The study of terms and their use. Specifically this will include requests for clarification of Buddhist terms and comparisons of terms within or between traditions.
Questions tagged [terminology]
165 questions
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8 answers
What is Navayana Buddhism?
Recently, I found out there is a new branch of Buddhism called the Navayana. I read the article on Wikipedia but it did not say too much. What is Navayana Buddhism and what type of practices does it follow like meditations, sutras, or tantras? …
DharmaEater
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9 answers
Why does the Buddha call himself the Tathāgata?
Questions in the title. What is the significance of this term and how it is used by the Buddha in the suttas?
Sāmaṇera Jayantha
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Please explain when and where to use the terms Theravada and Hinayana
I understand that Hinayana as a term is generally pejorative when referring to Theravadin practitioners. Where is the use of the term Hinayana proper, and why is it still used if it's considered offensive to Theravadin practitioners?
I believe that…
likethesky
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What is effluent?
The Brahmana Sutta, for example, mentions "effluent":
So it is with an arahant whose mental effluents are ended ...
Or in Adhimutta,
One gone to the far shore
without clinging
without effluent
his task completed,
welcomes the ending of…
ChrisW
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What are the three marks of existence?
What are the three marks of existence and where are they found in the canon? Is there any fundamental differences in interpretation among the different traditions?
user70
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2 answers
Did Shakyamuni Buddha say anything in regard to fear
I'm sure that at some point Shakyamuni talked about fear, but I am wondering more specifically if he had listed something like "the five types of fear" or something like that(e.g. Four noble truths, ten worlds, ten factors, five eyes).
Morella Almånd
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What is the definition of passa ?
The answer on this question mentions passa in the comments.
Having never encountered the term in my studies, what is an overview of the term? What school of Buddhism does it originate from?
hellyale
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What is Sat-Dharma?
In this answer Sat-Dharma is referred to. I can kind of get the meaning from the context but what exactly is Sat-Dharma? What is the 'Sat' part. Why not just refer to the Dharma? Does it have additional significance or slightly different meaning?…
Crab Bucket
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What are the Pali or Sanskrit words for these things?
I think I know some of these, but the rest are a translation muddle. The west seems to not attempt to translate nirvana, sangha, dharma, mantra, mudra, buddha, bodhisattva (and probably a few more) and that for me is actually helpful. I expect that…
MatthewMartin
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What is Magga phala?
I've come across a few references to Magga phala and can only find obscure half explanations of what it is referring to and some of the explanations seem to be contradictory.
hellyale
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What does "intention" mean?
I see two Pali words which are translated into English as "intention":
Cetanā used in the definition of karma
Sankappa used in the definition of the Noble Eightfold Way.
Do these two words mean exactly the same thing? If not, what is the…
ChrisW
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Are there any websites that contain Buddhist dictionaries?
I believe that there many words translate from Buddha Sutra and I want to ask is there any website can translate the words meaning in English? Example Samman Samadhi
Le Parkour
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What does deathless mean?
The word "deathless" is used sometimes.
What does it mean? Are there non-obvious or non-English meanings to the words translated as 'death' and/or 'deathless'?
Similarly what does "attaining the deathless" mean, in this Upatissa-pasine, for example…
ChrisW
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What is a "sutta statement" or "sutta action"?
In this answer yuttadhammo wrote,
If you want an abhidhamma answer, you have to speak in abhidhamma terms. "Wishing for pain to go away" is a sutta statement. It involves a wisher, and describes a sutta action.
I think it might mean 'thread' ...…
ChrisW
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Can lokuttara citta's be defined as the true knowing essence (yathabhuta nana dassana)?
Can lokuttara citta's be defined as the true knowing essence (yathabhuta nana dassana)?
Guy Eugène Dubois
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