Mahavyutpatt Version 3

A
Mini
Modern
Mahvyutpatti

A Glossary of Tibetan-Sanskrit Terms for Translators

Third Edition, 2005

www.lotsawaschool.org

Lotsawa School www.lotsawaschool.org
2

A Mini Modern Mahvyutpatti

by Adam Pearcey

Lotsawa School, 2005. All rights reserved.
3

Table of Contents

page

NAMES 5
The Buddha 5
The Buddhas Contemporaries 5
Places Buddha Visited 6
Five Buddhas 7
Eight Close Sons 7
Other Famous Bodhisattvas 8
Various Deities 8
Later Masters 9
Various Kings 11
Non-Buddhist Masters 11
Gods 11
Famous Mahsiddhas and Tantric Masters 12
Eight Vidydharas 13
Names and Places Associated with Guru
Padamasambhava

13

SCHOOLS 14
Non-Buddhist 14
Hnayna Schools 15
Mahyna Schools 15

TEXTS 16
Three Piakas 16
Mahyna Stras 16
Mahyna stras 16
Tantras 17

MISCELLANEOUS 19
Various Realms and Places 19
Categories of Prtimoka 19
Classes of beings 20
Four castes 20
Nine Ynas 21
Kyas 21
Other Terms 21
4
Introduction

This is a glossary of Tibetan-Sanskrit terms; it is not a dictionary, nor is it
intended for the seasoned scholar, but rather for the Tibetan translator with
little or no knowledge of the Sanskrit language. It is often preferable to give the
name of a person, a place, a text or a technical term in its Sanskrit form,
because this will be more familiar to an audience than the Tibetan.

With this in mind, I have only included here words that a translator might need
to know for an oral teaching. For example, I have included Akaniha, because
it is quite well known by its Sanskrit name. Of course, you might choose to
translate it into English, and many have done so, calling it The Pinnacle,
Above All and so on. Similarly, I have included only those texts whose
Sanskrit titles are well known and which might be recognized by a general
audience. Thus, you will find Gahavyha Stra, but not Smtyupasthna
Stra. The former title has been translated into English in various ways, such
as The Stra Arranged Like a Tree, but that is no more illuminating than the
Sanskrit. The Smtyupasthna Stra on the other hand can be given in English
as The Stra on the Application of Mindfulness and the audience will at least
have some idea about its contents.

I welcome any comments and suggestions for future editions.

Adam Pearcey
aspearcey@hotmail.com

Pharping, Nepal, 2005
5

NAMES

The Buddha
_______
Bhagavn
___
Gautama
__
Jina
___

kyamuni
____
Siddhrtha
_______
Sugata
______
vetaketu
1

________
Tathgata

The Buddhas Contemporaries
_____

(King) Ajtaatru
________

Anthapiada (wealthy patron)
_____

nanda (cousin)
____

Agulimla

ra (teacher of dhyna meditation)
_______

(King) Bimbisra
_
Chanaka (charioteer)
____
Devadatta (jealous cousin)
___

Gop (wife)
__

Kyapa

1
The name of the tenth bhmi bodhisattva in Tuita who would become Buddha kyamuni.
6
______
Kahaka (horse)

Ktyyana
____

Maudgalyyana
___

(Queen) Mydev (mother)
___

Nanda (cousin)
___

Prasenajit (king of rvasti)
_____

Rhula (son)
_

riputra
_____

roa
__

Subhti
_____
Sujt
____

(King) uddhodana (father)
____

Sunakatra (cousin)
__ _
Udraka (teacher of dhyna meditation)
___
Upli (monk who repeated the Vinaya)
______
Yaodhar (wife)
2

Places Buddha Visited
_______

Jetavana
_____

Kapilavastu
_____
Kuinagara
_
Lumbin

2
According to some sources, Prince Siddhrtha took three principal wives, each with a retinue of twenty
thousand handmaidens. The third wifes name was Mgaj (Tib. ri dvags skyes).
7
__Z

Magadha
__
Nairajan (river)
___
Paliputra
3

___

Rjagha (now called Rajgir)
____

rvast
___

Vail
__

Vras
4

Five Buddhas
5

____
Akobhya (vajra)
_____
Amitbha (padma)
____ _

Amoghasiddhi (karma)
_______

Ratnasambhava (ratna)
______
Vairocana (tathgata)

Eight Close Sons (nye bai sras brgyad)
___
Majur
______
Avalokitevara
_____

Vajrapi
___

Maitreya
_____

Samantabhadra
____
Nivraavikambhin

3
Also called dmar bu can in Tibetan.
4
Note also the spelling of Srnth.
5
Note that the expression five dhyani buddhas originates with Brian Hodgson (1800-1894) who heard the
term used in Nepal, but it has no basis in any text.
8
_____

kagarbha
__

Kitigarbha

Other Famous Bodhisattvas
___

Sadprarudita
______

Vimalakrti

Various Deities
___
Acala
_____

Amityus
____ _

Buddhalocana
______
Cakrasavara
______
Dhtvvar
____
Ekaja
____

Hayagrva
___
Hevajra
__
Jambhala
_____
Jinasgara
_____
Kurukull
___
Mahkla
6

____
Mahottara
___
Mmak
_____

Majughoa

6
Usually called simply mgon po in Tibetan rather than nag po chen po, which would be the literal translation
of the Sanskrit.
9
V_ ___
Padmasambhava
_____

