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Agadas adj.: healthy; n.: antidote, panacea, universal remedy.
Agamas Generic term applied to a collection of traditional doctrines and precepts; also means the home or collecting-place of the law or truth; the peerless law; the ultimate absolute truth. The Four Agamas are as follows: (1) Dirghagama, "law treatises on cosmogony; (2) Madhyamagama, "middle" treatises on metaphysics; (3) Samyuktagama, "miscellaneous" treatises on abstract contemplation; (4) Edottaragama, "numerical" treatises on subjects treated numerically.The sutras of Theravada are referred to at times as the Agamas.
Agara House, dwelling, receptacle; also, used in the sense of a Bodily organ, e.g., the ear for sound, etc.
Agaru/Aguru Sandalwood incense.
Alaya Consciousness The fundamental consciousness of all sentient beings. As defined by the Yogacara School, Alaya means the "storehouse", implying that this consciousness contains and preserves all past memories and potential psychic energy within its fold; it is the reservoir of all ideas, memories and desires and is also the fundamental cause of both Samsara and Nirvana.
Almsgiving see charity.
Amitabha(Amida, Amita, Amitayus) Amitabha is the most commonly used name for the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life. A transhistorical Buddha venerated by all Mahayana schools (T'ien T'ai, Esoteric, Zen ...) and, particularly, Pure Land. Presides over the Western Pure Land (Land of Ultimate Bliss), where anyone can be reborn through utterly sincere recitation of His name, particularly at the time of death.
Amitabha Buddha at the highest or noumenon level represents the True Mind, the Self-Nature common to the Buddhas and sentient beings - all encompassing and all-inclusive. This deeper understanding provides the rationale for the harmonization of Zen and Pure Land, two of the most popular schools of Mahayana Buddhism. See also "Buddha Reatation," "Mind," "Pure Land."
Amitabha Sutra See "Three Pure land Sutras."
Anasrava (Skt.) Opposite of asrava.
Anuttara-Samayak-Sambodhi The incomparably, completely and fully awakened mind; it is the attribute of buddhas.
Apaya-bhumi States of woe: the three realms of existence characterized by extreme discomfort and delusion--i.e., hell-states, animal-birth and the hungry ghosts, or pretas.
Arhat Arhatship is the highest rank attained by Sravakas. An Arhat is a Buddhist saint who has attained liberation from the cycle of Birth and Death, generally through living a monastic life in accordance with the Buddhas' teachings. This is the goal of Theravadin practice, as contrasted with Bodhisattvahood in Mahayana practice. (A Dictionary of Buddhism.) The stage is preceded by three others: 1. Stream Winner, 2. Once-Returner, 3. Non-Returner. See also "Sravakas."
Arthakrtya One of the Four All-Embracing Virtues: performance of conduct profitable to others in order to lead them toward the truth.
Arya Any individual ennobled by his/her own continuing effort on the path to enlightenment.
Asamkhiya (kalpa) Term related to the Buddhist metaphysics of time. Each of the periodic manifestations and dissolutions of universes which go on eternally has four parts, called asamkhiya kalpas.
Asrava (Skt.) Pain causing impurity, defilement.
Asura Titanic demons, enemies of the gods, with whom-especially Indra-they wage war.
Attachment In the Four Noble truths, Buddha Shakyamuni taught that attachment to self is the root cause of suffering:
From craving [attachment] springs grief, from craving springs fear; For him who is wholly free from craving, there is no grief, much less fear. (Dhammapada Sutra. In Narada Maha Thera, The Buddha and His Teachings.) If you don't have attachments, naturally you're liberated ... In ancient times, there was an old cultivator who asked for instructions from a monk, "Great Monk, let me ask you, how can I attain liberation?" The Great monk said, "Who tied you up?" This old cultivator answered, "Nobody tied me up." The monk said, "Then why do you seek liberation?" (Hsuan Hua, tr., Flower Adornment Sutra, "Pure Conduct," chap. 11.)
If you don't have attachments, naturally you're liberated ... In ancient times, there was an old cultivator who asked for instructions from a monk, "Great Monk, let me ask you, how can I attain liberation?" The Great monk said, "Who tied you up?" This old cultivator answered, "Nobody tied me up." The monk said, "Then why do you seek liberation?" (Hsuan Hua, tr., Flower Adornment Sutra, "Pure Conduct," chap. 11.)
Avalokitesvara The name is a compound of Ishwara, meaning Lord, and avalokita, looked upon or seen, and is usually translated as the Lord Who Observes (the cries of the world); the Buddhist embodiment of compassion as formulated in the Mahayana Dharma. Also called Kuan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Guan Yin is one of the triad of Amitabha Buddha, represented on his left, Usually recognizable by the small Buddha adorning Her crown. Guan Yin can transform into many different forms in order to cross over to the beings. Guan Yin is one of the most popular Bodhisattva in China.
Avatamsaka (Flower Ornament) Sutra The basic text of the Avatamsaka School. It is one of the longest sutras in the Buddhist Canon and records the highest teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni, immediately after Enlightenment. It is traditionally believed that the Sutra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other high spiritual beings while the Buddha was in samadhi. The Sutra has been described as the "epitome of Buddhist thought, Buddhist sentiment and Buddhist experience" and is quoted by all schools of Mahayana Buddhism, in particular, Pure Land and Zen.
Awakening vs. Enlightenment A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the Way (Great Awakening) and attaining the Way (attaining Enlightenment). (Note: There are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., Buddhahood.)
To experience a Great Awakening is to achieve (through Zen meditation, Buddha Recitation, etc.) a complete and deep realization of what it means to be a Buddha and how to reach Buddhahood. It is to see one's Nature, comprehend the True Nature of things, the Truth. However, only after becoming a Buddha can one be said to have truly attained Supreme Enlightenment (attained the Way). A metaphor appearing in the sutras is that of a glass of water containing sediments. As long as the glass is undisturbed, the sediments remain at the bottom and the water is clear. However, as soon as the glass is shaken, the water becomes turbid. Likewise, when a practitioner experiences a Great Awakening (awakens to the Way), his afflictions (greed, anger and delusion) are temporarily suppressed but not yet eliminated. To achieve Supreme Enlightenment (i.e., to be rid of all afflictions, to discard all sediments) is the ultimate goal. Only then can he completely trust his mind and actions. Before then, he should adhere to the precepts, keep a close watch on his mind and thoughts, like a cat stalking a mouse, ready to pounce on evil thoughts as soon as they arise. To do otherwise is to court certain failure, as stories upon stories of errant monks, roshis and gurus demonstrate.
Awakening of the Faith (Treatise) A major commentary by the Patriarch Asvaghosha (lst/2nd cent.), which presents the fundamental principles of Mahayana Buddhism. Several translations exist in English.
Ban T'o Suddhidanthaka in Sanskrit. Ban T퉛 was a disciple of Buddha, and he was very forgetful; for when the Buddha taught him the second sentence of a gatha of a sutra he would forget the first one, and when he was taught the third one he would forget the second one. Ultimately, however, with persistence he became an Arhat.
Bardo The intermediate existence between death and reincarnation -- a stage varying from seven to forty-nine days, after which the Karmic body from previous lives will certainly be reborn.
Bhiksu Religious mendicant; Buddhist fully ordained monk. Bhiksuni is the equivalent term designating a woman.
Bhadanta "Most virtuous"; honorific title apllied to a Buddha.
Bhaisajyaguru Sanskrit word, the Buddha of Medicine, who quells all diseases and lengthens life. His is the Buddha in the Pure Land of the Paradise of the East.
Bhutatathata The true character of reality. The real as thus, always or eternally so. True Suchness.
Bodhi Sanskrit for Enlightenment. Also Perfect knowledge or wisdom by which a person becomes a Buddha.
Bodhi-Tao Bodhi-path: The way or path to the Supreme Enlightenment of Buddhahood.
Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta, Great Mind) The spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, the Mind set on Enlightenment. It involves two parallel aspects: i) the determination to achieve Buddhahood and ii) the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings.
Bodhimandala Truth-plot, holy sits, place of Enlightenment, the place where the Buddha attained Enlightenment.
Bodhisattvas Those who aspire to Supreme Enlightenment and Buddhahood for themselves and all beings. The word Bodhisattva can therefore stand for a realized being such as Avalokitesvara or Samantabhadra but also for anyone who has developed the Bodhi Mind, the aspiration to save oneself and others.
Bodhisattva-Tao The way of the practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism. One following this path aspires to the attainment of Enlightenment for the sake and benefit of all sentient beings.
Brahma Net Sutra (Brahmajala Sutra) This is a sutra of major significance in Mahayana Buddhism. In addition to containing the ten major precepts of Mahayana (not to kill, steal, lie, etc.) the Sutra also contains forty-eight less important injunctions. These fifty-eight major and minor precepts constitute the Bodhisattva Precepts, taken by most Mahayana monks and nuns and certain advanced lay practitioners.
Brahmacarya Lit., Brahma or purified life, usually connoting the practice of celibacy.
Brahmajala Or Indra's net, characterized by holding a luminous gem in every one of its eyes. (Hindu mythology).
Brahmin The highest of the four Castes in Hinduism. They served Brahma, his offering, the keepers of the Vedas, i.e. priestly.
Buddha Lit., the Awakened One; one who through aeons of spiritual development has attained Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. This epithet usually refers to Sakyamuni Buddha, who lived and taught in India some 2,600 years ago.
Buddha Nature The following terms refer to the same thing: Self-Nature, True Nature, Original Nature, Dharma Nature, True Mark, True Mind, True Emptiness, True Thusness, Dharma Body, Original Face, Emptiness, Prajna, Nirvana, etc.
According to the Mahayana view, [buddha-nature] is the true, immutable, and eternal nature of all beings. Since all beings possess buddha-nature, it is possible for them to attain enlightenment and become a buddha, regardless of what level of existence they occupy ... The answer to the question whether buddha-nature is immanent in beings is an essential determining factor for the association of a given school with Theravada or Mahayana, the two great currents within Buddhism. In Theravada this notion is unknown; here the potential to become a buddha is not ascribed to every being. By contrast the Mahayana sees the attainment of buddhahood as the highest goal; it can be attained through the inherent buddha-nature of every being through appropriate spiritual practice. (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)
Buddha Recitation See "Buddha-Remembrance".
Buddha-Remembrance General term for a number of practices, such as i) oral recitation of Amitabha Buddha's name and ii) visualization/contemplation of His auspicious marks and those of the Pure Land.
In reciting the buddha-name you use your own mind to be mindful of your own true self: how could this be considered seeking outside yourself? Reciting the buddha-name proceeds from the mind. The mind remembers Buddha and does not forget. That's why it is called buddha remembrance, or reciting the buddha-name mindfully.
Reciting the buddha-name proceeds from the mind. The mind remembers Buddha and does not forget. That's why it is called buddha remembrance, or reciting the buddha-name mindfully.
Buddhadharma Lit., Teaching of Enlightenment. Originally apllied to designate the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha; supplanted by the term "Buddhism" in its later historical development.
Buddharupa A statue or Image of the Buddha, used for devotional purposes.
Caitya Tumulus, a mausoleum; a place where the relics of Buddha were collected; hence, a place where the sutras or images are placed.
Cakravala The nine cakravala or concentric mountain ranges or continents, separated by eight seas, of a universe.
Candana White candana, or white sandalwood.
Chan See Zen.
Ch'an-Ting Lit., mind still and quiet: the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit terms Dhyana-Samadhi, meaning deep contemplative practice or yogic absorption.
Charity or almsgiving, the first Paramitas. There are three kinds of charity in terms of goods, teaching (Dharma) and courage (fearlessness). Out of the three, the merits and virtues of the teaching of the Buddha Dharma is the most surpassing. Charity done for no reward here and hereafter is called pure or unsullied, while the sullied charity is done for the purpose of personal benefits. In Buddhism, the merits and virtues of pure charity is the best.
Chiliocosm Countless Universes.
Chih-Kuan In practice there are three contemplations; seeing such abstractions: (1) by fixing the mind on the nose, navel, etc. (2) by stopping every thought as it arises; (3) by dwelling on the thought that no thing exists of itself, but from a preceding cause.
Chung Yin Shen See Bardo.
Cintamani The talismanic pearl, a symbol of bestowing fortune and capable of fulfilling every wish.
Citta Mind or heart. the two terms being synonymous in Asian religious philosophy.
Conditioned (compounded) Describes all the various phenomena in the world - made up of separate, discrete elements, "with outflows," with no intrinsic nature of their own. Conditioned merits and virtues lead to rebirth within samsara, whereas unconditioned merits and virtues are the causes of liberation from Birth and Death. See also "Unconditioned."
Dana The practice of generosity or charity: one of the Paramitas as well as one of the All-Embracing Virtues, where it means, in the latter, giving others what they want just to lead them towards the truth.
Dedication of Merit See "Transference of Merit."
Delusion (Ignorance) "Delusion refers to belief in something that contradicts reality. In Buddhism, delusion is ... a lack of awareness of the true nature or Buddha nature of things, or of the true meaning of existence. "According to the Buddhist outlook, we are deluded by our senses-- among which intellect (discriminating, discursive thought) is included as a sixth sense. Consciousness, attached to the senses, leads us into error by causing us to take the world of appearances for the world of reality, whereas in fact it is only a limited and fleeting aspect of reality." (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)
Demons Evil influences which hinder cultivation. These can take an infinite number of forms, including evil beings or hallucinations. Disease and death, as well as the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are also equated to demons, as they disturb the mind.
The Nirvana Sutra lists four types of demon: i) greed, anger and delusion; ii) the five skandas, or obstructions caused by physical and mental functions; iii) death; iv) the demon of the Sixth Heaven (Realm of Desire).
The Self-Nature has been described in Mahayana sutras as a house full of gold and jewelry. To preserve the riches, i.e., to keep the mind calm, empty and still, we should shut the doors to the three thieves of greed, anger and delusion. Letting the mind wander opens the house to "demons," that is, hallucinations and harm. Thus, Zen practitioners are taught that, while in meditation, "Encountering demons, kill the demons, encountering Buddhas, kill the Buddhas." Both demons and Buddhas are mind-made, Mind-Only.
For a detailed discussion of demons, see Master Thich Thien Tam, Buddhism of Wisdom and' Faith, sect. 51.
Devakanya Goddess in general attendance on the regents of the sun and moon.
Deva Lit., "A shining one". An inhabitant of the heavenly realms, which is characterized by long life, joyous surroundings and blissful states of mind. In the Buddhist tradition, these states are understood to be impermanent, not eternal.
Deva King The four Deva Kings in the first, or lowest, Devaloka on its four sides are the following: East-Dhrtarastra; South-Virodhaka; West-Viropaksa; North-Dhanada, or Vaisravana.
Dharini Extended mantra used in esoteric branch of Buddhism to focus and expand the mind. Its words, or sounds, should not communicate any recognizable meaning.
Dharma a) The teachings of the Buddhas (generally capitalized in English); b) duty, law, doctrine; c) things, events, phenomena, everything.
Dharma-dhatu The Law-doctrine that is the reality behind being and non-being. It is interpenetrative and all-inclusive, just as the rotation of the earth holds both night and day.
Dharma-Ending Age, Degenerate Age, Last Age. The present spiritually degenerate era, twenty-six centuries after the demise of Shakyamuni Buddha. The concept of decline, dissension and schism within the Dharma after the passing of the Buddha is a general teaching of Buddhism and a corollary to the Truth of Impermanence. See, for example, the Diamond Sutra (sect. 6 in the translation by A.F. Price and Wong Mou-lam). The time following Buddha Shakyamuni's demise is divided into three periods: i) the Perfect Age of the Dharma, lasting 500 years, when the Buddha's teaching (usually meditation) was correctly practiced and Enlightenment often attained; ii) the Dharma Semblance Age, lasting about 1,000 years, when a form of the teaching was practiced but Enlightenment seldom attained; iii) the Dharma-Ending Age, lasting some ten thousand years, when a diluted form of the teaching exists and Enlightenment is rarely attained.
Dharma Gate School, method, tradition.
Dharma Nature The intrinsic nature of all things. Used interchangeably with "emptiness," "reality." See also "Buddha Nature."
Dharmakara The Bodhisattva who later became Amitabha Buddha, as related in the Longer Amitabha Sutra. The Bodhisattva Dharmakara is famous for forty-eight Vows, particularly the eighteenth, which promises rebirth in the Pure Land to anyone who recites His name with utmost sincerity and faith at the time of death.
Dharmakaya See "Three bodies of the Buddha."
Dhyana The practice of concentration--i.e., meditation. Also, more specifically, the four form concentrations and the four formless concentrations.
Diamond Sutra "An independent part of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, which attained great importance, particularly in East Asia. It shows that all phenomenal appearances are not ultimate reality but rather illusions, projections of one's own mind ... The work is called Diamond Sutra because it is 'sharp like a diamond that cuts away all unnecessary conceptualizations and brings one to the further shore of enlightenment.'" (The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)
Difficult Path of Practice (Path of the Sages, Self-Power Path) According to Pure Land teaching, all conventional Buddhist ways of practice and cultivation (Zen, Theravada, the Vinaya School ...), which emphasize self-power and self-reliance. This is contrasted to the Easy Path of Practice, that is, the Pure Land method, which relies on both self-power and other-power (the power and assistance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas).
Duskrta Wrongdoing, evil action, misdeed, sin; external sins of the body and the mouth; a light sin.
Dusts (Worldly Dusts) A metaphor for all the mundane things that can cloud our bright Self-Nature. These include form, sound, scent, taste, touch, dharmas (external opinions and views). These dusts correspond to the five senses and the discriminating, everyday mind (the sixth sense, in Buddhism).
Dviyana Lit., two vehicles. The two vehicles or practice paths of Sravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana.
Dwo-Shih An unusual term indicating one who has practiced the Tao with great diligence and blessing during his lifetime and who, after his death, does not want to enter just any womb, but prefers to wait for some auspicious condition, usurping such a good position from another, less highly developed spirit.
Easy Path of Practice Refers to Pure Land practice. The Easy Path involves reliance on the power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, in particular Buddha Amitabha ("other-power") in addition to one's own cultivation("self-power"). Usually contrasted with primary reliance on self-power (Difficult Path of Practice), taught in other Buddhist schools. Equal reliance on self-power and other-power distinguishes the Pure Land School from most other schools of Buddhism. The distinction is, however, a matter of emphasis, as all schools of Buddhism rely, to a greater or lesser extent, on both self-power and other-power. See also "Other-power".
Eight Divisions of Gods and Dragons Devas (gods), Nagas (Dragons) and others of eight divisions (classes): deva, nagas, yakas, ganharvas, asuras, gaudas, kinaras, mahoragas.
Eight Sufferings (1) Suffering of Birth; (2) Suffering of Old Age; (3) Suffering of Sickness; (4) Suffering of Death; (5) Suffering of being apart from the loved ones; (6) Suffering being together with the despised ones; (7) Suffering of not getting what one wants; (8) Suffering of the flouishing of the Five Skandhas.
Eight Winds Winds of Eight Directions. Most people are usually moved by the winds of the eight directions: (1) Praise; (2) Ridicule; (3) Suffering; (4)Happiness; (5) Benefit; (6) Destruction; (7) Gain; (8) Loss.
Eightfold Path The eight right ways leading to the cessation of sufferings. (1) Right View; (2) Right Thought; (3) Right Speech; (4) Right Action; (5) Right Livelihood; (6) Right Effort; (7) Right Remembrance; (8) Right Concentration.
Endurance (World) See "Saha World."
Enlightenment See "Awakening vs. Enlightenment."
Evil Paths The paths of hells, hungry ghosts, animality. These paths can be taken as states of mind; i.e., when someone has a vicious thought of maiming or killing another, he is effectively reborn, for that moment, in the hells.
Expedient means (Skillful means, Skill-in-means, Upaya) Refers to strategies, methods, devices, targetted to the capacities, circumstances, likes and dislikes of each sentient being, so as to rescue him and lead him to Enlightenment. "Thus, all particular formulations of the Teaching are just provisional expedients to communicate the Truth (Dharma) in specific contexts." (J.C. Cleary.) "The Buddha's words were medicines for a given sickness at a given time," always infinitely adaptable to the conditions of the audience.
