Category: Buddhism

Upaya is a term in Mahayana Buddhism which is often translated as “means”, though literally “expedient” would be more accurate, as “upaya” (from upa√i) refers to something which goes or brings you up to something (i.e., a goal). The term is often used with kaushalya (“cleverness”); upaya-kaushalya means roughly “skill in means”. Upaya-kaushalya is a concept which emphasizes that practitioners...

Upasaka (Sanskrit for “servant”, female upasika) describes followers of Buddhism (Gautama Buddha) not being a monk or a member of a Buddhistic order; a lay follower. The five virtues to be held by this lay practitioner are referred to as “Pancashila”:1. I will not take the life of a living being; 2. I will not take what has not been...

Upali was a monk in the order of Siddhartha. Before joining the order, its interesting to note he worked as a barber. He was the first monk to be ordained by Buddha, and therefor wielded considerable power over kings and people of royal birth who came to join the order after him. In the literature of every Buddhist school, Upali...

The Sanskrit word Upadana has the following meanings: Buddhism Upadana translated from Sanskrit means clinging or grasping and refers to the ninth link in the twelve-linked chain of Dependent Origination (Pratitya-samutpada). Upadana and Trsna are seen as the two primary causes of suffering (Dukkha) in Samsara. Upadana (Clinging) is dependent on Trsna (Craving) as a condition before it can exist....

The Udanavarga is a Sanskrit Buddhist text which is similar to the Dhammapada, containing many of the same verses. The Tibetan Buddhist canon contains two recensions of it, which are traditionally said to have been compiled by Dharmatrata. The Udanavarga has around nine hundred and fifty verses in thirty-three chapters, whereas the most common version of the Dhammapada, the Pali,...

The Tzu Chi Foundation (Hanyu Pinyin: Cí Jì, Wade-Giles: Tz’u Chi, Simplified Chinese: 慈济基金会, Traditional Chinese: 慈濟基金會) is one of the two largest Buddhist organizations in Taiwan (the other being Fo Guang Shan). Tzu Chi was founded by Master Cheng Yen (1993 Nobel Peace Prize nominee), a nun, on April 14, 1966 in Hualien, Taiwan, after she was inspired by...

The two truths doctrine in Buddhism differentiates between two levels of truth in Buddhist discourse, a low, or commonsense truth, and a high, or “ultimate” truth or between a relative and an absolute truth. It is used to avoid confusion between doctrinally accurate statements about the true nature of reality (e.g., there is no “self”) and practical statements that make...

The two-truths doctrine is the belief that truth exists in conventional and ultimate forms, and that both forms are co-existant. The doctrine is an especially important element of Buddhism and was first expressed in complete modern form by Nagarjuna, who based it on the Kaccāyanagotta Sutta. In Buddhism, it is applied particularly to the doctrine of emptiness, in which objects...

The Twelve Nidanas (Pali: nidana– foundation, source or origin) are the application of the Buddhist concept of Pratitya-samutpada (dependent origination). The Twelve Nidanas are employed in the analysis of phenomena according to the principle of Pratitya-samutpada. The aim of the Twelve Nidanas analysis is to reveal the origins of phenomena, and the feedback loop of conditioning and causation that leads...

In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is the reincarnation of a lama or other spiritually significant figure. The most famous example is the Dalai Lama, who is said to be the reincarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Believers claim he has existed in 14 incarnations since 1391. The first recognized tulku in Tibet was the Karmapa (or more precisely, the second Karmapa,...

Tubten Kunga Center (TKC), a member of the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition), is a non-profit organization, devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values through teaching, meditation, and community service. TKC provides integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others,...

Tsurphu (mTshur phu) is the seat of the Karmapas in the Tolung area of Central Tibet in the Dowo Lung valley,70 km from Lhasa. It is 14000ft above sea level and built in the middle of the valley facing south with high mountains surrounding the monastery complex.It is a 300m square compex with walls up to 4m thick.Tsurphu was founded...

Tsultrim Gyatso (1816 – 1837) was the 10th Dalai Lama of Tibet. The boy was one of six candidates for the reincarnation of the Ninth Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso (ta la’i bla ma 09 lung rtogs rgya mtsho, 1805-1815). He was chosen as the best candidate by oracles and government officials, including the regent, Demo Ngawang Lobzang Tubten Jigme Gyatso...

Tsongkhapa (Wylie transliteration: Tsong-kha-pa) (1357 – 1419) , whose name means “The Man from Onion Valley”, was the founder of the Geluk (Dge-lugs) school of Tibetan Buddhism. He also known by his ordained name Lobsang Drakpa (Blo-bzang Grags-pa) or simply as “Je Rinpoche” (Rje Rin-bo-che). His direct source of inspiration was the Kadampa (Bka’-gdams-pa) tradition, the legacy of Atiśa. Based...