The White Lotus of Compassion
Glossary

The fifth of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Gaganamudra and is prophesied to become the Buddha Padmottara.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A southern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The eastern realm where the ninth son of King Araṇemin has become the Buddha Akṣobhya, and after Akṣobhya’s nirvāṇa, where the tenth son will become the Buddha Suvarṇapuṣpa. It will be renamed Jayasoma when the eleventh son, Siṃha, becomes the Buddha Nāgavinarditeśvaraghoṣa there.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the forty-second) when he becomes a buddha.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A bodhisattva who comes from the realm of the Buddha Lokeśvararāja to the Buddha Ratnagarbha

A term also translated as “patience” and “forebearance” in this text, and in others sometimes as “receptivity”; here, often in the context of its association with dhāraṇī and samādhi, the term is probably to be understood as related to “forbearance that comes from realizing the birthlessness of phenomena” (q.v.).

The name of a buddha.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A buddha in an eastern buddha realm.

The name that the bodhisattva Saṃrocana will have when he becomes a buddha.

The eastern realm where the sixth son of King Araṇemin will become a buddha.

The five aggregates of forms, sensations, identifications, mental activities, and consciousnesses.

The eastern realm in which the bodhisattva Vīryasaṃcodana became a buddha.

A religious tradition begun by a contemporary of Śākyamuni, Makkhali Gosāla (c. 500 ʙᴄᴇ). Though prominent for some centuries, it died out during the first millennium ᴄᴇ. None of their own literature survives. They have been criticized as believing that everything is predetermined and therefore the individual is helpless to control outcomes. However, they apparently believed that an individual could actively progress to liberation through the practice of an ascetic spiritual path that prevented the development of more karma and the predetermined fate that it creates.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

The highest paradise in the form realm, and therefore the highest point in altitude within the universe.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The buddha whom the bodhisattva Akṣobhya, the ninth son of King Araṇemin, is prophesied to become in the realm Abhirati. His name as a bodhisattva and buddha is the same. At the time when this sūtra appeared, he was already a well-known buddha and later become important as the head of one of the five buddha families in the higher tantras. Śākyamuni states that he can see Akṣobhya in the eastern buddha realm Abhirati.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the sixty-eighth) when he becomes a buddha.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Vairocana and is prophesied to become the Buddha Dharmavaśavarīśvararāja.

The name of a previous incarnation of Śākyamuni as a cakravartin who gives away everything including parts of his body.

The sixth son of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Vegavairocana and is prophesied to become the Buddha Dharmavaśavartīśvararāja.

The eighth son of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Samantabhadra and is prophesied to become the Buddha Jñānavajravijṛmbhiteśvaraketu.

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 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.

The buddha in the realm of Sukhāvatī. Later and presently better known by his alternative name Amitābha, while Amitāyus is most commonly used as the short form of the Buddha Aparamitāyurjñāna’s name.

A bodhisattva present at the teaching of The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra.

One of ten names of a thousand buddhas prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha, with presumably a hundred buddhas having this name.

The name of King Araṇemin in the latter half of The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra.

The ninth son of King Araṇemin, who becomes the bodhisattva Akṣobhya and is prophesied to become buddha Akṣobhya.

The Buddha Śākyamuni’s cousin, who was his attendant for the last twenty years of his life. He was the subject of criticism and opposition from the monastic community after the Buddha’s passing, but he eventually succeeded to the position of the patriarch of Buddhism in India after the passing of the first patriarch Mahākāśyapa.

The fourth of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin. He becomes the bodhisattva Vajraccheda­prajñā­vabhāsaśrī and is prophesied to become the Buddha Samantabhadra.

One of ten names of a thousand buddhas prophesied by Buddha Ratnagarbha, with presumably a hundred buddhas having this name.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The seventh of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin who becomes the bodhisattva Siṃhagandha and is prophesied to become the Buddha Prabhāsavirarajaḥsamucchrayagandheśvararāja.

A realm in which the beings are only the height of a thumb, and the buddha there, Jyotīrasa, is seven thumbs in size.

The crown prince of King Araṇemin who becomes, in that lifetime, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and who is prophesied to succeed the Buddha Amitābha in Sukhāvatī as the Buddha Samantaraśmyabhyudgataśrīkūṭarāja.

The name of the eastern realm in which the fourth son of King Araṇemin is prophesied to become the Buddha Samantabhadra.

After Raśmi has passed into parinirvāṇa and his Dharma has come to an end, the buddha realm Virati will be named Aparā. The Tathāgata Ratneśvaraghoṣa will reside in this buddha realm and give teachings.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the twenty-first) when he becomes a buddha.

A class of celestial female beings known for their great beauty.

A name of the Sahā realm in an earlier eon.