Paravsin
________
Prajpramit
_____

Samantabhadra
______

Samantabhadr
_____
Samayatr
______
Sarasvat
_
Tr
______
Vairavaa
_______

Vajrabhairava
__

Vajrakla / Vajraklaya
___
Vajradhara
______
Vajrasattva
____

Vajravarh
_____
Vajrayogin
_______

Yamntaka

Later Masters
7

___

ryadeva
__
ryara
8

7
It is very important to know that Tibetans seldom refer to great masters by their personal names alone without
the addition of honorific titles. In the case of the great Indian masters the forms of these titles have almost
become standardized so that, for example, Ngrjuna is usually referred to as mgon po klu sgrub, Maitreya as
rje btsun byams pa mgon po, Vasubandhu as slob dpon dbyigs gnyen, and so on. A full list of these is given
elsewhere on the Lotsawa School site.
8
In Tibetan he is often called slob dpon dpa bo.
10
_____

Asaga
____

Avaghoa
______

Bhvaviveka
_______

Buddhaguhya
_______

Buddhaplita
_u___

Candragomin
_____

Candrakrti
____

Darasena
______
Dharmakrti
_____

Dignga
_____

Dpakara (Ata)
____

Guaprabha
____

Haribhadra
___

Jnagarbha
V_

Kamalala
______

Maitreyantha
__

Ngrjuna
_______
Rhulabhadra
9

_________
Ratnkaranti (also called ntip)
____

Sgaramegha

9
Often identified with the tantric master Saraha, but according to Shechen Gyaltsab there were two masters by
this name, the first being the Rhula who was the son of Prince Siddhrtha, and the second, his student, went
on to become the tantric siddha Saraha.
11
__

kyaprabha
___

ntarakita
___

ntideva
10

___

rgupta
______

Sthiramati
___
Suvaradvpa
_____ _

Vasubandhu
____

Vimuktisena
11

_________

Vimalamitra
Six Ornaments (rgyan drug)
Ngrjuna, ryadeva, Asaga, Vasubandhu, Dignga and Dharmakrti
Two Supreme Ones (mchog gnyis)
kyaprabha and Guaprabha
Two Marvellous cryas (rmad byung gi slob dpon gnyis)
ntideva and Candragomin

Various Kings
______
Mahsammata
12

___
Kkr
13

____

Aoka

Non-Buddhist Masters
___

Akapda (Naiyyika)
_____
Kada (Vaieika)

10
Chr. Lindtner contends that the correct spelling is ntadeva.
11
Bhadanta Vimuktisena (Tib. btsun pa rnam grol sde) was a student of rya Vimuktisena (Tib. phags pa
rnam grol sde) and should not be confused with his more famous teacher. The correct spelling for Vimuktisena
seems to be with the second i, but some texts have an a, thus Vimuktasena.
12
Said to be the first ever king.
13
A contemporary of the previous Buddha Kyapa famous for his prophetic dream, which predicted that the
followers of Buddha kyamuni would divide into eighteen schools.
12
__

Kapila (Skhya)
____

Patajali (Stra)

Gods
__

Brahm
____

Indra (lit. akra)
____

Viu
____

vara

Famous Mahsiddhas and Tantric Masters
____
omb Heruka
__
Ghaapda
____

Gomadev
__ u_
(King) Indrabhti
14

__

(King) Ja
____

Jnastra
__ _
Kacrin
___

Kukkurja
__

Lalitavajra
____
Llavajra
__

Maitrip
_
Nrop

14
Some buddhist historians have identified several kings by the name of Indrabhti, distinguishing them as the
elder (chen po), the younger (chung ba) and even the intermediate (bar pa). Some historians believe the elder
king may be the same person as King Ja.
13
_j_

Siharja
__j
rsiha
_

Tilop
__

Uparja
_

Virpa

Eight Vidydharas
Z___

Dhanasaskta
___

Hkara
_________

Majurmitra
____

Ngrjuna
___

Prabhhasti
__

Rambuguhya
___

ntigarbha
_________

Vimalamitra

Names and Places Associated with Guru Padmasambhava
___
Cmara
Z___

Dhanakoa (place/lake in Oiya)
__K

Klasiddhi (consort)
_q_

Mandrav (consort)
___

Mratika (cave in Nepal)
___
Oiyna
14
___

Prabhvat (kin, wife)
___

akyadev (consort)
15

SCHOOLS

Non-Buddhist
____

Aivara
__
Jaina
__

Lokyata (or Crvka)
____

Mmsaka
___

Nigrantha (or Digambara)
____

Naiyyika (or Nyyika)
____
Skhya
___

Vaieika
____
Vaiava
Some terms from the Skhya Philosophy:
___

prakti
___

purua
Three Gua (yon tan gsum):
_

rajas
__

tamas
____

sattva

16
Hnayna Schools
_______

Sarvstivdin
15

__

Mahsghika
______

Sthvira
_____

Sammity
_____

Vtsputrya
Philosophical Schools
___

Sautrntika
____

Vaibhika

Mahyna Schools
_____

Cittamtra
__ _
Yogcra
___

Mdhyamika
__
Svtantrika
__
Prsagika
Three Essential Natures (trilakaa)
______

parikalpita
_____
paratantra
___

parinipanna

15
Mla-sarvstivdin, the lineage of monastic ordination that began in Tibet with ntarakita, is gzhi thams
cad yod par smra ba.
17

