by John Kahila

The talk.religion.buddhism FAQ is a landmark document of early internet Buddhist culture. Written by John Kahila in 1996, it served as the monthly orientation document for one of the most active Buddhist discussion forums on Usenet. In three parts — an introduction to the newsgroup and netiquette, answers to commonly asked theological questions, and a resource guide — it reflects the concerns and conversations of an international Buddhist community finding its voice online. The theological sections are models of nuanced, non-sectarian explanation: Kahila navigates soul, rebirth, God, and ethics with care and precision, citing primary texts rather than party lines. The glossary that follows is among the more comprehensive introductory glossaries of Buddhist terminology produced in the twentieth century's final decade. Posted monthly to talk.religion.buddhism, alt.answers, talk.answers, and news.answers, it reached practitioners from Theravada to Zen to Vajrayana traditions across five continents. Evelyn Ruut, one of the group's longest-serving members, preserved a copy in 2004. This archive reflects the FAQ's June 1996 edition.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction and Netiquette

• 1. Introduction, Acknowledgments, Disclaimer
• 2. Notes on Usenet Etiquette

Part 2: Occasionally Asked Questions and Glossary

• 3. Occasionally Asked Questions
• 4. Glossary

Part 3: Resources

• 5. A Selection of Books

Part 1 — Introduction and Netiquette

1. Introduction

This is the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file for talk.religion.buddhism. It is posted monthly, on or near the first of the month, to: talk.religion.buddhism, alt.answers, talk.answers, news.answers, and alt.magick.tyagi (by request).

The purpose of the FAQ is to serve as a single source of (hopefully) useful answers to common questions of several different types:

• "What does the term 'X' mean in Buddhism?"
• "Does Buddhism say anything about X?"
• "Are there Internet resources dealing with X?"
• "How can I do X on the Internet?"

This is not an "official guide" (whatever that might be) to Buddhism. It is only an effort on the part of the FAQ maintainer to provide useful information. Inevitably, both the selection and the presentation of material is skewed by the FAQ maintainer's biases — but hopefully not too much. This FAQ does not represent the collective viewpoint of t.r.b. There may be errors. You have been warned.

Many people have contributed to improving the FAQ — more than can be named (and some have asked not to be named). Two people who deserve special thanks are Hsuan Peng and Connie Neal, whose excellent comprehensive resource list has made the FAQ maintainer's task easier.

2. The Newsgroup Charter

Creation of a talk.religion.buddhism newsgroup was formally proposed to news.announce.newgroups on 19 Aug 1994 by Than Vo. The results of the vote were 386 YES and 31 NO, plus 1 abstention and 3 invalid ballots.

Charter: The newsgroup "talk.religion.buddhism" is open to the discussion of all topics relating to Buddhism as a religion as well as a philosophy. Its objectives include promoting understanding of the teachings of the Buddha, propagating the Tipitaka teachings of the Pali Canon, promoting unity and solidarity among all Buddhists, and facilitating dialogue between Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions.

Buddhism is one of the principal religions, with some 700 million Buddhists worldwide. There is a need for a channel of worldwide communication for the Buddhist community — a serious Usenet newsgroup dedicated to Buddhism in general — so that lay people, ordained Buddhists, and non-Buddhists can communicate and exchange their experiences and interests freely.

3. Netiquette

Consider reading "Emily PostNews Answers Your Questions on Netiquette." Please do not crosspost carelessly or broadly.

Here are a few thoughts on netiquette for Buddhists, adapted from the Insight mailing list FAQ:

Keep discussions friendly. View this newsgroup as an opportunity to practice both ahimsa (harmlessness) and sati (mindfulness). Let's use the group as a means of offering encouragement and support to each other in our shared exploration of Dharma.

Rule of thumb: When responding to a message to which you had a strong emotional reaction — irritation, ecstatic delight, anger, whatever — wait a day or two to cool down a little before responding. There is no hurry. Also keep in mind that silence often speaks louder than words.

Part 2 — Occasionally Asked Questions

Do Buddhists worship the Buddha as a deity?

No. The Buddha achieved perfect victory over the causes of rebirth. His Parinirvana was 2500 years ago. All that remain are relics and monuments.

