“Victorious.” The asterism of the star Vega in the constellation Lyra.

The name of a muhūrta.

“Victorious.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a people in northern India.

The name of a country just to the southwest of the Kashmir valley.

A measure of weight roughly equivalent to three kilograms.

The mother of gods (deva). According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

The name of a muhūrta.

The god of fire in the Vedic pantheon.

“Given by Fire.” The name of a king who bestowed the district of Utkaṭa as a brahmic gift (brahmadeya) to the brahmin Puṣkarasārin.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The mythical “serpent of the deep” that, according to the brahmanical tradition, resides in the misty region at the bottom of the world.

The smallest visible particle, seven of which make up one speck of dirt on a hare.

Indian preceptor-monk and translator.

The name of a family lineage.

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

The name of a muhūrta.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

This was an important early site for the Buddha’s growing community. Anāthapiṇḍada, a wealthy patron of the Buddha, purchased the park, located outside Śrāvastī, at great cost, purportedly covering the ground with gold, and donated it to the saṅgha. It was there that the Buddha spent several rainy seasons and gave discourses that were later recorded as sūtras. It was also the site for one of the first Buddhist monasteries. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a region along the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent, roughly corresponding to the present-day state of Andhra Pradesh.

The name of a region in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, situated along the Ganges River just to the east of the Magadha region, covering the eastern part of the present-day state of Bihar.

“The Glowing One.” The planet Mars.

A particle of matter or an “atom,” traditionally considered to be made up of seven of the finest particles ( paramāṇu ).

“Propitious.” The asterism of the three stars at the head of the constellation Scorpio.

The brahmin sage who is said to have received the Vedas from Indra Kauśika and then passed them on to Śvetaketu.

“Moist.” The asterism around the star Betelgeuse at the top left of the constellation Orion.

According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (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.

The mother of gandharvas. According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

The third and most prominent of the five Pāṇḍavas brothers whose long war with the Kauravas, their enemy relatives, is described in the epic narrative of the Mahābhārata. Renowned for his skill in arms, Arjuna is especially known from the episode of the Bhagavad Gītā, in which he is the main interlocutor of Kṛṣṇa, his charioteer. As the incarnation of the divine, Kṛṣṇa counsels Arjuna at the beginning of the great battle to fight his Kaurava kinsmen. The Ārjunāyanas, “those descended from Arjuna,” were a people situated in northern India in the region west of Mathura, now comprising the Rajput states of Bharatpur and Alwar, where they became dominant after the gradual decline of the Indo-Greeks around the middle of the first century ʙᴄᴇ.

Calotropis gigantea. The crown flower, a perennial shrub with purplish flowers, is known for its intoxicating effect and is used in medicine and ritual.

The name of a muhūrta.

One of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage of the brahmanical tradition. A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a deity.

The fourth lunar month that falls within the period of June–July, when the full moon is in the Āṣāḍhā asterisms.

Refers to the two asterisms Pūrvāṣāḍhā and Uttarāṣāḍhā.

A general term applied to spiritual practitioners who live as ascetic mendicants. In Buddhist texts, the term usually refers to Buddhist monastics, but it can also designate a practitioner from other ascetic/monastic spiritual traditions. In this context śramaṇa is often contrasted with the term brāhmaṇa (bram ze), which refers broadly to followers of the Vedic tradition. Any renunciate, not just a Buddhist, could be referred to as a śramaṇa if they were not within the Vedic fold. The epithet Great Śramaṇa is often applied to the Buddha.

“Embracer.” The asterism of the five stars at the head of the constellation Hydra.

The name of a family lineage.

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).

The Vedic ritual of horse sacrifice.

The asterism Aśvinī.

The seventh lunar month that falls within the period of September–October, when the full moon is in the Aśvinī asterism.

“The Horsemen.” The asterism of two stars that form part of the constellation Aries.

“Kindling Fire.” The name of a muhūrta.

The fourth and last of the Vedas, the Atharvaveda mainly consists of hymns and spells that are used in domestic rituals, often for apotropaic and healing purposes.

The category of priests in the brahmanical tradition who specialize in the hymns and spells of the Atharvaveda .

Belonging to the ritual tradition of the Atharvaveda , which can involve the use of spells and sorcery to harm others.

See “Atharvaveda branch.”

Bauhinia variegata. The orchid tree, also known as mountain ebony.

The name of a muhūrta.

“Extreme Increase,” one of four kings who support the earth.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

The six sciences that assist in the preservation of the Vedas and the performance of Vedic ritual: phonetics (śikṣā), prosody (chandas), grammar (vyākaraṇa), etymology (nirukta), ritual rules (kalpa), and astrology (jyotiṣa).

The four sciences that are supplementary to the auxiliary sciences of the Vedas: historical writings (purāṇa), logic (nyāya), exegesis (mīmāṃsā), and treatises on law (dharmaśāstra).

One of the twelve types of the Buddha’s teaching (dvādaśāṅga). In this sense, the Sanskrit word avadāna means “exceptional feat” or “magnificent deed,” but in the context of the twelve types of buddhavacana the term came to refer to the narrative accounts of such deeds.

The name of a region in central India, roughly corresponding with the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh and the southern part of Rajasthan.

The name of a muhūrta.

The ancient Indian science of medicine.

The name of the Bactrian people, who lived in the Balkh region of northern Afghanistan, north of the Hindu Kush. In later times the people from this region also settled in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“Power.” The name of a muhūrta.

