇa.

(Toh 555: nor ldan)

A nāga king.

(Toh 555: dba’ rlabs chung ngu)

A bodhisattva.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.

Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.

A yakṣa.

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: a mra thogs pa)

The nectar of immortality possessed by the devas, it is used as a metaphor for the teaching that brings liberation.

A buddha.

(Toh 555: snang ba’i rgyal po)

“Cloudless.” In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, the lowest of the three paradises that correspond to the fourth dhyāna in the form realm. Translated in other texts as sprin dang bral ba.

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.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A nāga king whose domain is Lake Anavatapta. According to Buddhist cosmology, this lake is located near Mount Sumeru and is the source of the four great rivers of Jambudvīpa. It is often identified with Lake Manasarovar at the foot of Mount Kailash in Tibet.

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: smon lam chen po yongs su mi gcod pa)

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: zas kyi ril ming)

“Immeasurable Light.” The second highest of the three paradises that correspond to the second dhyāna in the form realm. Translated in other texts as tshad med snang ba.

“Immeasurable Goodness.” The second highest of the three paradises that correspond to the third dhyāna in the form realm.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.

Careva arborea. Also known as mugwort and wormwood.

(Degé 557: sha myang. Toh 555: sha ma ka. Bagchi edition: śyābhyaka.)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit ārya has the general meaning of a noble person, one of a higher class or caste. In Buddhist literature, depending on the context, it often means specifically one who has gained the realization of the path and is superior for that reason. In particular, it applies to stream enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and worthy ones (arhats) and is also used as an epithet of bodhisattvas. In the five-path system, it refers to someone who has achieved at least the path of seeing (darśanamārga).

“Beings without Perception.” A heavenly realm listed in this text between the twelfth heaven of the form realm, Bṛhatphala, and the five Pure Abodes of the form realm, known collectively as Śuddhāvāsa.

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

A set of qualities necessary as a method to attain the enlightenment of a śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, or buddha. There are thirty-seven of these: (1–4) the four kinds of mindfulness: mindfulness of body, sensations, mind, and phenomena; (5–8) the four correct exertions: not to do bad actions that have not been done, to give up bad actions that are being done, to do good actions that have not been done, and to increase the good actions that are being done; (9–12) the foundations for miraculous powers: intention, diligence, mind, and analysis; (13–17) the five powers: faith, diligence, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom; (18–22) the five strengths: even stronger forms of faith, diligence, mindfulness, samādhi, and wisdom; (23–29) the seven limbs of enlightenment: correct mindfulness, correct wisdom of the analysis of phenomena, correct diligence, correct joy, correct serenity, correct samādhi, and correct equanimity; (30–37) the eightfold noble path: right view, examination, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and samādhi.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Dharma­cakra­pravarta­cittotpada; chos kyi ’khor lo yongs su bskor bar sems bskyed)

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).

One of the five companions with whom Siddhārtha Gautama practiced asceticism near the Nairañjanā River and who later heard the Buddha first teach the four noble truths at the Deer Park in Sarnath. He was renowned for his pure conduct and holy demeanor, so the Buddha sent him to attract Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana to the order.

This is the fourth highest of the five Śuddhāvāsa paradises, the highest paradises in the form realm. In this sūtra it is the second highest. Here translated as meaning “Not Pained.” In other texts translated as ma dros pa (“Not Warm”).

A yakṣa king.

A lake in a wilderness.

(Toh 557: dgon pa na yod pa)

First appeared as a bodhisattva beside Amitābha in the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra ( The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī , Toh 115). The name has been variously interpreted. In its meaning as “the lord of avalokita,” avalokita has been interpreted as “seeing,” although, as a past passive participle, it is literally “lord of what has been seen.” One of the principal sūtras in the Mahāsāṃghika tradition was the Avalokita Sūtra, which has not been translated into Tibetan, in which the word is a synonym for enlightenment, as it is “that which has been seen” by the buddhas. In the early tantras, he was one of the lords of the three families, as the embodiment of the compassion of the Buddhas. The Potalaka Mountain in South India became important in Southern Indian Buddhism as his residence in this world, but Potalaka does not feature in the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra ( The Basket’s Display , Toh 116), which is the most important sūtra dedicated to Avalokiteśvara.

(Toh 555: spyan ras gzigs)

A buddha.