Of course Buddhists have religious observances of many kinds, including offerings of fruit and incense before Buddha-images. These practices are an expression of our shared faith and practice, and a means of acquiring merit. They are not gestures of deference to a god.

Do Buddhists believe in God?

Buddhism has been characterized as "atheist" by the Pope and others — but "non-eternalist" is a more accurate term. Deities are mentioned many times in the scriptures. People often interpret such references metaphorically (especially in the West); but even if they are taken literally, there is no conflict with the Teaching.

However, the idea of an eternal Creator God is contrary to the Buddhist doctrines of anicca and anatta, and is flatly contradicted in scripture (see, for example, the second section of the Brahmajala Sutta, pp. 75–83 of Walshe's translation of the Digha Nikaya).

Theists, agnostics and atheists are all welcome within Buddhism (and in this group); Buddhists make up their own minds about the existence or nonexistence of deities, if they get around to it. Some people find this question uninteresting, feeling that neither a "yes" nor a "no" answer contributes meaningfully to the elimination of suffering.

Do Buddhists believe in a soul?

Some would say that questions like "Does God exist?" and "Is there a soul?" are in the same general category as "Does Nonexistence Exist?" Such questions are unanswerable. But even if one does not take this stand, the semantics of the questions are very difficult.

In both cases, someone who answers with a categorical "yes" needs to reconcile the answer with the characteristics of conditioned phenomena: unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), impermanence (anicca) and the nonexistence of a substantial Self (anatta). Those who answer with a categorical "no" face a different set of problems, e.g. making sure that what they are negating is the same as what is being affirmed by the people to whom they are speaking.

Is there "something" that is experienced as a self having continuity in time — a self with will, and joy, and pain? Of course there is; there would be no need for the Buddha's teaching otherwise. But is there a permanent and substantial self? Buddhist doctrine says no.

It is not possible to deal with this question adequately in a FAQ. Those who are interested can try starting with The Questions of Milinda, a classic Buddhist text in which the matter is considered in some detail (see for instance "The Distinguishing Marks" beginning at page 34 of I.B. Horner's translation).

If there is no self, who am I talking to?

The word "self" has a multitude of meanings in English. Not all of those meanings are relevant to the notion of self (attā) that is negated in the doctrine of anatta.

Sometimes "self" is used in English to suggest a permanent identity (or soul) of a type that would be foreign to Buddhist thought. At other times, "self" is used only to denote a "conventional person" (as in "make yourself at home"); this usage presents no problems.

Here is what the Encyclopedia of Buddhism has to say on the subject (from G.P. Malalasekera's article on anatta):

Buddhism has no objection to the use of the words attā, or satta, or puggala, to indicate the individual as a whole, or to distinguish one person from another, where such distinction is necessary, especially as regards such things as memory and kamma which are private and personal and where it is necessary to recognize the existence of separate lines of continuity (santāna). But, even so, these terms should be treated only as labels, binding-conceptions and conventions in language, assisting economy in thought and word and nothing more. Even the Buddha uses them sometimes.

Do Buddhists believe in reincarnation?

People who ask this question usually mean transmigration of souls. People who answer it sometimes mean rebirth. This can lead to confusion.

Buddhism does not teach transmigration of souls, nor does it teach against it. As long as the "soul" is regarded as just a bundle of transient phenomena, subject to arising and passing away, transmigration is not objectionable. Of course, that gives both "soul" and "reincarnation" meanings quite different from the ones usually intended by people of other faiths, which can lead to miscommunication; thus it is probably best to avoid this usage.

If "soul" is taken in its usual popular sense — an eternal unchanging something, or a spark of an eternal unchanging perfect Someone — then the scriptures and commentaries are unanimous in denying its existence:

For there is suffering, but none who suffers;
Doing exists although there is no doer;
Extinction is but no extinguished person;
Although there is a path, there is no goer.

— Buddhaghosa, Visuddhimagga XIV 90 (tr. Nanamoli)

Usually, someone who uses the word "reincarnation" means the "re-instantiation" of a substantial and permanent personal essence of some kind — an atman, or a soul in the sense of some Western religions. The existence of such a thing is rejected in the suttas (except as a convention), and is categorically denied in the Abhidhamma. Discussion of the transmigration of something that doesn't exist is pointless.