A bodhisattva who comes from the realm of the Buddha Vigatabhayaparyutthānaghoṣa to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

The name of the king in the distant past who eventually became Amitāyus. Later he is named Amṛtaśuddha.

The name of an eastern buddha realm that Śākyamuni states he can see.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

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 or emotions (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.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the thirty-ninth) when he becomes a buddha

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

A buddha whom Śākyamuni sees in a western buddha realm.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A buddha whom Śākyamuni sees in a southern buddha realm.

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).

A bodhisattva ṛṣi living on the island of jewels at the time of the Buddha’s previous life as the cakravartin Pradīpapradyota.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the “eight close sons of the Buddha,” he is also known as the bodhisattva who embodies compassion. In certain tantras, he is also the lord of the three families, where he embodies the compassion of the buddhas. In Tibet, he attained great significance as a special protector of Tibet, and in China, in female form, as Guanyin, the most important bodhisattva in all of East Asia.

A deva who made offerings to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

The lowest hell, the eighth of the eight hot hells.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A bodhisattva who praises the brahmin Samudrareṇu.

The realm in which the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies that Samudrareṇu’s oldest son will become the Buddha Ratnaketu, and that subsequently Samudrareṇu’s second son, Saṃbhava, will become the Buddha Vairocanakusuma.

Determination, diligence, intention, and examination.

“Venerable One.” A term of respect used for Buddhist monks.

Our present eon in which over a thousand buddhas will appear. The meaning is “good” because of the number of buddhas that will appear. In this sūtra it is usually called bhadraka.

A bodhisattva who comes from the realm of the Buddha Jitendriyaviśālanetra to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature, 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”).

The western realm in which the bodhisattva Prajñārciḥsaṃkopitadaṣṭa became the Buddha Sūryagarbhārcivimalendra.

The bodhisattva name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha gives to Mahābalavegadhārin, the youngest of the Veda-reciting pupils of the brahmin Samudrareṇu. The Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies that he will be the Buddha Roca, the thousand and fifth and the last buddha in the Bhadraka eon.

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 begged from the laity.

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 vows as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 263 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).

Fully ordained Buddhist nun.

A level of enlightenment; typically the ten levels of a bodhisattva’s development into a fully enlightened buddha.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

This term in its broadest sense can refer to any being, whether human, animal, or nonhuman. However, it is often used to refer to a specific class of nonhuman beings, especially when bhūtas are mentioned alongside rākṣasas, piśācas, or pretas. In common with these other kinds of nonhumans, bhūtas are usually depicted with unattractive and misshapen bodies. Like several other classes of nonhuman beings, bhūtas take spontaneous birth. As their leader is traditionally regarded to be Rudra-Śiva (also known by the name Bhūta), with whom they haunt dangerous and wild places, bhūtas are especially prominent in Śaivism, where large sections of certain tantras concentrate on them.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The intent at the heart of the Great Vehicle, namely to obtain buddhahood in order to liberate all beings from suffering. In its relative aspect, it is both this aspiration and the practices toward buddhahood. In its absolute aspect, it is the realization of emptiness or the awakened mind itself.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the five bodhisattva paths and ten bodhisattva levels. Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize the two aspects of selflessness, with respect to afflicted mental states and the nature of all phenomena.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the thirty-fourth) when he becomes a buddha.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world where other beings consider him the creator; 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 Sahā World” (Sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (Mahābrahmā).

A celibate lifestyle focused on spiritual pursuits.

A buddha whom Śākyamuni sees in a western buddha realm.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the thirty-sixth) when he becomes a buddha

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the fifty-seventh) when he becomes a buddha.

The four brahmaviharas are limitless love, compassion, rejoicing, and impartiality. Meditation on these alone is said to bring rebirth in the Brahmā realms.

A buddha whom Śākyamuni sees in a western buddha realm.

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.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the seventh) when he becomes a buddha.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the twentieth) when he becomes a buddha.

Literally, “circular mass.” 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, the heat of which evaporates the ocean so that it does not overflow. Jambudvīpa, the world of humans, is in this sea to Sumeru’s south. However, it is also used to mean the entire disk, including Meru and the paradises above it. The Tibetan here is just ’khor yug, but later on it is ’khor yug gi ri, which means the circle of mountains around the world.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The term “universal monarch” denotes a just and pious king who rules over the universe according to the laws of Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he wields a disk (cakra) that rolls (vartana) over continents, worlds, and world systems, bringing them under his power. A universal monarch is often considered the worldly, political correlate of a buddha. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

One of the lower social classes that are outside, and beneath, the four castes.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The name of a buddha in a northeastern realm that sends bodhisattvas to pay homage to Śākyamuni.