(Toh 555: rtog pa ’jigs med dbang phyug)

In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, this is the lowest of the five Śuddhāvāsa paradises, the highest paradises in the form realm, and is said to be the most common rebirth for the “non-returners” of the Śrāvakayāna. In this sūtra it is the third highest.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

These can be listed as twelve or as six sense sources (sometimes also called sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas).

In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena.

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

The classical system of Indian medicine.

(Toh 555: shes pa)

A king in the distant past.

An asura king. Indian literary sources describe how Bali wrested control of the world from the devas, establishing a period of peace and prosperity with no caste distinction. Indra requested Viṣṇu to use his wiles to gain back the world from him for the devas. Viṣṇu appeared as a dwarf asking for two steps of ground, was offered three, and then traversed the world in two steps. Bali, remaining faithful to his promise, accepted the banishment of the asuras into the underworld. A great Bali festival in his honor is held annually in South India.

(Toh 555: ba li)

Commiphora wighti, or Commiphora mukul. The resin, also known as guggul gum, is obtained from the bark of the tree. When burned, the smoke is said to drive away evil spirits

(Nobel edition: guggulu. Toh 555: gu gul.)

A deva.

(Toh 555: mthong na dga’ ba)

Used in Āyurveda for both external and oral application in treating worm infestation, pruritus (itching), psychiatric disorders, low digestion strength, and more.

(Bagchi: samocaka)

One of Siddhārtha’s five ascetic companions, who abandoned him when he renounced asceticism. When those five later became the Buddha’s first disciples, Bhadrika was the second of them to convert.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term‍—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa‍—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to break”).

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sman gtong)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sman gyi rgyal po)

As specified in the Sanskrit, a conical or bowl-shaped kettledrum, with an upper surface that is beaten with sticks. The Tibetan and Chinese are not specific about the kind of drum it is.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist monks and nuns‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya traditions novices typically follow only ten).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term bhikṣuṇī, often translated as “nun,” refers to the highest among the eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly. The Sanskrit term bhikṣu (to which the female grammatical ending ṇī is added) literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the fact that Buddhist nuns and monks‍—like other ascetics of the time‍—subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity. In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a bhikṣuṇī follows 364 rules and a bhikṣu follows 253 rules as part of their moral discipline.

For the first few years of the Buddha’s teachings in India, there was no ordination for women. It started at the persistent request and display of determination of Mahāprajāpatī, the Buddha’s stepmother and aunt, together with five hundred former wives of men of Kapilavastu, who had themselves become monks. Mahāprajāpatī is thus considered to be the founder of the nun’s order.

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: khro gnyer)

Literally the “grounds” in which qualities grow, and also meaning “levels.” Here it refers specifically to levels of enlightenment, especially the ten levels of the bodhisattvas.

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: sa kun g.yo ba)

Momordica monadelpha. A perennial climbing plant, the fruit of which is a bright red gourd. Because of its color it is frequently used in poetry as a simile for lips.

Parmelia perlata. A lichen used as a spice and in Āyurveda for the treatment of skin diseases, cough, asthma, kidney stones, painful urination, and localized swelling. Commonly called śaileya in Sanskrit.

Emmerick, based on the Nobel edition, separates the compound into two: patra (leaf) and śaileya. Toh 555: spra ba.

More commonly known as the Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The place where the Buddha Śākyamuni achieved awakening and where every buddha will manifest the attainment of buddhahood. In our world this is understood to be located under the Bodhi tree, the Vajrāsana, in present-day Bodhgaya, India. It can also refer to the state of awakening itself.

A goddess. In Toh 555 called “goddess of the Bodhi tree.”

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 (mahābrahman).

In addition to being the name of the great deity, “Brahmā” (sometimes “Mahābrahmā”) can mean all the devas that live in Brahmā’s paradise.

“Brahmā’s Multitude.” The lowest of the three paradises that form the paradises of the first dhyāna in the form realm.

(Toh 555: tshangs ris)

“Brahmā’s entourage.” In this sūtra the highest of the three paradises that correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm.

“Brahmā’s Principals.” In the generally established cosmology, the second highest of the three paradises that correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm. Here it is the third highest with the addition of another Brahmā paradise.

(Toh 555: tshangs pa’i mdun na ’don pa)

See “Brahmā.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A member of the highest of the four castes in Indian society, which is closely associated with religious vocations.

The seven branches of enlightenment are mindfulness, analysis of phenomena, diligence, joy, tranquility, samādhi, and equanimity.

In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, the highest of the three paradises that correspond to the fourth dhyāna in the form realm.

A Licchavī youth.