Buddhism does teach liberation from rebirth. Rebirth in this context means bondage to the causes of suffering, not renewed physical embodiment of a permanent spiritual substance in the form of an animal or human.

If there is no self, what is reborn?

One traditional view is that karma and its results "belong" to a particular life continuum, not to the "person" identified with that life continuum in our minds at any particular time. The standard comparison is to a candle: if the flame from one candle is transferred to another, the second flame is "neither the same nor different"; it may have different fuel, but it is still causally connected to the first flame.

What does Buddhism say about sex?

Monks, nuns, and other ordained persons may (or may not) be expected to observe strict celibacy, depending on the sect they belong to.

The laity of most traditions are expected to observe the Precepts, which call for nonharmful sexual behavior. At a minimum, this means refraining from sexual behavior that is a cause of non-mindfulness and suffering, our own or anyone else's. In some Buddhist countries it may mean other things as well, reflecting the prevailing values of the cultures involved. Such cultural overlays vary from country to country.

What does Buddhism say about homosexuality?

Homosexual behavior is off-limits to ordained persons in traditions that follow traditional monastic rules (Vinaya). However, all sexual behavior is off-limits in this case; homosexuality is merely one of the forms of proscribed behavior that is explicitly mentioned.

Where lay people are concerned, Buddhism says nothing about homosexuality. Individual Buddhists or Buddhist cultures may have views on the subject, but such views are not germane to this FAQ. A good historical overview can be found in Buddhism, Sexuality and Gender (Jose Ignacio Cabezon, ed.). As a general rule, Buddhists of most major traditions do not regard sexual orientation as being terribly relevant to practice as long as one's sexual behavior is in line with the precepts.

What does Buddhism say about morality in general?

In Buddhism, unwholesome behavior is not a sign of defection to the camp of a sinister being. Nor is it a "sin" that brings upon us the wrath of a vengeful God.

"Immoral" behavior is a product of mistaken view. It is wrong not because it violates some external set of laws handed down from on high, but because it strengthens the bonds of clinging and engenders suffering. In Buddhism, unwholesome impulses are not things to be violently suppressed by a schizoid act of will; they are to be noted and understood. As we come to recognize how mental defilements give rise to unwholesome attitudes, we will be able to work on developing wholesome attitudes instead.

If our behavior does harm, we can try to avoid the twin pitfalls of self-protection and self-flagellation; both reinforce the myth of a substantial self. We can acknowledge errors, try to make amends, and try to have compassion for ourselves as well as others.

So much for unwholesome behavior — what about wholesome behavior? For Buddhists, morality (sila) is behavior that is consistent with the Eightfold Path — in particular with those parts of the Path that are concerned with body, speech, and livelihood. The moral code of Buddhism is summarized in the Precepts. The Precepts are not "commandments" in the sense of some Western religions. They are rules of training, intended to help us move closer to liberation and compassionate action.

Are all Buddhists vegetarians?

No. The First Precept admonishes us to refrain from killing, but meat eating is not regarded as an instance of killing, and it is not forbidden in the scriptures. (We are speaking here mainly of the Pali scriptures. Some of the Mahayana scriptures, notably the Lankavatara Sutra, take a strong position in favor of vegetarianism.)

As recorded in the Pali scriptures, the Buddha did not prohibit consumption of meat, even by monks. In fact, he explicitly rejected a suggestion from Devadatta to do so. In modern Theravada societies, a bhikkhu who adheres to vegetarianism to impress others with his superior spirituality may be committing an infringement of the monastic rules.

On the other hand, the Buddha categorically prohibited consumption of the flesh of any animal that was "seen, heard or suspected" to have been killed specifically for the benefit of monks (Jivaka Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 55). This rule technically applies only to monastics, but it can be used as a reasonable guide by devout lay people.

To understand this "middle path" approach to meat-eating, we have to remember that there were no "Buddhists" in Shakyamuni's time. There were only mendicants of various kinds (including the Buddha's disciples), plus lay people who gave them alms out of respect without necessarily worrying about the brand name of the teachings.

If meat was what a householder chose to offer, it was to be accepted without discrimination or aversion. To reject such an offering would be an offense against hospitality and would deprive the householder of an opportunity to gain merit — and it could not benefit the animal, because it was already dead.

Vegetarianism could not become a source of serious controversy in the bhikkhu sangha until the rise of fixed-abode monastic communities in which the monks did not practice daily alms-round. Any meat provided to such a community by lay people would almost certainly have been killed specifically for the monks. That may be one reason for the difference in Mahayana and Theravada views on meat eating — the development of monastic communities of this type occurred principally within Mahayana.

The issue of meat eating raises difficult ethical questions. Isn't the meat in a supermarket or restaurant killed "for" us? Doesn't meat eating entail killing by proxy? Few of us are in a position to judge meat eaters or anyone else for "killing by proxy." Being part of the world economy entails "killing by proxy" in every act of consumption. The electricity that runs our computers comes from facilities that harm the environment. Books of Buddhist scriptures are printed on paper produced by an industry that destroys wildlife habitat. Worms, insects, rodents, and other animals are routinely killed en masse in the course of producing the staples of a vegetarian diet. Welcome to samsara.

All of that having been said, it cannot be denied that the economic machine which produces meat also creates fear and suffering for a large number of animals. It is useful to bear this in mind even if one consumes meat, to resist developing a habit of callousness. Many Buddhists (especially Mahayanists) practice vegetarianism as a means of cultivating compassion. The Jivaka Sutta hints that one could also make a good case for vegetarianism starting from any of the other brahmaviharas. Interestingly, it is loving-kindness rather than compassion that is mentioned first in the Jivaka Sutta.

Isn't the emphasis on not-self a bit excessive?

Maybe so. It is possible to get carried away with the doctrine of anatta, seeing it as justification for a view that is very close to scientific materialism. Suffice it to say that this is not how most Buddhists see things. It would be very difficult to put together any kind of coherent doctrine of moral responsibility if a person was just a disaggregated assemblage of momentary phenomena. However, the doctrine of anatta tends to receive strong emphasis among Buddhists for several reasons.

First, many people who seek to understand Buddhism come from religious backgrounds in which it is customary to speak of a permanent soul. Understanding is not likely to be furthered if one attempts to find an "esoteric" soul doctrine of some kind in the teaching.

Second, although Buddhism does not agree with the moral nihilism that some persons see in science (or at least in positivism), it seems that scientific skepticism is more easily reconciled with anatta than with at least some of the religious alternatives.

Finally, anatta is proclaimed in the scriptures as one of the two distinctive teachings of the Buddhas (the other being the Four Noble Truths; see Majjhima Nikaya 56.18 [I.380]). Much of Buddhist thought is consistent with other systems of Indian religion and philosophy; but these two doctrines are unique.

What do you think of Hesse's Siddhartha?

This is a nice book that says a lot about Hesse's views about spirituality and freedom. But it does not say a whole lot about Buddhism, nor did Hesse intend for it to do so. The main character in Siddhartha is not the Buddha — in fact, the Siddhartha of the title meets the Buddha and ultimately decides to follow a different path.

Siddhartha has about the same relationship to orthodox Buddhism that Nikos Kazantzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ has to orthodox Christianity — which is to say, it's a good read but not exactly canonical.

Glossary of Buddhist Terms

The following glossary is offered to help with words sometimes seen in posts in t.r.b. This list is not intended to be comprehensive or doctrinally precise — the definitions given here are only intended as a rough guide, to orient readers who are unfamiliar with the terminology. A number of the following definitions are adapted from Nyanatiloka's Buddhist Dictionary. Readers who are looking for Pali terms not defined here, or who need more precise definitions or references to the scriptures, are encouraged to consult Nyanatiloka.

alaya-vijnana — Usually rendered "storehouse consciousness." In Yogacara philosophy, this is the underlying stratum of existence that is "perfumed" by volitional actions and thus "stores" the moral effects of kamma. Note that it is regarded as a conditioned phenomenon, not as a "soul" in the sense of Western religion. The theory is most fully elaborated by Vasubandhu in Vijñapti-mātratā-triṃśikā and by Dharmapala in Vijñapti-mātratā-siddhi-śāstra. The doctrine of alaya-vijnana greatly influenced Chinese Buddhism and sects derived from it (e.g. Zen). See also bhavanga.

