House, dwelling, receptacle; also, used in the sense of a Bodily organ, e.g., the ear for sound, etc.

The fundamental consciousness of all sentient beings. As defined by the Yogacara School, Alaya means the "storehouse", implying that this consciousness contains and preserves all past memories and potential psychic energy within its fold; it is the reservoir of all ideas, memories and desires and is also the fundamental cause of both Samsara and Nirvana.

Amitabha is the most commonly used name for the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life. A transhistorical Buddha venerated by all Mahayana schools (T'ien T'ai, Esoteric, Zen ...) and, particularly, Pure Land. Presides over the Western Pure Land (Land of Ultimate Bliss), where anyone can be reborn through utterly sincere recitation of His name, particularly at the time of death.

Amitabha Buddha at the highest or noumenon level represents the True Mind, the Self-Nature common to the Buddhas and sentient beings -- all-encompassing and all-inclusive. This deeper understanding provides the rationale for the harmonization of Zen and Pure Land, two of the most popular schools of Mahayana Buddhism. See also "Buddha Reatation," "Mind," "Pure Land."

(Skt.) Opposite of asrava.

States of woe: the three realms of existence characterized by extreme discomfort and delusion--i.e., hell-states, animal-birth and the hungry ghosts, or pretas.

One of the Four All-Embracing Virtues: performance of conduct profitable to others in order to lead them toward the truth.

Term related to the Buddhist metaphysics of time. Each of the periodic manifestations and dissolutions of universes which go on eternally has four parts, called asamkhiya kalpas.

Titanic demons, enemies of the gods, with whom-especially Indra-they wage war.

The name is a compound of Ishwara, meaning Lord, and avalokita, looked upon or seen, and is usually translated as the Lord Who Observes (the cries of the world); the Buddhist embodiment of compassion as formulated in the Mahayana Dharma. Also called Kuan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Guan Yin is one of the triad of Amitabha Buddha, represented on his left, Usually recognizable by the small Buddha adorning Her crown. Guan Yin can transform into many different forms in order to cross over to the beings. Guan Yin is one of the most popular Bodhisattva in China.

A major commentary by the Patriarch Asvaghosha (lst/2nd cent.), which presents the fundamental principles of Mahayana Buddhism. Several translations exist in English.

"Most virtuous"; honorific title apllied to a Buddha.

Religious mendicant; Buddhist fully ordained monk. Bhiksuni is the equivalent term designating a woman.

Sanskrit for Enlightenment. Also Perfect knowledge or wisdom by which a person becomes a Buddha.

Bodhi-path: The way or path to the Supreme Enlightenment of Buddhahood.

The way of the practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism. One following this path aspires to the attainment of Enlightenment for the sake and benefit of all sentient beings.

This is a sutra of major significance in Mahayana Buddhism. In addition to containing the ten major precepts of Mahayana (not to kill, steal, lie, etc.) the Sutra also contains forty-eight less important injunctions. These fifty-eight major and minor precepts constitute the Bodhisattva Precepts, taken by most Mahayana monks and nuns and certain advanced lay practitioners.

Or Indra's net, characterized by holding a luminous gem in every one of its eyes. (Hindu mythology).

Lit., the Awakened One; one who through aeons of spiritual development has attained Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. This epithet usually refers to Sakyamuni Buddha, who lived and taught in India some 2,600 years ago.

See "Buddha-Remembrance".

Lit., Teaching of Enlightenment. Originally apllied to designate the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha; supplanted by the term "Buddhism" in its later historical development.

White candana, or white sandalwood.

See Zen.

In practice there are three contemplations; seeing such abstractions: (1) by fixing the mind on the nose, navel, etc. (2) by stopping every thought as it arises; (3) by dwelling on the thought that no thing exists of itself, but from a preceding cause.

See Bardo.

Mind or heart. the two terms being synonymous in Asian religious philosophy.

See "Transference of Merit."

Evil influences which hinder cultivation. These can take an infinite number of forms, including evil beings or hallucinations. Disease and death, as well as the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are also equated to demons, as they disturb the mind.

The Nirvana Sutra lists four types of demon: i) greed, anger and delusion; ii) the five skandas, or obstructions caused by physical and mental functions; iii) death; iv) the demon of the Sixth Heaven (Realm of Desire).

