Glossaries

Word List

We have compiled this word list because the translation of Tibetan terms has yet to be standardized and readers may encounter alternative translations of key terms in other texts and teachings. To aid readers unfamiliar with the Wylie system of transliteration, we have included phoneticized equivalents of the terms according to the Kham dialects of eastern Tibet. When more than one English translation is given for a single Tibetan term, the entry listed first is the most common version. If several versions are equally common, they are listed separately. Some terms are not listed individually but can be found in an idiomatic expression (for example, “ description” is listed under the idiom ubeyond description, imagination, or expression” ). Some of the translations occur only in negative constructions (for example, “indepen- dent nature” is found under “ without independent nature” ).

English	Wylie Transliteration	Tibetan	Pronunciation
abandon	spong ba	སྤོང་བ་	pong wa
abide, remain, dwell	gnas pa	གནས་པ་	nay pa
acceptance and rejection, value judgments	blang dor	བླང་དོར་	lang dor
accomplished	grub pa	གྲུབ་པ་	drūp pa
achieve, achievement	sgrub pa	སྒྲུབ་པ་	drūp pa
adornment	rgyan	རྒྱན་	jen
adventitious distortions	glo bur gyi dri ma	གློ་བུར་གྱི་དྲི་མ་	lo būr ji dri ma

English	Wylie Transliteration	Tibetan	Pronunciation
affirmation and denial	rtag chad	རྟག་ཆད་	tak chay
afflictive emotions	nyon mongs pa	ཉོན་མོངས་པ་	nyön mōng pa
all-consuming concepts / thought patterns	kun rtog	ཀུན་རྟོག་	kūn tōk
all-creating	kun byed	ཀུན་བྱེད་	kūn jay
all-embracing seal	rgyas 'debs	རྒྱས་འདེབས་	jay dep
apparent / manifest (sense) objects	yul snang	ཡུལ་སྣང་	yūl nang
apparent yet empty	snang stong	སྣང་སྟོང་	nang tōng
arise	'char ba	འཆར་བ་	char wa
attributes	mtshan nyid	མཚན་ཉིད་	tsen nyi
authentic	bden pa, yang dag pa	བདེན་པ་ ཡང་དག་པ་	den pa, yang dak pa
awakened mind	byang chub kyi sems	བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས་	jang chūp chi sem
awareness	rig pa	རིག་པ་	rik pa
awareness’s own manifestations	rang snang	རང་སྣང་	rang nang
bare，pure and simple	zang ka	ཟང་ཀ་	zang ka
basic space of phenomena (Skt. dharmadhatu)	chos dbyings	ཆོས་དབྱིངས་	chö ying
become fully evident	mngon du gyur pa	མངོན་དུ་གྱུར་པ་	ngön du jūr pa
beyond characterization or expression	mtshon brjod las ’das pa	མཚོན་བརྗོད་ལས་འདས་པ་	tsön jö lay day pa
beyond description, imagination, or expression	smra bsam brjod las ’das pa	སྨྲ་བསམ་བརྗོད་ལས་འདས་པ་	ma sam jö lay day pa
bias, distinction	ris	རིས་	ree
body, speech, and mind	sgo gsum	སྒོ་གསུམ་	go sum
boundless, unlimited	mtha’ yas, mtha’ med	མཐའ་ཡས་ མཐའ་མེད་	ta yay, ta may
calm abiding	zhi gnas	ཞི་གནས་	zhi nay
cannot be characterized	mtshan ma med pa	མཚན་མ་མེད་པ་	tsen ma may pa

English	Wylie Transliteration	Tibetan	Pronunciation
Category of Direct Transmission	man ngag sde	མན་ངག་སྡེ	Example
Category of Expanse	klong sde	ཀློང་སྡེ་	Example
Category of Mind	sems sde	སེམས་སྡེ་	Example
cause and effect / result, causality	rgyu ’bras	རྒྱུ་འབྲས་	Example
cessation	’gog pa	འགོག་པ	Example
characteristics	mtshan nyid, mtshan ma	མཚན ཉིད་མཚན་མ་	Example
clarity	gsal ba	གསལ་བ	Example
clear distinction	shan 'byed	ཤན་འབྱེད་	Example
cleared away	sangs	སངས་	Example
clearly apparent without truly existing	med pa gsal snang	མེད་པ་གསལ་སྣང་	Example

without truly existing complete evenness composite, compounded conceptual mind concerted effort conditioned existence and the state of peace conduct confirmed or refuted confusion consciousness consciousness as the ground of all ordinary experience consummate consummation continuous continuum continuum of being conventional designation cutting through solidity

