The Quintessence of the Sun
Glossary

A buddha realm located in the eastern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Also called Absence of Torment.

The absence of the conceptual identification of perceptions, knowing that the true nature has no attributes, such as color or shape. One of the three gateways of liberation.

A buddha realm located in the eastern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Also called Absence of Heat.

The absence of any conceptual goal that one is focused upon achieving, knowing that all composite phenomena create suffering. One of the three gateways of liberation.

A synonym for meditation, this refers to the state of deep meditative immersion that results from different modes of Buddhist practice.

A nāga king.

A medicine goddess.

The five extremely negative actions that, once those who have committed them die, result in immediate rebirth in the hells without the experience of the intermediate state. They are killing an arhat, killing one’s mother, killing one’s father, creating a schism in the Saṅgha, and maliciously drawing blood from a tathāgata’s body.

The five aggregates of form, sensation, perception, formation, and consciousness. On the individual level the five aggregates refer to the basis upon which the mistaken idea of a self is projected.

A nāga king.

Another name for Kauṇḍinya. As he was the first to understand the Buddha Śākyamuni’s teaching on the four truths of the noble ones, he received the name Ājñātakauṇḍinya (Kauṇḍinya Who Understood).

A bodhisattva residing in a buddha realm in the northern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A name for both seizures and the demon that causes seizures and loss of consciousness. The Tibetan specifically means “causing forgetting.”

A fundamental practice of Buddhist meditation: close application of mindfulness to the body, close application of mindfulness to feelings, close application of mindfulness to mind, and close application of mindfulness to phenomena.

A monk in the past, son of the king Free of Flowers during the time of the Buddha Śikhin.

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 monk in charge of providing for monastery residents and visitors. One of several official administrative or managerial positions at a monastery.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

Name of a buddha realm located in the southern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Name of a sage.

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 king of Magadha and a great patron of the Buddha. His birth coincided with the Buddha’s, and his father, King Mahāpadma, named him “Essence of Gold” after mistakenly attributing the brilliant light that marked the Buddha’s birth to the birth of his son by Queen Bimbī (“Goldie”). Accounts of Bimbisāra’s youth and life can be found in The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1-1, Pravrajyāvastu).

King Śreṇya Bimbisāra first met with the Buddha early on, when the latter was the wandering mendicant known as Gautama. Impressed by his conduct, Bimbisāra offered to take Gautama into his court, but Gautama refused, and Bimbisāra wished him success in his quest for awakening and asked him to visit his palace after he had achieved his goal. One account of this episode can be found in the sixteenth chapter of The Play in Full (Toh 95, Lalitavistara). There are other accounts where the two meet earlier on in childhood; several episodes can be found, for example, in The Hundred Deeds (Toh 340, Karmaśataka).

Later, after the Buddha’s awakening, Bimbisāra became one of his most famous patrons and donated to the saṅgha the Bamboo Grove, Veṇuvana, at the outskirts of the capital of Magadha, Rājagṛha, where he built residences for the monks. Bimbisāra was imprisoned and killed by his own son, the prince Ajātaśatru, who, influenced by Devadatta, sought to usurp his father’s throne.

One of the eight hot hells.

A nāga.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A demon leader.

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).

The highest of the four classes in the Indian caste system, it is most closely associated with religious vocations.

A location in Khaṣa.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A nāga king.

Roughly a synonym for “universe,” although Buddhist cosmology contains many universes of different types and dimensions. “Buddha realm” indicates, in regard to any type of universe, that it is the field of influence of a particular buddha.

A buddha residing in the eastern direction at the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

Name of a mercenary demon.

A being who attains victory (i.e., awakening) through specific circumstances. A synonym for a solitary buddha.

A past buddha.

A nāga king.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

The fifth of the six perfections. Generally one of the synonyms for meditation, referring to a state of mental stability. The specific four concentrations are four successively subtler states of meditation that are said to lead to rebirth into the corresponding four levels of the form realm.

A nāga king.

Butön includes the Kashmiri abbot Dharmākara in his list of ninety-three paṇḍitas invited to Tibet to assist in the translation of the Buddhist scriptures. Tāranātha dates Dharmākara to the rule of *Vanapāla, son of Dharmapāla. With Paltsek, he translated two of Kalyāṇamitra’s works on Vinaya, the Vinaya­praśnakārikā (’dul ba dri ba’i tshig le’ur byas pa, Toh 4134) and the Vinaya­praśnaṭīkā (’dul ba dri ba rgya cher ’grel pa, Toh 4135).

