“Intensely Pleasurable,” the paradise of Akṣobhya.

A magical power or accomplishment; any accomplishment in general.

See “five acts of immediate retribution.”

The name of a city on Mount Sumeru, and the main palace in that city.

A unit of weight equal to seven or eight pounds.

Another name of Sūrya, the god of the sun, or the sun personified.

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 god of fire.

The elephant of Indra (also called Airāvata).

Literally “goat devourer,” ajagara is the name of a mythical snake or the Sanskrit term for a boa constrictor.

The highest of the heavens.

The tathāgata who dwells in the eastern realm of Abhirati.

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.

A celestial tathāgata closely connected with and often regarded as identical with Amitābha. The two, however, have a different iconographic form.

The quality of being unfailing, and also the unfailing quality of Avalokiteśvara and the deities related to him, such as Amoghapāśa; in the latter sense, the term can appear before nouns in much the same way as “vajra,” when used adjectivally or adverbially.

This seems to be a short form of Amoghapāśa, or perhaps an epithet of Avalokiteśvara emphasizing the “unfailing” aspect of his activity.

The name of a lotus king.

Another paraphrase of the name Amogha­krodha­rāja, usually referred to simply as Krodharāja.

Seems to be an elaboration of the name Krodhāṅkuśa.

Another name for the wrathful aspect of Amoghapāśa, usually referred to simply as Krodharāja.

Amoghakṣānti (“Unfailing Forbearance”) seems to be here another epithet of Amoghapāśa.

The name of a dhāraṇī, referring to the deity Amoghapāśa. When amogha and pāśa are separated by maṇipadma, the phrase evokes the image of Avalokiteśvara holding a jeweled rosary and a lotus.

The name of one of the emanations (“Unfailing Goad”) of Avalokiteśvara. Also, the name of a dhāraṇī mantra that is referred to in the text as “the heart dhāraṇī of precious amogha offerings.”

Seems to be an elaboration of the name Krodhāṅkuśa.

A goddess associated with Amoghapāśa.

This seems to be another name for Amoghapāśa. However, it is often impossible to determine whether amoghapadma should be taken as a proper name or in its literal meaning of “amogha lotus.”

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

This seems to be another name of Amoghatārā.

“Unfailing Lotus Uṣṇīṣa,” this seems to be a highly esoteric emanation of Amoghapāśa. Here he is also called Padmoṣṇīṣa.

Amogha­padmoṣṇīṣa­pāśa seems to be another variant of the name Amoghapāśa-Padmoṣṇīṣa.

“Unfailing Noose,” an emanation of Avalokiteśvara.

Amogha­pāśa­krodha is another paraphrase of the name of Krodharāja as the wrathful form of Amoghapāśa (Amogha­pāśa-Krodha­rāja). When the name refers specifically to the deity’s mantra, it has been translated as “Wrathful Amoghapāśa.”

The longer version of the name Amoghāṅkuśa.

Possibly refers to Amoghapāśa-Padmoṣṇisa.

“Unfailing King” is used as an epithet of Amoghapāśa and any of his forms and is also used for some of his mantras. Arguably, it can also refer to the text of the Amogha­pāśa­kalpa­rāja as a whole, especially in the opening paragraphs where this text is introduced.

Another paraphrase of the name Amogha­krodha­rāja, usually referred to simply as Krodharāja.

“Unfailing Success” seems to be an epithet applied to some emanations of Avalokiteśvara, especially to Amoghapāśa.

Amoghaśīla (“Unfailing Morality”) seems to be a context-specific epithet of Amoghapāśa.

“Unfailing Savioress” seems to be the name of the female counterpart of Amoghapāśa and of her vidyā mantra.

Another name of Amoghapāśa, associated with a particular mantra, whose meaning implies that it is his gaze that constitutes the “unfailing” noose.

“Unfailing Gaze” seems to be a short form of Amoghavilokita­pāśa.

A paraphrase of the name Amoghāvalokita­pāśa. It is also the name of a mantra. The name translates literally as “Unfailing-Gaze-Noose,” a phrase too vague to venture a definitive interpretation.

“Unfailing Vastness.” Seems to be here an epithet of Avalokiteśvara/Amoghapāśa.

A goddess associated with Amoghapāśa; a goddess with the same name is also found in the Śaiva Western Kaula tradition, associated with the goddess Kubjikā.

Amoghoṣṇīṣa must be a short form of Amoghapāśa-Padmoṣṇīṣa.

A deity, one of the five kings of vidyās ( vidyārāja ).

One of the goddesses.

A gesture of salutation in which the palms are joined together.

It is not clear who Aṅkuśarāja is; this could be a name variant of Amoghāṅkuśa.

A rākṣasa.

