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Dictionary of Key Spiritual Terms


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Wylie | Tibetan

enlightenment

  1. byang chub/ 

    enlightenment; the state of impersonal moral and spiritual perfection sought in Bsm. byang chub lam/  the path to enlightenment (UCO 148), byang chub 'dod pas lus kyang btang /  those who seek enlightenment will even give up their bodies (GSL 22). Enlightenment differs profoundly from the Biblical idea of salvation in being impersonal, non-theistic, and ineffable.

  2. byang chub kyi sems/ 

    [Skt. boddhichitta]

    the mind of enlightenment; the desire to attain enlightenment in order to benefit other living beings (TRC 317). Attaining enlightenment is believed to be one of the first steps toward becoming a boddhisattva or byang chub sems dpa'/  the ultimate goal of Tibetan Bsm: theg pa chen po'i lam la zhugs pa la de'i 'jug sgo ni/,,byang chub kyi sems zer ba de red/  the gate of the Mahayana path is the mind of enlightenment (TRC 318). It is produced through a six or seven step series of meditations which include considering all beings as one's mother in previous rebirths mar shes/  remembering the kindness of others in other rebirths drin dran/  mentally repaying those kindnesses drin gzo/  developing the wish for others to be free from suffering byams pa/  and resolving to become an enlightened being in order to effect this (TRC 319).

  3. byang chub sems dpa'/ 

    [Skt. boddhisattva]

    one who dedicates the merit of his religious practice towards the liberation of all sentient beings; a Bst. saint and future Buddha. Some boddhisattvas are described as shepherds leading their flocks of sentient beings to buddhahood (JPG 428).