The distant southeastern realm of the Buddha Candrottama long ago in the past, which became Padmā in the time of the next Buddha, Padmottara.

A southern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

The deity of the moon. He represents the northeast direction.

The name of the head merchant in the story of Śākyamuni’s previous life as cakravartin Pradīpapradyota.

A bodhisattva who comes from the realm of the Buddha Ratnacandra to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

A name of the Sahā realm in an earlier eon.

Unidentified flower.

The buddha preceding the Buddha Padmottara in a distant southeastern buddha realm.

A śakra deity who prays to be Samudrareṇu’s son when he is the Buddha Śākyamuni, i.e., Rahula.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the forty-fourth) when he becomes a buddha.

There are usually six clairvoyances: divine sight, divine hearing, knowing how to manifest miracles, remembering previous lives, knowing what is in the minds of others, and knowing that all defects have been eliminated.

Mandarava, flame tree, tiger’s claw. Erythrina Indica or Erythrina variegate. In the spring it is covered in large crimson flowers and is believed to grow in Indra’s paradise.

The mountain that the cakravartin Durdhana, a previous life of Śākyamuni, leaps from in order to make a gift of his body.

One of the thousand sons of King Araṇemin.

The relative nature of phenomena, which arises in dependence upon causes and conditions. Together with the four noble truths, this was the first teaching given by the Buddha.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Cognate with the English term divine, the devas are most generally 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 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), material realm (rūpadhātu), and immaterial 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 material and immaterial 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 southern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the fifty-second) when he becomes a buddha.

The name of an eon in the distant past where most of the events in The White Lotus of Compassion Sūtra take place.

An eastern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

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.

One of only eight bodhisattvas in the past or future who equal the Buddha Śākyamuni’s generosity in his previous lives.

A bodhisattva who praises the brahmin Samudrareṇu but is not mentioned elsewhere in the sūtra.

A bodhisattva who comes from the realm of the Buddha Prasphulitakusuma­vairocana to the Buddha Ratnagarbha.

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.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the thirty-eighth) when he becomes a buddha.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A buddha whom the Buddha Śākyamuni states he can see in a southern buddha realm.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The buddha whom the sixth son of King Araṇemin is prophesied to become.

A buddha whom the Buddha Śākyamuni states he can see in a western buddha realm.

A buddha whom the Buddha Śākyamuni states he can see in a southern buddha realm.

One of the four mahārājas, he is the guardian deity for the east and traditionally lord of the gandharvas, though in this sūtra he appears to be king of the nāgas. There is a Dhṛtarāṣṭra in each four-continent world.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

A buddha realm that Prince Amigha makes an aspiration to enter.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

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.

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

A brahmin who asks King Ambara, a previous life of Śākyamuni, for his eyes.

The thousandth of the 1,005 buddhas in the Bhadraka eon.

A southern buddha realm that the Buddha Śākyamuni sees.

One of the Buddha Śākyamuni’s previous lives as a cakravartin.

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.

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) pretas, (3) animals, and (4) long-lived gods; in the human realm among (5) barbarians or (6) people with wrong views and (7) in places where the Buddhist teachings do not exist; and (8) without adequate faculties to understand the teachings where they do exist.

There are eighteen such special qualities unique to a buddha. They are as follows: he never makes a mistake; he is never boisterous; he never forgets; his concentration never falters; he has no notion of distinctness; his equanimity is not due to lack of consideration; his motivation never falters; his endeavor never fails; his mindfulness never falters; he never abandons his concentration; his wisdom never decreases; his liberation never fails; all his physical actions are preceded and followed by wisdom; all his verbal actions are preceded and followed by wisdom; all his mental actions are preceded and followed by wisdom; his knowledge and vision perceive the past without any attachment or hindrance; his knowledge and vision perceive the future without any attachment or hindrance; and his knowledge and vision perceive the present without any attachment or hindrance

A mountain in a previous eon where, according to this sūtra, medical knowledge was revealed.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Emptiness denotes the ultimate nature of reality, the total absence of inherent existence and self-identity with respect to all phenomena. According to this view, all things and events are devoid of any independent, intrinsic reality that constitutes their essence. Nothing can be said to exist independent of the complex network of factors that gives rise to its origination, nor are phenomena independent of the cognitive processes and mental constructs that make up the conventional framework within which their identity and existence are posited. When all levels of conceptualization dissolve and when all forms of dichotomizing tendencies are quelled through deliberate meditative deconstruction of conceptual elaborations, the ultimate nature of reality will finally become manifest. It is the first of the three gateways to liberation.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The eighty secondary physical characteristics of a buddha and of other great beings (mahāpuruṣa), which include such details as the redness of the fingernails and the blackness of the hair. They are considered “minor” in terms of being secondary to the thirty-two major marks or signs of a great being.