The Self-Nature has been described in Mahayana sutras as a house full of gold and jewelry. To preserve the riches, i.e., to keep the mind calm, empty and still, we should shut the doors to the three thieves of greed, anger and delusion. Letting the mind wander opens the house to "demons," that is, hallucinations and harm. Thus, Zen practitioners are taught that, while in meditation, "Encountering demons, kill the demons, encountering Buddhas, kill the Buddhas." Both demons and Buddhas are mind-made, Mind-Only.

For a detailed discussion of demons, see Master Thich Thien Tam, Buddhism of Wisdom and' Faith, sect. 51.

The four Deva Kings in the first, or lowest, Devaloka on its four sides are the following: East-Dhrtarastra; South-Virodhaka; West-Viropaksa; North-Dhanada, or Vaisravana.

Extended mantra used in esoteric branch of Buddhism to focus and expand the mind. Its words, or sounds, should not communicate any recognizable meaning.

The doctrines or wisdom of Buddha regarded as the doorway to Enlightenment; a method. Just as the living have 84,000 delusions, so the Buddha provides 84,000 methods (Dharma-Doors) to deal with them.

The intrinsic nature of all things. Used interchangeably with "emptiness," "reality." See also "Buddha Nature."

The present spiritually degenerate era, twenty-six centuries after the demise of Shakyamuni Buddha. The concept of decline, dissension and schism within the Dharma after the passing of the Buddha is a general teaching of Buddhism and a corollary to the Truth of Impermanence. See, for example, the Diamond Sutra (sect. 6 in the translation by A.F. Price and Wong Mou-lam). The time following Buddha Shakyamuni's demise is divided into three periods: i) the Perfect Age of the Dharma, lasting 500 years, when the Buddha's teaching (usually meditation) was correctly practiced and Enlightenment often attained; ii) the Dharma Semblance Age, lasting about 1,000 years, when a form of the teaching was practiced but Enlightenment seldom attained; iii) the Dharma-Ending Age, lasting some ten thousand years, when a diluted form of the teaching exists and Enlightenment is rarely attained.

See "Three bodies of the Buddha."

"An independent part of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, which attained great importance, particularly in East Asia. It shows that all phenomenal appearances are not ultimate reality but rather illusions, projections of one's own mind ... The work is called Diamond Sutra because it is 'sharp like a diamond that cuts away all unnecessary conceptualizations and brings one to the further shore of enlightenment.'" (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)

Wrongdoing, evil action, misdeed, sin; external sins of the body and the mouth; a light sin.

Lit., two vehicles. The two vehicles or practice paths of Sravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana.

(1) Suffering of Birth; (2) Suffering of Old Age; (3) Suffering of Sickness; (4) Suffering of Death; (5) Suffering of being apart from the loved ones; (6) Suffering being together with the despised ones; (7) Suffering of not getting what one wants; (8) Suffering of the flouishing of the Five Skandhas.

The eight right ways leading to the cessation of sufferings. (1) Right View; (2) Right Thought; (3) Right Speech; (4) Right Action; (5) Right Livelihood; (6) Right Effort; (7) Right Remembrance; (8) Right Concentration.

See "Awakening vs. Enlightenment."

Refers to strategies, methods, devices, targetted to the capacities, circumstances, likes and dislikes of each sentient being, so as to rescue him and lead him to Enlightenment. "Thus, all particular formulations of the Teaching are just provisional expedients to communicate the Truth (Dharma) in specific contexts." (J.C. Cleary.) "The Buddha's words were medicines for a given sickness at a given time," always infinitely adaptable to the conditions of the audience.

Desires connected with the five senses, i.e., form, sound, aroma, taste and touch.

1. Wrong views which are common to triloka; 2. Clinging or attachment in the desire realm; 3. Clinging or attachment in the form realm: 4. Clinging or attachment in the formless realm which is still mortal; 5. The state of unenlightenment which is the root-cause of all distressful delusion.

The five rebellious acts or deadly sins: (1) parricide; (2) matricide; (3) killing an arhat; (4) shedding the blood of a Buddha; (5) destroying the harmony of the sangha, or fraternity.

The five groups of elements (Dharmas) into which all existences are classified in early Buddhism. The five are: Rupa (matter), Vedana (feeling), Sanjna (ideation); Samskara (forces or drives) Vijnana (consciousness or sensation). Group, heap, aggregate; the five constituents of the personality; form, feeling, perception, impulses, consciousness; the five factors constituting the individual person.