Amitabha Buddha (Jap. Amida butsu) — "Limitless Light." In Mahayana, the Buddha of the Western Paradise (the Pure Land). Also encountered in the aspect of Amitayuh (or Amitayus), "Limitless Life." Pure Land Buddhists practice recitation of the name of Amitabha.

anatta (Skt. anatman) — No-self. One of the Three Characteristics.

anicca (Skt. anitya) — Impermanence. One of the Three Characteristics.

antinomianism — The idea that the Elect are above the moral law (as in some versions of "justification by faith not by works").

arahant (Skt. arhat) — One who has attained enlightenment.

asava — A "taint" that obstructs progress toward enlightenment. The Abhidhamma lists four asavas: sensual desire, desire for eternal existence, speculative opinions, and ignorance. The Suttas usually list only three asavas, omitting explicit mention of the taint of speculative opinions.

Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezi, Chin. Kwan-Yin or Guanyin, Jap. Kannon) — Mahayana Bodhisattva of Compassion.

avijja (Skt. avidya) — Ignorance.

bhavanga — Sometimes rendered "life-stream." In Theravada Buddhism, this is the underlying stratum of existence used to explain memory and other temporal phenomena such as moral accountability. It is described by Buddhaghosa and others as the natural condition of mind, bright and shining and free from impurity. Note that it is regarded as a conditioned phenomenon, not as a "soul" in the sense of Western religion. See also alaya-vijnana.

bhikkhu, bhikkhuni (Skt. bhikshu, bhikshuni) — Monk, nun.

bodhisattva (Pali bodhisatta) — A future Buddha.

brahmaviharas — Four "sublime abidings" (lit. "abodes of Brahma") that accompany spiritual development, consisting of compassion, loving kindness, sympathetic joy for others, and equanimity toward the pleasant and the unpleasant.

Buddha — The Enlightened (or Awakened) One. The First Refuge of the Triple Gem.

Chogye (alt. Jogye) — Largest Buddhist sect in Korea.

conditioned phenomena — Phenomena (dhammas) constituted of the five khandas (Skt. skandhas), objects for paticcasamuppada (Skt. pratityasamutpada), subject to arising and passing away. With a handful of exceptions (notably Enlightenment itself), all phenomena fall into this category.

daimoku — The practice of chanting "Nam (or Namu) Myoho Renge Kyo" in Japanese Lotus Sutra Buddhism. Myoho Renge Kyo is the sutra's name in Japanese.

Dalai Lama (His Holiness the 14th) — Leader of the Tibetan people in exile. Vajrayana Buddhists regard him as the living embodiment of Avalokiteshvara. Most other Buddhists, including Theravadins, revere him as a teacher of very high spiritual attainment who works tirelessly for peace and goodwill.

dana — The practice of giving to accumulate merit.

dependent arising, dependent origination — See paticcasamuppada.

dharma (Pali dhamma) — When not capitalized, means roughly "phenomenon."

Dharma (Pali Dhamma) — When capitalized, refers to the Teachings of the Buddha. The Second Refuge of the Triple Gem.

dukkha — Often rendered as "suffering," but can span the whole range from excruciating pain to not-getting-what-I-want. One of the Three Characteristics.

Noble Eightfold Path — The Path of the Fourth Noble Truth: Right Understanding, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Attitude, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.

Five Aggregates — See khandha.

Four Noble Truths — Suffering. Suffering has a cause. Suffering has an end. There is a path that leads to the cessation of suffering (see Eightfold Path).

Gautama (alt. Gotama) — Family name of the Buddha.

Heart Sutra — The Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra, one of several "perfection of wisdom" sutras in the Mahayana scriptures. Calculatedly paradoxical in its language ("there is no suffering, cause, cessation or path"). Central to most Mahayana schools.

