ཐམས་ཅད་མཁྱེན་པ། | Glossary of Terms

See “three types of omniscience.”

The all-knowing state of complete buddhahood that is the goal of the Great Vehicle path.

The state of knowing all possible and actual states of affairs of past, present, and future (total omniscience) or knowing all that is most relevant to soteriology, the basic nature of reality (essential omniscience).

A description of the mode of omniscience in which all possible phenomena as well as their ultimate nature are known.

This refers to the gnosis of the Buddha, with which there is nothing he does not know. However, not to confuse “omniscience” with the theistic conception of an omniscient god, the “everything” here is specifically everything about the source of the predicament of worldly life and the way of transcendence of that world through liberation. Since “everything” is only an abstract term without any particular referent, once we are clear about the implications of infinity, it does not refer to any sort of ultimate totality, since a totality can only be relative, i.e., a totality within a particular frame of reference. Thus, as Dharmakīrti has remarked, “it is not a question of the Buddha’s knowing the number of fish in the ocean,” i.e., since there are infinity of fish in infinity of oceans in infinity of worlds and universes. The Buddha’s omniscience, rather, knows how to develop and liberate any fish in any ocean, as well as all other living beings.

This refers to the gnosis or omniscience of the Buddha, the “All-Knowing” or “Omniscient” One.

This refers to the gnosis or omniscience of the Buddha, the “All-Knowing” or “Omniscient” One.

An epithet of the Buddha.

An epithet of a buddha.

An epithet of the Buddha.

An epithet of the buddhas. The homage to the Omniscient One at the beginning of a Buddhist scripture usually indicates that it belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka.

An epithet of the Buddha and a title for high lamas in the Tibetan tradition.

An epithet of a buddha.

An epithet of the buddhas. Salutation to the All-Knowing One at the beginning of a Buddhist text typically indicates its designation in the Vinaya Piṭaka.

See “three types of omniscience.”

The state of knowing all possible and actual states of affairs of the past, present, and future (i.e., total omniscience) or knowing all that is most soteriologically relevant, the basic nature of reality (i.e., essential omniscience).