There’s plenty of interesting terms in Buddhism / Zen. Unfortunately, a lot of the terms are hard to access, either due to being in Sanskrit, or being laced in metaphor. Below is a list of Buddhist / Zen terms that I’ve found interesting, and investigated until I’ve been able to translate them. This page is a lookup/reference for myself and others. Keep checking back, as this is a constant work in progress. If there’s any terms you would like to see investigated, or any terms you have investigated, please leave a comment.
Buddhist Definitions / Glossary;
Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi – The supreme right and balanced state of complete truth.
Dharma – True Nature / True Reality, beyond all concepts and thought.
Dharmakaya – Perfectly pure Dharma Body.
Five Vehicles – The Three Vehicles, plus Gods and Humans.
Kannon – Bodhisattva of Compassion/ Bodhisattva of Free Reflection. Also known as Chenzrig, Avelokiteshvara, Kwan Yin, Quan Yin.
Kasyapa Buddha – Sixth of seven ancient Buddhas, Sakyamuni Buddha being the seventh.
Mahasattva – Literally “great being”. Used to describe a Buddhist practitioner.
Maitreya – Future Buddha, predicted by Shakumuni.
Manjusri – Bodhisattva of Wisdom / Symbol of Wisdom.
Myriad Dharmas / Ten Thousand Things – All things and phenomena.
Paramita – “To have arrived at the opposite shore”, to have accomplished truth.
Prajna – Real Wisdom or Intuitive Reflection
Sambhogakaya – Suggests the concrete physical body.
Seven Buddhas – Seven ancient Buddhas were Bipasyin, Sikhin, Visyabhu, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kasyapa, and Shkyamuni. Belief in the Seven Buddhas reflects the belief that Dharma is eternal.
Shakumuni – Historical Buddha
Shobogenzo – The right Dharma eye – describes the right experience of what is already there
Ten Directions – North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West, North West, Up and Down. Used to describe everywhere.
Three Forms of Conduct – Behaviour of Body, Speech, and Mind.
Three Times – Past, Present, Future.
Three Vehicles – The Three Kinds of Buddhist. The Sravaka; Relies upon theory of 4 philosophies, The Pratyekabuddha; Relies upon dependent origination, The Bodhisattva; Relies upon the six accomplishments.
Vairocana Buddha – The Sun Buddha