The entire cosmos, consisting of worlds upon worlds ad infinitum, as described in the Avatamsaka Sutra. It is the realm of Vairocana Buddha, the transcendental aspect of Buddha Shakyamuni and of all Buddhas. The Saha World, the Western Pure Land and, for that matter, all lands and realms are within the Flower Store World.

All matters are formed and are composed by four conditioned causes : (1) earth, which is characterized by solidity and durability; (2) water, which is characterized by liquid/fluid and moisture; (3) fire, which is characterized by energy and warmth; (4) wind, which is characterized by gas/air movement.

They represent the four major characters of Bodhisattva:
1.Manjusri - Universal Great Wisdom Bodhisattva;
2.Samantabhadra - Universal Worthy Great Conduct Bodhisattva;
3.Ksitigarbha - Earth Store King Great Vow Bodhisattva;
4.Avalokitesvara - Guan Shr Yin Great Compassion Bodhisattva.

1)Sufferings; 2)Cause of Sufferings; 3)Cessation of sufferings; 4)The Path leading to the cessation of sufferings.

The four standards of Right Dharma which buddhist should rely on or abide by:

(1) to abide by the Dharma, not the person;
(2) to abide by the sutras of ultimate truth, not the sutras of incomplete truth;
(3) to abide by the meaning, not the word;
(4) to abide by the wisdom, not the consciousness.

The four Nirvanic virtues: (1) Eternity or permanence; (2) Joy; (3) Personality; (4) Purity. These four important virtues are affirmed by the sutra in the transcendental or nirvana-realm.

The forms of wisdom of a Buddha. (1) the Great- Mirror wisdom of Aksobhya; (2) the Universal Wisdom of Ratnaketu; (3) the Profound Observing Wisdom of Amitabha; (4) the Perfecting Wisdom of Amoghsiddhi.

The Lesser Vehicle; a term applied by the Mahayana to those schools of Buddhism that practice to attain the fruits of Sravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana and do not attempt to attain the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi of Buddha.

Volition, volitional or intentional activity. Karma is always followed by its fruit, Vipaka. Karma and Vipaka are oftentimes referred to as the law of causality, a cardinal concern in the Teaching of the Buddha.

Common karma: the difference between personal and common karma can be seen in the following example: Suppose a country goes to war to gain certain economic advantages and in the process, numerous soldiers and civilians are killed or maimed. If a particular citizen volunteers for military service and actually participates in the carnage, he commits a personal karma of killing. Other citizens, however, even if opposed to the war, may benefit directly or indirectly (e.g., through economic gain). They are thus said to share in the common karma of killing of their country.

Fixed karma: in principle, all karma is subject to change. Fixed karma, however, is karma which can only be changed in extraordinary circumstances, because it derives from an evil act committed simultaneously with mind, speech and body. An example of fixed karma would be a premeditated crime (versus a crime of passion).

Passion, desire, impulse, instinctive desires, including 1) craving; 2) hatred; and 3) ignorance. Defiling forces, passions, instinctive cravings, drives, defilements, desires; that which binds one in samsara.

Patience or forbearance, one of the Six Paramitas.

See "Dharma-Ending Age."

The early Buddhism. A term coined by Mahayanists to distinguish this school of Buddhism [whose modern descendent is Theravada] from Mahayana. It is so called because the teaching of this school puts emphasis on one's own liberation, whereas the teaching of Mahayana stresses the attainment of Buddhahood for all sentient beings. Theravada is now prevalent in southeast Asia, while Mahayana has spread over the northern area (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan ...) (G.C.C. Chang).

A Buddhist sect founded by the great Master Hui Yuan about 390 A.D. at his monastery on Mount Lu in Kiangsi Province in China. The Lotus Sect believes in and honors Amitabha Buddha and declares that, through the chanting of his name and by purifying and finally ridding oneself of desire, one can be reborn in the Pure Land. There one is born of a lotus, and, depending on one's degree of purification and practice, one is born into one of the nine grades of the lotus: upper superior, middle superior, lower superior, etc.

Also, Kasyapa; one of Buddha's disciples. The Ch'an Sect, according to its tradition, claims him as its first patriarch.

See Maha-Bodhisattva.

The mother of Shakaymuni. She was a Koliyan Princess and married to Suddhodana.

Sanskrit word, literally means friendly and benevolent. He will be the next Buddha in our world. He is now preaching in Tusita Heaven. In China, he is usually represented as the fat laughing Buddha.