A class of nonhuman beings believed to cause epilepsy, fits, and loss of memory. As their name suggests‍—the Skt. apasmāra literally means “without memory” and the Tib. brjed byed means “causing forgetfulness”‍—they are defined by the condition they cause in affected humans, and the term can refer to any nonhuman being that causes such conditions, whether a bhūta, a piśāca, or other.

A celestial nymph.

There are two versions of ardhaparyaṅka posture: the first is sitting with one foot drawn in and the other extended, and the second is dancing. Wrathful deities, such as Krodharāja, tend to assume the latter. In this posture the deity is standing on the tips of their toes with their left leg slightly bent, while the right leg, with the knee pointing to the right, kicks upward to the height of the left knee.

The offering consisting mainly of water for washing the feet, washing the hands, or rinsing the mouth, which is offered to a guest (or a summoned deity) to welcome them or bid them farewell.

A species of venomous snake.

See “nakṣatra.”

A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).

A nāga king.

A two-armed lokeśvara emanation of Avalokiteśvara.

This seems to be another name of Unfailing Lotus Noose-Goad as Pure as a Lotus.

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

A tathāgata.

The worst of the hells.

The realization of truth that is nondual and beyond concepts.

The name of several minor deities.

A nāga king.

An offering of food; unlike homa, bali is not offered into the fire but is placed on the altar and later eaten or distributed.

An asura king defeated by Vāmana.

This name usually refers to the wrathful aspect of Śiva.

A deity.

The name of various goddesses; one of the deities in the maṇḍala of Avalokiteśvara-Amoghapāśa and in some of the maṇḍalas of Avalokiteśvara.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

A Buddhist goddess emanating from Tārā.

A deity.

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.

A deity.

Literally, “possessor of good fortune/blessings,” the term is translated as “Blessed One” when it refers to the Buddha Śākyamuni. When it refers to Noble Avalokiteśvara, especially when used as a form of address, it is translated as “ Lord ” or “ Blessed Lord .”

In the general Mahāyāna teachings the mind of awakening (bodhicitta) is the intention to attain the complete awakening of a perfect buddha for the sake of all beings. On the level of absolute truth, the mind of awakening is the realization of the awakened state itself.

A being who is dedicated to the cultivation and fulfilment of the altruistic intention to attain perfect buddhahood, traversing the ten bodhisattva levels (daśabhūmi, sa bcu). Bodhisattvas purposely opt to remain within cyclic existence in order to liberate all sentient beings, instead of simply seeking personal freedom from suffering. In terms of the view, they realize both the selflessness of persons and the selflessness of phenomena.

In its technical usage this term, which literally means “ground” or “level,” refers to any of the ten levels of the realization of a bodhisattva.

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).

“Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā universe,” one of the Brahmās.

“World of Brahmā,” one of the high heavens.

A brahmin reborn as a rākṣasa.

One of the ancient sages, the chief priest of the gods.

Unidentified.

This appears to be an epithet referring to Nandi, Śiva’s bull mount.

The Tibetan translates both stūpa and caitya with the same word, mchod rten, meaning “basis” or “recipient” of “offerings” or “veneration.” Pali: cetiya.A caitya, although often synonymous with stūpa, can also refer to any site, sanctuary or shrine that is made for veneration, and may or may not contain relics.A stūpa, literally “heap” or “mound,” is a mounded or circular structure usually containing relics of the Buddha or the masters of the past. It is considered to be a sacred object representing the awakened mind of a buddha, but the symbolism of the stūpa is complex, and its design varies throughout the Buddhist world. Stūpas continue to be erected today as objects of veneration and merit making.

An epithet for any great king, but especially those of the higher classes of beings, such as vidyādhara s. When referring to a specific class of Buddhist deities, the term is left in its Sanskrit form; elsewhere the term has been translated as “wheel-turning monarch” or “emperor.”

A goddess in one of the maṇḍalas of Amoghapāśa.

The god of the moon.

The river Chenab (personified).

The name of a king who figures in Buddhist stories.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

A class of demons that spoil food.

One of the two Tibetan translators of this scripture.

A class of malevolent spirits.

Though often specifically reserved for the monastic community, this term can be applied to any of the four Buddhist communities‍—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen‍—as well as to identify the different groups of practitioners, like the community of bodhisattvas or the community of śrāvakas. It is also the third of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community.

Unlike in tantric genres posterior to Kriyātantra where ḍākinīs can be part of the sambhogakāya pantheon, in Sūtra and Kriyātantra literatures a ḍākinī is a female spirit of a lower order.

One of the peaceful forms of Śiva.

A deity.

Another name for asuras.

One of the emperors of the royal Ikṣvāku line.

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.

“Wealth giver,” an epithet of Kubera.