(Toh 555: sangs rgyas skyabs)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Tibetan translates both stūpa and caitya with the same word, mchod rten, meaning “basis” or “recipient” of “offerings” or “veneration.” Pali: cetiya.

A caitya, although often synonymous with stūpa, can also refer to any site, sanctuary or shrine that is made for veneration, and may or may not contain relics.

A stūpa, literally “heap” or “mound,” is a mounded or circular structure usually containing relics of the Buddha or the masters of the past. It is considered to be a sacred object representing the awakened mind of a buddha, but the symbolism of the stūpa is complex, and its design varies throughout the Buddhist world. Stūpas continue to be erected today as objects of veneration and merit making.

“Circular Enclosure”; there are at least three interpretations of what this name refers to. In the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra it is a mountain that contains the hells. In that case, it is equivalent to the Vaḍaba submarine mountain of fire, also said to be the entrance to the hells. More commonly, it is the name of the outer ring of mountains at the edge of the flat disk that is the world, with Sumeru in the center. This is also equated with Vaḍaba, as it is the heat of the mountain range that evaporates the ocean so that it does not overflow. Jambudvīpa, the world of humans, is in this sea to Sumeru’s south. However, the term is also used to mean the entire disk, including Meru and the paradises above it. An alternate form is Cakravāla.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.

Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel (rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel (tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit themselves after brandishing weapons.

A substance derived from the wood of the Kapur tree (Dryobalanops aromatica) and also from the unrelated camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora).

A fierce goddess.

(Toh 555: ma rungs pa)

The lowest and most disparaged class of people within the caste system of ancient India, they fall outside of the caste system altogether due to their low rank in society.

A fierce goddess.

(Toh 555: gdug pa)

A yakṣa king.

A fierce goddess.

(Toh 555: lag na dbyug thogs)

Elettria cardamomum. A digestive medicine in Āyurveda.

(Degé 557: smug smel. Toh 555: su ki ma le.)

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.

A yakṣa king.

This is a product of the chir pine, also known as the long leaf pine: Pinus roxbhurghii or Pinus longifolia. It is used in Āyurvedic medicine. Also known in Sanskrit as śrīveṣṭa, which appears to be the version in the manuscript from which the Tibetan was transliterated.

(Toh 555: thang chu.)

Cinnamonum tamale. Specifically, the Indian species of cinnamon, which has medicinal properties.

A yakṣa king.

A deva.

A buddha.

(Toh 555: rnam dag zla ba’i ’od zer mtshan grags rgyal po)

A fierce goddess.

(Toh 556 Degé: dung can. Toh 555: dung chen. Toh 555 Narthang: rung chen)

See the “four confidences.”

Another name for Agni, the god of fire.

(Toh 557: sbyin sreg za)

The sixth of the twelve links or phases of dependent origination, which is the contact between the sensory consciousnesses and organs with sensory objects.

Saussurea lappa. This is a 3–4-foot-tall shrub. Alternatively identified as Saussurea costus and Costus speciosus.

(Bagchi edition: turuṣka)

A buddha.

(Toh 555: spobs rab dgongs)

Cheilocostus speciosus. This rhizome is used in Āyurvedic medicine to treat fever, rash, asthma, bronchitis, and intestinal worms.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: nyon mongs pa’i nad rnam par sel ba)

A resin from the tree known as sarjarasa, sarja, white dammar, or Indian copal tree (Vateria indica). The white dammar resin is used in incense and Āyurvedic medicine.

(Toh 555: sa rdza ra sa.)

This is the Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi who, in the Lalitavistara Sūtra (The Play in Full), is described as the father of Gopā, the Buddha’s wife. There are others of that name, such as the brother of the Buddha’s mother, Māyā, and also the uncle of the Buddha’s other wife, Yaśodharā. However, that Daṇḍapāṇi was a member of the neighboring Koliya clan. There is also a contrasting account of a Śākya Daṇḍapāṇi who is said to have been a follower of Devadatta and who was dissatisfied by the Buddha’s answers when he met him in Kapilavastu, the capital of the Śākya clan. His nickname, “Cane Holder,” is said to be because he always carried a golden cane.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them. Vasubandhu offers two alternative explanations of this term: “They cause beings to remain (āsayanti) within saṃsāra” and “They flow from the Summit of Existence down to the Avīci hell, out of the six wounds that are the sense fields” (Abhidharma­kośa­bhāṣya 5.40; Pradhan 1967, p. 308). The Summit of Existence (bhavāgra, srid pa’i rtse mo) is the highest point within saṃsāra, while the hell called Avīci (mnar med) is the lowest; the six sense fields (āyatana, skye mched) here refer to the five sense faculties plus the mind, i.e., the six internal sense fields.