The name of the seventh of the eight consciousnesses. I refers to the faculty of thought, the intellectual function of consciousness.

A syllable, word or verse which has been revealed to a seer in meditation, embodiment in sound of a deity; spell or incantation.

Characteristics, forms, physiognomy. Marks are contrasted with essence, in the same way that phenomena are contrasted with noumenon. True Mark stands for True Form, True Nature, Buddha Nature, always unchanging. The True Mark of all phenomena is like space: always existing but really empty; although empty, really existing. The True Mark of the Triple World is No-Birth/No-Death, not existent/not non-existent, not like this/not like that. True Mark is also called "Self-Nature," "Dharma Body," the "Unconditioned," "True Thusness," "Nirvana," "Dharma Realm.11 See also "Noumenon/Phenomena."

These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there is a crucial difference: merits are the blessings (wealth, intelligence, etc.) of the human and celestial realms; therefore, they are temporary and subject to Birth and Death. Virtues, on the other hand, transcend Birth and Death and lead to Buddhahood. Four virtues are mentioned in Pure Land Buddhism: eternity; happiness; True Self; purity. An identical action (e.g., charity) can lead either to merit or virtue, depending on the mind of the practitioner, that is, on whether he is seeking mundane rewards (merit) or transcendence (virtue). Thus, the Pure Land cultivator should not seek merits for by doing so, he would, in effect, be choosing to remain within samsara. This would be counter to his very wish to escape Birth and Death.

Key concept in all Buddhist teaching.

Frequent term in Zen, used in two senses: (1) the mind-ground, the One Mind ... the buddha-mind, the mind of thusness ... (2) false mind, the ordinary mind dominated by conditioning, desire, aversion, ignorance, and false sense of self, the mind of delusion ... (J.C. Cleary, A Buddha from Korea.)

The ordinary, deluded mind (thought) includes feelings, impressions, conceptions, consciousness, etc. The Self-Nature True Mind is the fundamental nature, the Original Face, reality, etc. As an analogy, the Self-Nature True Mind is to mind what water is to waves -- the two cannot be dissociated. They are the same but they are also different. To approach the sutras "making discriminations and nurturing attachments is no different from the Zen allegory of a person attempting to lift a chair while seated on it. If he would only get off the chair, he could raise it easily. Similarly, the practitioner truly understands the Dharma only to the extent that he "suspends the operation of the discriminating intellect, the faculty of the internal dialogue through which people from moment to moment define and perpetuate their customary world of perception." (See this book, Introduction.)

See also the following passage:

The mind ... "creates" the world in the sense that it invests the phenomenal world with value. The remedy to this situation, according to Buddhism, is to still the mind, to stop it from making discriminations and nurturing attachments toward certain phenomena and feelings of aversion toward others. When this state of calmness of mind is achieved, the darkness of ignorance and passion will be dispelled and the mind can perceive the underlying unity of the absolute. The individual will then have achieved the state of enlightenment and will be freed from the cycle of birth and death, because such a person is now totally indifferent to them both. (Burton Watson, The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi.)

See "Three bodies of the Buddha."

The last of the sutras in the Mahayana canon. It emphasizes the importance of Buddha-nature, which is the same as Self-Nature.

A Bodhisattva who is one lifetime away from Buddhahood. The best known example is the Bodhisattva Maitreya.

The Buddha's final Nirvana, entered by him at the time of death.

The North Star, polestar; star of the second magnitude, standing alone and forming the end of the tail of the constellation Ursa Minor; it marks very nearly the position of the north celestial pole.

A solitary Buddha; one who has achieved Awakening through insight into the dependent origination of mind and body. Pratyekabuddhas lead only solitary lives, and they do not teach the Dharma to others nor do they have any desire to do so.

Lit., loving or affectionate speech. This beautiful and affectionate speech is one of the Four All-Embracing Virtues and is used to lead sentient beings toward the truth.

When Mahayana Buddhism spread to China, Pure Land ideas found fertile ground for development. In the fourth century, the movement crystallized with the formation of the Lotus Society, founded by Master Hui Yuan (334-416), the first Pure Land Patriarch. The school was formalized under the Patriarchs T'an Luan (Donran) and Shan Tao (Zendo). Master Shan Tao's teachings, in particular, greatly influenced the development of Japanese Pure Land, associated with Honen Shonin (Jodo school) and his disciple, Shinran Shonin (Jodo Shinshu school) in the 12th and 13th centuries. Jodo Shinshu, or Shin Buddhism, places overwhelming emphasis on the element of faith.

[Pure Land comprises the schools] of East Asia which emphasize aspects of Mahayana Buddhism stressing faith in Amida, meditation on and recitation of his name, and the religious goal of being reborn in his "Pure Land" or "Western Paradise." (Keith Crim.)

Note: An early form of Buddha Recitation can be found in the Nikayas of the Pali Canon:

In the Nikayas, the Buddha ... advised his disciples to think of him and his virtues as if they saw his body before their eyes, whereby they would be enabled to accumulate merit and attain Nirvana or be saved from transmigrating in the evil paths ... (D.T. Suzuki, The Eastern Buddhist, Vol.3, No.4, p.317.)

World of Endurance. Refers to this world of ours, filled with suffering and afflictions, yet gladly endured by its inhabitants.

Or Salavana, the grove of sal(teak) trees near Kusinagara, the place of the Buddha's death.

Cooperation with and adaptation to others for the sake of leading them towards the truth. Samanarthata is one of the Four All-Embracing Virtues.

Quiet, tranquillity, calmness of mind, absence of mind.

Cycle of rebirths; realms of Birth and Death.

Lit., harmonious community. In the Buddhadharma, Sangha means the order of Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, Sramaneras and Sramanerikas. Another meaning is the Arya Sangha, made up of those individuals, lay or monastic, who have attained one of the four stages of sanctity. Also, the Bodhisattva Sangha.

Learned language of India. Canonical texts of Mahayana Buddhism in its Indian stage were written in Sanskrit.

Commentary; the commentaries constitute one of the three parts of the Buddhist canonical scrptures.

See "Difficult Path of Practice."

Blessed, endowed with supernatural faculties. This same term refers to the Sankrit alphabet also and is, likewise, transliterated as Hsi-ta in Chinese.

A lay-disciple who maintains the eight precepts, either temporarily or as preparation for leaving home.

North, South, East, West, above and below, i.e., all directions. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, they are expanded to include points of the compass in between and are referred to as the Ten Directions.

The six indriyas, or sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.

The paths within the realm of Birth and Death. Includes the three Evil Paths (hells, hungry ghosts, animality) and the paths of humans, asuras and celestials. These paths can be understood as states of mind. See also "Evil Paths."

As taught by the Buddha, the skandhas are the components of the human so-called entity that is constantly changing. They are: I. Name/form; 2. Feeling; 3. Conception; 4. Impulse; 5. Consciousness.

See entry under Hinayana.

Lit., laborer; applied to those who wholeheartedly practice toward enlightenment; root word of the designation for novice monk.

A novice nun holding the 10 precepts.

Pure Rice King, the father of Shakyamuni, ruled over the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu on the Nepalese border.

The lowest of the four Hindi Castes at the time of Shakyamuni. They were peasants, slaves and serfs.

Also called Heroic Gate Sutra.

The "Sutra of the Heroic One" exercised a great influence on the development of Mahayana Buddhism in China [and neighboring countries]. It emphasizes the power of samadhi, through which enlightenment can be attained, and explains the various methods of emptiness meditation through the practice of which everyone ... can realize ... enlightenment ä (Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)

Usually translated as "Thus Come One." He who came as did all Buddhas, who took the absolute way of cause and effect, and attained to perfect wisdom; one of the highest titles of a Buddha (Charles Luk).

1. Killing; 2.stealing; 3. sexual misconduct; 4. lying; 5. slander; 6. coarse language; 7. empty chatter; 8. covetousness; 9. angry speech; 10. wrong views. See also "Ten Precepts."

Include an expanded version of the Five Precepts of body and mouth (not to kill, steal, engage in illicit sex, lie, or take intoxicants) with the addition of the virtues of the mind (elimination of greed, anger and delusion). See also "Five Precepts," "Ten Evil Acts."

The virtuous modes of behavior, which are the positive counterparts to the Five Precepts.

1) The purposive stage; 2) The stage of control of the mind-ground; 3) the stage of Bodhisattva practice; 4) The stage of noble birth; 5) The stage of all-in-readiness for Enlightenment; 6) The stage of the whole mind becoming Buddha-like; 7) The stage of non-retrogression; 8) The stage of Bodhi in its infancy; 9) The stage of the heir to the King of the Law; 10) The stage of investiture.