A type of mantra that has the form of an invocation and usually includes shorter mantras.

The Buddha’s teaching or any religion, doctrine, law, religious duty, or the like; it also refers to a phenomenon, quality, or mental object.

The condition of phenomena as they truly are, undistorted by conceptual thinking.

“Body of truth.” As one of the three bodies of a buddha, it refers to his realization of the nature of reality.

The condition of things as they truly are, undistorted by conceptual thinking.

One of the Four Great Kings.

Also translated here as “vajra” and “thunderbolt.”

“Messenger,” a female spirit often employed in magical rites.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

The goddess of divine splendor.

The list of the eight may vary according to the source, but it usually includes Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara, Vajrapāṇi, Maitreya, Kṣitigarbha, Ākāśagarbha, Sarva­nivaraṇa­viṣkambhin, and Samantabhadra.

The eight are the fear of (1) drowning, (2) thieves, (3) lions, (4) snakes, (5) fire, (6) demons, (7) imprisonment, and (8) elephants. They are also sometimes referred to as the eight unbearable (dāruṇa, mi bzad pa) fears.

This is most likely a reference to the eight buddhas mentioned in the Kriyātantras, such as the Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa (4.77). They are Ratnaśikhin, Saṃkusumitarājendra, Śālendrarāja, Sunetra, Duḥprasaha, Vairocana, Bhaiṣajyavaidūryarāja, and Rājendra.

The eighteen characteristics of a fully realized being not shared by ordinary beings, namely that he never stumbles, never raises his voice, never loses mindfulness, and so forth.

See “eightfold path of the noble ones.”

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

One of the deities in the maṇḍala of Avalokiteśvara-Amoghapāśa and in some of the maṇḍalas of Avalokiteśvara.

See “Ekajaṭā.”

One of the ancient sages.

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

See “cakravartin.”

See “seat of awakening.”

Possibly the name functions merely as an epithet or is meant as a proper name, “Lord Ananta.”

Apart from its ordinary meaning as “family,” the term often refers to a tathāgata family (alternatively called a buddha family), reflecting the division of the Buddhist pantheon into families. In the Kriyātantras there are four main tathāgata families: the tathāgata, lotus, jewel, and vajra families.

See “four types of confidence.”

Apart from referring to fever itself, the term is also used as the name of the spirits that cause it.

Five acts so heinous that they cause instant (anantarya) rebirth in hell upon dying.

It is not clear who these five are. The Ratna­ketu­dhāraṇī (Toh 138) mentions the “five yakṣa generals” and gives six names: Āṭavaka/Bhīṣaṇaka, Chinnasrotas, Jñānolka, Saṃjñika, and Tṛṣṇājaha. See The Ranaketu Dhāraṇī, 12.1.

Milk, curds, ghee, urine, and dung.

The five constituents of a living entity: form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.

These are the five types of clairvoyance and magical power‍—“divine eye,” divine ear,” reading other beings’ thoughts, recollecting previous births, and magical powers (ṛddhi).

The descriptions vary, but the five could be drums played by hand (ātata), drums played by stick (vitata), drums played by hand or by stick (ātatavitata), metal instruments such as cymbals (ghana), and wind instruments (suśira). Other less plausible descriptions define vitata as string instruments.

The “five types of vision” are the physical, divine, prajñā, Dharma, and jñāna eyes.

The four main castes of Indic society: brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra.

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

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 are Subhūti, Mahākatyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and Maudgalyāyana.

See “Four Great Kings.”

The four māras are personifications of the practitioner’s pitfalls‍—inappropriate exhilaration during meditation is the divine māra (devaputramāra), being controlled by afflictions is the māra of afflictions (kleśamāra), identifying with the five skandhas is the māra of the skandhas (skandhamāra), and having one’s life cut short by Yama is the māra of Yama (mṛtyumāra).

The truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

The fearlessness based on the four types of confidence: the confidence (1) of awakening, (2) of having destroyed the impurities, (3) of having identified the obstructions, and (4) of the correctness of the path.

The “fourfold assembly” consists of monks, nuns, and male and female lay practitioners.

A particular group or class of asterisms; a class of beings attending on Gaṇeśa or Śiva.

Another name of Gaṇeśa.

A mountain to the east of Mount Sumeru.

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.”

A female gandharva.

Another name of Gaṇeśa.

The river Gaṅgā (personified).

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.

This word can mean “poison,” and it can also refer to a class of spirits associated with poisons.

A celestial bird.

Unidentified. The Tib. reflects a different Skt. reading.

Literally “goat devourer,” ajagara is alternately the name of a mythical snake or the Sanskrit term for a boa constrictor.

See “deva.”

A planet (personified); a class of spirits responsible for epilepsy and seizures.

