The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Kuśala­tejonir­ghoṣa­rāja.

In a general sense, samādhi can describe a number of different meditative states. In the Mahāyāna literature, in particular in the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, we find extensive lists of different samādhis, numbering over one hundred.In a more restricted sense, and when understood as a mental state, samādhi is defined as the one-pointedness of the mind (cittaikāgratā), the ability to remain on the same object over long periods of time. The Drajor Bamponyipa (sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa) commentary on the Mahāvyutpatti explains the term samādhi as referring to the instrument through which mind and mental states “get collected,” i.e., it is by the force of samādhi that the continuum of mind and mental states becomes collected on a single point of reference without getting distracted.

The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity. Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis; in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115. In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata associated with the lotus family.Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,” Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.

The buddha who presides over the buddhafield Sukhāvatī; also known as Amitābha.

A bodhisattva.

The Buddha Śākyamuni's attendant who is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha's teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the Buddha’s teachings after his parinirvāṇa.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

An ascetic belonging to any order.

The thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Without Anguish.

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).

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

Yeshé Dé (late eighth to early ninth century) was the most prolific translator of sūtras into Tibetan. Altogether he is credited with the translation of more than one hundred sixty sūtra translations and more than one hundred additional translations, mostly on tantric topics. In spite of Yeshé Dé’s great importance for the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet during the imperial era, only a few biographical details about this figure are known. Later sources describe him as a student of the Indian teacher Padmasambhava, and he is also credited with teaching both sūtra and tantra widely to students of his own. He was also known as Nanam Yeshé Dé, from the Nanam (sna nam) clan.

The Medicine Buddha, the thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa.

The Medicine Buddha, the thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa.

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.

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”).

Although vaiḍūrya‍—particularly in the context of Bhaiṣajyaguru‍—has often been translated as lapis lazuli, blue beryl is overall a better match to the descriptions and references in the Sanskrit and Tibetan literature. The equivalent Pāli form of vaiḍūrya is veḷuriya. The Prākrit form verulia is the source for the English word “beryl.” There are white, yellow, and green beryls (green beryl is generally called “emerald”), but in this case blue beryl needs to be specified to match traditional descriptions. Vaiḍūrya may nevertheless have been taken to designate different gems at different times and places and no single equivalent in English is entirely satisfactory.

The name of a dhāraṇī.

One of the fourfold classification of ways in which beings are born.

One of the fourfold classification of ways in which beings are born.

One of the fourfold classification of ways in which beings are born.

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 two primary bodhisattvas who accompany Thus-Gone One Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharāja in the buddhafield Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

The Indian cuckoo.

An Indian preceptor and translator who lived in the ninth century.

One of the three root afflictions that bind beings to cyclic existence.

Secondary afflictive states that are derived from the six primary afflictions.

One of the three root afflictions that bind beings to cyclic existence.

The thus-gone one residing the buddhafield Victory Banner of the Dharma.

The thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Standing in an Ocean of Jewels.

To refrain from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) sexual activity, (4) false speech, (5) intoxication, (6) singing, dancing, music, and beautifying oneself with adornments or cosmetics, (7) using a high or large bed, and (8) eating at improper times. Typically, this observance is maintained by lay people for twenty-four hours on new moon and full moon days, as well as other special days in the lunar calendar.

A class of demonic spirit being.

The five inexpiable acts are 1) killing one’s father, 2) killing one’s mother, 3) killing a worthy one (Skt. arhat), 4) shedding the blood of a buddha with ill intent, and 5) sowing discord in the saṅgha. These acts are said to lead to unavoidable rebirth in the hell realms.

Refers to the five fundamental precepts of abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and consuming intoxicants.

A class of spirit being.

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).

A bodhisattva.

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.”

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.

In the most general sense the devas‍—the term is cognate with the English divine‍—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth. The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable, it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.

The deity who is born alongside and accompanies a being and is responsible for recording their good and bad deeds to present before the Lord of Death Yama when that being dies.

A particularly pure gold or golden color.

The term for aspirations such as helping all beings, generating a buddhafield, and bringing all beings to perfect awakening, etc., that a bodhisattva makes while practicing bodhisattva conduct.

The lowest of all hell realms.

A particular hell.

One of the three root afflictions that bind beings to cyclic existence.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Suvarṇa­bhadra­vimala­ratna­prabhā­savrata­siddhi.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

The name of an absorption.