Externalists Literally, followers of non-Buddhist paths. This term is generally used by Buddhists with reference to followers of other religions.
Five Bhikshus The first five of Buddha's converts: Ajnata-Kaundinya, Asvajit, Bhadrika, Dasabala-Kasyapa, and Mahanama-Kulika. They were the first five disciples that Shakyamuni preached when he became Buddha.
Five Corruptions See "Five Turbidities."
Five Desires (Five Sensual Pleasures) Desires connected with the five senses, i.e., form, sound, aroma, taste and touch.
Five Eyes 1. human eye; 2. devine eye; 3. dharma eye; 4. wisdom eye; 5. Buddha eye.
Five Fundamental Conditions of Passions and Delusions 1. Wrong views which are common to triloka; 2. Clinging or attachment in the desire realm; 3. Clinging or attachment in the form realm: 4. Clinging or attachment in the formless realm which is still mortal; 5. The state of unenlightenment which is the root-cause of all distressful delusion.
Five Natures The natures of (1) Bodhisattvas, (2) Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, (3) ordinary good people, (4) agnostics, (5) heretics.
Five Offenses The five rebellious acts or deadly sins: (1) parricide; (2) matricide; (3) killing an arhat; (4) shedding the blood of a Buddha; (5) destroying the harmony of the sangha, or fraternity.
Five Precepts The precepts taken by lay Buddhists, prohibiting i) killing, ii) stealing iii) lying, iv) sexual misconduct, v) ingesting intoxicants. See also "Ten Precepts."
Five Skandhas The five groups of elements (Dharmas) into which all existences are classified in early Buddhism. The five are: Rupa (matter), Vedana (feeling), Sanjna (ideation); Samskara (forces or drives) Vijnana (consciousness or sensation). Group, heap, aggregate; the five constituents of the personality; form, feeling, perception, impulses, consciousness; the five factors constituting the individual person.
Five Turbidities (Corruptions, Defilements, Depravities, Filths, Impurities) They are. 1. the defilement of views, when incorrect, perverse thoughts and ideas are predominant; 2. the defilement of passions, when all kinds of transgressions are exalted; 3. the defilement of the human condition, when people are usually dissatisfied and unhappy; 4. the defilement of the life-span, when the human life-span as a whole decreases; S. the defilement of the world-age, when war and natural disasters are rife. These conditions, viewed from a Buddhist angle, however, can constitute aids to Enlightenment, as they may spur practitioners to more earnest cultivation.
Flower Store World The entire cosmos, consisting of worlds upon worlds ad infinitum, as described in the Avatamsaka Sutra. It is the realm of Vairocana Buddha, the transcendental aspect of Buddha Shakyamuni and of all Buddhas. The Saha World, the Western Pure Land and, for that matter, all lands and realms are within the Flower Store World.
Four Aspects (of Buddha Dharma) (1) the teaching; (2) the principle; (3) the practice; (4) the fruit/reward/result.
Four Elements All matters are formed and are composed by four conditioned causes : (1) earth, which is characterized by solidity and durability; (2) water, which is characterized by liquid/fluid and moisture; (3) fire, which is characterized by energy and warmth; (4) wind, which is characterized by gas/air movement.
Four Fruits of the Arhat See under Arhat entry.
Four Great Bodhisattva They represent the four major characters of Bodhisattva: 1.Manjusri - Universal Great Wisdom Bodhisattva; 2.Samantabhadra - Universal Worthy Great Conduct Bodhisattva; 3.Ksitigarbha - Earth Store King Great Vow Bodhisattva; 4.Avalokitesvara - Guan Shr Yin Great Compassion Bodhisattva.
Four Great Vows (Four Universal Vows) The four vows held by all Bodhisattvas. These vows are called great because of the wondrous and inconceivable compassion involved in fulfilling them. They are as follows: Sentient beings without number we vow to enlighten; Vexations without end we vow to eradicate; Limitless approaches to Dharma we vow to master; The Supreme Awakening we vow to achieve.
Four Noble Truths 1)Sufferings; 2)Cause of Sufferings; 3)Cessation of sufferings; 4)The Path leading to the cessation of sufferings.
Four Pure Lands A classification by the Pure Land and T'ien T'ai schools of the pure realms subsumed under the Land of Amitabha Buddha, as described in the sutras. They are:
i) the Land of Common Residence of Beings and Saints (Land Where Saints and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together), where all beings, from the six lower worlds (hells, hungry ghosts ...) to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, live together (further divided into two, the Common Residence Pure Land and Common Residence Impure Land); ii) the Land of Expediency (Land of Expedient Liberation), inhabited by Arhats and lesser Bodhisattvas; iii) the Land of Real Reward, inhabited by the highest Bodhisattvas; iv) the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, in which the Buddhas dwell.
Four Reliance (to learning Buddhist Dharma) The four standards of Right Dharma which buddhist should rely on or abide by:
(1) to abide by the Dharma, not the person; (2) to abide by the sutras of ultimate truth, not the sutras of incomplete truth; (3) to abide by the meaning, not the word; (4) to abide by the wisdom, not the consciousness.
Four Virtues The four Nirvanic virtues: (1) Eternity or permanence; (2) Joy; (3) Personality; (4) Purity. These four important virtues are affirmed by the sutra in the transcendental or nirvana-realm.
Four Ways (of learning Buddhist Dharma) (1) Belief/faith; (2) Interpretation/discernment; (3) Practice/performance; (4) Verification/assurance. These are the cyclic process in learning a truth.
Four Wisdom The forms of wisdom of a Buddha. (1) the Great- Mirror wisdom of Aksobhya; (2) the Universal Wisdom of Ratnaketu; (3) the Profound Observing Wisdom of Amitabha; (4) the Perfecting Wisdom of Amoghsiddhi.
Fourfold Assembly Or the Four Varga (groups) are bhiksu, bhiksuni, upasaka and upasika, i.e. monks, nuns, male and female devotees.
Good Spiritual Advisor Guru, virtuous friend, wise person, Bodhisattva, Buddha -- anyone (even an evil being!) who can help the practitioner progress along the path to Enlightenment. This notwithstanding, wisdom should be the primary factor in the selection of such an advisor: the advisor must have wisdom, and both advisor and practitioner must exercise wisdom in selecting one another.
Great Awakening See "Awakening vs. Enlightenment."
Great Vehicle See Mahayana.
Hua T'ou Lit., ante word. The reality prior to the arising of thought.
Heaven of the Thirty-Three A heaven in the Realm of Desire, with thirty-two god-kings presided over by Indra, thus totaling thirty-three, located at the summit of Mt. Sumeru (G.C.C. Chang).
Heretical views The sutras usually refer to sixty-two such views. They are the externalist (non-Buddhist) views prevalent in Buddha Shakyamuni's time.
Hinayana The Lesser Vehicle; a term applied by the Mahayana to those schools of Buddhism that practice to attain the fruits of Sravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana and do not attempt to attain the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi of Buddha.
Holy One Holy or Saintly One; One who has started on the path to Nirvana.
Icchantika One who has no interest in the path to Awakening, or one whose good roots are completely covered.
Jambunada-suvarna Jambu River gold; the golden sand of the Jambu river.
Jetavana A park near the city of Sravasti, said to have been obtained from Prince Jeta by Anathapindika, in which monasterial buildings were erected; the favorite resort of Sakyamuni.
Jewel Net of Indra This is a net said to hang in the palace of Indra, the king of the gods. At each interstice of the net is a reflecting jewel, which mirrors not only the adjacent jewels but the multiple images reflected in them. This famous image is meant to describe the unimpeded interpenetration of all and everything.
Kalpa Periodic manifestations and dissolutions of universes which go on etemally. Great kalpas consist of four asamkhiya kalpas corresponding to childhood. maturity, old age and the death of the universe.
Karma Volition, volitional or intentional activity. Karma is always followed by its fruit, Vipaka. Karma and Vipaka are oftentimes referred to as the law of causality, a cardinal concern in the Teaching of the Buddha.
Common karma: the difference between personal and common karma can be seen in the following example: Suppose a country goes to war to gain certain economic advantages and in the process, numerous soldiers and civilians are killed or maimed. If a particular citizen volunteers for military service and actually participates in the carnage, he commits a personal karma of killing. Other citizens, however, even if opposed to the war, may benefit directly or indirectly (e.g., through economic gain). They are thus said to share in the common karma of killing of their country.
Fixed karma: in principle, all karma is subject to change. Fixed karma, however, is karma which can only be changed in extraordinary circumstances, because it derives from an evil act committed simultaneously with mind, speech and body. An example of fixed karma would be a premeditated crime (versus a crime of passion).
Kasaya The monk퉠 robe, or cassock.
Ksana An inconceivably short mind-moment.
Ksanti Patience or forbearance, one of the Six Paramitas.
Ksatriya The second of the four Hindi Castes at the time of Shakyamuni, they were the royal caste, the noble landlord, the warriors and the ruling castes.
Laksana A distinctive mark, sign, indication, characteristic or designation. A Buddha is recognized by his thirty-two characteristic physiological marks.
Lankavatara Sutra The only sutra recommended by Bodhidharma, the First Zen Patriarch in China. It is a key Zen text, along with the Diamond Sutra (recommended by the Sixth Patriarch), the Surangama Sutra, the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra ... The last four sutras are referred to frequently in Pure Land commentaries.
Last Age See "Dharma-Ending Age."
Law of Interdependent Causation It states that all phenomena arise depending upon a number of casual factors. In other word, a phenomenon exists in condition that the other exist; it has in condition that others have; it extinguishes in condition that others extinguish; it has not in condition that others have not. For existence, there are twelve links in the chain:
Lotus Grades The nine possible degrees of rebirth in the Western Pure Land. The more merits and virtues the practitioner accumulates, the higher the grade.
Lotus Sect A Buddhist sect founded by the great Master Hui Yuan about 390 A.D. at his monastery on Mount Lu in Kiangsi Province in China. The Lotus Sect believes in and honors Amitabha Buddha and declares that, through the chanting of his name and by purifying and finally ridding oneself of desire, one can be reborn in the Pure Land. There one is born of a lotus, and, depending on one's degree of purification and practice, one is born into one of the nine grades of the lotus: upper superior, middle superior, lower superior, etc.
Lotus Sutra Or Saddharma-pundarika, Dharma Flower, or "The Lotus of the True Law." The sutra is the basis for the Lotus sect (T'ien-t'ai in Chinese). Among the sutras of the Mahayana canon.
One of the earliest and most richly descriptive of the Mahayana sutras of Indian origin. It became important for the shaping of the Buddhist tradition in East Asia, in particular because of its teaching of the One Vehicle under which are subsumed the usual Hinayana [Theravada] and Mahayana divisions. It is the main text of the Tendai [T'ien T'ai] school. (Joji Okazaki.)
Lotus Treasury World See "Ocean-Wide Lotus Assembly."
Maha-Bodhisattva Also, Mahasattva; a great Bodhisattva who has reached the advanced stage of Enlightenment.
Mahakaruna Great compassion.
Mahakasyapa Also, Kasyapa; one of Buddha's disciples. The Ch'an Sect, according to its tradition, claims him as its first patriarch.
Maharaja A great or superior king.
Mahayama The mother of Shakaymuni. She was a Koliyan Princess and married to Suddhodana.
Mahayana Lit., great vehicle; the dominant Buddhist tradition of East Asia. Special characteristics of Mahayana are 1. Emphasis on bodhisattva ideal, 2. The accession of the Buddha to a superhuman status, 3. The development of extensive philosophical inquiry to counter Brahmanical and other scholarly argument, 4. The development of elaborate devotional practice.
Mahasattva See Maha-Bodhisattva.
Mahasthamaprapta (Shih Chih, Seishi) One of the three sages in Pure Land Buddhism, recognizable by the water jar (jeweled pitcher) adorning Her crown. Usually represented in female form in East Asian iconography. Amitabha Buddha is frequently depicted standing between the Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta.
Maitreya Sanskrit word, literally means friendly and benevolent. He will be the next Buddha in our world. He is now preaching in Tusita Heaven. In China, he is usually represented as the fat laughing Buddha.
Maitri Loving-kindness.
Manas The name of the seventh of the eight consciousnesses. I refers to the faculty of thought, the intellectual function of consciousness.
Mani A jewel, gem, precious stone; especially a pearl bead or other globular ornament.
Mantra A syllable, word or verse which has been revealed to a seer in meditation, embodiment in sound of a deity; spell or incantation.
Marks Characteristics, forms, physiognomy. Marks are contrasted with essence, in the same way that phenomena are contrasted with noumenon. True Mark stands for True Form, True Nature, Buddha Nature, always unchanging. The True Mark of all phenomena is like space: always existing but really empty; although empty, really existing. The True Mark of the Triple World is No-Birth/No-Death, not existent/not non-existent, not like this/not like that. True Mark is also called "Self-Nature," "Dharma Body," the "Unconditioned," "True Thusness," "Nirvana," "Dharma Realm.11 See also "Noumenon/Phenomena."
Meditation Sutra One of the three core sutras of the Pure Land school. It teaches sixteen methods of visualizing Amitabha Buddha, the Bodhisattvas and the Pure Land. This sutra stresses the element of meditation in Pure Land. See also "Three Pure Land Sutras," "Vaidehi," "Visualization."
Merit and Virtue These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there is a crucial difference: merits are the blessings (wealth, intelligence, etc.) of the human and celestial realms; therefore, they are temporary and subject to Birth and Death. Virtues, on the other hand, transcend Birth and Death and lead to Buddhahood. Four virtues are mentioned in Pure Land Buddhism: eternity; happiness; True Self; purity. An identical action (e.g., charity) can lead either to merit or virtue, depending on the mind of the practitioner, that is, on whether he is seeking mundane rewards (merit) or transcendence (virtue). Thus, the Pure Land cultivator should not seek merits for by doing so, he would, in effect, be choosing to remain within samsara. This would be counter to his very wish to escape Birth and Death.
Middle Vehicle Also called Middle Doctrine School or Madhyarnika; one of the two main schools of Mahayana thought; it upholds the Void as the only really real or independent, unconditioned Reality.
Mind Key concept in all Buddhist teaching.
Frequent term in Zen, used in two senses: (1) the mind-ground, the One Mind ... the buddha-mind, the mind of thusness ... (2) false mind, the ordinary mind dominated by conditioning, desire, aversion, ignorance, and false sense of self, the mind of delusion ... (J.C. Cleary, A Buddha from Korea.)
See also the following passage:
The mind ... "creates" the world in the sense that it invests the phenomenal world with value. The remedy to this situation, according to Buddhism, is to still the mind, to stop it from making discriminations and nurturing attachments toward certain phenomena and feelings of aversion toward others. When this state of calmness of mind is achieved, the darkness of ignorance and passion will be dispelled and the mind can perceive the underlying unity of the absolute. The individual will then have achieved the state of enlightenment and will be freed from the cycle of birth and death, because such a person is now totally indifferent to them both. (Burton Watson, The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi.)
Mount Sumeru The central mountain of every universe. Also called Wonderful Height, Wonderful Brilliancy, etc.
Nagarjuna (2nd/3rd cent.) "One of the most important philosophers of Buddhism and the founder of the Madhyamika school. Nagarjuna's major accomplishment was his systematization of the teaching presented in the Prajnaparamita Sutras. Nagarjuna's methodological approach of rejecting all opposites is the basis of the Middle Way (Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)
Narayana Name of a deva, a strong, manly hero having divine power.
Nirmanakaya See "Three bodies of the Buddha."
Nirvana The deathless; the cessation of all suffering. The very opposite of the Wheel of Birth-and-Death; it is what those in the Buddhist tradition aspire to experience. The Absolute, which transcends designation and mundane characterization.
Nirvana Sutra The last of the sutras in the Mahayana canon. It emphasizes the importance of Buddha-nature, which is the same as Self-Nature.
Non-Birth (No-Birth) "A term used to describe the nature of Nirvana. In Mahayana Buddhism generally, No-Birth signifies the 'extinction' of the discursive thinking by which we conceive of things as arising and perishing, forming attachments to them." (Ryukoku University.) See also "Tolerance of Non-Birth."
Ocean-Wide Lotus Assembly The Lotus Assembly represents the gathering of Buddha Amitabha, the Bodhisattvas, the sages and saints and all other superior beings in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This Assembly is "Ocean-Wide" as the participants are infinite in number -- spreading as far and wide as the ocean. The term Ocean-Wide Assembly is generally associated with the Avatamsaka Sutra, a text particularly prized by the Pure Land and Zen schools alike.
Once-returner A sage who has only one rebirth left before reaching Arhatship and escaping birth and death.
One-Life Bodhisattva A Bodhisattva who is one lifetime away from Buddhahood. The best known example is the Bodhisattva Maitreya.
One-Vehicle Dharma The one Yana, the vehicle of Oneness. The one Buddhayana, the One Vehicle, i.e., Mahayana, which contains the final or complete Law of the Buddha and not merely a part, or preliminary stage, as in Hinayana.
Other-Power The issue of other-power (Buddhas' power) is often misunderstood and glossed over by many Buddhists. However, it must be pointed out that, in Buddhism, other-power is absolutely necessary if a Bodhisattva is to attain Ultimate Enlightenment. The Lankavatara Sutra (the only sutra recommended by Bodhidharma) and the Avatamsaka Sutra (described by D.T. Suzuki as the epitome of Buddhist thought) are emphatically clear on this point:
As long as [conversion] is an experience and not mere understanding, it is evident that self-discipline plays an important role in the Buddhist life . but .. we must not forget the fact that the Lanka [Lankavatara Sutra] also emphasizes the necessity of the Buddha's power being added to the Bodhisattvas', in their upward course of spiritual development and in the accomplishment of their great task of world salvation. (Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, tr., The Lankavatara Sutra, p. xviii.) The Avatamsaka Sutra states: Having purified wisdom and means in the seventh stage ... The great sages attain acceptance of non-origination ... On the basis of their previous resolution, the buddhas further exhort them ...: "Though you have extinguished the burning of the fire of affliction, Having seen the world still afflicted, remember your past vows; Having thought of the welfare of the world, work in quest Of the cause of knowledge, for the liberation of the world." (T. Cleary, tr., The Flower Ornament Sutra, Vol II, p. 86)
The Avatamsaka Sutra states:
Having purified wisdom and means in the seventh stage ... The great sages attain acceptance of non-origination ... On the basis of their previous resolution, the buddhas further exhort them ...: "Though you have extinguished the burning of the fire of affliction, Having seen the world still afflicted, remember your past vows; Having thought of the welfare of the world, work in quest Of the cause of knowledge, for the liberation of the world." (T. Cleary, tr., The Flower Ornament Sutra, Vol II, p. 86)
Parajika Lit., defeat or the conditions leading to the defeat of the Bodhicitta. Also. the conditions leading to the defeat of the Bhiksu's life.
Paramita : Refers to the six practices, the perfection of which ferries one beyond the sea of suffering and mortality to Nirvana. The six Paramitas are the following: (1) Dana, charity or giving, including the bestowing of truth on others; (2) Sila, keeping the discipline; (3) Ksanti, patience under suffering and insult; (4) Virya, zeal and progress; (5) Dhyana, meditation or contemplation; (6) Prajna, wisdom, the power to discern reality or truth. It is the perfection of the last one -- Prajna -- that ferries sentient beings across the ocean of Samsara (the sea of incarnate life) to the shores of Nirvana.
Parinirvana The Buddha's final Nirvana, entered by him at the time of death.
Polar Mountain In Buddhist cosmology, the universe is composed of worlds upon worlds7 ad infinitum. (Our earth is only a small part of one of these worlds). The Polar Mountain is the central mountain of each world.
Polaris The North Star, polestar; star of the second magnitude, standing alone and forming the end of the tail of the constellation Ursa Minor; it marks very nearly the position of the north celestial pole.
Prajna True or transcendental wisdom. Last of the paramitas. One of the highest attainments of Buddhist practice.
Pratyeka Buddha A solitary Buddha; one who has achieved Awakening through insight into the dependent origination of mind and body. Pratyekabuddhas lead only solitary lives, and they do not teach the Dharma to others nor do they have any desire to do so.
Pretas Hungry ghosts. who are tormented by continual and unsatisfied cravings. The preta-realm is one of the three states of woe (apaya-bhumi) and one of the six realms of existence.
Priyavacana Lit., loving or affectionate speech. This beautiful and affectionate speech is one of the Four All-Embracing Virtues and is used to lead sentient beings toward the truth.