An epithet of Indra, the chief god of the realm of Thirty-Three.

Seven factors conducive to attaining realization: mindfulness, discernment, diligence, joy, peaceful repose, samādhi, and equanimity.

A class of nonhuman beings, usually identified with the yakṣas.

A monkey king (a character in the Rāmāyaṇa).

A yakṣiṇī who converted to Buddhism.

The wrathful emanation of Avalokiteśvara; also, one of the emanations of Viṣṇu.

Literally “heart,” this term means the heart essence or the essence of the deity and can refer to its mantra, mudrā, or maṇḍala.

See “heart essence.”

An asura king subjugated by Viṣṇu.

A type of fire sacrifice where each casting of the offered article into the fire is accompanied by a single repetition of the mantra.

One of the nāga kings. (Huluḍa is one of several possible spellings.)

“Oblation eater”; another name of Agni, the god of fire.

A medicinal goddess.

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.

The term avaivartika should not be confused with anāgamin. While the first is a Mahāyāna term referring to someone “not turning back,” i.e., irreversibly established on the path to full awakening, the other is a term referring to one who will not return to this world again after death but will attain arhatship in one of the highest heavens.

The name applied to the supreme worldly god, whatever his identity.

A celestial river flowing from Mount Sumeru.

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.

A goddess shared by the Buddhists and the Śaivites.

A king; the context suggests that he is a king of the nāgas or the asuras.

See “fever.”

“Dwelling on the top of Sumeru”; it is not clear whether it refers here to Pārvatī or to one of the Buddhist goddesses.

A class of evil spirits associated with poison.

The seventh of the nine forms of Durgā, also worshiped in tantric Buddhism.

The name of a yakṣiṇī.

Another name of Kāmadeva, the god of erotic love.

An epithet, or one of the emanations, of Śiva.

A unit of weight equal to about twelve grams.

It is not clear whose name this is.

A class of spirits similar to the pretas.

A yakṣa appearing in some of the paintings of Amoghapāśa. Also described as “great vajravināyaka” and “great king.” Kelikila is also associated with Śiva and referred to by the name Mahākelikila.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa. Kelikilī appears to be a variant of the name Kelikilā, identified by multiple lexicographers as Rati, the wife of Kāmadeva.

A yakṣa appearing in some of the paintings of Amoghapāśa.

One of the asuras.

A comet or a falling star personified.

This epithet can refer to individual mantras ( vidyā ) as well as deities‍—typically those attending upon Vajrapāṇi; most of the time the mantra and the deity are one and the same, but, in some contexts, the focus may be on either one or the other. If the focus is on the mantra or its corresponding deity, the term has been translated as king of vidyās , and if it is on the class of deities and is used in the plural, it has been translated as vidyārāja . Vidyārāja can also be a deity name.

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 female kinnara.

A class of spirits related to kākhordas.

Also spelled Kosala. An ancient Indian kingdom corresponding to the present-day Awadh in Uttar Pradesh.

One of the wrathful deities.

One of the wrathful emanations of Amoghapāśa.

A goddess associated with Amoghapāśa.

Another name of Krodhāṅkuśa.

A generic term for wrathful male deities.

“Lord of Wrath,” usually an epithet of Vajrapāṇi but also applied to other wrathful deities, such as the wrathful lords of the four families‍—tathāgata, lotus, jewel, and vajra. In the AP it is mainly used to refer to the wrathful aspect of Amoghapāśa; in this sense he is called, on at least one occasion, Amogha­krodha­rāja.

Seems to be an elaboration of the name Krodhāṅkuśa.

A class of evil spirits.

One of the goddesses in some of the maṇḍalas of Avalokiteśvara.

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

One of the celestial bodhisattvas.

The god of wealth.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa; also a tantric goddess prominent in the Śrīvidyā tradition.

When referring to a worldly deity, this name/epithet usually applies to Skanda .

A brother of Rāvaṇa.

“Having testes like jars,” a class of nonhuman beings.

One of the avatars of Viṣṇu.

Another name for kumbhāṇḍa, a class of nonhuman beings.

The younger brother of Rāma.

One of the nāga kings.

The island of Ceylon.

One of the mantra deities, an emanation of Amoghapāśa.

Seven factors conducive to attaining realization: mindfulness, discernment, diligence, joy, peaceful repose, samādhi, and equanimity.

One of the high heavens.

One of the tathāgatas.

“Lokeśvara” is the title applied to Avalokiteśvara and his male emanations, including Amoghapāśa; in the later tradition there are 108 lokeśvaras. In contexts where the literal meaning, “lord of the world,” is more relevant than the class name, the term has been translated as such (see corresponding glossary entry for “lord of the world”). It is capitalized when used as the title without the name, such as “the Lokeśvara” or “the Lord of the World.”

