Glossary
Terms
Amid- In Mahayana Buddhism, particularly in the so-called Pure Land sects, he is known as the great savior Buddha.
Ashtamangala- are a sacred set of Eight Signs found in a number of religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.
Bodhisattva- a person who is able to reach enlightenment but delays their ascension for compassion in order to save suffering beings.
Budai- Another name for Hotei.
Buddahood- a state of perfect enlightenment sought in Buddhism.
Buddha Nature- means consciousness, the cognitive power—the seed of enlightenment.
Chakras - each of the centers of spiritual power in the human body, usually considered to be seven in number.
Gosho- The study of Nichiren's scriptural writings called Gosho.
Greek Orthodox- The name Greek Orthodox Church or Greek Orthodoxy, is a term referring to the body of several Churcheswithin the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, whose liturgy is or was traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the Septuagint and the New Testament, and whose history, traditions, and theology are rooted in the early Church Fathers and the culture of the Byzantine Empire.
Gupta period- The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire existing from the mid-to-late 3rd century CE to 543 CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 543 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period was considered as the Golden Age of India by some historians.
Hotei- Japanese Shinto-gods of luck. He is the god of happiness, laughter and the wisdom of contentment, and is the patron of the weak and children, fortunetellers and bartenders.
Kadampa Buddhism- Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982–1054).
Lotus Sutra- one of the most important texts in Mahayana Buddhism, significant particularly in China and Japan and given special veneration by the Nichiren sect.
Mahayana Buddhism- one of the two major traditions of Buddhism, now practiced in a variety of forms especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea. The tradition emerged around the 1st century AD and is typically concerned with altruistically oriented spiritual practice as embodied in the ideal of the Bodhisattva.
Mandala-a geometric figure representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism.
Mantra- a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation.
Mudra- a symbolic hand gesture used in Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies and statuary, and in Indian dance.
Nichiren Buddhism – a Japanese Buddhist sect founded by the religious teacher Nichiren (1222–82) with the Lotus Sutra as its central scripture.
Ottoman- the Ottoman Empire, historically known in Western Europe as the Turkish Empire or simply Turkey.
Pure Land- a paradise into which according to Amidism anyone is reborn who calls in faith on the name of the deified Buddha Amitabha and in which one can attain Buddhahood free from the hindrances of earth.
Qur’an- the Islamic sacred book, believed to be the word of God as dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel and written down in Arabic. The Koran consists of 114 units of varying lengths, known as suras; the first sura is said as part of the ritual prayer. These touch upon all aspects of human existence, including matters of doctrine, social organization, and legislation.
Sanga- In Buddhism sangha refers to the monastic community of bhikkhus (monks) and bhikkhunis (nuns).
Shinto- a Japanese religion dating from the early 8th century and incorporating the worship of ancestors and nature spirits and a belief in sacred power (kami) in both animate and inanimate things. It was the state religion of Japan until 1945.
Siddhartha- also known as the Buddha or the awakened one, was the leader and founder of a sect of wanderer ascetics (Sramanas).
Soto Zen- largest of the Zen Buddhist sects in Japan. It follows the method of quiet sitting and meditation (zazen) as a means of obtaining enlightenment.
Stupa- a dome-shaped structure erected as a Buddhist shrine.
Sutra- The literary meaning of the word sutra is a bit different from the way Buddhists and Jains define it. In Buddhism, sutras are like scriptures, containing the teachings of the Buddha. Similarly, in Jainism, sutras are the sermons of a spiritual teacher.
Tirthankara- in Jainism, a Tirthankara is an omniscient Teaching God who preaches the dharma (righteous path).
Tokugawa Period- Tokugawa period, also called Edo period, (1603–1867), the final period of traditional Japan, a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the shogunate (military dictatorship) founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu.