KKBN: Glossary of Buddhist Terms

Glossary of Buddhist Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

M Explanation

Madhyamaka [Tib.U ma] The Middle View. A philosophical school based on the Link-Ref Prajnaparamita Sutras and their doctrine of emptiness (Sunyata). The Madhyamaka is concerned with the transcendence of affirmation and negation both, and stresses the dependent origination of all things.

Mahamudra "The Great Symbol" or "The Great Seal", a term in Vajrayana Buddhism for the realization of the true nature of mind. Mahamudra means both the ordered series of practices and meditations, and the awakened state of enlightenment to which they lead.

Mahasiddhas Great Indian Tantric Masters renowned for effecting changes in the phenomenal world through spiritual power. They came from all walks of life, and developed the means by which the Dharma could be effectively practiced by people of widely varying capacities and inclinations.

Mahayana The "greater" vehicle of the Buddhist path where one decides to reach enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Mala A mala is a chain that is made up of beads and is used for counting "mantras". Link-Ref Mantras are the expression of a Buddha-aspect on the level of sound. For certain Diamond-Way techniques, the number of mantras gets counted to ensure that certain meditation results will occur.

Mandala A complex symbol that configures all the energies, aspects and manifestations of a particular embodiment of enlightenment. The term also refers to two or three dimensional representations of such configurations.

Mantra Verbal expression of enlightenment. Recitation of it aloud is understood as the divine sound or speech. The speech of the deity is the embodiment of the union of speech and Link-Ref emptiness.

Mind One distinguishes between two types of mind:

The un-enlightened mind: experience of conditioned and relative views and phenomena.
The enlightened mind: absolute views, free of perturbing feelings and free of confusion.
By its very nature, the mind is empty, just like space. It does not possess any physical or "substantive" form but is empty. Its characteristics are clarity and wisdom. Its expression is limitless. In no way is it limited. In other words, it can reach anything.

M	Explanation
Madhyamaka	[Tib.U ma] The Middle View. A philosophical school based on the Prajnaparamita Sutras and their doctrine of emptiness (Sunyata). The Madhyamaka is concerned with the transcendence of affirmation and negation both, and stresses the dependent origination of all things.
Mahamudra	"The Great Symbol" or "The Great Seal", a term in Vajrayana Buddhism for the realization of the true nature of mind. Mahamudra means both the ordered series of practices and meditations, and the awakened state of enlightenment to which they lead.
Mahasiddhas	Great Indian Tantric Masters renowned for effecting changes in the phenomenal world through spiritual power. They came from all walks of life, and developed the means by which the Dharma could be effectively practiced by people of widely varying capacities and inclinations.
Mahayana	The "greater" vehicle of the Buddhist path where one decides to reach enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
Mala	A mala is a chain that is made up of beads and is used for counting "mantras". Mantras are the expression of a Buddha-aspect on the level of sound. For certain Diamond-Way techniques, the number of mantras gets counted to ensure that certain meditation results will occur.
Mandala	A complex symbol that configures all the energies, aspects and manifestations of a particular embodiment of enlightenment. The term also refers to two or three dimensional representations of such configurations.
Mantra	Verbal expression of enlightenment. Recitation of it aloud is understood as the divine sound or speech. The speech of the deity is the embodiment of the union of speech and emptiness.
Mind	One distinguishes between two types of mind: The un-enlightened mind: experience of conditioned and relative views and phenomena. The enlightened mind: absolute views, free of perturbing feelings and free of confusion. By its very nature, the mind is empty, just like space. It does not possess any physical or "substantive" form but is empty. Its characteristics are clarity and wisdom. Its expression is limitless. In no way is it limited. In other words, it can reach anything.