A portion of food that is ritually offered in order to satisfy and propitiate a specific deity or class of beings.

Ficus indica. The Indian fig tree, also known as the banyan tree.

See “banyan.”

The inhabitants of the city of Bhadrakāra, also known as Śākala, which was the capital city of the Madra kingdom and which has been identified as present-day Sialkot in northern Punjab.

The sixth lunar month, which falls within the period of August–September, when the full moon is in the Bhādrapadā asterisms.

Refers to the two asterisms Pūrvabhādrapadā and Uttarabhādrapadā.

The name of a deity.

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“Bearer.” The asterism of the main star in the constellation Aries.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

“God of Splendor.” The name of a muhūrta.

An ancient trade city on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, presently known as Bharuch in the state of Gujarat.

A large double-headed drum made of metal.

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 (bhikṣā) begged from the laity. In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma) follows 364 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).

“Frightening.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a people in central India, whose kingdom, Bhoja, was situated in the Vidarbha region below the Vindhya mountain range.

Aegle marmelos. The bel tree, also known as the Bengal quince.

Syzygium cumini. The jamun tree.

In Buddhist literature, this is 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”).

A measure of time consisting of half a lava.

A measure of length defined as being equal to four cubits.

The name of a muhūrta.

A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; 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 the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

The endowment of land and its revenues to brahmins.

A member of the highest of the four castes in Indian society, which is closely associated with religious vocations.

“The Large Lord.” The planet Jupiter.

“The Intelligent One.” The planet Mercury.

The progression of an asterism with the moon behind it.

The first lunar month, which falls within the period of March–April, when the full moon is in the Citra asterism.

The progression of an asterism with the moon in front of it.

Michelia champaka. The champak tree.

Aleurites triloba. The candlenut tree, also known as the Indian walnut.

A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

The Sanskrit jāti literally means “birth” but covers a range of meanings depending on the context. In general it denotes a “kind” or “sort” of something, and in describing the natural world it refers to different “species” of animals or plants, each born with specific distinguishing characteristics. In regard to the human world the term is used to broadly designate the tribe or ethnic group into which one is born. In a more restricted sense, the term jāti is used in the brahmanical caste system to refer to separate “castes,” whose members have fixed inborn characteristics by which they are placed within (or outside) one of the four larger caste categories known as varṇa (“color”).

The Sanskrit varṇa literally means “color” and in origin seems to have been used in reference to complexion and skin color. In the brahmanical caste system the term is used to classify human society into four main categories of caste: the priestly caste of brahmins, the warrior caste of kṣatriyas, the commoner caste of vaiśyas, and the servant caste of śūdras. Brahmins were historically the arbiters to decide which family group or “caste” (jāti) falls within which caste category. Outcastes were considered to fall outside and below this fourfold caste system.

The name of a muhūrta.

“Having Four Vital Warmths.” The name of a muhūrta.

An outcaste people consigned to clearing refuse and handling corpses.

“Dazzling.” The asterism of the star Spica in the constellation Virgo.

Citrus medica. The citron tree.

Cocos nucifera. The coconut tree.

Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that “flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them. Vasubandhu offers two alternative explanations of this term: “They cause beings to remain (āsayanti) within saṃsāra” and “They flow from the Summit of Existence down to the Avīci hell, out of the six wounds that are the sense fields” (Abhidharma­kośa­bhāṣya 5.40; Pradhan 1967, p. 308). The Summit of Existence (bhavāgra, srid pa’i rtse mo) is the highest point within saṃsāra, while the hell called Avīci (mnar med) is the lowest; the six sense fields (āyatana, skye mched) here refer to the five sense faculties plus the mind, i.e., the six internal sense fields.

A measure of length. One unit is the distance from the elbow to the tips of the fingers, about eighteen inches.

A robber or bandit.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The mother of demons (dānava). According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

A grass used in ritual ceremonies, also known as kuśa grass.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

The name of an area in ancient Indian on the Dhasan River.

Phoenix silvestris. The silver date palm tree, also known as the Indian date.

A term meaning defilement, impurity, and pollution, broadly referring to cognitive and emotional factors that disturb and obscure the mind. As the self-perpetuating process of affliction in the minds of beings, it is a synonym for saṃsāra. It is often paired with its opposite, vyavadāna, meaning “purification.”

“Most Wealthy.” The asterism of the four stars that constitute the constellation Delphinus.

An unidentified tree.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

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.

The fourth of the five eyes, the five superior levels of vision experienced by realized beings, the other four being the physical eye (māṃsacakṣus), the divine eye (divyacakṣus), the wisdom eye (prajñācakṣus), and the buddha eye (buddhacakṣus).

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

Fourth of the six perfections.

The name of a family lineage.

A town situated in the foothills at the entrance of a valley, where it functions as the district headquarters of the surrounding villages.

The name of a muhūrta.

The Sanskrit dauvārika is also the name of a people mentioned in the Mahābhārata (II 52,18).

A transgression whereby one loses one’s caste status.

The name of a sage who was born on a small island (dvīpa) in the Ganges River and who became known as Vyāsa, the one who received and compiled the Vedas and the Purāṇas from Brahmā. According to Aśvaghoṣa’s Vajrasūcī (v. 23), he was born from a woman of the fishermen caste (Kaivarta).

The vast epic narratives of the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa, which are sometimes considered to be a fifth Veda in the brahmanical tradition.

Ricinus communis. The castor oil plant.