The buddha who preceded Śākyamuni and gave him the prophecy of his buddhahood.

A mountain in Godānīya.

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 form 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 nothing whatsoever. (7) Transcending the sphere of nothing whatsoever, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. (8) Transcending the sphere of neither perception and nonperception, one dwells in the realization of the cessation of conception and feeling.

Circumstances that do not provide the freedom to practice the Buddhist path: being in the realms of (1) the hells, (2) pretas, (3) animals, and (4) long-lived gods; or in the human realm among (5) barbarians or (6) extremists, (7) in places where the Buddhist teachings do not exist, and (8) without adequate faculties to understand the teachings where they do exist.

A traditional list that includes the great philosophical systems of India (Sāṅkhya, Yoga, etc.) as well as ordinary sciences and arts such as arithmetic, medicine, astrology, music, and archery.

Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings. 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 will never falters, his energy 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.

Right view, intention, speech, actions, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A nāga king often present in the retinue of the Buddha Śākyamuni. According to the Vinaya, in the time of the Buddha Kāśyapa he had been a monk (bhikṣu) who angrily cut down a thorny bush at the entrance of his cave because it always snagged his robes. Cutting down bushes or even grass is contrary to the monastic rules and he did not confess his action. Therefore, he was reborn as a nāga with a tree growing out of his head, which caused him great pain whenever the wind blew. This tale is found represented in ancient sculpture and is often quoted to demonstrate how small misdeeds can lead to great consequences. See, e.g., Patrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher.

A nāga king. The Tibetan e la’i gdong seems to reflect elamukha rather than the attested elavarṇa.

One way of describing experience and the world in terms of eighteen elements (eye and form, ear and sound, nose and smell, tongue and taste, body and physical objects, and mind and mental phenomena, to which the six consciousnesses are added). Also refers here to the “four great elements.”

A nāga king.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

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.

A nāga king. (Note that this translation is partly tentative, as the Tibetan ba lang, which ordinarily means “cow,” “bull,” or “elephant,” has not been rendered into English, as its meaning here is unclear.)

A nāga king.

A state of mental equipoise derived from deep concentration.

Name of a buddha realm located in the western direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

Name of a king, a previous incarnation of the Buddha.

A yakṣa leader.

A nāga.

A rākṣasī.

A land in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent.

It is unclear who this might be.

Five aspects of life that indicate the degenerate nature of a given age. They are the impurities of views, of afflictions, of sentient beings, of lifespan, and of time.

Divine sight, divine hearing, the ability to know past and future lives, the ability to know the minds of others, and the ability to produce miracles.

One of the five aggregates, they are formative forces concomitant with the production of karmic seeds causing future saṃsāric existence.

These comprise (1) the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, (2) the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, (3) the attainment of the sphere of nothing whatsoever, and (4) the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception.

The assemblies of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

Four types of absorption related to intention, diligence, attention, and analysis as they manifest on the greater path of accumulation.

The four levels of concentration related to the form realm.

Genuine discrimination with respect to phenomena, meaning, language, and eloquence.

Earth, water, fire, and wind.

Four deities on the base of Mount Sumeru, each the guardian of his direction: Vaiśravaṇa in the north, Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the east, Virūpākṣa in the west, and Virūḍhaka in the south.

The fourfold division of an army into infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots.

Four symbols or personifications of the defects that prevent awakening. These four are 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), the māra of the afflictions.

These are traditionally listed as four: generosity, kind talk, meaningful actions, and practicing what one preaches.

The Buddha’s first teaching, which explains suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

Name of a daughter of Māra.

A past king during the time of the Buddha Śikhin.

A nāga king.

A bodhisattva residing in a buddha realm in the southern direction at the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

An ancient kingdom once located in northwestern India in what is now Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. It lasted from around the sixth century ʙᴄᴇ to the eleventh century ᴄᴇ and attained its height in the first to fifth centuries under the Buddhist Kushan kings.