 phyam phyam

?dus byas yid bya rtsol srid zhi spyod pa grub bsal ’khrul pa rnam shes, shes pa kun gzhi’i rnam shes 'gag med, ma 'gags pa lu gu gyud gyud thasnyad khregs chod Pronunciation men ngak day long day sem day ju dray gōk pa tsen nyi, tsen ma sal wa shen jay sang may pa sal nang cham cham dü jay ja tsol si zhi chö pa drūp sal trūl pa nam shay, shay pa kūn zhee nam shay tar tūk pa tar chin pa gak may, mon gak pa lu gu jü jü ta nyay trek chö

English

decisive experience (come to a) definitive conclusion (reach a) definitive meaning direct experience direct introduction direct perception / experience discern the implication discerning timeless awareness dispel constraints display distillation, vital essence distinction, classification do not come together or separate domain, range, environment dualistic perception(s) dynamic energy effort and achievement effort and striving eight avenues of consciousness elaboration elicited in all its nakedness embrace the larger scope embraced emptiness la bzla ba gtan la ’bebs pa nges don carphogtu ngo sprod mngon sum ’gag bsdams pa so sor rtog pa’i ye shes ’phrang bsal rol pa bcud dbye ba du dral med pa yul, spyod yul gzung ’dzin, gnyis Mzin. gnyis snang rtsal rtsol sgrub ’bad rtsol tshogs brgyad spros pa rjen la bud pa chings su being ba beings pa, ’dus pa stong pa nyid la da wa ten la bep pa ngay don charpōktu ngo trö ngön sūm gak dam pa so sor tōk pay ye shay trang sal rōl pa chü ye wa du dral may pa yūl,chö yūl zung dzin, nyee dzin, nyee nang tsal tsōl drūp bay tsōl tsōk gyay trö pa jen la bü pa ching su ching wa ching pa, dü pa tōng pa nyi

empty yet lucid encompassed enlightened activity /

action / deed enlightened dimension enlightened intent enlightened mind enlightened perspective enlightened speech enlightenment ensured environment, place equalness (state of) essence (of being) evanescent evidence evident exaggeration and underestimation, misinterpretation existence expand into evenness expanse expressions of emptiness extreme fade away final resolution fixation fixed construct four methods of resting framework, frame of reference free, freedom free of anything needing to be done stong gsal ’khyil ba phrin las sku dgongs pa thugs snang ba gsung byang chub grub pa gnas mnyam panyid ngo bo yal ba rtags gsal ba sgro skur yod pa phyam gdal klong tòng sal chil wa trin lay ku gòng pa tūk nang wa sung jang chūp drūp pa nay nyam pa nyi ngo wo yal wa tak sal wa drō kur yö pa cham dal long töng zūk ta, chōk, ree yal wa pu tak chay pa zhen dzin tay dzin zhak tap zhi mik pa drōl wa ja dral stong ，gzugs phyogs, ris yal ba phu thag bead pa zhen ’dzin gtad ’dzin gzhag thabs bzhi dmigs pa Jgrol ba

English free of restrictions free in their own place freedom in immediate perception freedom in oneness fruition fully embraced / encompassed fundamental nature (of being) fundamentally unconditioned genuine, what has genuine meaning great perfection (approach) ground of all ordinary experience ground for all that arises ground (of being), matrix ground of being as basic space ground of being manifesting as sensory appearances habitual pattern has never existed heart drop heart essence identifiable essence identify identity illumination Wylie Transliteration rgya grol rang sar grol ba cer grol gcig drol ’bras bu ’ub chub khams gshis rnal ma rdzogschen kun gzhi ’char gzhi gzhi gzhi dbyings gzhi snang bag chags ma grub pa snying thig snying po Pronunciation ja drōl rang sar drōl wa cher dròl chik drōl dray bu ūpchūp kham shee nal ma dzōk chen kūn zhi char zhee zhi zhi ying zhi nang bak chak ma drūp pa nying tik nying po ngo wo ngö zung ngo zung wa ö, nang, sal