This refers to the dependent nature of phenomena. One of the three natures that are a central philosophy of the Yogācāra tradition.

See “twelve phases of dependent origination.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

A female being in the paradises from the base of Mount Sumeru upward. Also can refer to a female deity or goddess in the human world. See also “deva.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term dhāraṇī has the sense of something that “holds” or “retains,” and so it can refer to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings. It can also refer to a verbal expression of the teachings‍—an incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula‍—that distills and “holds” essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. The same term is also used to denote texts that contain such formulas.

A bodhisattva.

In its earliest use it generally meant that though the corporeal body of the Buddha had perished, his “body of the Dharma” continued. It also referred to the Buddha’s realization of reality, to his qualities as a whole, or to his teachings as embodying him. It later came to be synonymous with enlightenment or buddhahood, a “body” that can only be “seen” by a buddha.

A synonym for the ultimate nature of reality. The term is interpreted variously and can be translated according to context as “Dharma realm,” “Dharma element,” “the realm of phenomena,” or “the element of phenomena.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Speaker or reciter of scriptures. In early Buddhism a section of the saṅgha would consist of bhāṇakas, who, particularly before the teachings were written down and were only transmitted orally, were a key factor in the preservation of the teachings. Various groups of dharmabhāṇakas specialized in memorizing and reciting a certain set of sūtras or vinaya.

A Licchavī youth.

(Toh 555: chos byin)

A buddha.

A Licchavī youth.

(Toh 555: chos skyabs)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A great bodhisattva, residing in a divine city called Gandhavatī, who teaches the Prajñāpāramitā three times a day. He is known for becoming the teacher of the bodhisattva Sadāprarudita, who decides to sell his flesh and blood in order to make offerings to him and receive his teachings. This story is told in The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines (Toh 10, ch. 85–86). It can also be found quoted in several works, such as The Words of My Perfect Teacher (kun bzang bla ma’i zhal lung) by Patrul Rinpoche.

One way of describing experience and the world in terms of eighteen elements (eye and form, ear and sound, nose and smell, tongue and taste, body and physical objects, and mind and mental phenomena, to which the six consciousnesses are added). Also refers here to the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind.

One of the Four Mahārājas, he is the guardian deity for the east and lord of the gandharvas.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind, free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as “concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.

The name of an eon.

A designation used for a group of languages spoken in the south of India, including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Tamil.

The goddess of the earth.

(Toh 555: sra ba)

The principal buddha of the northern direction.

(Toh 555: rnga sgra skyabs)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A series of progressively more subtle states of meditative realization or attainment. There are several presentations of these found in the canonical literature. One of the most common is as follows: (1) One observes form while the mind dwells at the level of the form realm. (2) One observes forms externally while discerning formlessness internally. (3) One dwells in the direct experience of the body’s pleasant aspect. (4) One dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite space by transcending all conceptions of matter, resistance, and diversity. (5) Transcending the sphere of infinite space, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite consciousness. (6) Transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of nothingness. (7) Transcending the sphere of nothingness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. (8) Transcending the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, one dwells in the realization of the cessation of conception and feeling.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A set of circumstances that do not provide the freedom to practice the Buddhist path: being born in the realms of (1) the hells, (2) hungry ghosts (pretas), (3) animals, or (4) long-lived gods, or in the human realm among (5) barbarians or (6) extremists, (7) in places where the Buddhist teachings do not exist, or (8) without adequate faculties to understand the teachings where they do exist.

The eight vows taken by a layperson for just one day, usually a full-moon or new-moon day: no killing, no stealing, celibacy, no lying, no intoxicants, no sitting on a high chair, no singing or dancing, no wearing of adornments or perfumes.

There are eighteen such qualities unique to a buddha, which consist of the ten strengths, the four fearlessnesses, three mindfulnesses, and great compassion.