Pure Land Generic term for the realms of the Buddhas. In this text it denotes the Land of Ultimate Bliss or Western Land of Amitabha Buddha. It is not a realm of enjoyment, but rather an ideal place of cultivation, beyond the Triple Realm and samsara, where those who are reborn are no longer subject to retrogression. This is the key distinction between the Western Pure Land and such realms as the Tusita Heaven. There are two conceptions of the Pure Land: as different and apart from the Saha World and as one with and the same as the Saha World. When the mind is pure and undefiled, any land or environment becomes a pure land (Vimalakirti, Avatamsaka Sutras ...). See also "Triple Realm."
Pure Land School When Mahayana Buddhism spread to China, Pure Land ideas found fertile ground for development. In the fourth century, the movement crystallized with the formation of the Lotus Society, founded by Master Hui Yuan (334-416), the first Pure Land Patriarch. The school was formalized under the Patriarchs T'an Luan (Donran) and Shan Tao (Zendo). Master Shan Tao's teachings, in particular, greatly influenced the development of Japanese Pure Land, associated with Honen Shonin (Jodo school) and his disciple, Shinran Shonin (Jodo Shinshu school) in the 12th and 13th centuries. Jodo Shinshu, or Shin Buddhism, places overwhelming emphasis on the element of faith.
[Pure Land comprises the schools] of East Asia which emphasize aspects of Mahayana Buddhism stressing faith in Amida, meditation on and recitation of his name, and the religious goal of being reborn in his "Pure Land" or "Western Paradise." (Keith Crim.)
In the Nikayas, the Buddha ... advised his disciples to think of him and his virtues as if they saw his body before their eyes, whereby they would be enabled to accumulate merit and attain Nirvana or be saved from transmigrating in the evil paths ... (D.T. Suzuki, The Eastern Buddhist, Vol.3, No.4, p.317.)
Saddharma-pundarika See entry under Lotus Sutra.
Saha World World of Endurance. Refers to this world of ours, filled with suffering and afflictions, yet gladly endured by its inhabitants.
Sakra God of the sky who fights the demons with his vajra, or thunderbolt.
Sage A wise and virtuous person, an accomplished one who is second in rank to a saint.
Sala Or Salavana, the grove of sal(teak) trees near Kusinagara, the place of the Buddha's death.
Samadhi Deep concentration: the state of one-pointedness of mind characterized by peace and imperturbability. Samadhi is also one of the Paramitas and is indispensable on the path to Bodhi.
Samanarthata Cooperation with and adaptation to others for the sake of leading them towards the truth. Samanarthata is one of the Four All-Embracing Virtues.
Samantabhadra Also called Universal Worthy or, in Japanese, Fugen. A major Bodhisattva, who personifies the transcendental practices and vows of the Buddhas (as compared to the Bodhisattva Manjusri, who represents transcendental wisdom). Usually depicted seated on an elephant with six tusks (six paramitas). Best known for his "Ten Great Vows."
Samatha Quiet, tranquillity, calmness of mind, absence of mind.
Sambhogakaya See "Three bodies of the Buddha."
Samsara Cycle of rebirths; realms of Birth and Death.
Sangha Lit., harmonious community. In the Buddhadharma, Sangha means the order of Bhiksus, Bhiksunis, Sramaneras and Sramanerikas. Another meaning is the Arya Sangha, made up of those individuals, lay or monastic, who have attained one of the four stages of sanctity. Also, the Bodhisattva Sangha.
Sangharama Body A monastery with its garden or grove, a universal body.
Sanskrit Learned language of India. Canonical texts of Mahayana Buddhism in its Indian stage were written in Sanskrit.
Sariputra Major disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha, foremost in wisdom among His Arhat disciples.
Sastra Commentary; the commentaries constitute one of the three parts of the Buddhist canonical scrptures.
Self-Nature One's own Original Nature, one's own Buddha Nature.
Self-Power See "Difficult Path of Practice."
Seven Treasures Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl and carnelian. They represent the seven powers of faith, perseverance, sense of shame, avoidance of wrongdoing, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.
Siddham Blessed, endowed with supernatural faculties. This same term refers to the Sankrit alphabet also and is, likewise, transliterated as Hsi-ta in Chinese.
Siddhanta The four siddhanta. The Buddha taught by (1) mundane of ordinary modes of expression; (2)individual treatment, adapting his teaching to the capacity of his hearers; (3) diagnostic treatment of their moral diseases; and (4) the perfect and highest truth.
Siksamana A lay-disciple who maintains the eight precepts, either temporarily or as preparation for leaving home.
Sila Moral precepts. These number 5,8,10,250 or 350. Also, one of the Paramitas.
Six Directions North, South, East, West, above and below, i.e., all directions. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, they are expanded to include points of the compass in between and are referred to as the Ten Directions.
Six Dusts See "Dusts."
Six Organs The six indriyas, or sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.
Six Planes of Existence (Six Paths) The paths within the realm of Birth and Death. Includes the three Evil Paths (hells, hungry ghosts, animality) and the paths of humans, asuras and celestials. These paths can be understood as states of mind. See also "Evil Paths."
Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng (638-713), the Sixth Patriarch of the Chinese Zen school and author of the Platform Sutra.
Skandhas As taught by the Buddha, the skandhas are the components of the human so-called entity that is constantly changing. They are: I. Name/form; 2. Feeling; 3. Conception; 4. Impulse; 5. Consciousness.
Skillful Means See "Expedient Means."
Small Vehicle See entry under Hinayana.
Spiritual power Also called miraculous power. Includes, inter alia, the ability to see all forms (deva eye), to hear all sounds (deva ear), to know the thoughts of others, to be anywhere and do anything at will.
Sramana Lit., laborer; applied to those who wholeheartedly practice toward enlightenment; root word of the designation for novice monk.
Sramanera A novice monk holding the 10 precepts.
Sramanerika A novice nun holding the 10 precepts.
Sravakas "Lit., 'voice-hearers': those who follow [Theravada] and eventually become arhats as a result of listening to the buddhas and following their teachings" (A. Buzo and T. Prince.) See also "Arhat."
Sudhana (Good Wealth) The main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Seeking Enlightenment, he visited and studied with fifty-three spiritual advisors and became the equal of the Buddhas in one lifetime. Both his first advisor and his last advisor (Samantabhadra) taught him the Pure Land path.
Suddhodana Pure Rice King, the father of Shakyamuni, ruled over the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu on the Nepalese border.
Sudra The lowest of the four Hindi Castes at the time of Shakyamuni. They were peasants, slaves and serfs.
Sumeru Lit., exalted, excellent; the mythical "world mountain" that rises through the center of a Buddhist universe.
Surangama Sutra Also called Heroic Gate Sutra.
The "Sutra of the Heroic One" exercised a great influence on the development of Mahayana Buddhism in China [and neighboring countries]. It emphasizes the power of samadhi, through which enlightenment can be attained, and explains the various methods of emptiness meditation through the practice of which everyone ... can realize ... enlightenment ä (Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen.)
Tao Path or Way. The Sanskrit equivalent to this Chinese term is marga.
Tathagata Usually translated as "Thus Come One." He who came as did all Buddhas, who took the absolute way of cause and effect, and attained to perfect wisdom; one of the highest titles of a Buddha (Charles Luk).
Ten Directions North, South. East, West; N-F, N-W, S-F, S-W, Zenith and Nadir.
Ten Evil Acts (Ten Evil Deeds, Ten Sins) 1. Killing; 2.stealing; 3. sexual misconduct; 4. lying; 5. slander; 6. coarse language; 7. empty chatter; 8. covetousness; 9. angry speech; 10. wrong views. See also "Ten Precepts."
Ten Great Vows The famous vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra in the Avatamsaka Sutra. These vows represent the quintessence of this Sutra and are the basis of all Mahayana practice. Studying the vows and putting them into practice is tantamount to studying the Avatamsaka Sutra and practicing its teachings. See also "Samantabhadra."
Ten Precepts Include an expanded version of the Five Precepts of body and mouth (not to kill, steal, engage in illicit sex, lie, or take intoxicants) with the addition of the virtues of the mind (elimination of greed, anger and delusion). See also "Five Precepts," "Ten Evil Acts."
Ten Stages of a Bodhisattva's Progress They are the following: (1) Joy at having overcome former difficulties and at now entering the path to Buddhahood; (2) Freedom from all possible defilement, the stage of purity; (3) The stage of further enlightenment; (4) Glowing wisdom; (5) Mastery of the utmost or final difficulties; (6) The open way of wisdom that is beyond purity and impurity; (7) Proceeding afar, above the concept of "self" in order to save others; (8) Attainment of calm imperturbability; (9) Achievement of the finest discriminatory wisdom; knowing, expediently, where and how to save; possessing the ten powers; (10) Attainment of the fertilizing powers of the Law Cloud.
Ten Virtues The virtuous modes of behavior, which are the positive counterparts to the Five Precepts.
Theravada Lit., the School of the Elders; one of the two main forms of Buddhism known in the world today; practiced chiefly in south-east Asia; has the Pali Canon for textual foundation; this tradition advocates the Arahantship.
Third Lifetime In the first lifetime, the practitioner engages in mundane good deeds which bring ephemeral worldly blessings (wealth, power, authority, etc.) in the second lifetime. Since power tends to corrupt, he is likely to create evil karma, resulting in retribution in the third lifetime. Thus, good deeds in the first lifetime are potential "enemies" of the third lifetime. To ensure that mundane good deeds do not become "enemies the practitioner should dedicate all merits to a transcendental goal, i.e., to become Bodhisattvas or Buddhas or, in Pure Land teaching, to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land -- a Buddha land beyond Birth and Death.
In a mundane context, these three lifetimes can be conceived of as three generations. Thus, the patriarch of a prominent family, through work and luck, amasses great power, fortune and influence (first lifetime). His children are then able to enjoy a leisurely, and, too often, dissipated life (second lifetime). By the generation of the grandchildren, the family's fortune and good reputation have all but disappeared (third lifetime).
Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenment These are: a. the four mindfulnesses; b. the four right efforts; c. the four bases of miraculous powers; d. the five roots; e. the five powers; f. the seven factors of enlightenment; and g. the eightfold noble path (G.C.C. Chang).
Three bodies of the Buddha (Skt. trikaya) 1. Dharmakaya: The Dharma-body, or the "body of reality", which is formless, unchanging, transcendental, and inconceivable. Synonymous with suchness, or emptiness. 2. Sambhogakaya: the "body of enjoyment", the celestial body of the Buddha. Personification of eternal perfection in its ultimate sense. It "resides" in the Pure Land and never manifests itself in the mundane world, but only in the celestial spheres, accompanied by enlightened Bodhisattvas. 3. Nirmanakaya: the "incarnated body" of the Buddha. In order to benefit certain sentient beings, a Buddha incarnates himself into an appropriate visible body, such as that of Sakyamuni Buddha.
The incarnated body of the Buddha should not be confused with a magically produced Buddha. The former is a real, tangible human body which has a definite life span, The latter is an illusory Buddha-form which is produced with miraculous powers and can be withdrawn with miraculous powers (G.C.C. Chang).
Three Evil Paths See "Evil Paths."
Three Jewels (Three Precious Ones, Three Treasures) In Sanskrit, Rathatraya. Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; sometimes referred to as the Teacher, the Teaching and the Taught.
Three Karmas The three conditions, inheritances or karmas, of which there are several groups, including the karmas of deeds, words and thoughts.
Three Poisons Craving, aversion and delusion; also, these are termed the three root-stains or the three roots of unskillfulness.
Three Pure Land Sutras Pure Land Buddhism is based on three basic sutras:
a) Amitabha Sutra (or Shorter Amitabha Sutra, or Smaller Sukhavati-Vyuha, or the Sutra of Amida); b) Longer Amitabha Sutra (or Longer Sukhavati-Vyuha, or the Teaching of Infinite Life); c) Meditation Sutra (or the Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life, or the Amitayus Dhyana Sutra).
Three Realms (Triple Realm, Three Worlds) The realms of desire (our world), form (realms of the lesser deities) and formlessness (realms of the higher deities). The Western Pure Land is outside the Triple Realm, beyond samsara and retrogression. See also "Pure Land."
Three Refuges Taking refuge and possessing confidence in the Buddha's Awakening, in his Teaching and in the Sangha of enlightened disciples.
Three Vehicles The yanas of Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas.
T'ien T'ai (Tendai) School A major school that takes the Lotus Sutra as its principal text. Historically, it has had a close relationship with Pure Land. See also "Lotus Sutra."
Tolerance of Non-Birth "Tolerance" (insight) that comes from the knowledge that all phenomena are unborn. Sometimes translated as "insight into the non-origination of all existence/non-origination of the dharmas."
A Mahayana Buddhist term for the insight into emptiness, the non-origination or birthlessness of things or beings realized by Bodhisattvas who have attained the eighth Stage [Ground] of the path to Buddhahood. When a Bodhisattva realizes this insight he has attained the stage of non-retrogression. (Ryukoku University.)
The Pure Land School teaches that anyone reborn in the Pure Land attains the Tolerance of Non-Birth and reaches the stage of non-retrogression, never to fall back into samsara. See also "Non-Birth."
Transference of Merit The concept of merit transference, or sharing one's own merits and virtues with others, is reflected in the following passage:
Some of us may ask whether the effect of [evil] karma can be... [changed] by repeating the name of Kuan-Yin. This question is tied up with that of rebirth in Sukhavati [the Pure Land] and it may be answered by saying that invocation of Kuan-Yin's name forms another cause which will right away offset the previous karma. We know, for example) that if there is a dark, heavy cloud above, the chances are that it will rain. But we al50 know that if a strong wind should blow, the cloud will be carried away somewhere else and we will not feel the rain. Similarly, the addition of one big factor can alter the whole course of karma It is only by accepting the idea of life as one whole that both Theravadins and Mahayanists can advocate the practice of transference of merit to others. With the case of Kuan-Yin then, by calling on Her name we identify ourselves with Her and as a result of this identification, Her merits flow over to us. These merits which are now ours then counterbalance our bad karma and save us from calamity. The law of cause and effect still stands good. All that has happened is that a powerful and immensely good karma has overshadowed the weaker one. (Lecture on Kuan-Yin by Tech Eng Soon - Penang Buddhist Association, c. 1960. Pamphlet.)
It is only by accepting the idea of life as one whole that both Theravadins and Mahayanists can advocate the practice of transference of merit to others. With the case of Kuan-Yin then, by calling on Her name we identify ourselves with Her and as a result of this identification, Her merits flow over to us. These merits which are now ours then counterbalance our bad karma and save us from calamity. The law of cause and effect still stands good. All that has happened is that a powerful and immensely good karma has overshadowed the weaker one. (Lecture on Kuan-Yin by Tech Eng Soon - Penang Buddhist Association, c. 1960. Pamphlet.)
Tripitaka Lit., three baskets: The earliest Buddhist canonical text consisting of three sections: 1. Buddha's discourses (sutras), 2 Rules of Discipline (Vinaya), 3. Analytical and explanatory texts or commentaries (sastras); usually referred to as the Pali canon.
Triple Jewel See "Three Treasures."
Two Truths 1) Relative or conventional, everyday truth of the mundane world subject to delusion and dichotomies and 2) the Ultimate Truth, transcending dichotomies, as taught by the Buddhas.
According to Buddhism, there are two kinds of Truth, the Absolute and the Relative. The Absolute Truth (of the Void) manifests "illumination but is always still," and this is absolutely inexplicable. On the other hand, the Relative Truth (of the Unreal) manifests "stillness but is always illuminating," which means that it is immanent in everything. (Hsu Heng Chi/P.H. Wei).
Tzung A term originally used to mean "sect", but later appropriated by the intuitional school known as Ch'an (Japanese, Zen) for use in special contexts.
Unconditioned (Transcendental) Anything "without outflows," i.e., free of the three marks of greed, anger and delusion. See also "Conditioned."
Upasaka/Upasika Buddhist lay disciple (man/woman), who formally received five precepts or rules of conduct.
Vaidehi The Queen of King Bimbisara of Magadha, India. It was in response to her entreaties that Buddha Shakyamuni preached the Meditation Sutra, which teaches a series of sixteen visualizations (of Amitabha Buddha, the Pure Land ...) leading to rebirth. in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Vaidurya A precious substance, perhaps lapis lazuli or beryl.
Vairocana The main Buddha in the Avatamsaka Sutra. Represents the Dharma Body of Buddha Shakyaniuni and all Buddhas. His Pure Land is the Flower Store World, i.e., the entire cosmos.
Vaisravana One of the four maharaja-deva graudians of the first or lowest devaloka on its four sides. Vaisravana guards the north.
Vaisya The third of the four Hindi Castes at the time of Shakyamuni. They were merchant, entrepreneurs, traders, farmers, manufacturers, etc., but not well-educated.
Varuna God of the sea and of the waters; guardian of the western quarter of the compass.
Veda True or sacred knowledge or lore; name of celebrated works which constitute the basis of the first period of the Hindu religion.
Vimalakirti Sutra Also called Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra. A key Mahayana sutra particularly popular with Zen and to a lesser extent Pure Land followers. The main protagonist is a layman named Vimalakirti who is the equal of many Bodhisattvas in wisdom, eloquence, etc. He explained the teaching of Emptiness in terms of non-duality ... "The true nature of things is beyond the limiting concepts imposed by words." Thus, when asked by Manjusri to define the non-dual Truth, Vimalakirti simply remained silent.
Vinaya Disciplined conduct, referring specifically to the monastic rules for the disciples who have left home; also, one of the three divisions of the Buddhist scriptures.
Vipasyana Discernment; also, insight, correct perception or view.
Virtue See "Merit and Virtue."
Virya: Energy The energy necessary to maintain and progress in spiritual development. Also, one of the Paramitas.
Visualization See Meditation Sutra for explanation.
The visualizations [in the Meditation Sutra] are distinguished into sixteen kinds [shifting from earthly scenes to Pure Land scenes at the third Visualization]: (1) visualization of the sun, (2) visualization of water, (3) visualization of the ground [in the Pure Land], (4) visualization of the trees, (5) visualization of the lake[s], (6) unified visualization of the [50 billion] storied-pavilions, trees, lakes, and so forth, (7) visualization of the [lotus throne of Amitabha Buddha], (8) visualization of the images of the Buddha [Amitabha] and Bodhisattvas [Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta], (9) visualization of the [Reward body of Amitabha Buddha, i.e., the form in which He appears in the Pure Land], (10) visualization of Avalokitesvara, (11) visualization of Mahasthamaprapta, (12) visualization of one's own rebirth, (13) [see below], (14) visualization of the rebirth of the highest grades, (15) visualization of the rebirth of the middle grades and (16) visualization of the rebirth of the lowest grades. (K.K. Tanaka, The Dawn of Chinese Pure Land Doctrine.)
If one cannot visualize the [Reward body of Amitabha Buddha], focus on the small body, which is sixteen cubits high (the traditional height of Shakyamuni while he dwelt on earth); contemplate an intermingling of the [Reward] and small bodies. (1oji Okazaki, p.52.)
Way (Path, Tao) The path leading to Supreme Enlightenment, to Buddhahood.
Wisdom-life The life of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, which is sustained by wisdom, just as the life of an ordinary being is sustained by food.
Yama In the Vedas, the god of the dead.
Yana Sankrit term, commonly translated as vehicle; means spiritual vehicle, path or career.
Yasodhara The wife of Siddhartha Goutama. Later became a nun.
Yogacara School. Another name for the Mind-Only school, founded in the fourth century by the brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu.
Zen. A major school of Mahayana Buddhism, with several branches. One of its most popular techniques is meditation on koans, which leads to the generation of the Great Doubt. According to this method:
The master gives the student a koan to think about, resolve, and then report back on to the master. Concentration intensifies as the student first tries to solve the koan intellectually. This initial effort proves impossible, however, for a koan cannot be solved rationally. Indeed, it is a kind of spoof on the human intellect. Concentration and irrationality -- these two elements constitute the characteristic psychic situation that engulfs the student wrestling with a koan. As this persistent effort to concentrate intellectually becomes unbearable, anxiety sets in. The entirety of one's consciousness and psychic life is now filled with one thought. The exertion of the search is like wrestling with a deadly enemy or trying to make one's way through a ring of flames. Such assaults on the fortress of human reason inevitably give rise to a distrust of all rational perception. This gnawing doubt [Great Doubt], combined with a futile search for a way out, creates a state of extreme and intense yearning for deliverance. The state may persist for days, weeks or even years; eventually the tension has to break. (Dumoulin, Zen Buddhism, Vol. I, p.253.)


