Cyclic Existence ’khor-ba, Skt. samsāra
A state of existence conditioned by dissonant mental states and the imprint of past actions (karma), characterised by suffering in a cycle of life, death and rebirth, in which the six classes of sentient beings (ṣaḍgati; Tib. ’gro-ba rigs-drug) rotate. Cyclic existence emerges from fundamental ignorance (avidyā) through a process known as the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅga-pratῑtyasamutpāda ). When fundamental ignorance, identified as the misapprehension of the nature of actual reality (dharmatā), is reversed, cyclic existence is itself reversed, and the contrasting state of nirvāṇa is attained, free from suffering and the processes of rebirth. See Dependent Origination and Nirvāṇa.
Ḍākinī mkha’-’gro-ma
Ḍākinῑ are female yoginῑ who have attained either mundane or supramundane spiritual accomplishments (siddhi), the latter referring to the realisations of buddhahood . They may be human beings who have achieved such attainments, or manifestations of the enlightened activity of meditational deities. The Tibetan equivalent mkha’-’gro literally means ‘space voyager’, space metaphorically implying emptiness, and voyager indicating someone immersed in its experience. The ḍākinῑ are said to confer enlightened or buddha-activities on the meditator, in contrast to the spiritual teacher who confers blessings and the meditatioal deity who confers accomplishments.
Ḍākinī of Pristine Cognition ye-shes mkha’-’gro, Skt. jñānaḍākinῑ
The female consorts of the principal awareness holders of maturation, power over the lifespan, the Great Seal and spontaneous presence.
Ḍākinī of the Three Abodes gnas-gsum mkha’-’gro
The ḍākinῑ of the three abodes are those of buddha-body, speech and mind.
Dalai Lama rgyal ba yid-bzhin nor-bu/rin-po-che
The temporal and spiritual leader of Tibet. The Dalai Lama’s temporal reign began at the time of the fifth Dalai Lama in the 17th century. Since then the country has been ruled, periodically, by a succession of Dalai Lamas, until China’s occupation in the 1950s. The Dalai Lamas are chosen according to a strict traditional procedure of observation and examination initiated following the death of the previous Dalai Lama. The present Dalai Lama is the fourteenth in the succession of this lineage. The title Dalai Lama was originally offered to Sonam Gyatso, the third Dalai Lama, by the then Mongol prince Altan Qan. The Mongol word da-lai (Tib. rgya-mtsho) means ‘ocean (of wisdom)’.
Ḍāmaru ḍā-ma-ru
A hand-held double-sided drum, frequently identified with the wrathful deities and the ḍākinῑ, and generally utilised as a ritual instrument in conjunction with the bell. The ḍāmaru is said to proclaim ‘the sound of great bliss’.
Dedication of Merit bsngo-ba, Skt. pariṇāma
An important element of Buddhist practice enacted normally in the form of a recitation of verses of dedication at the conclusion of a spiritual practice. In all Buddhist practices, the establishment of the correct motivation at the beginning and the altruistic dedication at the end are regarded as highly significant. The most popular objects of the dedication are the flourishing of the sacred teachings of Buddhism throughout the universe and the attainment of full enlightenment by all sentient beings.
Definitive Meaning nges-don, Skt. nῑtārtha
The sūtra teachings of the buddhas are classified as being of either definitive meaning or provisional meaning (neyārtha) depending on whether they do not or do require further interpretation. In general, sūtras of provisional meaning concern the nature of cyclic existence (samsāra) and its antidotes, as expounded by Śākyamuni Buddha in the first turning of the wheel of the sacred teachings. By contrast, those sūtras of definitive meaning concern either the nature of emptiness, as expressed in the second turning of the wheel of the sacred teachings, or the explications on buddha nature and buddha-attributes, as expressed in the third turning of the wheel of the sacred teachings. There are divergent views in the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism as to which of the sūtras of the second and third turnings should be regarded as definitive or provisional.