In the first lifetime, the practitioner engages in mundane good deeds which bring ephemeral worldly blessings (wealth, power, authority, etc.) in the second lifetime. Since power tends to corrupt, he is likely to create evil karma, resulting in retribution in the third lifetime. Thus, good deeds in the first lifetime are potential "enemies" of the third lifetime. To ensure that mundane good deeds do not become "enemies the practitioner should dedicate all merits to a transcendental goal, i.e., to become Bodhisattvas or Buddhas or, in Pure Land teaching, to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land -- a Buddha land beyond Birth and Death.

In a mundane context, these three lifetimes can be conceived of as three generations. Thus, the patriarch of a prominent family, through work and luck, amasses great power, fortune and influence (first lifetime). His children are then able to enjoy a leisurely, and, too often, dissipated life (second lifetime). By the generation of the grandchildren, the family's fortune and good reputation have all but disappeared (third lifetime).

The physical marks of a Cakravarti (Wheel-King), especially of the Buddha.

See "Evil Paths."

The three conditions, inheritances or karmas, of which there are several groups, including the karmas of deeds, words and thoughts.

Pure Land Buddhism is based on three basic sutras: a) Amitabha Sutra (or Shorter Amitabha Sutra, or Smaller Sukhavati-Vyuha, or the Sutra of Amida); b) Longer Amitabha Sutra (or Longer Sukhavati-Vyuha, or the Teaching of Infinite Life); c) Meditation Sutra (or the Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life, or the Amitayus Dhyana Sutra). Sometimes the last chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra ("The Practices and Vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra") is considered the fourth basic sutra of the Pure Land tradition. Note: in Pure Land, the Longer Amitabha Sutra is considered a shorter form of the Lotus Sutra.

Taking refuge and possessing confidence in the Buddha's Awakening, in his Teaching and in the Sangha of enlightened disciples.

"Tolerance" (insight) that comes from the knowledge that all phenomena are unborn. Sometimes translated as "insight into the non-origination of all existence/non-origination of the dharmas." A Mahayana Buddhist term for the insight into emptiness, the non-origination or birthlessness of things or beings realized by Bodhisattvas who have attained the eighth Stage [Ground] of the path to Buddhahood. When a Bodhisattva realizes this insight he has attained the stage of non-retrogression. (Ryukoku University.) The Pure Land School teaches that anyone reborn in the Pure Land attains the Tolerance of Non-Birth and reaches the stage of non-retrogression, never to fall back into samsara. See also "Non-Birth."

See "Threee Realms."

See "Three Treasures."

1) Relative or conventional, everyday truth of the mundane world subject to delusion and dichotomies and 2) the Ultimate Truth, transcending dichotomies, as taught by the Buddhas. According to Buddhism, there are two kinds of Truth, the Absolute and the Relative. The Absolute Truth (of the Void) manifests "illumination but is always still," and this is absolutely inexplicable. On the other hand, the Relative Truth (of the Unreal) manifests "stillness but is always illuminating," which means that it is immanent in everything. (Hsu Heng Chi/P.H. Wei). Pure Land thinkers such as the Patriarch Tao Ch'o accepted "the legitimacy of Conventional Truth as an expression of Ultimate Truth and as a vehicle to reach Ultimate Truth. Even though all form is nonform, it is acceptable and necessary to use form within the limits of causality, because its use is an expedient means of saving others out of one's compassion for them and because, even for the unenlightened, the use of form can lead to the revelation of form as nonform" (David Chappell). Thus to reach Buddhahood, which is formless, the cultivator can practice the Pure Land method based on form.

The main Buddha in the Avatamsaka Sutra. Represents the Dharma Body of Buddha Shakyaniuni and all Buddhas. His Pure Land is the Flower Store World, i.e., the entire cosmos.

The third of the four Hindi Castes at the time of Shakyamuni. They were merchant, entrepreneurs, traders, farmers, manufacturers, etc., but not well-educated.

True or sacred knowledge or lore; name of celebrated works which constitute the basis of the first period of the Hindu religion.

Disciplined conduct, referring specifically to the monastic rules for the disciples who have left home; also, one of the three divisions of the Buddhist scriptures.

See "Merit and Virtue."

The wife of Siddhartha Goutama. Later became a nun.