The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.

Jinamitra was invited to Tibet during the reign of King Tri Songdetsen (khri srong lde btsan, r. 742–98 ᴄᴇ) and was involved with the translation of nearly two hundred texts, continuing into the reign of King Ralpachen (ral pa can, r. 815–38 ᴄᴇ). He was one of the small group of paṇḍitas responsible for the Mahāvyutpatti Sanskrit–Tibetan dictionary.

A class of spirit beings typically associated with violent sorcery rites.

The emotional and cognitive veils that create impediments in one’s life and prevent one from seeing the nature of reality.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

A bodhisattva.

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 class of spirit beings typically associated with violent sorcery rites.

The ruling caste in the traditional four-caste hierarchy of India, associated with warriors, the aristocracy, and kings.

The thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Abounding in Jewels.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

A bodhisattva.

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 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 the heaven of Tuṣita, 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).

Mañjuśrī is one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha” and a bodhisattva who embodies wisdom. He is a major figure in the Mahāyāna sūtras, appearing often as an interlocutor of the Buddha. In his most well-known iconographic form, he is portrayed bearing the sword of wisdom in his right hand and a volume of the Prajñā­pāramitā­sūtra in his left. To his name, Mañjuśrī, meaning “Gentle and Glorious One,” is often added the epithet Kumārabhūta, “having a youthful form.” He is also called Mañjughoṣa, Mañjusvara, and Pañcaśikha.

See “Mañjuśrī.”

The being who orchestrates and perpetuates the illusion of cyclic existence.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

A bodhisattva.

A mnemonic, or a means by which one remembers material.

One of the fourfold classification of ways in which beings are born.

A class of spirit being.

A tree in Vaiśālī, at the base of which the Buddha Śākyamuni taught The Detailed Account of the Previous Aspirations of the Seven Thus-Gone Ones.The corresponding term in the Chinese translation of this text is 樂音樹 (Chi. yue yin shu, “musical tree”), a term that is commonly used to describe the trees in Amitābha’s pure land.

Serpentine beings typically associated with waterways, springs, and the rains.

The name of a particular absorption.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

A class of nonhuman beings that, like several other classes of nonhuman beings, take spontaneous birth. Ranking below rākṣasas, they are less powerful and more akin to pretas. They are said to dwell in impure and perilous places, where they feed on impure things, including flesh. This could account for the name piśāca, which possibly derives from √piś, to carve or chop meat, as reflected also in the Tibetan sha za, “meat eater.” They are often described as having an unpleasant appearance, and at times they appear with animal bodies. Some possess the ability to enter the dead bodies of humans, thereby becoming so-called vetāla, to touch whom is fatal.

Brahman is a Sanskrit term referring to what is highest (parama) and most important (pradhāna); the Nibandhana commentary explains brahman as meaning here nirvāṇa, and thus the brahman conduct is the “conduct toward brahman,” the conduct that leads to the highest liberation, i.e., nirvāṇa. This is explained as “the path without outflows,” which is the “truth of the path” among the four truths of the noble ones. Other explanations (found in the Pāli tradition) take “brahman conduct” to mean the “best conduct,” and also the “conduct of the best,” i.e., the buddhas. In some contexts, “brahman conduct” refers more specifically to celibacy, but the specific referents of this expression are many.

A bodhisattva.

These basic precepts are five in number for the laity: (1) not killing, (2) not stealing, (3) chastity, (4) not lying, and (5) avoiding intoxicants. For monks, there are three or five more; avoidance of such things as perfumes, makeup, ointments, garlands, high beds, and afternoon meals. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)

A term describing the quality of a being’s intellect.

An alternate title for The Detailed Account of the Previous Aspirations of the Seven Thus-Gone Ones

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.

The name for our world system, the universe of a thousand million worlds, or trichiliocosm, in which the four-continent world is located. Each trichiliocosm is ruled by a god Brahmā; thus, in this context, he bears the title of Sahāṃpati, Lord of Sahā. The world system of Sahā, or Sahālokadhātu, is also described as the buddhafield of the Buddha Śākyamuni where he teaches the Dharma to beings. The name Sahā possibly derives from the Sanskrit √sah, “to bear, endure, or withstand.” It is often interpreted as alluding to the inhabitants of this world being able to endure the suffering they encounter. The Tibetan translation, mi mjed, follows along the same lines. It literally means “not painful,” in the sense that beings here are able to bear the suffering they experience.