Degenerate Age snyigs-ma’i dus, Skt. kaliyuga
According to the prevailing view of Indian cosmology, a period of cosmic or cyclical time (aeon, Skt. kalpa) comprises fourteen secondary cycles (Skt. manvantara), each of which lasts 306,720,000 years. Each secondary cycle is said to contain seventy-one ‘great ages’ (Skt. mahāyuga), and each of these is further subdivided into four ages (Skt. caturyuga) which are of decreasing duration, and known respectively as the Perfect Age (kṛtayuga), the Third Age (tretāyuga), the Second Age (dvāparayuga ), and the Black or Degenerate Age (kaliyuga). Since these four ages represent a gradual decline in meritorious activities, special meditative practices and spiritual antidotes are associated with each in turn. Specifically, the Perfect Age is most suited to the practice of the Kriyātantra; the Third Age to that of the Caryātantra; the Second Age to that of the Yogatantra; and the present Black or Degenerate Age to that of the Unsurpassed Yogatantra.
Deity yi-dam, Skt. iṣṭadevatā
See under Meditational Deity.
Delusion gti-mug, Skt. moha
One of the three poisons (dug-gsum) along with aversion and attachment, or five poisons (dug-lnga) along with aversion, attachment, pride, and envy, which perpetuate the sufferings of cyclic existence. Delusion is the obfuscating mental factor which obstructs an individual from generating knowledge or insight, and it is said to be characteristic of the animal world in general.
Dense Array gtug-po bkod-pa, Skt. Ghanavyūha
The Dense Array is a synonym for the central buddha field of Akaniṣṭha. See under Akaniṣṭha.
Dependent Origination rten-’brel, Skt. pratῑtyasamutpāda
The doctrine of dependent origination can be said to be the most fundamental metaphysical view of Buddhist thought and it is intimately linked with the Buddhist notion of causation. The principle of dependent origination asserts that nothing exists independently of other factors, the reason for this being that things and events come into existence only by dependence on the aggregation of multiple causes and conditions. In general, the processes of cyclic existence, through which the external world and the sentient beings within it revolve in a continuous cycle of suffering, propelled by the propensities of past actions and their interaction with dissonant mental states, are said to originate dependent on twelve successive links, which are known as the twelve links of dependent origination (dvādaśāṅga-pratῑtyasamutpāda ). These comprise: 1) fundamental ignorance, 2) motivational tendencies, 3) consciousness, 4) name and form, 5) sensory activity fields, 6) contact, 7) sensation , 8) attachment, 9) grasping, 10) rebirth process, 11) birth, 12) ageing and death. Although, in the ultimate sense there is no beginning to the continuum of mind, a relative beginning can be spoken of on the basis of a single instance of rebirth within cyclic existence. Every instance of birth in cyclic existence must have a cause and such causes are ultimately rooted in our fundamental ignorance, which misapprehends the true nature of actual reality. For an ordinary sentient being all the twelve links are interconnected and each component of the chain contributes to the perpetuation of the cycle. It is only through deliberate reversal of fundamental ignorance that one can succeed in bringing the whole cycle to an end. Fundamental ignorane (avidyā) gives rise to conditioning or tendencies (saṃskāra) which are stored in the substratum or ground-of-all consciousness (ālayavijñāna). Following the moment of a sentient being’s conception, this inheritance of past actions from a previous life gives rise to name and form (nāmarūpa), i.e. to the five psycho-physical aggregates (pañcaskandha), which are products of that dualising consciousness. Then, the sensory activity fields (āyatana) provide the subjective and objective framework for sensory activity in its initial stages of development; while contact (sparśa) refers to the maturation of sensory perception as an unborn child develops a sensitivity to its environment inside the womb. Thereafter, s
ensation (vedanā), attachment (tṛṣṇā), grasping (ādāna), rebirth process (bhava), and actual birth ( jāti) together indicate the emergence of a sentient being within the living world; and these in turn lead inevitably to old age and death (jarāmaraṇa).
Desire ’dod-chags, Skt. rāga
See Attachment.