A set of eighty bodily characteristics borne by buddhas and universal emperors. They are considered “minor” in terms of being secondary to the thirty-two major marks of a great being. These can be found listed, for example, in Prajñāpāramitā sūtras (see Toh 9, Toh 10, Toh 11) or in The Play in Full (Toh 95, 7.100) and many other sūtras.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A nāga king often present in the retinue of the Buddha Śākyamuni. According to the Vinaya, in the time of the Buddha Kāśyapa he had been a monk (bhikṣu) who angrily cut down a thorny bush at the entrance of his cave because it always snagged his robes. Cutting down bushes or even grass is contrary to the monastic rules and he did not confess his action. Therefore, he was reborn as a nāga with a tree growing out of his head, which caused him great pain whenever the wind blew. This tale is found represented in ancient sculpture and is often quoted to demonstrate how small misdeeds can lead to great consequences. See, e.g., Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher.

In this text:

(Toh 555: ela’i lo ma)

Manifestations of the Buddha, particularly as the principal buddha of an age, that are perceivable by ordinary beings.

The enjoyment body denotes the luminous, immaterial, and unimpeded reflection-like forms that become spontaneously present and naturally manifest to tenth level bodhisattvas.

Degé 557: sha mi.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser eons. In the course of one great eon, the universe takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction; and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis. A fortunate, or good, eon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any eon in which more than one buddha appears.

A buddha.

Name of the future buddha whom the goddess Ratnārcī is prophesied to become.

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: pad ma ’od)

A buddha in the distant future who is Rūpyaprabha, the son of the bodhisattva Ruciraketu in the time of Śākyamuni.

(Toh 555: Suvarṇaketuprabha; gser tog ’od)

A buddha.

A buddha.

(Toh 555: Padmavijaya; rnam par rgyal ba’i pad ma)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Viśuddhaprajñā; shes rab rnam par dag pa)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: ’od rgyan chen po)

Trigonella corniculata.

(Toh 555 has spri ka spo. Toh 557 translates as ’u su.)

The mythological flower of the fig tree, said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Viryatapas; brtson ’grus dka’ thub)

The five actions that lead to going instantly to hell upon death: killing one’s father; killing one’s mother; killing an arhat; splitting the sangha; and wounding a buddha so that he bleeds.

The five degenerations are (1) the degeneration of life span, (2) the degeneration of views, (3) the degeneration of the afflictions, (4) the degeneration of beings, and (5) the degeneration of the era.

Five impediments to meditation (bsam gtan, dhyāna): sensory desire (’dod pa la ’dun pa, kāmacchanda), ill will (gnod sems, vyāpāda), drowsiness and torpor (rmugs pa dang gnyid, styāna and middha), agitation and regret (rgod pa dang ’gyod pa, auddhatya and kaukṛtya), and doubt (the tshom, vicikitsā).

The five skandhas, or aggregates, are form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. On the individual level the five aggregates refer to the basis upon which the mistaken idea of a self is projected.

The meaning of this term varies according to context. As one of the skandhas it refers to various mental activities. In terms of the twelve phases of dependent origination it is the second, “formation” or “creation,” referring to activities with karmic results.

This refers to the four confidences or fearlessnesses (as translated into Tibetan) of a buddha: full confidence that (1) they are fully awakened; (2) they have removed all defilements; (3) they have taught about the obstacles to liberation; and (4) they have shown the path to liberation.

The discernments of meaning, phenomena, language, and eloquence.

Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down.

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).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The ancient Indian army was composed of four branches (caturaṅga)‍—infantry, cavalry, chariots, and elephants.

Also known as olibanum, this is a resin from trees of the genus Boswellia, in this case, Boswellia serrata, “Indian frankincense.” It is also known as salai and śallakī, tilakalka, vṛścika, and turuṣka.

(Bagchi edition: sihlaka. Toh 555: sa la ki.)

A mountain north of the Himalayas, said to be fifty yojanas from Mount Kailash. In other sūtras, it is translated as spos ngad can, spos ngad ldang, or spos nad ldan. Mount Gandhamardan in Orissa, India, was at one time a center for Buddhist study and practice.

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.”

A yakṣa king.

The elephant-headed deity, more popularly known as Ganesh and associated with overcoming obstacles. The son of Śiva.

A female disciple of the Tathāgata Great Mass of Light who became a cakravartin king eighty-four thousand times and eventually the Tathāgata Ratnārci.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands‍—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta‍—which serve as a common metaphor for infinitely large numbers.

According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa‍—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.

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 brother of Nadīkāśyapa and Uruvilva­kāśyapa. A practitioner of fire offering at Uruvilva (Bodhgayā), he and his two hundred students were converted to becoming bhikṣus of the Buddha. He and his brothers and their students were the third group to become followers of the Buddha after his enlightenment.