The thirty-seven factors that are conducive to awakening: the four foundations of mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna), the four right strivings (samyakpradhāna), the four bases of miraculous power (ṛddhipāda), the five spiritual faculties (indriya), the five strengths (bala), the seven factors of awakening (bodhyaṅga), and the noble eightfold path (āryāṣṭāṅga­mārga).

A measure of length defined as being equal to seven grains of barley.

The five supernatural abilities attained through realization and yogic accomplishment: divine sight, divine hearing, knowing how to manifest miracles, remembering previous lives, and knowing the minds of others. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

These comprise the gods and humans in the higher realms of saṃsāra, and the animals, pretas, and hell beings in the lower realms.

A mantra or set of words employed for either worldly or spiritual aims, such as casting a spell or providing support and protection.

Four gods who live on the lower slopes (fourth level) of Mount Meru in the eponymous Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Cāturmahā­rājika, rgyal chen bzhi’i ris) and guard the four cardinal directions. Each is the leader of a nonhuman class of beings living in his realm. They are Dhṛtarāṣṭra, ruling the gandharvas in the east; Virūḍhaka, ruling over the kumbhāṇḍas in the south; Virūpākṣa, ruling the nāgas in the west; and Vaiśravaṇa (also known as Kubera) ruling the yakṣas in the north. Also referred to as Guardians of the World or World Protectors (lokapāla, ’jig rten skyong ba).

The four truths that the Buddha transmitted in his first teaching: (1) suffering, (2) the origin of suffering, (3) the cessation of suffering, and (4) the path to the cessation of suffering.

“The One from Gandhāra.” The name of a vidyādevī, a goddess invoked in sorcery.

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 ruled by 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 sentient beings during the intermediate state between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances (gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning “scent eater.”

The name of a deity.

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 common 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.

“Donkey.” The name of a muhūrta.

One of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

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.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“The Fair One.” The name of a vidyādevī, a goddess invoked in sorcery.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the ancient sage Gotama.

Siddhārtha Gautama is the name of the Buddha Śākyamuni used prior to his awakening, and it is the name used by those who were not his followers. Gautama is his family name and means “Descendant of Gotama,” Gotama meaning “Excellent Cow.”

The name of a family lineage.

See “gone forth.”

The Sanskrit pravrajyā literally means “going forth,” with the sense of leaving the life of a householder and embracing the life of a renunciant. When the term is applied more technically, it refers to the act of becoming a male novice (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or female novice (śrāmaṇerikā; dge tshul ma), this being a first stage leading to full ordination.

Phyllanthus emblica. The Indian gooseberry tree.

A measure of length defined as being equal to seven lice.

Vitis vinifera. The common grape vine.

A measure of length defined as being equal to twelve finger widths, being the span between an extended thumb and little finger.

Terminalia chebula. The black or chebulic myrobalan tree.

The name of a family lineage.

“Hand.” The asterism of the five stars that constitute the constellation Corvus.

The term is usually used for wealthy lay patrons of the Buddhist community. It also refers to a subdivision of the vaiśya (mercantile) class of traditional Indian society, comprising businessmen, merchants, landowners, and so on.

The mother of rākṣasa s. According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

The lord of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven on the summit of Mount Sumeru. As one of the eight guardians of the directions, Indra guards the eastern quarter. In Buddhist sūtras, he is a disciple of the Buddha and protector of the Dharma and its practitioners. He is often referred to by the epithets Śatakratu, Śakra, and Kauśika.

“Indra who belongs to the Kuśika lineage.” An epithet of the god Śakra, also known as Indra, the king of the gods in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. In the Ṛgveda , Indra is addressed by the epithet Kauśika, with the implication that he is associated with the descendants of the Kuśika lineage as their supporting deity. In later epic and Purāṇic texts, we find the story that Indra took birth as Gādhi Kauśika, the son of Kuśika and one of the Vedic poet-seers, after the Puru king Kuśika had performed austerities for one thousand years to obtain a son equal to Indra who could not be killed by others.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

Artocarpus heterophyllus. The jackfruit tree.

The name of a region in central India, situated in the basin of the Godāvarī River in the present-day state of Mahārāṣṭra.

One of the lineages within the Yajurveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A park in Śrāvastī, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kośala in northern India. It was owned by Prince Jeta, and the wealthy merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, wishing to offer it to the Buddha, bought it from him by covering the entire property with gold coins. It was to become the place where the monks could be housed during the monsoon season, thus creating the first Buddhist monastery. It is therefore the setting for many of the Buddha's discourses.

The joint progression of an asterism with the moon, meaning that the moon neither trails behind the asterism nor precedes it.

The third lunar month that falls within the period of May–June, when the full moon is in the Jyeṣṭhā asterism.

“Eldest.” The asterism of the reddish star Antares in the constellation Scorpio.

The mother of nāgas. According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

A measure of time defined as consisting of sixteen kāṣṭhās. Thirty kalās make one nāḍikā, which means that the duration of one kalā is forty-eight seconds.

The name of a Vedic school.

The mother of the sage Dvaipāyana.

The name of a country along the eastern coast of the Indian subcontinent, roughly corresponding to the present-day state of Orissa.

One of the lineages within the Yajurveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The wife of the sage Vasu, who first spoke the famous Sāvitrī or Gāyatrī mantra.

“One who eats francolins.” The name of a sage begotten by the sage Vasiṣṭha with an outcaste woman named Akṣamālā, as stated in Aśvaghoṣa’s Buddhacarita (4.77, Toh 4156).