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.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Gaṅgā, or Ganges in English, is considered to be the most sacred river of India, particularly within the Hindu tradition. It starts in the Himalayas, flows through the northern plains of India, bathing the holy city of Vārāṇasī, and meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal, in Bangladesh. In the sūtras, however, this river is mostly mentioned not for its sacredness but for its abundant sands‍—noticeable still today on its many sandy banks and at its delta‍—which serve as a usual metaphor for infinitely large numbers.

According to Buddhist cosmology, as explained in the Abhidharmakośa, it is one of the four rivers that flow from Lake Anavatapta, and cross the southern continent of Jambudvīpa‍—the known human world or more specifically the Indian subcontinent.

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.

The family name of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it is often used by those who are not his followers.

The brother of Nadīkāśyapa and Uruvilvākāśyapa. A practitioner of fire offering at Uruvilvā (Bodhgaya), he and his two hundred pupils were converted to the Dharma, becoming bhikṣus (monks) under the Buddha. He and his brothers and their pupils were the third group to become followers of the Buddha Śākyamuni after his awakening. Also known as Mahāgayākāśyapa.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

Name of a mahābrahmā.

A buddha residing in the northern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A bodhisattva residing in a buddha realm in the western direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

One of the four continents of the human world according to traditional Indian cosmology, it is situated to the west of Mount Sumeru.

A sacred stūpa in Khaṣa, said to have been blessed by several past buddhas.

A river in the land of Khaṣa.

See “four great elements.”

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A region of unknown location.

A nāga king.

The lowest of the heavenly realms, it is characterized by freedom from difficulty.

The fifth (counting from the lowest) of the six heavens in the desire realm.

The fourth level of the heavens of the realm of desire, it is the last stopping place of a buddha-to-be before his descent and reincarnation on earth; at present it is the abode of the future Buddha Maitreya.

The highest heaven in the desire realm.

The second-lowest heaven of the desire realm located above Mount Meru and reigned over by Indra, otherwise known as Śakra, and thirty-two other gods.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

One of the eight hot hells.

Name of a sage.

A nāga king.

Supernormal cognitive powers possessed to different degrees by bodhisattvas and buddhas, they are listed as the five higher perceptions or the six higher perceptions.

The highest heaven of the form realm, where a buddha always receives the anointment of the ultimate wisdom, proceeding there mentally from his seat of awakening under the Bodhi tree.

A nāga king.

A family lineage from which many royal families claimed descent, it is the name of an early royal dynasty in India said to be a solar dynasty. Though there are many versions of how the dynasty received its name, they all relate it to the sugar cane (ikṣu). The Buddha Śākyamuni was considered to be in this family line.

A nāga king.

Literally “lord,” this term is an epithet for the god Śiva, but functions more generally in Buddhist texts as a generalized “supreme being” to whom the creation of the universe is attributed.

A nāga king.

A legendary river carrying the remains of the golden fruit of a legendary rose-apple (jambu) tree.

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can mean the known world of humans or more specifically the Indian subcontinent. A gigantic, miraculous rose-apple (jambu) tree at the source of the great Indian rivers is said to give the continent its name.

Name of a sage.

Literally, the “Squirrel Feeding Ground.” A location within the Veṇuvana where the Buddha Śākyamuni stayed. The place received its name from the many squirrels living there, being fed by humans. It should be noted that Tibetan translations misunderstand the Sanskrit term kalandaka to be a kind of bird (Tib. bya).

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

The capital city of the Śākya kingdom, which is where the Bodhisattva (i.e., Siddhārtha Gautama before his awakening) grew up.

A nāga king.

The northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon. Also the name of one of the Buddha Śākyamuni’s principal pupils.

Ugly spirits with rotting bodies.

The first monk that the Buddha Śākyamuni recognized as having understood his teachings.

Another name for Indra. Kauśika, Śakra, and Indra all refer to the same god, of central importance in the Vedas, who in Buddhist cosmology is regarded as the king of gods in the realm of desire.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Paltsek (eighth to early ninth century), from the village of Kawa north of Lhasa, was one of Tibet’s preeminent translators. He was one of the first seven Tibetans to be ordained by Śāntarakṣita and is counted as one of Guru Rinpoche’s twenty-five close disciples. In a famous verse by Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherab, Kawa Paltsek is named along with Chokro Lui Gyaltsen and Zhang (or Nanam) Yeshé Dé as part of a group of translators whose skills were surpassed only by Vairotsana.