One of the tathāgatas.

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”).The term is translated here as “Lord” or “Blessed Lord” when it refers to the Noble Avalokiteśvara. When it refers to the Buddha Śākyamuni it is translated as “Blessed One.”

“Lord of the world” is a translation of lokeśvara or lokanātha when these are used in their literal meaning (for the technical meaning of the first see the glossary entry for Lokeśvara). The latter of the two terms has an added connotation of the “protector of the world,” however, in most contexts, the meaning of the “lord of the world” predominates. The phrase is capitalized when used as the title without the name.

See “Krodharāja.”

A group of goddesses connected to Vajrapāṇi; also, a group of mātṛs attending upon Skanda .

The name of several deities, including a nāga.

“Great God,” an epithet of Śiva.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

Here a Buddhist goddess, possibly related to the Śaiva goddess Gaurī.

The wrathful form of Śiva; also a wrathful Buddhist deity.

One of the wrathful deities.

One of the nāga kings.

A deity.

Mahāpāśa (“Great Noose”) seems to be another epithet of Amoghapāśa.

One of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara; also, one of the ancient bodhisattvas, possibly the same as Mahāsthānaprāpta.

A wheel-turning monarch and emperor of all vidyādhara s.

A Buddhist goddess, possibly related to White Tārā.

The universal buddha from whom all the buddhas emanate.

One of the deities in the maṇḍala of Avalokiteśvara-Amoghapāśa.

“Great Lord,” the supreme worldly god (his true identity varies from text to text); the name of one of the Brahmās; a frequent epithet of Śiva.

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).

A Buddhist goddess.

One of the nāga kings.

A magical circle or sacred area; also a chapter or section of a book.

This term seems to refer to any ritual device in itself sufficient to produce liberation; it may thus refer to the entire text of the AP, to an individual rite, to a mantra or a mudrā, or to a set of a corresponding mudrā and mantra.

The shorter form of the name Mahāmaṇḍalin.

One of the ancient kings of the royal Ikṣvāku line, who, according to legend, conquered the three worlds.

A yakṣa king, the brother of Kubera.

One of the wheel-turning monarchs.

One of the mantric forms of Tārā’s name.

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.

When spelled with the lowercase, the term refers to the minions of Māra .

The demon that personifies evil and opposes the teachings of the Buddha.

One of the ancient sages.

The name of a vidyādhara emperor.

A class of dangerous female spirits.

One of the avatars of Viṣṇu.

A type of meditative absorption with four stages.

Normally regarded the same as Mount Sumeru; in some contexts, though, it appears to be different.

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

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

A seal, in both the literal and metaphoric sense; a ritual hand gesture.

One of the sons of Kubera.

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

One of the nāga kings.

A female nāga.

A lunar asterism, often personified as a semidivine being.

One of the nāga kings.

This seems to be another name of Nandi, Śiva’s bull.

One of the nāga kings.

The fourth incarnation of Viṣṇu.

Another name of Kubera.

One of the emanations of Viṣṇu.

A variant spelling of Naḍakūbara.

One of the nāga kings.

A protector deity.

Literally “Blue Throat,” he is associated with the legend of the churning of the great ocean. In the Buddhist context he is Vajrapāṇi, and in the Hindu context, Śiva. In the AP the name may refer to one of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara.

A goddess associated with Avalokiteśvara.

A form of Vajrapāṇi.

One of the high heavens.

The name of an asura.

See “irreversible.”

A character from literature (it is not clear which one).

An epithet or form of Brahmā, who is often represented by the sound oṁ.

The name of an emperor. “The Jewel and the Lotus” (Maṇipadma) could in itself be treated as a proper name, as it happens to be the name of one of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

This seems to be another name for Amoghapāśa.

It is not clear who this goddess is.

A goddess (probably the same as Padmasundarī) in one of the paintings of Amoghapāśa.

One of the lokeśvaras.

A goddess associated with Avalokiteśvara.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

“One with the Lotus in His Hand” is one of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara and, possibly, also another name of Amoghapāśa as well as an epithet of Avalokiteśvara himself.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

One of the vidyā goddesses, possibly the same as Padma­kula­sundarī.

This seems to be another name of Unfailing Lotus Noose-Goad as Pure as a Lotus.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

“Marked with a Lotus Gaze,” one of the tathāgatas.

Another name of Lakṣmī.

One of the lokeśvaras; this could be an epithet of Avalokiteśvara.

“Lotus Uṣṇīṣa,” this seems to be a highly esoteric emanation of Amoghapāśa, also called in the text Amogharāja-Padmoṣṇīṣa.

Padmoṣṇīṣamaṇi (“Jewel of the Lotus Uṣṇīṣa”) seems to be the longer version of the name Padmoṣṇīṣa (“Lotus Uṣṇīṣa”).