A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

Pongamia glabra. The pongam tree, also known as the Indian beech.

The name of a people in ancient India. The Tibetan rendering means “theatre performers.”

Pterospermum acerifolium. The bayur tree.

A gold coin whose weight is equal to sixteen māṣakas or one hundred ninety-two grains of barley.

The eighth lunar month that falls within the period of October–November, when the full moon is in the Kṛttikā asterism.

A measure of time defined as consisting of eight lavas. Sixteen kāṣṭhās make one kalā, which means that the duration of one kāṣṭhā is three seconds.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the sage Kaśyapa.

One of the seven principal sages in the brahmanical tradition.

One of the lineages within the Yajurveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

The name of a family lineage.

The name of a country in the north of the Indian subcontinent, it covered the area north of the city of Ayodhya in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. Also spelled Kośala.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the ancient sage Kuśika.

A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition and one of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the sage Kutsa.

The name of a people in northern India who were located around the Jhelum River in the Punjab.

“The Tail.” The celestial body personified as a serpent demon’s tail, which, according to ancient Indian astronomical conceptions, was responsible for lunar eclipses.

Acacia catechu. The cutch tree.

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A staff with a skull on top, it is said to resemble the foot of a bedstead (khaṭu). It is carried to indicate that one stands outside of society.

A dish of rice and pulses cooked together.

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.

A fermenting agent used in producing liquor.

The name of a people in ancient India, possibly the same people as the Kisaṣṭas or Kisadyas mentioned in the Vāyupurāṇa (XLV 110).

Bauhinia variegata. The orchid tree, also known as mountain ebony.

One of the seven principal sages in the brahmanical tradition. According to The Exemplary Tale of Śārdūlakarṇa, he is the putative head of the Atharvaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

A measure of distance defined as being equal to one thousand bow s, presumably about 1.8 kilometers. It is considered to be the distance a voice can reach in “calling” (krośa). In the Abhidharmakośa (III 87), Vasubandhu defines a krośa as consisting of five hundreds bow s, and he comments that it is the minimum distance at which a hermitage should be situated from the nearest village.

“Scalpel.” The asterism of the seven stars that form the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus.

A measure of time defined as consisting of one hundred twenty tatkṣaṇas. Sixty kṣaṇas make one lava (defined as a thirtieth part of a muhūrta), which means that the duration of one kṣaṇa is 1.6 seconds. In the Abhidharmakośa (III 88), Vasubandhu defines the terms kṣaṇa and tatkṣaṇa inversely, stating that one hundred twenty kṣaṇas make one tatkṣaṇa.

A member of the warrior and royal caste, the second highest caste category in the caste system as conceived by the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a region in the north of the Indian subcontinent, situated among the plains of the Yamunā River to the east of present-day Delhi.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition and one of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A measure of time defined as consisting of two blinks of the eye. Eight lavas make one kāṣṭhā, which means that the duration of one lava is three hundred seventy-five milliseconds. Term lava is thus commonly used to refer to a brief moment in time. According to another time system, lava refers to a thirtieth part of a muhūrta, giving it a duration of one minute and thirty-six seconds. This is also how Vasubandhu defines lava in the Abhidharmakośa (III 88): thirty lavas make one muhūrta, and thirty muhūrtas make one full day and night.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

An epithet of the god Brahmā.

A measure of length defined as being equal to seven louse eggs.

A measure of length defined as being equal to seven specks of dirt on a cow.

A constellation of stars through which the moon passes, also known as a lunar mansion.

One of two halves of the lunar month, either the “bright half” (śuklapakṣa), during which the moon waxes, or the “dark half” (kṛṣṇapakṣa), during which the moon wanes.

The name of a people in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent who were located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers in northern Punjab, with Bhadrakāra (or Bhadraṃkāra), present-day Sialkot, as their capital city.

An ancient Indian kingdom that lay to the south of the Ganges River in what today is the state of Bihar. Magadha was the largest of the sixteen “great states” (mahājanapada) that flourished between the sixth and third centuries ʙᴄᴇ in northern India. During the life of the Buddha Śākyamuni, it was ruled by King Bimbisāra and later by Bimbisāra's son, Ajātaśatru. Its capital was initially Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir) but was later moved to Pāṭaliputra (modern-day Patna). Over the centuries, with the expansion of the Magadha’s might, it became the capital of the vast Mauryan empire and seat of the great King Aśoka.This region is home to many of the most important Buddhist sites, including Bodh Gayā, where the Buddha attained awakening; Vulture Peak (Gṛdhra­kūṭa), where the Buddha bestowed many well-known Mahāyāna sūtras; and the Buddhist university of Nālandā that flourished between the fifth and twelfth centuries ᴄᴇ, among many others.

Belonging to Magadha, the region along the southern side of the Ganges River at Pāṭaliputra, covering the southern part of the present-day state of Bihar.

“Bounties.” The asterism of the six stars at the head of the constellation Leo.

The eleventh lunar month that falls within the period of January–February, when the full moon is in the Maghā asterism.

“Great Peril.” The name of a muhūrta.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

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.

The name of a family lineage.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A crocodile-like sea monster of mythical character.

The name of a people in central India who lived north of the Vindhya range.

The name of a people in northern India who were situated just to the east of the kingdom of Kośala, in the eastern part of the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the sage Maṇḍu. One of the lineages within the Ṛgveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

Mangifera indica. The mango tree, of which there are several varieties.