He translated works from a wide variety of genres, including sūtra, śāstra, vinaya, and tantra, and was an author himself. Paltsek was also one of the most important editors of the early period, one of nine translators installed by Trisong Detsen (r. 755–797/800) to supervise the translation of the Tripiṭaka and help catalog translated works for the first two of three imperial catalogs, the Denkarma (ldan kar ma) and the Samye Chimpuma (bsam yas mchims phu ma). In the colophons of his works, he is often known as Paltsek Rakṣita (rak+Shi ta).

An alternative name for the ancient kingdom of Khotan which was located on the southern branch of the Silk Road that passed through the Tarim Basin. The kingdom, which was an important oasis and center for trade, existed during the first millennium ᴄᴇ.

A buddha residing in the southern direction at the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that resemble humans to the degree that their very name‍—which means “is that human?”‍—suggests some confusion as to their divine status. Kinnaras are mythological beings found in both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature, where they are portrayed as creatures half human, half animal. They are often depicted as highly skilled celestial musicians.

An ancient kingdom in North India.

One of the six buddhas who preceded Śākyamuni in this Fortunate Eon.

A nāga king.

The second highest of the four classes in the Indian caste system, it is associated with warriors, the aristocracy, and kings.

In this instances, the name of a demon leader. This name generally belongs to Vaiśravaṇa, one of the four great kings.

A class of beings subordinate to the great king of the south, Virūḍhaka. The name is a play on the word āṇḍa, which means “egg” but is a euphemism for testicle, as they are often depicted as having testicles as big as pots (from khumba, or “pot”).

A mountain in Pūrvavideha.

One of the initial levels of realization on the path of the hearers. Depending on classification system it is either the first or the second level (when it is preceded by the Śuklavipaśyanā level).

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A synonym for ultimate reality.

A nāga.

A nāga prince.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

The largest kingdom of North India during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

Beings from the third heaven of the realm of form, meaning “great Brahmā.”

Alternate name of Gayākāśyapa, the brother of Nadīkāśyapa and Uruvilvākāśyapa. A practitioner of fire offering at Uruvilvā (Bodhgaya), he and his two hundred pupils were converted to becoming bhikṣus (monks) under the Buddha. He and his brothers and their pupils were the third group to become followers of the Buddha Śākyamuni after his awakening.

A collection of seventeen sūtras on a range of themes, compiled as a separate collection. Today, this collection only exists in Chinese translation, although several of the individual scriptures exist in Sanskrit and in Tibetan translation.

One of the most frequently used names for Śiva. The name is often synonymous with Īśvara, but it is sometimes presented as that of a separate deity.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Literally “great serpents,” mahoragas are supernatural beings depicted as large, subterranean beings with human torsos and heads and the lower bodies of serpents. Their movements are said to cause earthquakes, and they make up a class of subterranean geomantic spirits whose movement through the seasons and months of the year is deemed significant for construction projects.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The bodhisattva Maitreya is an important figure in many Buddhist traditions, where he is unanimously regarded as the buddha of the future era. He is said to currently reside in Tuṣita heaven, as Śākyamuni’s regent, where he awaits the proper time to take his final rebirth and become the fifth buddha in the Fortunate Eon, reestablishing the Dharma in this world after the teachings of the current buddha have disappeared. Within the Mahāyāna sūtras, Maitreya is elevated to the same status as other central bodhisattvas such as Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara, and his name appears frequently in sūtras, either as the Buddha’s interlocutor or as a teacher of the Dharma. Maitreya literally means “Loving One.” He is also known as Ajita, meaning “Invincible.”

For more information on Maitreya, see, for example, the introduction to Maitreya’s Setting Out (Toh 198).

A past buddha under whom Śākyamuni acquired merit along the first through ninth bhūmis, according to the Mahāvastu.

Name of a buddha realm located in the northern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Also called Manifestation of All Sounds.

Name of a buddha realm located in the northern direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Also called Manifestation of All Perfumes.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

(1) The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening. (2) The deities ruled over by Māra who do not wish any beings to escape from saṃsāra. (3) Any demonic force, the personification of conceptual and emotional obstacles. They are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

A city in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately fifty kilometers north of Agra.