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Additional Physical Format: | Online version: Schulman, Sarah, 1958- Stagestruck. Durham : Duke University Press, c1998 (OCoLC)636747578 |
Named Person: | Jonathan Larson; Sarah Schulman; Jonathan Larson |
Document Type: | Book |
All Authors / Contributors: |
Sarah Schulman |
OCLC Number: | 38853838 |
Notes: | Includes index. |
Awards: | Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Book Award (American Library Association), 1999 |
Description: | 157 p. ; 21 cm. |
Contents: | 1. Rent : the dirt -- 2. Simulacra, authenticity, and the theatrical context of Rent -- 3. Selling AIDS and other consequences of the commodification of homosexuality -- Conclusion : the creation of a fake, public homosexuality |
Other Titles: | Stage struck |
Responsibility: | Sarah Schulman. |
Publisher Synopsis
"Sarah Schulman is one of this country's best cultural critics and novelists, and what she has to say in this book needs to be hear." Alexander Doty, author of Making Things Perfectly Queer. Sarah Schulman writes from a highly scorned community whose members are generally cast as anonymous freaks in someone else's play. As Stagestruck makes clear, the titillating history and ideas of those "freaks" are consistently stolen and then corrupted by uptown "art" marketeers out to make a quick buck. But you cannot change the story without changing the moral of the story. "Soul stealing" is punishable in older societies. It is time we caught up." Diamanda Galas, performer and composer. "Utterly engrossing ... startling and scary ... I have never read a more persuasive account - a wonderfully written one, too - of the commodification that has overtaken us, and the disparity of power between the haves and the have nots ... Stagestruck establishes beyond cavil the gross colonisation by yuppie straight America of all that is special about gay life. Sarah Schulman remains what she has been: a rare, fearless teller of unpleasant truths." Martin Duberman, author of In White America and Stonewall. Read more...
Similar Items
Related Subjects:(9)
- Larson, Jonathan. -- Rent.
- Musicals -- United States -- History and criticism.
- Homosexuality and literature -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
- Politics and literature -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
- AIDS (Disease) in literature.
- Schulman, Sarah -- People in trouble
- Larson, Jonathan -- Rent
- Homosexualität
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by mcnamaram1004 updated 2012-10-07
- Rent - Books: Rent, Larson(5 items)
by pal-previews2011-12 updated 2011-09-19
- AIDS AND LITERATURE(12 items)
by agnath123 updated 2011-03-04
- AIDS and Literature(70 items)
by sathyanitt updated 2009-11-04
- Things to Check Out(9 items)
by stephcg