Hinayana — "Lesser Vehicle." According to Walshe, this term was originally coined by Mahayana polemicists to distinguish their path from the path of the Sarvastivadins. Over time, it came to be applied to the only surviving member of the original "eighteen schools" of Southern Buddhism, Theravada. Many Buddhists prefer the term Theravada, because "Hinayana" is perceived to have negative connotations.

Jodo — Japanese Pure Land Buddhism.

Jodo Shinshu — The largest Jodo sect in modern Japan (in fact, the largest Buddhist sect of any kind in Japan). See Shinran Shonin.

karma (Pali kamma) — Literally, "action." Often translated "cause and effect."

karuna — Compassion. One of the brahmaviharas.

khandha (Skt. skandha) — One of the Five Aggregates of Clinging: matter (rupakhandha), sensations (vedanakhandha), perceptions (sannakhandha), mental formations (sankharakhandha), consciousness (vinnanakhandha). A starting point for Buddhist psychology.

kilesa (Skt. klesha) — One of ten "defilements" that are to be overcome through training: greed, hate, delusion, conceit, speculative views, skeptical doubt, mental torpor, restlessness, lack of shame, and lack of moral dread.

Lotus Sutra — The Saddharmapundarika Sutra, one of the Mahayana scriptures. Lotus Sutra Buddhists sometimes practice recitation of the title of the sutra. See daimoku.

mappo — A prophesied end time of decadent Dharma in Japan. Several Buddhist traditions that arose in 12th century Japan (notably the practices of Nichiren and Shinran) are historically unintelligible unless seen against the backdrop of this prophecy.

Mahayana — "Greater Vehicle." The northern branch of Buddhism. More doctrinally liberal than Theravada (recognizes several non-historical sutras as canonical). Strong focus on alleviation of suffering of all sentient beings.

metta — Loving kindness. One of the brahmaviharas.

mettabhavana — A meditation practice that develops loving kindness toward all sentient beings.

mindfulness — See sati.

mudita — Sympathetic joy. One of the brahmaviharas.

nembutsu — The practice of chanting "Namu Amida Butsu" in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. See Amitabha.

Nichiren Daishonin — Twelfth-century founder of a practice that is the basis of a number of Lotus Sutra sects in Japan.

Nichiren Shoshu — A Nichiren sect founded in Japan in the foothills of Mt. Fuji in the 13th century. Its head temple is Taisekiji Temple.

Nichiren Shu — A Nichiren sect founded in Japan at Mt. Minobu in the 13th century. Its head temple is Kuonji Temple.

nirodha — Cessation. (Specifically, the cessation of suffering in the Third Noble Truth.)

nirvana (Pali nibbana) — Absolute extinction of suffering and its causes.

nivarana — One of five "hindrances" that obstruct the development of concentration and insight: sensual desire, ill will, sloth-and-torpor, restlessness, and skeptical doubt. The scriptures compare them respectively to water mixed with colors, boiling water, water covered by moss, water whipped by wind, and muddy water.

paticcasamuppada (Skt. pratityasamutpada) — Dependent origination. The twelve-stage process that leads from ignorance to rebirth.

pratyekabuddha (Pali paccekabuddha) — A "solitary awakened one." Sometimes used as a term of reproof, to refer to students who get entangled in personal striving for illumination. One of the characteristic marks of pratyekabuddhas is that they do not teach.

Precepts — A basic set of standards for moral conduct: to refrain from killing, stealing, harmful sexual behavior, lying, and the use of intoxicants. These are the five "normal" precepts for the laity; more extensive sets may apply to monastics.

Pure Land — See Amitabha.

samadhi — Concentration (as in the "right concentration" of the Eightfold Path). A state of one-pointedness of mind achievable through certain forms of meditation.

samatha (Skt. shamatha) — "Calmness" meditation, a set of techniques for developing one-pointedness of mind. Cf. samadhi and sati.

samsara — (lit. "wandering together") The wheel of suffering and rebirth.

samyojana — One of ten "fetters" that tie beings to the wheel of birth and death: belief in a substantial self, skeptical doubt, clinging to rules and ritual, sensual craving, ill will, craving for fine-material existence, craving for immaterial existence, conceit (mana), restlessness, and ignorance. The first five are the "lower" fetters; the second five are the "upper" fetters. In the Stream Enterer the first three fetters have been destroyed; in the Once-Returner the next two are weakened, and in the Non-Returner they are destroyed; in the Arahant all fetters have been destroyed.

Sangha — A word with several associations. One meaning refers specifically to the Aryasangha — those who have attained to the supramundane Path. Another meaning is the patimokkha sangha — the community of ordained monks and nuns. Western Mahayanists sometimes use the word in yet a third sense, to refer to the "mahasangha" — the community of all believers. The Sangha referred to in the Triple Gem is the Ariyasangha.

sati (Skt. smṛti, Jap. nen) — Mindfulness (as in the "right mindfulness" of the Eightfold Path). Consciousness of/attention to experience here and now.

Satipatthana Sutta — The Discourse on the Basis of Mindfulness, a fundamental Buddhist scripture describing methods of meditation. (Also cited by its Digha Nikaya title: Mahasatipatthana Sutta = the Greater Discourse on the Basis of Mindfulness.)

Shakyamuni — "Sage of the Shakya clan." Common epithet of the Buddha.

Shingon — A Japanese Vajrayana sect.

Shinran Shonin — Twelfth-century founder of Jodo Shinshu.

Siddhartha (Pali Siddhatta) — Personal name of the Buddha.

skillful means — Creating good causes for sentient beings to enter onto the Path. This includes practicing the five perfections, explaining the Dharma in language a hearer can understand, etc.

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) — A Buddhist lay organization founded in the 20th century and formerly affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo.

sutra (Pali sutta) — In Theravada, a historical discourse of the Buddha as passed down by oral tradition and ultimately committed to writing. In Mahayana, the set of canonical sutras is enlarged to include some nonhistorical sermons — the Heart Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, etc.

Tathagata — "The Thus-Gone One." An epithet of the Buddha.

thera, theri — Elder monk, elder nun.

Theravada — "The Way of the Elders." The southern branch of Buddhism. More doctrinally conservative than Mahayana (narrower conception of what is canonical). Strong focus on correct practice and right conduct.

Thich Nhat Hanh — A contemporary Vietnamese Zen monk and campaigner for peace. Among other things, he has suggested a "positive" interpretation of the Precepts: Reverence for Life, Generosity, Sexual Responsibility, Deep Listening and Loving Speech, and Mindful Consumption.

Three Characteristics — All conditioned phenomena are unsatisfactory, impermanent, and devoid of Self.

Three Poisons — A synonym for the three unwholesome roots. Not to be confused with the "taints" (see asava).

Three Unwholesome Roots — Three conditions that determine the moral quality of unskillful volitional actions: greed (lobha), hate (dosa), and delusion (moha).

Three Wholesome Roots — Three conditions that determine the moral quality of skillful volitional actions: non-greed, non-hate, and non-delusion.

Tipitaka (Skt. Tripitaka) — "The Three Baskets" of Buddhist scripture, comprising the Suttapitaka (the discourses), the Vinayapitaka (rules governing the monastic order), and the Abhidhammapitaka (Buddhist psychology). There are significant differences between the Theravada and Mahayana canons.

Triple Gem — The Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.

upekkha — Equanimity. One of the brahmaviharas.

Vajrayana — Sometimes translated "Thunderbolt Vehicle" (or "Diamond Vehicle"). A development of Mahayana Buddhism that includes several features of Indian philosophy not found elsewhere (e.g., tantric yoga). Strong emphasis on teacher-student relationship.

vetulyavada — This term or one of its cognates (vetulyaka, vetullaka, vaipulyavada, etc.) is found in a few Theravada sources, e.g. at Kathavatthu XXIII. Originally, the terms designated a pre- (possibly proto-) Mahayana doctrine regarded as heretical by the more orthodox. Later, some Theravada writers may have adopted it as a polemical label for Mahayana per se — which is reminiscent of the history and use of the word "hinayana" by certain Mahayana writers.

vipassana (Skt. vipashyana) — Insight, seeing things as they are. Also used to refer to insight meditation, a technique that develops attention to the arising and passing away of conditioned phenomena (Theravada) or attention to the emptiness of conditioned phenomena (Mahayana).

