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MULTIMEDIA
GLOSSARY |
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MULTIMEDIA
GLOSSARY |
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| This glossary is far from comprehensive. It is rather a seed of what we hope will grow into a useful resource for increasing awareness, appreciation, and understanding of Tibetan culture. Please help by sending additional information about existing entries or new ones to tibet@worldbridges.com or if you have placed relevant material online let us know, so we can link to it. |
| Bon - One of the five major branches of Tibetan Buddhism. Considered to represent some of the earliest Buddist influences in Tibet, it is believed to have Kashmiri Buddhists or Zorastrian origins. Its influence is particularly strong in the Shang region of Tsang and the Ngawa region of Amdo. |
| Dalai Lama - the temporal and spiritual leader of Tibet. The term 'Dalai' was bestowed upon the third Dalai Lama by a Mongol prince named Altan Qan and means ocean of wisdom. |
| Gelug |
| Kagyu |
| Lama - Directly translated, lama means “spiritual one”. A lama is a spiritual teacher or mentor. |
| Mandala - Directly translated, mandala means the “palace of God”. A mandala is a colorful and decorative design made out of sand by monks as an offering to God. Mandalas are used by monks to guide them to the next stages of enlightenment. |
| Mantra - a sanskrit word with the literal meaning of 'protection of the mind'. It is a phrase or set of words repeated many times as a spiritual practice. One of the most common is “Om Mani Padme Hum”. Directly translated, “om mani padme hum” means “jewel in the lotus” and it is used daily - often thousands of times - by Tibetans in puja. Another simple translation is “save me from the cycle of life”. This mantra is the most important in all of Buddhism. It is carved on stones, prayer wheels, temples and many other important places throughout the culture. |
| Nyingma |
| Puja - a religious ceremony |
| Sakya |
| Wheel of Life - symbolizes the belief in a universe without beginning or end. It includes all universal life forms - humans, animals, celestial beings, titans, ghosts and denizens of hell.. The goal of a Buddhist is to escape the wheel of life and attain enlightenment. It is believed that ignorance, hatred and desire keep spirits entrapped in the wheel of life. |