རིག་སྔགས། | Glossary of Terms

A spell. Although a technical term in its own right, it is also used interchangeably at times with the terms dhāraṇī and dhāraṇīmantra, guhyamantra, etc.

Knowledge or awareness mantra.

The formula associated with and identical to the goddess it invokes.

A sacred utterance or spell made for the purpose of attaining either worldly or transcendent benefits.

A sacred utterance or spell made for the purpose of attaining either worldly or transcendent benefits.

A type of incantation or spell used to accomplish a ritual goal. This can be associated with either ordinary attainments or those whose goal is awakening.

Magical spell; knowledge of spells; a class of male or female deities identified with their spells.

Knowledge, especially the secret knowledge of mantras, mudrās, and so forth, and also the magical power that this knowledge entails; a magical spell or the power of a magical spell; a nonhuman female being or deity possessing such power.

A term that at once refers to a type of spell or dhāraṇī and to the goddess it invokes, thereby reflecting their inseparability.

A term that at once refers to a type of mantra or dhāraṇī and to the deity it invokes, thereby reflecting their inseparability. A vidyā is typically applied to female deities, and is often, but not exclusively, used for worldly goals in esoteric ritual. In worldly contexts a vidyā is similar to a “spell.”

A mantra-like formula for invoking specific deities, often to bring about more mundane accomplishments in Buddhist ritual practices. A vidyā is at once considered the incantation and the deity it invokes.

Vidyāmantras are incantations that, by extension of the literal meaning of the Sanskrit word, are believed to encapsulate and invoke hidden or spiritual knowledge in their syllables, which themselves are considered magically potent. In tantric texts, vidyās and vidyāmantras take the form of or can appear as female deities.

A type of incantation or spell used to accomplish a ritual goal. This can be associated with either ordinary attainments or those whose goal is awakening.

In different contexts in this text, also translated as “knowledge.”

A type of mantra-like formula that is used to accomplish a ritual goal. It can be associated with either ordinary attainments or the goal of awakening.

A type of incantation used in meditative and ritual contexts.