Desire Realm, Skt. kāmadhātu
See Three World-sytems.
Dhanakośa dha-na-ko-sa
The name of an island lake situated in the country of Oḍḍiyāna, generally identified in the Tibetan tradition with the Swat Valley of modern Pakistan, where many of the Buddhist tantras were once disseminated and practised. It is considered to have been the birthplace of both Prahevajra, the first human lineage holder of Atiyoga, and of Padmasambhava.
Dharmarāja chos-rgyal
See under Yama Dharmarāja.
Discriminative Awareness shes-rab, Skt. prajñā
The Sanskrit term prajñā is formally defined as ‘the discriminative awareness of the essence, distinctions, particular and general characteristics, and advantages and disadvantages of any object within one’s own perceptual range, at the conclusion of which doubts are removed’. In other words, this is the faculty of intelligence or discriminating awareness inherent within the mental continuum of all living creatures which enables them to examine the characteristics of things and events, thus making it possible to make judgements and deliberations. The term prajñā has commonly been translated into English as ‘wisdom’, largely following the example of Edward Conze, who translated a voluminous series of texts devoted to the Perfection of Discriminative Awareness (Prajñāpāramitā). According to the abhidharma of the Lesser Vehicule, prajñā is one of the five mental factors of ascertainment which arise during all mental events of a veridical nature. According to the Greater Vehicule, the perfection of this faculty of discriminative awareness (prajñāpāramitā ) leads a bodhisattva to a total overcoming of all types of doubt and ignorance and to the realisation of the emptiness of all things. Here, in conjunction with skilful means (upāya), the term prajñopāya refers to the integration of the two principal aspects of the path to enlightenment. In this context prajñā, or true insight into the emptiness of all phenomena, is united in perfect union with skilful means. In tantric traditions, the union of prajñopāya is often depicted iconographically in the union of the male and female deities, and in the symbolic hand-implements such as the vajra and the bell.
Dissonant Mental States nyon-mongs, Skt. kleśa
The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by the various psychological defilements known as the dissonant mental states. The Tibetan word nyon-mongs implies a mental event whose arising causes psychological afflictions within the mind, thus destroying its peace and composure. According to abhidharma literature in general, there are six primary dissonant mental states: fundamental ignorance, attachment, aversion, pride, doubt, and afflicted or dissonant views; and an enumeration of twenty subsidiary mental states (Skt. upakleśa), which comprise: anger, malice, dissimulation, fury, envy, miserliness, dishonesty, deception, arrogance, mischief, indecorum, indecency, obfuscation, agitation, distrust, laziness, carelessness, forgetfulness, distraction, and inattentiveness. Even more wide-ranging are the 84,000 dissonant mental states for which the 84,000 aspects of the sacred teachings are said to provide distinctive antidotes. At the root of all these psychological afflictions lies the fundamental ignorance which misapprehends the true nature of reality.
Downfalls ltung-ba, Skt. āpatti
See Transgressions.
Dream Yoga rmi-lam
Meditative techniques for utilising and transforming dream consciousness within the context of Unsurpassed Yogatantra practice. These include: meditative techniques for retaining awareness during the dream state; multiplying and transforming the contents of dreams and recognising their actual nature; and the dispelling of obstacles which prevent maintaining awareness in the dream state.
Dualism gnyis-snang, Skt. ubhayābhāsa
Any level of perception of duality. Buddhist thought describes various forms of dualism, principal amongst these being: 1) a dualistic perception of subject and object; 2) all appearances of inherent existence; 3) all appearances of conventionalities ; and 4) all forms of conceptuality. A genuine direct realisation of emptiness is non-dual, in that it is free from all the above forms of dualism.
Dzogchen rdzogs-chen, Skt. mahāsandhi
See Great Perfection.