A verbal formula of particular efficacy that is recited in ritual or meditation.

Māra, literally “death” or “maker of death,” is the name of the deva who tried to prevent the Buddha from achieving awakening, the name given to the class of beings he leads, and also an impersonal term for the destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra: (1) As a deva, Māra is said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations (paranirmitavaśavartin), the highest paradise in the desire realm. He famously attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening under the Bodhi tree‍—see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.1‍—and later sought many times to thwart the Buddha’s activity. In the sūtras, he often also creates obstacles to the progress of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. (2) The devas ruled over by Māra are collectively called mārakāyika or mārakāyikadevatā, the “deities of Māra’s family or class.” In general, these māras too do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra, but can also change their ways and even end up developing faith in the Buddha, as exemplified by Sārthavāha; see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.14 and 21.43. (3) The term māra can also be understood as personifying four defects that prevent awakening, called (i) the divine māra (devaputra­māra), which is the distraction of pleasures; (ii) the māra of Death (mṛtyumāra), which is having one’s life interrupted; (iii) the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra), which is identifying with the five aggregates; and (iv) the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra), which is being under the sway of the negative emotions of desire, hatred, and ignorance.

The ninth lunar month that falls within the period of November–December, when the full moon is in the Mṛgaśirā asterism.

A measure of weight for gold defined as being equal to twelve grains of barley.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

Someone who lives on roots (mūla) or sells them, perhaps as a medical practitioner. Alternatively, the term might refer to the inhabitants of the Mūlaka kingdom, which was located in the Aurangabad region of Mahārāṣṭra and was named after its Ikṣvāku king Mūlaka.

The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (avidyā). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote. Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.

The name of a deity.

A skin lesion or birthmark.

An elongated double-headed drum made of wood.

“Deer Head.” The asterism of the three stars located at the head of the constellation Orion.

The name of a family lineage.

A measure of time defined as consisting of two nāḍikās. There are thirty muhūrtas in one full day and night, which means that the duration of one muhūrta is forty-eight minutes.

“Root.” The asterism of the stars that constitute the tail of the constellation Scorpio.

Someone who lives on roots (mūla) or sells them, perhaps as a medical practitioner. Alternatively, the term may refer to the inhabitants of the Mūlaka kingdom, which was located in the Aurangabad region of Mahārāṣṭra and was named after its Ikṣvāku king Mūlaka.

A dish of rice and mung beans cooked together.

A large cylindrical drum used for public announcements.

A measure of time defined as consisting of thirty kalās. It is measured by means of a water container fitted with a “tube” (nālika). Two nāḍikās make one muhūrta, which means that the duration of one nāḍikā is twenty-four minutes.

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.

A demon ( rākṣasa ) who is the child of Nirṛti, the goddess of destruction in the Vedic pantheon. He is associated with the lunar asterism Mūlā and the southwest quarter. In the Mahābhārata the Nairṛta are mentioned as a people in northern India who are part of the army of the Kauravas.

“Demon of Destruction.” The name of a muhūrta.

A demon ( rākṣasa ) who is the child of Nirṛti, the goddess of destruction in the Vedic pantheon.

Pongamia glabra. The pongam tree, also known as the Indian beech.

“Grove of Delight.” One of the heavenly groves on Mount Meru where the gods of Trāyastriṃśa heaven enjoy themselves.

“Right Mind.” The name of a muhūrta.

A more elaborate and “unrestrained” (nirargaḍa) form of the Vedic ritual of horse sacrifice.

Any Vedic ritual of sacrifice.

A member of a tribe or ethnic group that falls outside the four caste categories (varṇa) of the brahmanical caste system. In brahmanical law books this social group of untouchables, also known as caṇḍālas, is sometimes defined as being as the result of the transgressive union of a low-caste śūdra man with a brahmin woman, but in origin the term was probably the name of a specific indigenous tribe.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A measure of weight defined as being equal to sixty-four māṣakas or four karṣas.

A middle-sized hourglass drum that is struck with one hand while its pitch is modified with the other.

The name of a region in the north of the Indian subcontinent, situated among the plains along the Ganges River to the east of the Kuru region, covering the central part of the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh.

An official title for a learned scholar in India.

The putative head of the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a muhūrta.

The finest particle, seven of which make one atom ( aṇu ).

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A brahmin lineage.

The name of a people in ancient India, presumably people who lived on the riverbanks (kūla).

The name of a people in northern India. In the Mahābhārata they are described as living around the Kuru region, from where they fought with the Pāṇḍavas against the Kauravas.

Stereospermum colais. The trumpet flower tree.

The tenth lunar month that falls within the period of December–January, when the full moon is in the Puṣya asterism.

The people of a country in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, the center of which was the city of Puruṣupura, now known as Peshawar in present-day Pakistan.

The people of a country in the east of the Indian subcontinent, situated in the present-day state of West Bengal.

The people of a country in eastern Afghanistan, situated to the east of the country of Gandhāra.

The people of a country in the north of the Indian subcontinent, situated along the Śaradaṇḍa River in the Punjab.

The people of country in the north of the Indian subcontinent, situated along the Yamunā River around the city of Mathurā.

The people of a country on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, comprising the Kathiawar peninsula of present-day Gujarat.

The people of the island of Sri Lanka, in ancient times known as Tāmraparṇa (“Copper Leafed”), which possibly derives from Tāmravarṇa (“Copper Colored”), referring to its tracts of reddish soil.

The people who reside in the vast mountain range spanning across the north of the Indian subcontinent.