A variant of the name Amogharāja-Padmoṣṇīṣa.

One of the tathāgatas.

One of the former buddhas.

A unit of weight equal to about forty-eight grams.

One of the yakṣa kings.

A Buddhist goddess.

One of the rival clans in the Mahābhārata.

A class of malevolent serpent-beings.

The name of an emperor of the vidyādhara s. The word “noose” is not reflected in the Tibetan.

Any of the six or ten perfections personified.

One of the high heavens.

“Lord of beings in the bonds [of existence],” one of the epithets of Śiva.

A Śaiva deity, an attendant of Śiva.

One of the wrathful goddesses, prominent also in Śaiva Śakta traditions.

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.

The mountain in the paradise of Avalokiteśvara.

Unidentified.

See “sādhana.”

The goddess who is the personification of the perfection of wisdom.

This could be the name of more than one deity.

Two prasthas equal half an āḍhaka, which is about three and a half or four pounds.

A form of the goddess Durgā.

Literally, “buddha for oneself” or “solitary realizer.” Someone who, in his or her last life, attains awakening entirely through their own contemplation, without relying on a teacher. Unlike the awakening of a fully realized buddha (samyaksambuddha), the accomplishment of a pratyeka­buddha is not regarded as final or ultimate. They attain realization of the nature of dependent origination, the selflessness of the person, and a partial realization of the selflessness of phenomena, by observing the suchness of all that arises through interdependence. This is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary merit, compassion or motivation to teach others. They are named as “rhinoceros-like” (khaḍgaviṣāṇakalpa) for their preference for staying in solitude or as “congregators” (vargacārin) when their preference is to stay among peers.

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, into which beings are born as the karmic fruition of past miserliness. As the term in Sanskrit means “the departed,” they are analogous to the ancestral spirits of Vedic tradition, the pitṛs, who starve without the offerings of descendants. It is also commonly translated as “hungry ghost” or “starving spirit,” as in the Chinese 餓鬼 e gui.They are sometimes said to reside in the realm of Yama, but are also frequently described as roaming charnel grounds and other inhospitable or frightening places along with piśācas and other such beings. They are particularly known to suffer from great hunger and thirst and the inability to acquire sustenance. Detailed descriptions of their realm and experience, including a list of the thirty-six classes of pretas, can be found in The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Toh 287, 2.­1281– 2.1482.

The goddess of the earth.

A form of worship that involves offerings.

One of the god realms.

One of the yakṣa kings.

One of the groves in the realm of Thirty-Three.

A rākṣasa goddess.

The name of a lunar asterism or nakṣatra.

A class of spirits that seems to be identical with the pūtanas.

A class of spirits similar to vetālas.

The celestial demon of the eclipse, regarded as the leader, or one of the leaders, of the asuras.

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.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

A female rākṣasa.

The seventh incarnation of Viṣṇu.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

One of the tathāgatas.

One of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara.

A character from literature (it is not clear which one).

The goddess of the night.

The king of rākṣasas (a character in the Rāmāyaṇa).

One of the nāga kings.

See “caitya.”

One of the two Tibetan translators of this scripture.

A ritual or a rite; in our presentation it is translated as “ritual” when it refers to a group or a cycle of rites, and as “rite” when it refers to an individual rite (the distinction, however, is blurred). The term can also refer to a text that is a collection of rites, such as the AP, in the sense of a manual of rites.

A class of celestial beings, the “sages”; in the convention adopted here, the term when left in Sanskrit denotes a nonhuman sage. The name, in the sense of a celestial sage, occurs also in the name of the constellation “Seven Ṛṣis” (saptarṣi) that corresponds to the seven stars of the Great Bear.

The god of tempests, related to Śiva.

A character from literature (it is not clear which one).

The wife of Indra.

Formal practice done in sessions; in the context of the AP this can be any ritual practice aiming for a particular result.

One of the nāga kings.

An ancient title given to ascetics, monks, hermits, and saints, namely those who have attained the realization of a truth through their own contemplation and not by divine revelation. Here also used as a specific epithet for a buddha.

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.

In colloquial usage, the term means “ability”; in a more esoteric sense, it denotes feminine energy and power; it is also used when referring to powerful female spirits (usually within the Śaiva pantheon).

Name of the ancient tribe in which the Buddha was born as a prince; their kingdom was based to the east of Kośala, in the foothills near the present-day border of India and Nepal, with Kapilavastu as its capital.

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.

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.

One of the sambhogakāya buddhas.

One of the nāga kings.

This could be the name or an epithet of one of the goddesses; its meaning is unclear.