Eight Charnel Grounds dur-khrod brgyad
The eight charnel grounds are the great cemeteries of ancient India, which are regarded as inspirational places for the practice of meditation. These are respectively known, in Tibetan translation, as Tumdrak (gtum-drag), Tsangtsing Trikpa (tshangtshing ’khrigs-pa), Bar Trikpa (’bar ’khrigs-pa), Kengruchen (keng-rus-can), Silbutsel (bsil-bu-tshal, Skt. Śῑtavana), Munpa Nagpo (mun-pa nag-po), Kili Kilir Dradrokpa (ki-li ki-lir sgra-sgrog-pa), and Haha Godpa (ha-ha rgod-pa).
Eight Classes of Consciousness rnam-shes tshogs/gnas-brgyad
See under Aggregate of Consciousness.
Eight Classes of Spirits sde-brgyad
A classification of the malign forces that can be appeased by specific offerings and rituals. Diverse enumerations of these malign forces have been made by Nubchen Sangye Yeshe. Accordingly, there is an outer eightfold group (phyi-yi sde brgyad), an inner eightfold group (nang-gi sde brgyad), a secret eightfold group (gsang-ba’i sde brgyad), a supreme eightfold group (mchog-gi sde brgyad), an emanational eightfold group (sprul-pa’i sde brgyad), and a phenomenal eightfold group (snangsrid sde brgyad).
Eight Extremes mtha’-brgyad, Skt. aṣṭānta
The eight extremes from which intinsic awareness is free are those enumerated by Nāgārjuna in the Root Stanzas of the Madhyamaka entitled Discriminative Awareness (Prajñānāma mūlamadhyamakakārikā, T 3824), namely: cessation (’gag-pa), creation or production (skye-ba), nihilism(chad-pa), eternalism (rtag-pa), coming (’ong-ba), going (’gro-ba), diversity (tha-dad-pa), and singularity (gcig-pa).
Eight Freedoms and Ten Opportunities dal-ba brgyad dang ’byor-ba bcu
Birth as a human being with the freedom and opportunity to follow the Buddhist path is regarded as difficult to attain and a precious circumstance. In the preliminary practices of the tantra path, in order to establish an appreciation for the significance of human rebirth, the freedom one has from eight unfavourable rebirths is a focus of contemplation, together with contemplation of the ten favourable opportunities. The eight freedoms are the freedoms from the following eight states: birth in the hells, birth as an anguished spirit, birth as an animal, birth as an uncivilised or barbarous person, birth as a long-living god, birth into a society that holds mistaken beliefs, birth in an age devoid of Buddhism, and birth with limited faculties. Among the ten favourable opportunities, there are five which are personally acquired and five which are contingent on external factors. The former comprise the favourable opportunities of being born as a human being, in a civilised society, with perfect sense-faculties, not being engaged in a conflicting lifestyle, and having confidence in Buddhism. The latter comprise the favourable opportunities of being born in an aeon when a buddha has appeared, when the sacred teachings have been taught, when they are still being practised, and when one actively engages in their practice, and finds a qualified spiritual friend (kalyānamitra). See Chapter 1.
Eight [Great] Fears ’jigs-pa brgyad, Skt. aṣṭabhaya
These are variously enumerated but often include: drowning, fires, thieves, captivity, lions, snakes, elephants, and spirits.
Eight Great Projectresses spor-byed chen-mo brgyad
The eight great projectresses are female deities representing forces that propel various classes of sentient beings to exalted rebirths during the intermediate state of reality. See Chapter 6.
Eight Objects [of Consciousness] [rnam-shes-kyi] yul brgyad
These are the objects of the eight classes of consciousness,
i.e. deep-seated habitual tendencies (ground-of-all consciousness), dissonant mental states (deluded consciousness), thoughts (mental consciousness), sights (visual consciousness), objects of taste (gustatory consciousness), sounds (auditory consciousness), smells (olfactory consciousness) and physical objects (tactile consciousness). See under Aggregate of Consciousness.
Eight Sensory Objects yul brgyad
See Eight Objects of Consciousness.
Eighteen Hells dmyal-ba bco-brgyad, Skt. aṣṭadaśanaraka
The Tibetan Book of the Dead Page 51