text: We had lunch here during a stay at Mission Inn. Loved it so much went back for lunch again the next day. The food is awesome. The marguritas delish.. I just love sitting outside.. the atmosphere is so romantic and relaxed.. in the evening its so pretty all the trees are lit up.I have eaten at all the restaurants at... More


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Clary Gets Top Appointment
Updated: 3:51 PM Sen. Charlie Clary of Destin now has a new title in the Senate.
Updated: 3:51 PM Sen. Charlie Clary of Destin now has a new title in the Senate.
Updated: 3:02 PM If you are a Gulf Power Company customer your power bill is going up in January.
Updated: 1:48 PM A 34-year-old Cottondale man is the latest area soldier to be wounded in fighting in Iraq.
Updated: 1:00 PM The Florida Highway Patrol presented the Medal of Valor to three local troopers.
Updated: 12:58 PM Panama City commissioners voted to annex seven acres of land and rezone it to allow for 13 single family homes.
Updated: 8:28 PM Jeb Bush says forget all the rumors and speculation, he has no plans to run for high office when he leaves the governor's office in two years.
Updated: 7:20 PM Walton County emergency operations officials now have a bit more room to stretch their legs.
Updated: 4:41 PM A man convicted of DUI manslaughter for killing a Bay County teenager in 1995 will not be getting off of his probation early.
Updated: 4:38 PM An area home is still standing thanks to a quick response by the Lynn Haven Fire Department.
Updated: 4:12 PM A plan is underway to create an adult entertainment or "red light" district in Panama City.
Updated: 4:10 PM Thousands of people with damaged or destroyed homes are having insult added to their injury this week. Their tax bills are showing up in the mail.
Updated: 4:13 PM They have waited five months, but Tuesday the Panama City Police Department has a new chief.
Updated: 12:46 PM The Air Force built a weapon so big it was nicknamed "Mother of All Bombs" on the eve of the war with Iraq, but MO-AB would be dwarfed by a much larger munition now under study.
Updated: 12:47 PM Five teams of Air Force fighter pilots are taking part in an air-to-air combat competition that was suspended for the past eight years because of real-world demands in such hotspots as Iraq and Bosnia.
Updated: 12:48 PM Saltwater anglers who fish Bay County are reminded that Warren Bayou, also known as the "Steam Plant Canal" at Gulf Power's Lansing Smith Generating Plant, is closed to the taking of all fish from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.
Updated: 7:47 PM The Panama City Beach library is taking a big step in the fight against illiteracy.
Updated: 7:26 PM An investigation into the Bay County Jail hostage situation that happened in September could be coming to a close.
Updated: 7:22 PM There are some new laws in town, designed to cover up topless clubs on main roads through Panama City.
Updated: 7:14 PM Florida's state attorney general was in town Monday for the annual Conference Education Program for Florida prosecutors.
Updated: 4:49 PM A suspect in a Jackson County murder has been extradited back to Marianna to face first degree murder charges.
Updated: 4:53 PM The school that was originally slated to open its doors months ago has fallen victim to some more unfortunate delays.
Updated: 4:41 PM The rising cost of crude oil, coal and natural gas will hit your home power bill in January.
Updated: 12:56 PM The Bay County Sheriff's Office and some local antique car buffs joined forces to help raise money and collect toys for Project 25.
Updated: 12:54 PM Families in Parker ravaged by tornados during Hurricane Ivan are getting a little more relief than others in the state.
Updated: 12:53 PM One person died and another was injured Saturday night when a car and a motorcycle collided on U.S. Highway 98 on Tyndall Air Force Base just west of Mexico Beach.