Literally “coming together,” samaya refers to precepts given by the teacher, the corresponding commitment by the pupil, and the bond that results, which can also be the bond between the practitioner and the deity or a spirit. It can also mean a special juncture or circumstance, or an ordinary time or season.

The “enjoyment body,” one of the three bodies of a buddha, refers to the way a buddha manifests for realized beings; this may be represented by different iconographic forms of deity figures.

The beginningless cycle of rebirth characterized by suffering and caused by the three faults of ignorance, greed, and anger.

The son of the god Brahmā.

A congregation of monks, or the totality of the Buddha’s monks regarded as the jewel of the Saṅgha (one of the Three Jewels). Also translated here as “congregation.”

One of the goddesses.

It is not clear who this goddess is. This could be a variant spelling of Saṅkalā.

A Buddhist goddess.

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 goddess of speech and of learning.

The identity of this being is uncertain; he could be one of the sons of Māra who was sympathetic to the Buddha.

One of the celestial bodhisattvas.

Although it is translated as “seat of awakening” and frequently refers to the seat upon which Śākyamuni attained awakening, the Skt. term literally means “essence of awakening.” It refers to the final realization with the corollary of the realized being performing the twelve deeds of a buddha.

See “seven tathāgatas.”

These are the seven tathāgatas of the past: Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, and Śākyamuni.

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.

A class of powerful semidivine beings. In its ordinary sense of “accomplished” and so forth, this word is always translated here according to context.

A class of vidyādhara s.

See “accomplishment.”

The river Śītā, also spelled Sītā (personified).

See “Śītā.”

The name of the chariot in which Sītā, the wife of Rāma, was carried away.

Major deity in the pantheon of the classical Indian religious traditions.

One of the kṛtī (or kṛti) spirits.

This could be an extended name of Sudaṃṣṭra, the son of Kṛṣṇa.

The perfections of generosity, morality, diligence, forbearance, meditative concentration, and wisdom.

A class of demons that cause emaciation.

The demon who causes drought or makes children ill.

Another name of Candra, the god of the moon.

A class of demons that cause emaciation.

Literally “king of rites,” the term can refer to an actual ritual or a ritual text, such as the AP.

See “dharmadhātu.”

The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing, followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”

The goddess of good fortune identified with Lakṣmī.

Another name of Lakṣmī.

Here, this is probably the name of one of the cakravartin kings.

A bodhisattva.

A member of the laborer or serf caste, one of the four castes.

An epithet of a fully realized buddha (samyak­sambuddha).

The paradise of Amitābha.

The god of the sun.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

A goddess, possibly the same as Mahāśvetā.

A class of vidyādhara s.

A female sword vidyādhara.

One of the nāga kings.

The Buddhist goddess of compassion.

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.

The six perfections plus an additional four.

Apart from the last one, these ten pertain to the different types of clairvoyant knowledge that a buddha has. The list includes (1) the knowledge of what is possible and not possible, (2) the knowledge of the ripening of karma, (3) the knowledge of the variety of aspirations, (4) the knowledge of the variety of elements, (5) the knowledge of the different degrees of capability, (6) the knowledge of the destinations of all paths, (7) the knowledge of various states of meditation, (8) the knowledge of remembering previous lives, (9) the knowledge of deaths and rebirths, and (10) the cessation of defilements.

Abstaining from killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying, uttering divisive talk, speaking harshly, gossiping, covetousness, ill-will, and wrong views.

One of the lokeśvara emanations of Avalokiteśvara.

The paradise of Indra.

The three are ignorance, desire, and hatred.

The Three Jewels are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha.

The “stains” of ignorance, desire, and hatred.

Punning on the double meaning of śukla as “white” and “pure,” these are three food items considered acceptable for use in preparation for or during ritual practices. The three vary across different sources but tend to include milk, rice, and a milk product such as cream, curds, cheese, or butter.

Also translated here as “vajra” and “diamond.”

One of the emanations of Amoghapāśa.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

Tuṣita (or sometimes Saṃtuṣita), literally “Joyous” or “Contented,” is one of the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu). In standard classifications, such as the one in the Abhidharmakośa, it is ranked as the fourth of the six counting from below. This god realm is where all future buddhas are said to dwell before taking on their final rebirth prior to awakening. There, the Buddha Śākyamuni lived his preceding life as the bodhisattva Śvetaketu. When departing to take birth in this world, he appointed the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will be the next buddha of this eon, as his Dharma regent in Tuṣita. For an account of the Buddha’s previous life in Tuṣita, see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 2.12, and for an account of Maitreya’s birth in Tuṣita and a description of this realm, see The Sūtra on Maitreya’s Birth in the Heaven of Joy , (Toh 199).

A wrathful deity.

One of the wives of Śiva; she is also a Buddhist goddess.