The people who reside in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, presently referred to as the Deccan.

An epithet for a buddha.

Diospyros embryopteris. The gaub tree, also known as the Indian persimmon.

The twelfth lunar month, which falls within the period of February–March, when the full moon is in the Phalgunī asterisms.

Refers to the two asterisms Pūrvaphalgunī and Uttaraphalgunī.

Artocarpus integrifolius. A variety of the breadfruit tree.

The name of a family lineage.

Ficus religiosa. The holy fig tree, also known as the bodhi tree.

Ficus infectoria. The waved-leaf fig tree, also known as the white fig.

Punica granatum. The pomegranate tree.

The name of a deity.

An outcaste girl who fell in love with Ānanda and eventually became an arhat. It is also the name of her past life as the daughter of an eminent brahmin named Puṣkarasārin.

The king who ruled over the Kośala kingdom from the city of Śrāvastī and who was a devoted patron of the Buddha throughout his life. In Pali sources, he is also said to have made several land-grants to brahmins during his reign, including the endowment of the villages of Ukkhaṭṭhā (the Pali form of Utkaṭa) to the brahmin Pokkharasāti (later Sanskritized as Puṣkarasārin).

Either a measure for liquids defined as being equal to twenty-four palas, or a measure for grains that is equal to twenty-nine palas minus one karṣa (supposedly placed on the grain side of the scales). The Tibetan bre refers to a measure of about one liter or two pints.

The first day of a bright lunar fortnight (śuklapakṣa), the day after the new moon day.

One of the lineages within the Yajurveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The month of Bhādrapada.

“Distinct Renown,” one of the four kings who support the earth.

The name of a people in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent.

“Double Wealth.” The asterism of the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini.

The name of a country in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, situated in the upper delta region of present-day Bangladesh and West Bengal.

A rich cake made of wheat flour.

The Vedic ritual of human sacrifice.

“Former Auspicious Feet.” The asterism of the two main stars in the constellation Pegasus.

“Former Reddish One.” The asterism of the two stars at the hind of the constellation Leo.

“Former Unconquered One.” The asterism of the two main stars in the archer part of the constellation Sagittarius.

The name of a deity.

“He Who Has the Essence of a Lotus.” A learned brahmin who lived in the district town of Utkaṭa upon its endowment by the king. In Pali sources, in which his name is Pokkharasāti, he is described as becoming a follower of the Buddha after regretfully sending his student Ambaṭṭha to him first (DN I 87ff.). Other students of his were Vāseṭṭha, who plays a key role in the Vāseṭṭha Sutta (Sn 115ff.), and Subha Todeyyaputta, who figures in the Subha Sutta (MN II 197ff.). In the Subha Sutta Pokkharasāti is said to belong to the Opamañña (Aupamanya) lineage of brahmins.

“Flourish.” The asterism of the star located at the head of the constellation Cancer.

The putative head of the Ṛgveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

“The Seizer.” A celestial body, personified as a serpent demon’s head, which, according to ancient Indian astronomical conceptions, is responsible for solar eclipses.

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.

“Demon.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a sage who was born to the sage Jamadagni and his kṣatriya wife Reṇukā. Also referred to as Rāma Bhārgava or Paraśurāma (“Rāma with an Axe”), he is the sixth avatāra of Viṣṇu, not to be confused with Viṣṇu’s seventh incarnation as King Rāma, the protagonist of the Rāmāyaṇa.

The name of a people in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, who were located on the banks of the lower Indus.

“Fierce.” The name of a muhūrta.

The wife of the sage Jamadagni and the mother of Paraśurāma (“Rāma with an Axe”), the sixth avatāra of Viṣṇu.

“Opulent.” The asterism of the stars that constitute the constellation Pisces.

The oldest and primary textual collection of the brahmanical tradition, consisting of a variety of Sanskrit hymns ascribed to different ancient Vedic seers.

The category of priests in the brahmanical tradition who specialize in the hymns of the Ṛgveda .

A sweet dish that consists of rice boiled in milk.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“Ruddy.” The asterism of the reddish star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus.

“Ruddy.” The name of a muhūrta.

A brahmanical deity, the wrathful form of Śiva.

Any Vedic ritual in which offerings are made, typically by means of a sacrificial fire.

Another name for the lunar asterism Pūrvabhādrapadā.

One of the lineages within the Ṛgveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa). Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods” dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.

Tibetan monk and translator of this sūtra.

An epithet for the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama: he was a muni (“sage”) from the Śākya clan. He is counted as the fourth of the first four buddhas of the present Good Eon, the other three being Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa. He will be followed by Maitreya, the next buddha in this eon.

Shorea robusta. The sal tree.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

An important textual collection of the brahmanical tradition, mainly consisting of verses from the Ṛgveda that are chanted in Vedic ritual by specialized priests.

The category of priests in the brahmanical tradition who specialize in the ritual chants of the Sāmaveda .

The name of a brahmin lineage.

“Facing.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a muhūrta.

A state of involuntary existence conditioned by afflicted mental states and the imprint of past actions, characterized by suffering in a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On its reversal, the contrasting state of nirvāṇa is attained, free from suffering and the processes of rebirth.

“Continuum.” The name of a muhūrta.

“Arisen.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a muhūrta.

The Vedic ritual in which offerings are made at intervals of a “wedge throw” (śamyāprāsa).

“The Slow-Going One.” The planet Saturn.

Santalum album. The white sandalwood tree.