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Articles tagged with: Windows Mobile and Nokia,
Microsoft must fight back in mobile market
Media Analyst Screen Digest has just published its latest company report, which examines the challenges facing Microsoft in the highly competitive and challenging mobile market. According to Screen Digest research, Nokia, Google, Research In Motion (RIM) and Apple pose potent challenges to Microsoft's mobile ambitions. more
Related Tags: android, google, microsoft, nokia, iphone, apple, wind, lte, blackberry, compete, screen-digest, zune, windows, backup
UPDATE: Sony Ericsson Plans 2000 Job Cuts
STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Sony Ericsson struggled to break even in the second quarter amid continued weak sales of mid-to-high-end phones and increased competition, and said it would cut costs. more
Related Tags: sony-ericsson, microsoft, samsung, motorola, wind, gartner, lg, sony, xperia, motorola,
Apple's iPhone Must Avoid the Razr Trap
SAN FRANCISCO -(Dow Jones)- The maker of a hot-selling revolutionary phone cuts its price to spur more mass-market demand. more
Related Tags: microsoft, samsung, cisco, ipod, smartphones, gps, rcom, gartner, apple, motorola, palm, ran, rim, touchscreen, battery, ben, samsung-electronics, navigation, email, option, motorola,, razr
More Tussles Over India's BlackBerry Security Dispute
The ongoing dispute between the Indian government and BlackBerry maker, Research in Motion took another twist when, in a submission to the Department of Telecom (DoT), the company claimed that there are four other companies with equally secure email platforms. The company said that targeting BlackBerry handsets and ignoring the others would not solve the security concerns that the Indian government says are behind its demands for access to BlackBerry emails. more
Related Tags: microsoft, mobile-email, encryption, motorola, blackberry, rim, seven, email, motorola,, seven-networks, India
Half Billion Phones Now Include the Flash Lite Player
Adobe Systems has announced that more than 500 million mobile devices have shipped with Adobe Flash Lite software to date. Flash Lite, Adobe's Flash Player runtime specifically designed for mobile devices, has seen over 150 percent growth over the last year and is now delivered on mobile phones and devices from all major handset manufacturers worldwide. more
Related Tags: sony-ericsson, microsoft, qualcomm, docomo, sony, symbian, oem, adobe, flash, motorola,, adobe-flash
Smart Mobile Device Shipments Jump 53% to 118 Million in 2007
The latest market data from analyst firm Canalys shows how much the converged device market (all smart phones and wireless handhelds) has grown over the past year. These, typically high-end, devices represented around 10% of the global mobile phone market by units in 2007, with annual growth of 60% making them one of the fastest growing segments of the technology industry. Year-on-year growth climbed every quarter throughout 2007, to reach a peak of 72% in Q4. more
Related Tags: android, google, asia-pacific, microsoft, mobile-data, samsung, palm, htc, rim, sharp, symbian, sprint, mobile-linux, linux, navigation, motorola,, global-mobile
Nokia Buys Software House, Trolltech
Nokia has announced that it is buying mobile applications developer, Trolltech for US$153 million. Trolltech specializes in creating development platforms which mobile application developers can use to write their software programs. The company also developed an application platform and UI for Linux-based mobile phones, which has recently been ported to also work on Windows Mobile and CE based devices. more
Related Tags: zte, open-source
Timing Of Potential Palm Sale Looks Attractive
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- It appears to be an opportune time for Palm to sell itself. The maker of smartphones boasts a loyal - if small - customer base, one that could be attractive to larger rivals looking to bolster their own product lines. more
Related Tags: texas, palm, rim, touchscreen, samsung-electronics, ed-zander, operating-system, harris, ctia, morgan-stanley, good-technology, nab
A Nokia-Palm Deal? No Way, Say Analysts"
LONDON (Dow Jones) -- Some partnerships, like romances, just aren't meant to be. more
Related Tags: wall-street-journal, gartner, dell, palm, rim, research-in-motion, symbian, morgan-stanley, myriad, pioneer, pda
64 Million Smartphones Shipped Worldwide in 2006
Canalys' latest market estimates show that Nokia, RIM, Motorola and Palm each held onto a place among the top five worldwide smart mobile device vendors in Q4 2006, but some positions changed. Nokia retained its lead, while RIM moved up a place into second, nudging ahead of Motorola. Palm remained in fourth, while Sony Ericsson broke into fifth place for the first time since Q2 2004, thanks largely to shipments of FOMA devices in Japan. Its EMEA smart phone shipments were also considerably higher than in previous quarters thanks to the arrival of new models. more
Related Tags: palm, htc, rim, symbian, linux, nseries, os, smart-mobile
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Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers a program leading to the B.S. degree with a major in chemistry and a choice of five emphases, each of which requires courses in calculus, physics, and certain core courses in chemistry.
- Emphases 1 (Chemistry)* and 5 (Biochemistry)* are intended for students planning to pursue advanced degrees in chemistry or biochemistry, or who are planning careers as professional chemists or biochemists. Also, with the proper electives, either emphasis 1 or 5 would be appropriate for students interested in forensic science.
- Emphases 2 (Secondary Teaching) and 3 (Environmental Science Teaching) are designed to prepare students for careers in teaching at the junior and senior high school levels. See teacher certification in chemistry.
- Emphasis 4 (Chemistry for Pre-Professional Students) is designed for students intending to use training in chemistry as a preparation for professional school.
*Certified by the American Chemical Society.
An honors program is available for outstanding students.
The department also offers a minor in chemistry as well as several courses which can be used by non-majors toward fulfilling the science area requirement in the university's general education program.
Chemistry Placement Examination Policy
Students planning to take CHEM 210 must take the Chemistry Placement Examination, so they may begin their study of chemistry at the appropriate level. See NIU Testing Services for additional information, including the current testing schedule.
Request Information
To request additional information about our undergraduate programs, please complete this form. If you wish to schedule an appointment for advising with Professor Carnahan or Professor Ballantine, you may contact the main office at (815) 753-1131.
Suggested Four-Year Plan by Emphasis
- Chemistry
- Secondary Teaching
- Environmental Science Teaching
- Chemistry for Pre-Professional Students
- Biochemistry
Prospective Student Links
Academic Support Links
Jon W. Carnahan
Professor and Chair
Office: Faraday 319
Phone: (815) 753-1181
David S. Ballantine
Associate Professor
Office: La Tourette 424
Phone: (815) 753-6857