This seems to be another short version of the name Unfailing Lotus Noose-Goad as Pure as a Lotus.

One of the mantra deities, a female emanation of Amoghapāśa; also the name of the corresponding mantra.

This seems to be a shorter version of the name Unfailing Lotus Noose-Goad as Pure as a Lotus.

One of the nāga kings.

The protuberance at the top of a buddha’s head, visible only to realized beings.

It is not clear who this goddess is.

One of the nāga kings.

One of the emanations of Śiva.

“Mare-faced,” a yoginī; also found in the Śaiva Kaula tradition.

One of the twelve branches of scripture. Literally meaning “vast” or “extensive,” it refers to a particular set of lengthy sūtras or collections of sūtras that each provide a comprehensive overview of Buddhist thought and practice. This category includes individual works such as the Lalitavistara and Saddharma­puṇḍarīka and collections such as the Mahā­sannipāta, Buddhāvataṃsaka, Ratnakūta, and Prajñāpāramitā.

One of the tathāgatas.

“Particularists,” a non-Buddhist philosophical school.

The yakṣa god of wealth and one of the Four Great Kings.

A member of the merchant caste.

Diamond or thunderbolt; a metaphor for anything indestructible; a scepter-like ritual object.

Another name for the “seat of awakening.”

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

In the context of the AP, Vajradhara is another name for Vajrapāṇi.

One of the “messenger” goddesses.

Vajrapāṇi means “Wielder of the Vajra.” In the Pali canon, he appears as a yakṣa guardian in the retinue of the Buddha. In the Mahāyāna scriptures he is a bodhisattva and one of the “eight close sons of the Buddha.” In the tantras, he is also regarded as an important Buddhist deity and instrumental in the transmission of tantric scriptures. Also called here the “general of yakṣas.”

A wrathful deity.

The name could suggest a Buddhist counterpart of the Śaiva deity Piṅgala, an attendant of Śiva.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa, probably the same as Vajraśṛṅkhalā (“Vajra Chain”).

A deity.

He is described in the text as a nāga king.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

This seems to be a class of enlightened beings.

The name of a river (personified).

“Dwarf” is one of the ten avatars of Viṣṇu.

The third incarnation of Viṣṇu.

Capital of the ancient country of Kāśi, west of Magadha and north of Kośala, where the Buddha first taught the Dharma.

Apart from the god of water, Varuṇa can be the name of several other figures, including a nāga king.

A goddess in one of the maṇḍalas of Amoghapāśa.

An epithet of Indra.

One of the heavenly realms.

One of the ancient sages, one of the composers of the Vedic hymns.

A nāga king.

The god of wind.

A type of stanza with four lines of eight syllables.

A class of spirits that frequent charnel grounds and sometimes take possession of dead bodies.

A brother of Rāvaṇa.

Knowledge, especially the secret knowledge of mantras, mudrās, and so forth, and also the magical power that this knowledge entails; a magical spell or the power of a magical spell; a nonhuman female being or deity possessing such power.

The term literally means “possessor of vidyā” and refers to practitioners of mantra. When the term is used in the sense of “ vidyādhara ” (a class of semidivine beings), it has been rendered in its Sanskrit form.

“Knowledge holder” is a class of semidivine beings renowned for their magical power ( vidyā ). When referring to the practitioner, the term has been translated as “vidyā holder.”

A female vidyādhara .

See “king of vidyās.”

This seems to be the name of some of the amogha emanations of Avalokiteśvara, although the distinction between Vidyārāja (proper name) and “king of vidyās” (literal translation) is often blurred.

A female vidyārāja ‍—a powerful female mantra deity of the vidyārāja class.

An obstacle or a class of spirits who create obstacles.

A goddess shared by the Buddhists and the Śaivites.

A yakṣa appearing in some of the paintings of Amoghapāśa. See n.­2899.

One of the worlds in the distant past.

One of the goddesses associated with Amoghapāśa.

One of the goddesses in some of the maṇḍalas of Avalokiteśvara.

One of the tathāgatas.

A class of obstacle-making spirits.

One of the epithets of Gaṇeśa.

One of the Four Great Kings.

One of the Four Great Kings.

A deity.

The god of creation.

“Omnifarious One” is the name/epithet of various deities, but in particular of Viṣṇu in his viśvarūpa aspect.

One of the ancient sages, regarded as the compiler of the Vedas.

See “cakravartin.”

One who has achieved the fourth and final level of attainment on the śrāvaka path and attained liberation with the cessation of all afflictions; also used as a title of respect when referring to the Buddha Śākyamuni and other tathāgatas.

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.

A female yakṣa.

The god of the dead.

The river Yamunā (personified).

In the sūtra and Kriyātantra literature, a yoginī is a female spirit of the lower order.