Alternate name for Mahāmaudgalyāyana, one of the closest disciples of the Buddha Śākyamuni, who was known for his miraculous abilities.

A nāga king.

A mountain in Khaṣa. Gośṛṅga means “cow horn” in Sanskrit and the hill is said to have received this name due to having two pointed peaks.

A mountain located near Mount Sumeru.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

According to ancient Buddhist cosmology, Meru is the great mountain forming the axis of the universe. At its summit lies Sudarśana, home of Śakra and his thirty-two gods, and on its flanks live the asuras. The mount has four sides facing the cardinal directions, each of which is made of a different precious stone. Surrounding it are several mountain ranges and the great ocean where the four great island continents lie: in the south, Jambudvīpa (our world); in the west, Godānīya; in the north, Uttarakuru; in the east, Pūrvavideha. Above it are the abodes of the gods of the realm of desire. Often also referred to as Mount Sumeru.

A buddha realm in the past.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

A nāga king.

Period of time in ancient India that corresponds to the thirtieth part of a full day.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings who live in subterranean aquatic environments, where they guard wealth and sometimes also teachings. Nāgas are associated with serpents and have a snakelike appearance. In Buddhist art and in written accounts, they are regularly portrayed as half human and half snake, and they are also said to have the ability to change into human form. Some nāgas are Dharma protectors, but they can also bring retribution if they are disturbed. They may likewise fight one another, wage war, and destroy the lands of others by causing lightning, hail, and flooding.

One of the main nāga kings, usually associated with the nāga king Upananda.

A location in Jambudvīpa.

An alternate name for Viṣṇu (khyab ’jug).

A demon leader.

One who has achieved the third level of attainment on the path of the hearers and is free from further rebirth in the desire realm.

A class of supernatural beings that rob the strength of beings.

A nāga king.

One of the major North Indian kingdoms in the Buddha’s time, it was located to the west of the kingdom of Kośala and east of Kuru.

Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, gossip, covetousness, ill will, and wrong views.

Not engaging in the paths of the ten nonvirtuous actions: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, gossip, covetousness, ill will, and wrong views.

See “six perfections.”

A class of nonhumans said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh.

A nāga king.

A class of sentient beings constantly suffering from hunger and thirst. They also represent one of the six realms of rebirth.

The second heaven in the realm of form. Also called Brahmapariṣadya.

Name of a sage.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

The name of a lunar asterism. Its chief star is known as Beta Geminorum in the occidental tradition.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

One of the four continents of the human world according to traditional Indian cosmology, it is situated to the east of Mount Sumeru.

A class of disease-causing spirits associated with cemeteries and dead bodies.

A bodhisattva residing in a buddha realm in the eastern direction at the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The ancient capital of Magadha prior to its relocation to Pāṭaliputra during the Mauryan dynasty, Rājagṛha is one of the most important locations in Buddhist history. The literature tells us that the Buddha and his saṅgha spent a considerable amount of time in residence in and around Rājagṛha‍—in nearby places, such as the Vulture Peak Mountain (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata), a major site of the Mahāyāna sūtras, and the Bamboo Grove (Veṇuvana)‍—enjoying the patronage of King Bimbisāra and then of his son King Ajātaśatru. Rājagṛha is also remembered as the location where the first Buddhist monastic council was held after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed into parinirvāṇa. Now known as Rajgir and located in the modern Indian state of Bihar.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A class of nonhuman beings that are often, but certainly not always, considered demonic in the Buddhist tradition. They are often depicted as flesh-eating monsters who haunt frightening places and are ugly and evil-natured with a yearning for human flesh, and who additionally have miraculous powers, such as being able to change their appearance.

A female rākṣasa.

A nāga king.

Downfalls are actions of body, speech, and mind that cause one to fall from the path of awakening and, in the cases of root downfalls, to fall into the lower realms of existence.

A son of Māra.

Name of a location in Khaṣa.

A buddha residing in the western direction during the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A holy site blessed by the presence of sages.

A nāga king.

An ancient Indian spiritual title, especially for divinely inspired individuals credited with creating the foundations for all Indian culture.

This present universe of ours, usually referring to the whole trichiliocosm but at times only to our own world with its four continents surrounding Mount Sumeru. Sahā means “endurance,” as beings here have to endure suffering.