These are (1–4) the four mindfulnesses, which are of body, sensations, mind, and phenomena; (5–8) the four eliminations, which are eliminating the bad that has been created, not creating the bad that has not been created, creating good that has not been created, and increasing what good has been created; (9–12) the four bases of miracles, which are aspiration, diligence, contemplation, and analysis; (13–17) the five powers, which are faith, diligence, mindfulness, meditation, and wisdom; (18–22) the five strengths, which are also faith, diligence, mindfulness, meditation, and wisdom; (23– 29) the seven branches of awakening, which are mindfulness, wisdom, diligence, joy, being well trained, meditation, and equanimity; and (30–37) the eight branches of the noble path, which are right view, thought, speech, effort, livelihood, mindfulness, meditation, and action.

This refers to the four confidences or fearlessnesses of the Buddha: confidence in having attained realization; confidence in having attained elimination; confidence in teaching the Dharma; and confidence in teaching the path of aspiration to liberation.

The five actions that lead to going instantly to hell on death are killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an arhat, splitting the saṅgha, and wounding a buddha so that he bleeds.

The degeneration of lifespan, view, kleśas, beings, and time.

These comprise gods and humans of the higher realms within cyclic existence, along with animals, starving spirits, and the hell dwellers, whose abodes are identified with the lower realms. It is also common to divide the god realm in two, the gods and the asuras, making up six realms or classes of beings (’gro ba drug, ṣaḍgati or rigs drug, ṣaṭkula).

These are five mental impediments that hinder meditation: impediments of desire (kāmacchanda), malice (vyāpāda), depression and sloth (styānamiddha), wildness and excitement (auddhatya­kaukṛtya), and doubt, or perplexity (vicikitsa).

The five tempos of classical music in southern India: chauka (one stroke per beat), vilamba (two strokes per beat), madhyama (four strokes per beat), dhuridha (eight strokes per beat), and adi dhuridha (sixteen strokes per beat).

This is often also interpreted as the acceptance that phenomena are birthless (or nonarising), but strictly speaking the acceptance is not so much an acquiescence regarding the view of nonarising itself as the forbearance regarding phenomena themselves (and the difficulties they may present) that is made possible by realizing that they are birthless. This is said to occur on the first, or in some texts the sixth, bhūmi. It enables bodhisattvas to bear any difficulties entailed by remaining within saṃsāra for eons, and is often said to coincide with the attainment of irreversibility in their progress toward enlightenment.

Buddhas attract disciples through generosity, speaking pleasantly, consistency in action, and acting altruistically.

The four types of fearlessness possessed by all buddhas: They have 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) have shown the path to liberation.

The same as the four āsrava (“outflows” or “contaminants”), namely (1) sensual desire, (2) conditioned existence, (3) wrong views, and (4) ignorance; also refers to birth, old age, sickness, and death.

Four personifications: devaputramāra (lha’i bu’i bdud), the divine māra, which is the distraction of pleasures; mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud) the māra of death; skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud) the māra of the aggregates, which is the body; and kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud) māra of the afflictions.

Taking what is impermanent to be permanent, what is suffering to be happiness, what is unclean to be clean, and what is not self to be a self.

Taking what is impermanent to be permanent, what is suffering to be happiness, what is unclean to be clean, and what is not self to be a self.

The bodhisattva who was Abhaya, the fifth son of King Araṇemin. As prophesied, he became a pupil of the Buddha Candrottara. After Candrottara’s passing, he became the Buddha Padmottara in the southeastern buddha realm, Padmā, and he is present there during Śākyamuni’s lifetime.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The bodhisattva who was Himaṇi, the tenth son of King Araṇemin.

A buddha in a previous eon when Jambudvīpa was called Arajamerujugupsita.

One of ten names of a thousand buddhas prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha, with presumably a hundred buddhas having this name.

One of ten names of a thousand buddhas prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha, with presumably a hundred buddhas having this name.

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 under the jurisdiction of 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 any sentient being in the realm of desire (kāma­dhātu) during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the seventy-sixth) when he becomes a buddha.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

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.

A buddha whom the Buddha Śākyamuni states he can see in a southern buddha realm.

One of the hundred names prophesied by the Buddha Ratnagarbha for 2,500 buddhas, presumably the name of twenty-five of those buddhas.

The name that the Buddha Ratnagarbha prophesies will be that of one of his eighty brothers (the sixty-third) when he becomes a buddha.

King Araṇemin’s principal queen.

A type of sandalwood that is reddish in color and has medicinal properties. It is said to have the finest fragrance of all sandalwood. In the Mahāvyutpatti it is translated as sa mchog, which means “supreme earth.” Later translations translate gośir