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Dictionary of Key Spiritual Terms


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Wylie | Tibetan

grace

See also compassion, kindness, mercy
  1. thugs rje/ 

    [hon. of snying rje/ ]

    Biblical: 1) God's unmerited favor or kindness. While mercy implies "holding back from punishing someone when punishment is deserved", grace means "showing (positive) kindness or generosity to someone who does not deserve it" (K. Barnwell). dkon mchog gi thugs rje/  the grace of God (Lk. 2:40), thugs rje bden pas gang ba/  full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14), gtso bo ye shu'i thugs rje'i sgo nas/  through the grace of our Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11), dkon mchog gi thugs rje'i phrin bzang /  the gospel of God's grace (Acts 20:24), bka' khrims kyi 'og na med par thugs rje'i 'og tu yod/  not under law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14), thugs rje thams cad kyi dkon mchog the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10), 2) also used in greetings: khyed tshor gtso bo ye shu'i thugs rje 'bab par shog the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (1 Cor. 16:23).

    Buddhist: 1) compassion, defined as the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering. In Bsm. compassion generates merit for the one who feels it. It does not involve forgiveness of sins, but does imply showing kindness to those who may not deserve it. The term is not used in daily speech but is common in Bsm. (AMD). 2) grace; in a general sense, the boddhisattvas are considered to exhibit grace when they show the path of release from suffering to living beings (MTB 195); hence: nga la bla mas thugs rje rgyang nas gzigs/  may the lama look upon me with compassion (KPU 35); 3) one of the names of spyan ras gzigs/  Chenresi: thugs rje chen po la phyag 'tshal lo/  homage to great compassion (UCO 148).

  2. drin/ 

    [hon. bka' drin/ ]

    Biblical: 1) kindness, gift: dkon mchog gi thugs rje'i bka' drin/  the gift of God's grace (Eph. 3:7 SV); khyed thar bar gyur pa ni thugs rje'i gnang sbyin yin te dad pa'i sgo nas 'ongs/,,khyed rang nas ma byung /,,dkon mchog gi bka' drin yin/  it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8 SV); 2) grace: dkon mchog gis ma ke don ya yul gyi chos tshogs rnams la gnang ba'i bka' drin/  the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches (2 Cor. 8:1 SV), nged kyi gtso bo ye shu ma shi ka'i bka' drin/  the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 8:9 SV), drin de yang rgyas par byos shig excel also in the grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7 SV).

    Buddhist: kindness. True bka' drin che/  (great kindness) happens when the three jewels dkon mchog gsum/  give refuge protection to beings experiencing obstacles (KTM). sku drin sangs rgyas kun las lhag pa'i mgon/  of all the Buddhas, he is the kindest (HTE 182); bod mi rnams la bka' drin shin tu che ba yin tsang /  because this was a great kindness to the Tibetan people (TRC 113); pha ma bzang po bka' drin can/  good and kind parents (TRC 218); bka' drin tshad med pa/  immeasurable kindness (TRC 331); gzhan gyi bka' drin la brten/  to depend on others' kindness (DLP 15); dgongs nas rang drin rang la che bar mdzod/  think about it and do yourself a big favor (HTE 172).