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.

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.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

A bodhisattva.

The set of seven precious materials or substances includes a range of precious metals and gems, but their exact list varies. The set often consists of gold, silver, beryl, crystal, red pearls, emeralds, and white coral, but may also contain lapis lazuli, ruby, sapphire, chrysoberyl, diamonds, etc. The term is frequently used in the sūtras to exemplify preciousness, wealth, and beauty, and can describe treasures, offering materials, or the features of architectural structures such as stūpas, palaces, thrones, etc. The set is also used to describe the beauty and prosperity of buddha realms and the realms of the gods.In other contexts, the term saptaratna can also refer to the seven precious possessions of a cakravartin or to a set of seven precious moral qualities.

An Indian preceptor and translator who lived in the ninth century.

The special methods that enlightened beings use to lead other beings to awakening.

A name for sandalwood, or perhaps a particular species of sandalwood, that is believed to be “desired/beloved” (Skt. iṣṭa) by snakes (Skt. sarpa).

Places that are said to be miserable, dark, and gloomy.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Dharma­sāgarā­gramati­vikrīḍitā­bhijñā­rāja.

A bodhisattva.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Amitābha.

The thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Unconquered.

One of the two primary bodhisattvas who accompany Thus-Gone One Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharāja in the buddhafield Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa.

The thus-gone one residing in the buddhafield Heaped with Jewels and Full of Perfume.

In addition to the five precepts of abstaining from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) sexual misconduct, (4) lying, and (5) intoxication, the ten precepts often include (the list varies) abstaining from (6) eating after the midday meal, (7) dancing, singing, or engaging in other forms of entertainments, (8) wearing jewelry or adorning oneself with cosmetics, (9) using high or luxurious beds or seats, and (10) handling money.

An alternate title for The Detailed Account of the Previous Aspirations of the Seven Thus-Gone Ones

An alternate title for The Detailed Account of the Previous Aspirations of the Seven Thus-Gone Ones

There are two common sets of “the three vows.” The first set refers to the pratimokṣa, bodhicitta, and mantra vows, and this schema was perhaps most famously promoted in Tibet by the thirteenth-century Tibetan polymath Sakya Paṇḍita. The second set, which is likely the set of three vows referred to here, consists of 1) the pratimokṣa vows (Tib. so thar gyi sdom pa) of the desire realm; 2) the dhyāna vows (Tib. sam gtan gyi sdom pa) of the form realm; and 3) the uncontaminated vows (Tib. zag med kyi sdom pa) maintained by those who have transcended the three realms and are at the level of a noble being.

A frequently used epithet for the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas, literally meaning one who has arrived at, or gone to, the ultimate state.

A bodhisattva.

A class of spirit being.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Supari­kīrtita­nāma­dheyaśrī­rāja.

An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma. Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being (mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13. Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel (rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel (tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit themselves after brandishing weapons.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharāja.

The ancient capital of the Licchavi republican state, Vaiśālī is located near present-day Patna in Bihar, India. The Buddha visited this city several times during his lifetime. It is perhaps most famous as the location where, on different occasions, the Buddha cured a plague, admitted the first nuns into the Buddhist order, was offered a bowl of honey by monkeys, and announced his parinirvāṇa three months prior to his departure.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

An epithet of the bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi.

An important bodhisattva who manifests in a terrific form to protect Dharma practitioners.

A class of spirit beings typically associated with violent sorcery rites, the vetāla is most often described as a reanimated corpse or zombie.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Dharmakīrtisāgaraghoṣa.

One of the twelve great yakṣa generals who protect and serve those who bear, read, recite, copy, or commission a copy of the Bhaiṣajya­guru­vaiḍūrya­prabharājasūtra.

The principle of vital warmth and action throughout the body.

A bodhisattva.

The buddhafield of the Thus-Gone One Aśokottamaśrī.

The world of the Lord of Death.

The guardians of the cardinal and ordinal directions, the zenith, and nadir.

According to Buddhist tradition, one who has conquered the enemies, i.e. mental afflictions or emotions, and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by hearers. Also used as an epithet of the buddhas.

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 Lord of Death.