The name of a family lineage.

“Continual.” The name of muhūrta.

Alstonia scholaris. The scholar tree, also known as milkwood or devil’s tree.

The name of a muhūrta.

“Tiger Ear.” The son of the outcaste king Triśaṅku.

One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, he was renowned for his discipline and for having been praised by the Buddha as foremost of the wise (often paired with Maudgalyā­yana, who was praised as foremost in the capacity for miraculous powers). His father, Tiṣya, to honor Śāriputra’s mother, Śārikā, named him Śāradvatīputra, or, in its contracted form, Śāriputra, meaning “Śārikā’s Son.”

The name of a muhūrta.

“Having a Hundred Physicians.” The asterism of the stars that constitute the constellation Aquarius.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kāśyapa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

A sublineage of the Sāmavedins.

The people of a country in the west of the Indian subcontinent, situated in the lower reaches of the Indus River.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vātsya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“Belonging to the sun.” The name of a muhūrta.

A mantra from the Ṛgveda that is directed to Savitṛ, “the Vivifier,” the deity of the sun. Also known as the Gāyatrī mantra, the verse is bestowed together with the sacred thread during the upanayana ceremony, the initiation rite in which a brahmin boy becomes a “twice-born” and is thus entitled to learn the Vedas.

Literally “the science of birds,” it entails prognostication on the basis of the flight of birds.

Literally “the science of jackals,” it entails prognostication on the basis of the cries of jackals.

This expression is used in the brahmanical tradition to refer to the Upaniṣads, the corpus of esoteric texts that aim to explain the secret meaning of the Vedas.

A lunar eclipse caused by the celestial body called Rāhu.

The name of a deity.

The third of the four life stages (āśrama) in the brahmanical tradition, which one enters after studying the Vedas and being a householder. A brahmin then sets off to the forest to devote himself fully to spiritual practice, still accompanied by his wife. The last stage is that of complete renunciation (saṃnyāsa).

The people of a country in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, usually situated in the lower Punjab region of present-day Pakistan. In the Bṛhatsaṃhitā, however, it is placed in the south (dakṣiṇadeśa).

Accomplished being; also a class of semidivine beings similar to vidyādharas.

One of the lineages within the Sāmaveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

Dalbergia sissoo. The shisham tree, also known as Indian rosewood.

The name of a region in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, named after the Indus River, along which it is situated.

Acacia sirissa. The siris tree, also known as woman’s tongue.

A special psychotropic substance offered in Vedic ritual that is prepared with the juice of a plant still variously identified.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kautsa lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

An epithet for Śiva.

A large-size dust particle, seven of which are equal to the size of a louse egg.

A small-size dust particle, seven of which make up one speck of dirt on a sheep.

A medium-size dust particle, seven of which make up one speck of dirt on a cow.

A term specifically used to refer to a renunciant’s celibate way of life.

The ritual offering of food ( bali ) to nourish and support the spirit of one’s deceased parent during the afterlife.

“Ear.” The asterism of the star Altair in the constellation Aquila.

The fifth lunar month that falls within the period of July–August, when the full moon is in the Śravaṇā asterism.

During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

A member of the servant caste, the fourth and lowest caste category in the caste system as conceived by the brahmanical tradition.

One of the sublineages connected with the Māṇḍavya lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The brahmin paṇḍita who is said to have received the Vedas from Śvetaketu and who subsequently divided the Vedas into the four branches of the Ṛgveda , the Sāmaveda , the Yajurveda , and the Atharvaveda .

“The Bright One.” The planet Venus.

Jasminum grandiflorum. The royal jasmine.

“Pleasurable.” The name of a park to the northeast of the district town Utkaṭa.

The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a muhūrta.

The mother of cattle (saurabheya). According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

The mother of serpents (sarpa). According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

“Good.” The asterism of the star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes.

The name of a muhūrta.

The brahmin sage who is said to have received the Vedas from Araṇemi Gautama and who passed them on to the paṇḍita Śuka.

Dalbergia ougeinensis. The Ujjain Desmodium tree.

The father of Kapilā, the wife of the sage Vasu, who first spoke the famous Sāvitrī or Gāyatrī mantra.

1. Cinnamomum tamala. The Indian bay leaf tree. 2. Xanthochymus pictorius. The false mangosteen.

The name of a family lineage.

The name of a muhūrta.

A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha­(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

A measure of time defined as being the duration of one spin on a spinning wheel. A hundred twenty tatkṣaṇas make one kṣaṇa, which means that the duration of one tatkṣaṇa is thirteen milliseconds. Vasubandhu defines the terms kṣaṇa and tatkṣaṇa inversely in his Abhidharmakośa (III 88): one hundred twenty kṣaṇas make one tatkṣaṇa.

Dalbergia ougeinensis. The Ujjain Desmodium tree.

The name of a deity.

The name of a family lineage.

“Trident.” The name of the outcaste king who sought the hand of the brahmin Puṣkarasārin’s daughter in marriage for his son Śārdūlakarṇa.

An animal with tusks, fangs, or sharp teeth.

The name of a deity.

A term used to refer to brahmins (sometimes also kṣatriyas and vaiśyas) on account of having undergone upanayana, the initiation rite in which one receives the sacred thread and is “born” a second time as a fully initiated member of the brahmin caste.

The name of a muhūrta.

Ficus glomerata. The cluster fig.