ngo bo ngos gzung ngo bzung ba bda，g snang, gsal

immediate perception imputation

in direct response to in the immediacy of in its / their own right in light of inconceivable indescribable indeterminate indivisible, not subject to extremes ineffable, ineffability inexpressible infinite infinite evenness infinitely pervasive inherently pristine innate clarity / limpidity innate (state of) immediacy inner glow intangible interdependent connection investigate knowing quality, knowledge knowing quality of timeless awareness label, name laxity and agitation level (of realization), state level of truth limitation, limit cer mthong btags pa thog tu thogtu rang mtshan du ngor bsam med brjod med ma nges pa, nges med ris med med pa brjod med byams klas pa phyam gdal / brdal khyab gdal / brdal rang sangs ngang dvangs thog babs mdangs mthong med rten ’brel dpyod pa shes pa mkhyen pa’i ye shes ming bying rgod sa yang dag sa mtha’，phyogs Pronunciation cher tōng tak pa tōk tu tōk tu rang tsen du ngor sam may jö may ma ngay pa, ngay may ree may may pa jö may jam lay pa cham dal chap dal rang sang ngang dang tōk bap dang tōng may ten drel chö pa shay pa khyen pay ye shay ming jing gö sa yang dak sa ta, chōk

English

limpid, limpid clarity lucidity luminous, illuminating magical / miraculous display, magical expression manifest yet nonexistent master of awareness meaning (ultimate) meditation (cultivate in) meditative absorption meditative experience meditative stability mind (ordinary) mind itself mindstream mirrorlike timeless awareness mode of freedom natural attribute natural condition natural freedom natural great dvangs gsal ba ’od cho ’phrul medsnang rig ’dzin don sgom pa ting nge ’dzin nyams bsam gtan sems sems nyid rgyud me long Ita bu’i ye shes grol lugs rang chas babs rang grol rang bzhin rdzogs pa chen po rang sems rang sa, rang so rang mal rang gsal med snang dang sal wa chom trūl may nang rik dzin dön gōm pa ting ngay dzin nyam sam ten sem sem nyi jü me long ta bui ye shay drōllūk rang chay bap rang drōl rang zhin dzōk pa chen po rang sem rang sa, rang so rang mal rang sal may nang perfection natural mind natural place natural place / state / state of rest naturally clear / evident

English

naturally occurring naturally settled, settled in its own place nature (of being) nature of mind nondual nonexistence nonrecognition (of awareness) nonreferential not made or unmade not subject to bias or division objects of the phenomenal world omnipresent one taste oneness one’s perception of sense objects open avenue open dimension openness ordinary consciousness ordinary mental processes original purity origination own mode own place perceive perceiver perception perspective phenomenon Wylie Transliteration rang byung rang babs rang bzhin sems kyi rang bzhin gnyis med med pa ma rig pa dmigs med ’du ’bral med pa phyogs ris med pa choscan spyi blugs ro gcig gcig pu snang yul sgo ma ’gags pa go skabs phyal ba bio byung tshor ka dag skye ba rang lugs rang sa / so ’dzin pa, mthong ba yulcan snang ba snang ba chos Pronunciation rangjūng rang bop rang zhin sem chi rang zhin nyee may may pa ma rik pa mik may du dral may pa chōk ree may pa chö chen chi lūk ro chik chik pu nang yul go mon gak pa go kap chal wa lo jūng tsor ka dak chay wa ranglūk rang sa / so dzin pa, töng wa yūl chen nang wa nang wa chö

English

pith instructions pivotal (point) plans and actions positive positive and negative primordial pristine produced, created profound insight pure, innately pure pure perception / vision qualities (positive / enlightened) radiance rationale reach full expression reactions real realization recognition, recognize reference point reflection reification reifying fixation reject, renounce relative reality / level relax(ed) renunciation and acceptance resolution of phenomena resolution of phenomena in their true nature man ngag gnam gzer bya byed bzang po dkar nag, dge sdig gdod ma’i, thog ma’i sangs pa, sangs se ba byas pa lhag mthong dag pa dag snang yon tan gdangs ’thad pa rtsal rdzogs pa spang blang dngos rtogs pa ngo shes gtad so gzugs brnyan ’dzin pa gtad ’dzin pong ba kunrdzob lhug pa spang blang choszad chos nyid zad pa men ngak nam zer jajay zang po kar nak，gay dik dö may, tōk may sang pa, sang se wa jay pa lhaktōng dak pa dak nang yön ten dang tay pa tsal dzōk pa pang lang ngö tōk pa ngo shay tay so zūk nyen zin pa tay dzin pōng wa kūn dzōp lhūk pa pang lang chö zay chö nyi zay pa