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Epic Ventriloquist Uses Human Puppet Nina Conti takes an audience volunteer and performs one of the funniest ventriloquist acts you'll ever see. 6/5/2012 12:00:00 AM 38,608
Un-made bed Mother passing by her son's bedroom was astonished to see that hisbed was nicely made and ev...read more 5/12/2009 12:00:00 AM 13,151
Super Funny Salesman Pitching Cleaner I wouldn't be surprised if this guy makes it big one day. He's pretty funny! 11/16/2011 12:00:00 AM 41,893
A Bad Lip Reading of The NFL It's amazing how well the voices line up with their lips. I wouldn't know the difference! Good video! 1/16/2013 12:00:00 AM 31,915
Interpretative Dance The contestants have to guess what the song is by how he dances. 6/29/2012 12:00:00 AM 16,440
Funny Proverbs 1.A day without sunshine is like night. 2. On the other hand, you have different fingers. 3....read more 5/12/2010 12:00:00 AM 9,439
Funny Magic Comedians These guys are pretty good. I would sit through their show. 7/27/2012 12:00:00 AM 21,136


text:
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text:
Published on Brock University (http://www.brocku.ca)
Michael Driedger is the author of two books -- Obedient Heretics: Mennonite Identities in Lutheran Hamburg and Altona during the Confessional Age (Ashgate Publishing, 2002) and Zuflucht und Koexistenz: 400 Jahre Mennoniten in Hamburg und Altona (Mennonitischer Geschictsverein, 2001). His general area of research is the comparative study of new religious movements around the world from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries, but he is also continuing to do research on European Mennonites, with special regard given to their connections with the eighteenth-century Enlightenment. For the History Department he teaches courses on European intellectual and cultural history before 1850, revolutions in communication, Reformation history, and comparative studies of apocalyptic thought and movements. For the Programme in Great Books/Liberal Studies he teaches courses on world religions and seventeenth- and eighteenth-century literature.