The great goddess Śrī, better known as Lakṣmī, who promises to aid those who recite this sūtra and to ensure its preservation so that beings will have good fortune. She dwells in a palace in the paradise of Alakāvati.

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: gser mdzod)

A nāga king.

(Toh 555: gser gyi bzhin)

A wife of the Buddha Śākyamuni when he was Prince Siddhārtha, and the daughter of Daṇḍapāṇi.

Female cow herders or milk maids, the gopis are well known from their role in the mythology of Kṛṣṇa, in particular, Rādhā, who became his lover.

(Toh 555: rdzi’i bu mo)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen mun pa rnam par sel ba)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen lta ba’i rab rib rnam par sel ba)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen ’od gtsang)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Mahā­megha­prajñā­samavarṣa; sprin chen shes rab char yongs su snyoms pa)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen chos skyong)

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen me tog sdong po’i rgyal po)

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen char gyi rgyal po yongs su dag pa)

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Mahā­megha­ratna­guṇa; sprin chen rin chen yon tan)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen grags can dga’)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Mahā­meghānanta­kīrti; sprin chen mtha’ yas grags)

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen glang po che’i rgyal po’i sgra)

A bodhisattva.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: sprin chen pad ma sngon po’i bsung)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: chos kyi stobs)

A Licchavī youth.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: gser gyi ’od rgyan chen po)

A buddha in the distant past.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Mahā­gaṃbhīra­sagara­rāja; rgya mtsho chen po zab mo’i rgyal po)

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 555: gangs ri)

Unidentified deity. Possibly Kṛṣṇa.

Acording to Lithang and Cone. Degé, etc.: hi ri tshig ’chang.

A rākṣasī with hundreds of children whom the Buddha converted into a protector of children.

The higher cognitions are listed as either five or six. The first five are divine sight, divine hearing, knowing how to manifest miracles, remembering previous lives, and knowing what is in the minds of others. A sixth, knowing that all defects have been eliminated, is often added. The first five are attained through concentration (Skt. dhyāna), and are sometimes described as worldly, as they can be attained to some extent by non-Buddhist yogis, while the sixth is supramundane and attained only by realization.

A buddha.

This term is uncommon in the Kangyur as it seems to appear only in this sūtra and in Toh 555. It is found in Yijing’s Chinese version from which the Tibetan translation of Toh 555 was produced. It may originally have been a reference to the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha.

A god who is the king of lightning in the southern direction.

A world realm in the distant future.

Conceptual cognition; an alternative translation is “the imaginary.” One of the three natures that are a central philosophy of the Yogācāra tradition.

The deity that is also called Mahendra, “lord of the devas,” who dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields a thunderbolt. He is also known as Śakra (Tib. brgya byin, “hundred offerings”). The Buddhist tradition sometimes interprets this name as an abbreviation of śata-kratu, “one who has performed a hundred sacrifices.” The highest Vedic sacrifice was the horse sacrifice, and there is a tradition that Indra became the lord of the gods through performing them.

Mesua ferrea. Evergreen tree up to 100 feet tall. Known as Assam ironwood, Ceylon ironwood, Indian rose chestnut, Cobra’s saffron, and nāgakesara. The flowers are large and fragrant, with four white petals and a yellow center.

A river.

(Toh 555: chu skyes)

The younger son of Jalavāhana and Jalāmbujagarbhā.

The elder son of Jalavāhana and Jalāmbujagarbhā.

The wife of Jalavāhana.

A learned physician in the distant past and son of Jaṭiṃdhara who, as a result of performing Dharma recitations while standing in a lake, ensured the rebirth of ten thousand fish into the paradise of Trāyastriṃśa. He was the Buddha in a previous life.

A tathāgata.

(Toh 555: Suvarṇaketuprabha; gser tog ’od)

The rivers that flow down from the immense lake at the foot of the legendary Jambu tree. The fruits of that tree are made of gold and are carried down by the rivers through Jambudvīpa. Such gold is considered the best kind.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

A head merchant and physician in the distant past.

(Toh 555: Jaladhara; chu ’dzin)

An epithet for a buddha meaning “victorious one.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Jinamitra was invited to Tibet during the reign of King Tri Songdetsen (khri srong lde btsan, r. 742–98 ᴄᴇ) and was involved with the translation of nearly two hundred texts, continuing into the reign of King Ralpachen (ral pa can, r. 815–38 ᴄᴇ). He was one of the small group of paṇḍitas responsible for the Mahāvyutpatti Sanskrit–Tibetan dictionary.