TEXTS

Three Piaka
_
vinaya
___
stra
__
abhidharma

Mahyna Stras
_

Avatasaka
16

___

Daabhmika (part of the Avatasaka)
____
Gahavyha (part of the Avatasaka)
__
Lalitavistara
_____

Lakvatra
_____
Mahparinirva
__________
Ratnaka
____V__

Saddharmapuarka
____

Samdhirja
17

_____
Sadhinirmocana
____________

Vimalakrti-nirdea

Mahyna stras
_____
Abhidharmakoa
_______
Abhidharmasamuccaya
_______
Abhisamaylakra

16
It is also known as snyan gyi dgongs rgyan.
17
It is also known as the Moon Lamp Stra (Skt. Candrapradpa Stra, Tib. zla ba sgron mei mdo)
18
_______ ___
Bodhicaryvatra
_______
Bodhicittavivaraa
____
Catuataka
__________
Dharmadharmat-vibhaga
_____
Madhyamlakra
_____
Madhyamakvatra
________
Madhynta-vibhaga
_____
Mahyna-strlakra
________
Mlamadhyamaka-krik
________
Pramasamuccaya
______
Pramavarttika
____
Prasannapad
_____
Ratnval
________
iksamuccaya
____
Suhllekha
_____
Tarkajvla
________
Tattvasagraha
____
Uttaratantra
______
Vykhy-yukti

Tantras
________
Hevajra
____

Guhyasamja
19
____
Guhyagarbha
___
Klacakra
_________
Majurnmasagti

20

MISCELLANEOUS

Various Realms and Places
____
Abhirati
___
Akaniha
____
Avc
_____
Ghanavyha
____
Jambudvpa
_u
Nland
____
tavana (charnel ground)
_____
Sukhvat
_
Sumeru
____
Tuita
_____
Vajrsana
______
Vikramala

Categories of Prtimoka
18

___
bhiku
____

bhikun
___
rmaera (novice monk)
____

rmaerik (female novice)
_____

ikamn
_____

upsaka

18
There are eight categories of Prtimoka, the eighth being the one-day vow (Tib. bsnyen gnas), which is
upavsa (masc.) or upavs (fem.) in Sanskrit.
21
______
upsik

Classes of beings
___

asura
__
ka
____
kin
_
deva
__

gandharva
_____

garua
___
kinnara
___

kumbha
__
mra
_

nga
__

preta
__

rkasa
____
yaka

Four castes (vara)
_____

brahmin
___

katriya
___
vaiya
_____

dra (or kudra)
22

Nine Ynas
_______

rvakayna
____
pratyekabuddhayna
_________
bodhisattvayna
______
kriytantra yna
______
carytantra yna
19

_______
yogatantra yna
______
mahyoga yna
20

________
anuyoga yna
________
atiyoga yna

Kyas
___

dharmakya
_

nirmakya
_____

rpakya
_ _____
sabhogakya
____
svabhvikakya

Other Terms
____

abhieka

gama
________

laya vijna

19
This is also called ubhaya (literally both) tantra because it combines the conduct of kriy and the view of
yoga tantra.
20
Note that these last three (i.e., Mahyoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga) are mostly referred to by the Sanskrit
names even in Tibetan texts.
23
___
amta
_________
anuttarayoga-tantra
__
rya
___
tman
__

avidy
____
yatana
__
bindu
_
bhmi
____
cakravartin
____
cali
_
maru
___
dhra
______

dharmadhtu
___
dharmapla
____
dharmat
___
dhtu
______
dhyna
____
dukha
_____
gaacakra
_____
hnayna
__
indriya
__
jna
24
______
jnasattva
________ _
kalyamitra
__
kapla
__
khavga (trident)

kla
____
klea
_____
mahmudr
____
mahsiddha
___ _

mahyna
___
maitr
_
my
___
maala
_
moka
___
mudr
_
n
_____
nirva
_
paita
___
pramit
___
praj
___

prama
_
pra
___

prtimoka
25
___
prattyasamutpda
___
pj
%
rakta
__

i
____
sdhana
__ _

samdhi
__ _____
samdhisattva
____

amatha
____
samaya
________
samayasattva
__
sasra
___

sagha
______

stra
____

siddhnta
____

siddhi

skandha
__

ramaa
____

rvaka
______

sthavira
_____
stpa
_______
sugatagarbha
___

sukha
26
___

nyat
_
svabhva
______
tathgatagarbha
____

trthika
______
tripiaka
___
upadea
___
upya
____
ua
_

vidy
___
vidydhara
____

vijna
____

vipayan
__
yna
__
yogin
___
yogin
____
yojana

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