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In a not un ironic moment I saw this story at 4am – headline "bad sleep dramatically alters body".
Researchers conducted a study where they forced people to sleep for less than six hours a night for a week (lightweights) – and found that over 700 genes were altered as a result. The lead scientist was quoted as saying, "Clearly sleep is critical to rebuilding the body and maintaining a functional state, all kinds of damage appear to occur – hinting at what may lead to ill health.
"If we can't actually replenish and replace new cells, then that's going to lead to degenerative diseases."
I am feeling pretty damn degenerate at the moment, but that's probably because I've been surrounded by illness in the household for longer than I care to think about. In order to cope, I've done whatever it takes to help the littlest one to sleep well, and this involves feeding milk on a four-hourly basis and bed sharing. It's like having a newborn again, except that this particular infant is two, and pipes up, "oi've been thinking that oi want some milk now mummy. Just milk and NOT water".
This has led me to the conclusion that not actively trying to do anything about my child's sleep is definitely stress-free on one level. I've mentioned before how trying to fit into a routine when my boys were babies definitely contributed to my PND. I suspect that Gina Ford and her acolytes would be up in arms at my current antics (as would most normal-thinking people too, I admit). And B is definitely sleeping well as he jabs his pudgy little feet of steel into the small of my back every 10 minutes.
Some people are brilliant at this co-sleeping lark. I'm just not one of them. I like the idea and wish I could sleep comfortably next to my child. But I can't, and it's totally doing me in. Last night he came into the bed at 12am, and I barely got a wink afterwards. I suspect "something must be done", and find myself (yet again), facing the prospect of some form of sleep training.
But every time I approach it, I recoil. The idea of knowingly letting my child cry is anathema to me – and yet the "softer" techniques (gradual retreat, etc) just seem like pulling off a sticking plaster agonisingly slowly. If anyone reading this has successful experience of sleep training a two year-old, I'd really love to hear about it. Or, better still, come round to my house and listen to him yell while I bugger off to the pub.


text:
Sculptors at Madame Tussauds, Vienna, are putting the finishing touches to their latest attraction. They are hoping they will make a better job of it than colleagues in London where fans complained the figure looked nothing like the biebs despite months of work.
Justin's personal hair stylist teamed up with the sculptors to ensure his legendary hairstyle was the exact replica of the original cut.


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Likud ministers were busy positioning themselves for the post vacated by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as head of the Likud party. With the party's central committee set to convene in a couple of days to determine a date for primaries and a list for Knesset candidates, former Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to enjoy the widest popularity to lead Likud, the poll revealed. Some 51 percent of Likud members prefer Netanyahu over other candidates like Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. However, only 23 percent of the general public supports Netanyahu as future prime minister. Vice Premier Shimon Peres, who engaged Sunday in long talks with Sharon regarding future cooperation, will not leave the Labor Party to join Sharon's new party, Peres' aides said Monday.
Keep up with events in Israel with our FREE daily email newsletter and special offers.


text:
Stunningly, Monsanto isn't on the list. That's stunning because that company is pure evil. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but not by much. Goldman Sachs isn't on the list either, but it should be. That company helped destroy its own investors and tank the US economy.
So who is on the list? They're companies the average person has to deal with on a personal level. Click below to see the worst of the worst.


text:
In the aftermath of the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, the world has seen a community unite…
Not only for the sake of those whose lives were lost, but for the benefit of those individuals experiencing the unimaginable grief of losing children, friends, family members, and loves ones.
President Barack Obama visited the grieving families in Newtown, CT Sunday and delivered a poignant, heartfelt speech discussing loss, the importance of community, and how change of policy and a reconsideration of our own ideologies is imperative if we want to save even one life from being taken by similar means.
Watch Obama's deeply moving address (above).
At the end of his speech, the President read aloud the names of the 20 children who were senselessly murdered during this weekend's massacre.
For some highlights of President Obama's speech, click …AFTER THE JUMP!!!
"We can't tolerate this anymore… in the coming weeks I'll use whatever power this office holds [in] preventing more tragedies like this.
We can't accept events like this as routine. Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage? That the politics are too hard?
And if we're honest with ourselves, the answer is, 'No.' We're not doing enough, and we will have to change.
We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and it is true. No single law, no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society. But that can't be an excuse for inaction. Surely we can do better than this.
If there's even one step we can take to save one child, or one parent, or one town from the grief that has visited Tucson, and Aurora and Oak Creek and Newtown and communities from Columbine to Blacksburg before that, then surely we have an obligation to try."
Tags: barack obama, children, community, family, friends, love, moving, newtown connecticut, politics, president, sandy hook elementary, shooting, violence, weekend


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Psycholinguistics in the 21st Century: Solutions, Problems. Perspectives. Moscow, Russia, June 2009
I recently attended the Symposium on Psycholinguistics in the 21st Century: Solutions, Problems. Perspectives, which was held in Moscow, Russia. The symposium was organized by the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
I was a part of the a special section on computer mediated communication organized by my colleague Professor Olena Goroshko of The National Technological University: Kharkiv Polytechnical Institute, in Kharkiv, Ukraine. My talk dealt with issues of interactivity and pragmatics in online teaching and learning.
As a side project, during the conference, I distributed fliers advertising a special issue of the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication dedicated to professional writing in global contexts, which I am co-editing with Constance Kampf of the University of Aarhus in Denmark.
Here is what was cool at the Moscow symposium.
- outside of the US, humanities in general and linguistics in particular can be considered more of a "had science", and most people would expect you to produce "hard data" in your conference presentations.
- I got to meet several colleagues with whom we already have ideas for joint teaching and research projects.
- questions at sessions are asked not to be polite, but to actually challenge and dissect your ideas. I did not get many of those, but one of the presenters in our panel was grilled by the audience for a good half hour
- of course, the system of references and sources cited in most presentations would be somewhat foreign to US scholars because a lot more Russian and other East European sources are used.
So, it was as great experience, beneficial both to me and, in the long run, for my students who need a "global" perspective on things. Thanks to my department and the Dean of JMU's College of Arts and Letters for generously providing the funds for this trip.
As a "bonus," here are three pictures from the conference
The Facade of the Russian University of the Friendship of Peoples. This is where the conference took place. The name is a remnant from the Soviet system when the main mission of this institution was to educate citizens of friendly foreign lands.
The Plenary session
The word before 1943 says "Vygotsky," in Russian. Those of us "in the know" will understand why that is curious.


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c) 2002--2008 Intellectual Babe LTD
Intellectual Babe.
Dressing to the left since September 2, 2002.
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Welcome to the place where you can learn stuff about me. Well, you can find links to things that I have written around the internet and stuff. And some pictures of me. Which, you know, why not. Modeling can mean a lot of things.


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This is by far the coolest bnb on the north coast. we checked in last minute, with a large party along with a pet, and the staff was more than happy to accommodate everything we needed to the point of closing the office late and making sure everyone had extra blankets, even the pooch. the grounds are beautiful with magical... More
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- The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek on the Mendocino Coast provides a unique experience on the Northern California Coast with cottages and rooms spread out over 9 acres of lush gardens, meadows and forested land as well as our cliffside cottages with amazing white water ocean views.Come escape to the coast and discover our distinctive Inn's cottages and rooms offering all the amenities you are looking for to relax, unwind and get away from it all--ocean views, fireplaces, cliffside cottages, hot tubs, Jacuzzi tubs, bountiful breakfasts, spa services and more. ... more less


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residential Initiatives
Community Development
Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative
Supported with funding from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative is an approach to community development that provides the tools needed to sustain and strengthen strong neighborhoods that are vulnerable to downward trends in property values, safety, and home ownership.
Healthy Neighborhoods helps strong but undervalued neighborhoods, increase home values, market their communities, create high standards for property improvement and forge strong connections among neighbors
- Landlord Compacts
- Community Credit Improvement Workshops
- Curb Appeal Beautification Projects
- Solar Lighting Project
Havenwoods Celebrates the Success of the 2009 Homes Tour: prospective homebuyers joined us to tour the great homes for sale in Havenwoods.
Click Here to See More Pictures of the Tour www.havenwoods.org/-129.html
Community Organizing and Crime Prevention
Funded by Milwaukee's Community Development Block Grant Program, Havenwoods Economic Development Corporation devotes resources and time to sustaining a high quality of life within the
Havenwoods neighborhood. HEDC staff assists residents with establishing block watch groups, working with law enforcement, identifying nuisance issues, advocating for services and addressing issues that keep the Havenwoods community a safe place to live and do business.
Community Intervention Project
The mission of the Community Intervention Project (CIP) is to employ this intervention method affording nonviolent drug dealers a "last chance" opportunity to begin making positive choices, cease criminal activity.