The initiation rite by which a boy of the higher castes becomes a full member of his caste. It involves having all his hair shaven except for a tuft on the crown of the head (śikhā) and receiving the sacred thread (upavīta) and the appropriate mantra.

“Abounding.” The name of a district town in the region of Kośala, situated by the Himalayan foothills that lie to the north of the city of Śrāvastī. It was given as an endowment to the brahmin Puṣkarasārin by the king of Kośala.

“Latter Auspicious Feet.” The asterism of the stars in the latter part of the constellation Pegasus.

“Latter Reddish One.” The asterism of the star at the end of the tail of the constellation Leo.

“Latter Unconquered One.” The asterism of the two main stars in the bow part of the constellation Sagittarius.

One of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

The second lunar month that falls within the period of April–May, when the full moon is in the Viśākha asterism.

Another name for the lunar asterism Śravaṇā. The Sanskrit vaiṣṇava is the adjectival form of viṣṇu , the name of one of the main gods in the brahmanical pantheon.

One of the Four Great Kings and a god of wealth, he presides over the northern quarter and rules over the yakṣas.

A member of the caste of “commoners,” those involved in agriculture and trade, the third category in the caste system as conceived by the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a family lineage.

The Vedic ritual that involves offering several cups of Soma, “the drink of strength” (vājapeya).

One of the lineages within the Yajurveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a muhūrta.

One of the sublineages connected with the Gautama lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

Pterocarpus santalinus. The red sandalwood tree.

One of the sublineages connected with the Kauśika lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

“Increasing,” one of four kings who support the earth.

Jasminum sambac. The sambac jasmine.

“God of Water.” The name of a muhūrta.

The god of water.

Another name for the lunar asterism Śatabhiṣā, which is presided over by Varuṇa, the god of the waters in the Vedic pantheon.

An epithet or form of Indra.

The brahmin lineage that descends from the sage Vasiṣṭha.

One of the lineages within the Ṛgveda branch of the brahmanical tradition.

The name of a muhūrta.

The sage who is said to have uttered the Gāyatrī mantra after reproaching himself for having had sexual intercourse with his wife Kapilā.

The name of a deity.

The name of a country in the north of the Indian subcontinent, which had the ancient city of Kauśāmbī as its capital and was situated in the plains between the Ganges and Yamunā rivers, before their confluence at present-day Prayagraj.

The brahmin lineage that descends from Vatsa, the son of Kaṇva and one of the ancient singers of Ṛgvedic hymns.

The people of a country in the north of the Indian subcontinent that had the ancient city of Kauśāmbī as its capital and was situated in the plains between the Ganges and Yamunā rivers before their confluence at present-day Prayagraj.

“Windy.” The name of a muhūrta.

The god of wind.

The four foundational textual collections of the brahmanical tradition, all written in Sanskrit: the Ṛgveda , the Sāmaveda , the Yajurveda , and the Atharvaveda .

The vows of conduct that are taken up while engaged in learning the Vedas.

Terminalia bellirica. The bastard myrobalan tree.

“Traversing.” The name of a muhūrta.

The name of a country in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent, situated in the Mithila region of northern Bihar and the adjacent Terai region of Nepal.

The name of a muhūrta.

“Victory.” The name of a muhūrta.

An astronomical configuration in which all planets are situated in seven separate lunar asterisms.

The mother of eagles (suparṇa). According to the brahmanical tradition, she is one of the daughters of the creator god Dakṣa Prajāpati, who gave her and twelve of her sisters in marriage to the sage Kaśyapa.

“Ended.” The name of a muhūrta.

“Branched.” The asterism of the two stars at the top of the constellation Libra.

One of the primary gods of the brahmanical tradition, he is associated with the preservation and continuance of the universe.

“Purity,” one of four kings who support the earth.

The name of a deity.

One of the sublineages connected with the Vāsiṣṭha lineage of the brahmanical tradition.

One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa (“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su).

Limonia acidissima. The wood apple tree, also known as the elephant apple.

The term lokāyata specifically refers to the ancient Indian materialist school of thought that investigated the world purely on the basis of direct perception, without recourse to religious conceptions.

An important textual collection of the brahmanical tradition, mainly consisting of prose formulas that are recited in Vedic ritual by specialized priests.

The category of priests in the brahmanical tradition who specialize in the ritual prose formulas of the Yajurveda .

A class of nonhuman beings who inhabit forests, mountainous areas, and other natural spaces, or serve as guardians of villages and towns, and may be propitiated for health, wealth, protection, and other boons, or controlled through magic. According to tradition, their homeland is in the north, where they live under the rule of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa. Several members of this class have been deified as gods of wealth (these include the just-mentioned Vaiśravaṇa) or as bodhisattva generals of yakṣa armies, and have entered the Buddhist pantheon in a variety of forms, including, in tantric Buddhism, those of wrathful deities.

The god of death.

As a Sanskritization of the Middle Indic yona, the term referred to the Hellenistic “Ionians” who had settled in the Bactrian region and in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent after the conquest of Alexander the Great. In later times it came to refer to anyone coming from the Iranian plateau, including Arab Muslims. The Tibetan rendering reflects an understanding of the Sanskrit yavana as etymologically derived from yava (“barley”).

A measure of distance sometimes translated as “league,” but with varying definitions. The Sanskrit term denotes the distance yoked oxen can travel in a day or before needing to be unyoked. From different canonical sources the distance represented varies between four and ten miles.

The name of a people in northern India, whose city Yugandhara has been identified with Jagadhari in the northeastern part of the present-day state of Haryana.