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 555: ’dam bu rgyal)

A yakṣa king and the son of Vaiśravaṇa.

(Toh 555: rtag tu rgyal)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: ’phags par dga’ ba)

A deity in the Trāyastriṃśa paradise.

(Toh 557: ’bar ba’i khyad par gyi gzi brjid rgyal po. Toh 555: mchog tu rgyal ba’i ’od)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature refers to a mythical bird whose call is said to be far more beautiful than that of all other birds, and so compelling that it can be heard even before the bird has hatched. The call of the kalaviṅka is thus used as an analogy to describe the sound of the discourse of bodhisattvas as being far superior to that of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, even before bodhisattvas attain awakening. In some cases, the kalaviṅka also takes on mythical characteristics, being depicted as part human, part bird. It is also the sixteenth of the eighty designs on the palms and soles of a tathāgata.

While it is equated to an Indian bird renowned for its beautiful song, there is some uncertainty regarding the identity of the kalaviṅka; some dictionaries declare it to be a type of Indian cuckoo (probably Eudynamys scolopacea, also known as the asian koel) or a red and green sparrow (possibly Amandava amandava, also known as the red avadavat).

A spiritual teacher who can contribute to an individual’s progress on the spiritual path to awakening and act wholeheartedly for the welfare of students.

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 555: ’dod mchog)

A son of the king Suvarṇabhujendra.

A son of the king Suvarṇabhujendra.

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 555: kha dog ser po)

A coin that varied in value according to whether it was made of gold, silver, or copper.

According to the Chinese translation, this is the family name (姓) of the brahmin master Vyākaraṇa, an interlocutor in The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

“One who belongs to the Kuśika lineage.” An epithet of the god Śakra, also known as Indra, the king of the gods in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. In the Ṛgveda, Indra is addressed by the epithet Kauśika, with the implication that he is associated with the descendants of the Kuśika lineage (gotra) as their aiding deity. In later epic and Purāṇic texts, we find the story that Indra took birth as Gādhi Kauśika, the son of Kuśika and one of the Vedic poet-seers, after the Puru king Kuśika had performed austerities for one thousand years to obtain a son equal to Indra who could not be killed by others. In the Pāli Kusajātaka (Jāt V 141–45), the Buddha, in one of his former bodhisattva lives as a Trāyastriṃśa god, takes birth as the future king Kusa upon the request of Indra, who wishes to help the childless king of the Mallas, Okkaka, and his chief queen Sīlavatī. This story is also referred to by Nāgasena in the Milindapañha.

An asura king.

(Toh 555: bong bu dpung; Toh 556 Degé: rab tshim byed; Toh 557 Yongle and Peking: rab sil byed)

The name prophesied for the bhikṣus who will attain buddhahood in the eon Difficult to Conquer King of Radiance, in the realm called Vimalaprabhā.

(Toh 555: Praṇidhāna­vyūhalaṃkāra­rāja; smon lam gyi bkod pas brgyan pa’i rgyal po)

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: spobs pa chen po’i rgyan gyi rgyal po)

A buddha.

A bodhisattva.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name‍—which means “is that human?”‍—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (avidyā). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote.

Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.

Known in the Avadāna literature as a previous life of the Buddha, his name is translated there as byas shes. In that tale, his brother (a previous life of Devadatta) gouges out his eyes. Nonetheless, a princess chooses him for a husband and is banished by her father, the king. When she speaks the words of truth of her love for him, one of Kṛtajña’s eyes is restored. When he speaks the words of truth that he has no hate for his brother, his other eye is restored, and he is enthroned by the king as his successor.

(Toh 555: drin gzo)

The warrior or aristocratic class of the four social classes of India. Rulers were often from this class.

A bodhisattva.

A polite address for a young man, it can, in context, also mean “prince.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of dwarf beings subordinate to Virūḍhaka, one of the Four Great Kings, associated with the southern direction. The name uses a play on the word aṇḍa, which means “egg” but is also a euphemism for a testicle. Thus, they are often depicted as having testicles as big as pots (from kumbha, or “pot”).

A yakṣa king; also known as Kubera.

(Toh 555: ku be ra)

A fierce goddess.

(Toh 555: so brtsegs ma)

A clan with its capital Vaiśalī, in present-day Bihar, north of the Ganges. Their capital was a place where the Buddha had many followers when they were an independent republic.

A nāga king.

Oil from the seed of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum).