Zen (Chin. Ch'an) — A Buddhist tradition founded in China as a result of the teaching of Bodhidharma, circa 475 C.E. Found today mostly in Vietnam, Japan, and Korea (and of course various centers in the West).

A Selection of Books

Compiled by John Kahila, 1996. These recommendations represent the reading preferences of the talk.religion.buddhism community.

General introductions:

Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, by Nyanatiloka (3rd revised and enlarged edition). Colombo: Frewin (1972). Also published by AMS Press (1983). The authoritative reference for Pali terms not defined in this glossary.

Encyclopaedia of Buddhism. Government of Sri Lanka: various years. An ongoing scholarly project. Hard to find in the U.S., but well worth the effort; a large library might have a copy.

Entering the Stream: An Introduction to the Buddha and his Teachings, ed. by Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. London: Rider (1994). A superb anthology of short writings from a number of different viewpoints. Very accessible to those who have only a casual interest in Buddhism, while also containing much of value for serious students of the teaching.

Freedom in Exile, The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama, by Tenzin Gyatso. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.

How the Swans Came to the Lake: a narrative history of Buddhism in America, by Rick Fields (3rd edition, revised and updated). Boston: Shambhala (1992). An excellent and highly readable account of the transmission of Buddhist teachings to the West.

Mindfulness in Plain English, by Henepola Gunaratana. Boston: Wisdom (1993).

Old Path, White Clouds: the life story of the Buddha, by Thich Nhat Hanh. London: Rider (1991). A biography of the founder of Buddhism, written in modern language by a Vietnamese monk who is a long-time activist for peace and human rights. A favorite book of many members of talk.religion.buddhism.

A Path With Heart, by Jack Kornfield. London: Rider (1994). A warm and compassionate book on developing meditative awareness in the midst of everyday life.

What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula. A beautifully clear introduction to Buddhist doctrine, written by a Sri Lankan scholar. Very intelligible, even to non-Buddhists.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki. New York: Weatherhill (1970).

Scripture translations:

The Middle Length Discourses of The Buddha (Majjhima Nikaya), trans. by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi. Boston: Wisdom Publications (1995).

The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), by Buddhaghosa, trans. by Nyanamoli (3rd edition). Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society (1975). Still probably the best meditation text ever written for someone who wants a comprehensive overview of orthodox Buddhist meditation techniques.

The Sutta-Nipata, trans. by H. Saddhatissa. Richmond, Surrey (UK): Curzon Press (1994). A modern English translation of the discourses contained in one of the more influential sections of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Pali Canon.

Thus Have I Heard: The Long Discourses of The Buddha (Digha Nikaya), trans. by Maurice Walshe. London: Wisdom Publications (1987).

Special topics:

Buddhism After Patriarchy: a feminist history, analysis and reconstruction of Buddhism, by Rita M. Gross. Albany: SUNY Press, 1993.

Buddhism, Sexuality and Gender, ed. Jose Ignacio Cabezon. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992. The only source we are aware of that examines Buddhist scripture in detail for evidence of the attitudes of different early writers on these topics.

A Buddhist Critique of the Christian Concept of God, by Gunapala Dharmasiri. Antioch, California: Golden Leaves Publishing Co. (1988). A careful analysis of Christian theology from the standpoint of Buddhist philosophy.

Transformations of Consciousness: Conventional and Contemplative Perspectives on Development, by Ken Wilber, Jack Engler, and Daniel P. Brown. Boston: Shambhala (1986). Has a very interesting treatment of meditation and spirituality from the perspective of Transpersonal Psychology. Includes descriptions of psychological studies of transformative effects of long-term meditation.

Colophon

Written by John Kahila, June 1996. The FAQ was posted monthly to talk.religion.buddhism, alt.answers, talk.answers, and news.answers throughout the 1990s. Maintained by Kahila at [email protected].

Preserved from the Usenet archive by Evelyn Ruut ([email protected] [address removed]), July 2004. Original Message-ID: TiqOc.106147$[email protected].

Archived for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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