English

resolve, fall away responsiveness, innate responsiveness rest resting in equipoise resting in the immediacy of resting imperturbably, imperturbable rest resting imperturbably in awareness resting imperturbably like a mountain resting imperturbably like an ocean Samantabhadra (Skt.) scope, state, context, realm seamless self-identity self-knowing awareness self-knowing timeless awareness sense faculties sensory appearances significance six avenues of consciousness skillful means spacious sphere spontaneous fulfillment spontaneous presence stray, deviate Wylie Transliteration zad pa thugs rje ’jog pa mnyam bzhag cer gzhag cog bzhag rig pa cog gzhag ri bo cog gzhag rgya mtsho cog gzhag kun tu bzang po ngang bar med, bar mtshams med pa gang zag gi bdag rang rig rang rig ye shes dbang po snang ba don tshogs drug thabs yangs pa thig le bya ba grub pa lhun grub g.yo ba Pronunciation zay pa tūk jay jōk pa nyam zhak cherzhak chōk zhak rik pa chök zhak ri wo chōk zhak ja tso chōk zhak kūn tu zang po ngang bar may, bar tsam may pa gang zak gi dak rang rik rang rik ye shay wang po nang wa dön tsōk drūk tap yang pa tig lay ja wa drūp pa lhun drūp yo wa

English

subject to restrictions sublime knowing, knowledge substance, (substantial) thing subsumed suchness sugata (Skt.) sugatagarbha (Skt.), buddha nature suppression or indulgence surpass ten attributes tension or laxity thinking (recollection and) thing thorough discernment thoughts, thought patterns, concepts timeless awareness timeless awareness of all that there is timeless awareness as the basic space of phenomena timeless awareness as equalness timeless awareness functioning as cognition timeless awareness as spontaneous fulfillment Wylie Transliteration rgya chad shes rab dngospo ’dus pa de bzhin nyid bde gshegs bde gshegs nying po dgagsgrub zil gyis gnon pa rang bzhin bcu sgrim glod dran bsam chos rnam dpyod rtog pa, rnam rtog ye shes ji snyed mkhyen pa’i ye shes chos dbyings ye shes mnyam nyid ye shes rig byed ye shes bya ba grub pa’i ye shes Pronunciation ja chay shey rap ngö po dü pa de zhin nyi de shek de shek nying po gak drūp zil jee non pa rang zhin chu drim lö dren sam chö nam chö tōk pa, nam tōk ye shay ji nyay chen pay ye shay chö ying ye shay nyam nyi ye shay rik jay ye shay ja wa drūp pay ye shay

timeless awareness of what simply is

timelessly timelessly and ji lta ba mkhyen pa’i ye shes ye nas ji ta wa chen pay ye shay ye nay innately present total freedom total purity transmission (scriptural) lung true existence, truth true nature (of phenomena) ultimate level / reality unbiased unborn unceasing, ceaseless uncompounded, noncomposite uncontrived underlying logic understand undistorted, flawless unfettered unhindered uninterrupted unique uniquely decisive unity of appearance and emptiness unity of awareness and emptiness unity beyond union or separation universe (of appearances and possibilities) yongsdag denp bden pa yebabs yeba yöng yongs grol yō ng ro lūng ak chos nyid don dam phyogs med skye med 5gag med, ma Jgags pa ’dus ma byas ma bcos pa ’thad pa rtogs pa dri med rgya yan thogs med rgyun chad med pa, bar med nyag gcig gcig chod snang stong rig stong 'du ’bral med pa (snang srid) snod bcud chö nyi dön dam chōk may chay may gak may, mon gak pa dü ma jay ma chö pa tay pa tōk pa dri may ja yen tōk may jūn chay may pa, bar may nyak cheek cheek chö nangtōng rik tōng du dral may pa (nang si) nö chü WORD LIST pdda

English

unobscured unobstructed unpredictable unrestricted, without restrictions utter lucidity, utterly lucid vanish vast expanse very essence vision, perspective waver, vacillate way of abiding wholly positive without anything needing to be done without differentiation / division or exclusion without finite essence without independent nature without transition or change without (underlying) basis yoga yogin Wylie Transliteration sgrib med zang thal ma nges pa, nges med rgya yan ’od gsal 5grol ba, yal ba klong chen rang ngo, ngo bo nyid, snying po snang ba g.yo ba gnas lugs kun tu bzang po byar med dbye bsal med pa ngo bo med pa rang bzhin med pa pho ’gyur med pa gzhi med rnal ’byor rnal ?byor pa Pronunciation drip may zang tal ma ngay pa, ngay may ja yen ö sal drōl wa, yal wa long chen rang ngo, ngo wo nyi, nying po nang wa yo wa nay lūk kūn tu zang po jar may ye sal may pa ngo wo may pa rang zhin may pa pon jūr may pa zhi may nal jor nal jor pa