(Toh 555: smig bcud)

A Licchavī youth.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: rin po che’i phyag dbang phyug)

A yakṣa.

(Toh 555: padma’i bzhin)

A nāga king.

(Toh 555: stobs po che)

A yakṣa king.

“Great Brahmā.” The highest of the three (or, in this sūtra, four) paradises that correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm.

See “Brahmā.”

This appears to refer to the great circles of mountains that enclose a thousand worlds, each with its own Cakravāḍa.

A prince in the past, the middle son of the King Mahāratha.

A nāga king.

(Toh 555: sgra bo che)

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 557: kam po ji (corrupt), Toh 555: mchog tu rgyal ba)

A yakṣa lord.

(Toh 555: nag po che)

One of the Buddha’s principal pupils, who became a leader of the saṅgha after the Buddha’s passing.

One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, paired with Śāriputra. He was renowned for his miraculous powers. His family clan was descended from Mudgala, hence his name Maudgalyāyana, “the son of Mudgala’s descendants.” Respectfully referred to as Mahāmaudgalyāyana.

One of the Buddha’s five companions in asceticism before his enlightenment and later one of his first five pupils, he attained the state of a stream entrant after three days, the fourth to attain that realization. He attained the state of an arhat on hearing The Sūtra on the Characteristics of Selflessness. Not to be confused with the cousin of the Buddha, who had the same name and was a significant lay follower and patron.

A yakṣa king.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: ma hā ping ga la)

A Licchavī youth.

A tathāgata.

(Toh 555: Mahāpradīpaprabha; sgron ma chen po’i ’od)

The Buddha’s mother’s sister and his stepmother. She was the mother of Nanda, whom the Buddha later inspired to become a monk, as recorded in two sūtras bearing his name and elsewhere. She became the first bhikṣuṇī after the death of the Buddha’s father.

A prince in the past, the eldest son of King Mahāratha.

A yakṣa king.

(Toh 556 Degé: yul chen can; Toh 557 Degé: yul chen can; Toh 555: pra na li chen)

A king in the past.

A bodhisattva.

(Toh 555: Mahāratnadhvaja; rin po che’i rgyal mtshan chen po)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term can be understood to mean “great courageous one” or "great hero,” or (from the Sanskrit) simply “great being,” and is almost always found as an epithet of “bodhisattva.” The qualification “great” in this term, according to the majority of canonical definitions, focuses on the generic greatness common to all bodhisattvas, i.e., the greatness implicit in the bodhisattva vow itself in terms of outlook, aspiration, number of beings to be benefited, potential or eventual accomplishments, and so forth. In this sense the mahā- (“great”) is close in its connotations to the mahā- in “Mahāyāna.” While individual bodhisattvas described as mahāsattva may in many cases also be “great” in terms of their level of realization, this is largely coincidental, and in the canonical texts the epithet is not restricted to bodhisattvas at any particular point in their career. Indeed, in a few cases even bodhisattvas whose path has taken a wrong direction are still described as bodhisattva mahāsattva.

Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term‍—variably‍—in terms of bodhisattvas having attained a particular level (bhūmi) or realization. The most common qualifying criteria mentioned are attaining the path of seeing, attaining irreversibility (according to its various definitions), or attaining the seventh bhūmi.

A prince in the past, the youngest son of King Mahāratha. A previous life of the Buddha, when he decided to give his body to a tigress.

(Toh 557: sems can chen po)

One of the two principal bodhisattvas in Sukhāvatī and prominent in Chinese Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism he is identified with Vajrapāṇi, though they are separate bodhisattvas in the sūtras.

(Toh 555: mthu chen po thob pa)

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

When the Buddhist teachings are classified according to their power to lead beings to an awakened state, a distinction is made between the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle (Hīnayāna), which emphasizes the individual’s own freedom from cyclic existence as the primary motivation and goal, and those of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna), which emphasizes altruism and has the liberation of all sentient beings as the principal objective. As the term “Great Vehicle” implies, the path followed by bodhisattvas is analogous to a large carriage that can transport a vast number of people to liberation, as compared to a smaller vehicle for the individual practitioner.

An epithet of Śiva; sometimes refers specifically to one of the forms of Śiva.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally “great serpents,” mahoragas are supernatural beings depicted as large, subterranean beings with human torsos and heads and the lower bodies of serpents. Their movements are said to cause earthquakes, and they make up a class of subterranean geomantic spirits whose movement through the seasons and months of the year is deemed significant for construction projects.