[lit. blessing + way]
Biblical: prayer: 'gong rigs 'di smon lam gyis ma gtogs 'thon mi thub/ this kind can come out only by prayer (Mk. 9:29), dkon mchog gis khyod kyi smon lam gsan pas/ God has heard your prayer (Lk. 1:13), snyung gnas dang smon lam/ fasting and prayer (Lk. 2:37), smon lam dang sbyin pa rnams/ prayers and gifts to the poor (Acts 10:4), smon lam nang 'di ltar dran/ remembering [you] in my prayers (Eph. 1:15,16), dam pa rnams kyi smon lam/ prayers of the saints (Rev. 8:4).
Buddhist: 1) smon lam/ is the wish or desire of the mind (TDC 2175), which may be a request for some blessing or for the destruction of one's enemies smon lam log pa/ . It is generally believed to be of five types; e.g. for the mind of enlightenment, a good rebirth, good conditions for meditation, moral perfection, etc. (TRI 209); 2) another type of prayer accompanies an offering of the first portion of one's daily food and drink, and asks for the blessing of understanding the teachings of Bsm. (JPG 222).
Cognates: 1) smon lam khang / a house of prayer (Mt. 21:13); 2) smon lam chen mo/ or smon lam dus chen/ the 21 day prayer festival held at Lhasa during the first Tibetan month (TRC 27).
p. btab/ f. 'debs/ imp. thob/ [hon. smon lam zhus pa/ ]
Biblical: to pray: khyed la gshe ba rnams kyi don du smon lam thob/ pray for those who mistreat you (Lk. 6:28), mchod khang la smon lam 'debs su song / [they] went to the temple to pray (Lk. 18:10), khong tshos smon lam btab nas/,,phyag dbang gnang ngo / [the apostles] prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6), pus mo sa la btsugs te/,,de thams cad dang mnyam du smon lam btab/ he knelt down with all of them and prayed (Acts 20:36), dam pa'i thugs nyid kyi mthus smon lam thob cig pray in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jude 20), thengs gsum par sngon bzhin smon lam zhus/ [Jesus] prayed the third time, saying the same thing (Mt. 26:44), yab la smon lam zhus/ pray to your Father (Mt. 6:6), spun rnams/,,nga tsho'i phyir smon lam zhus shig brothers, pray for us (1 Thes. 5:25), skad gzhan rnams nang smon lam zhu/ to pray in other languages [or tongues] (1 Cor. 14:14).
Buddhist: shing gi lha la smon lam brgyabs/ [she] prayed to the tree-spirit (SGN 10), lus ngag yid gsum phyag 'tshal smon lam thobs/ pray with your body, speech, and mind (KPU 16), smon lam 'debs pa'i gnas/ the place of prayer (Acts 16:16).
Biblical: prayer as a request or petition for something: gsol ba dang /,,smon lam dang /,,zhu ba dang /,,gtang rag phul/ requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving (1 Tim. 2:1), smon lam dang gsol ba btab pas/ [he] offered up prayers and petitions (Heb. 5:7).
p. btab/ f. 'debs/ imp. thob/
Biblical: to request in prayer: khyod kyi 'tshe ba po'i don du gsol ba thob/ pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:44), khyod kyi dad pa mi yal phyir ngas gsol ba btab pa yin/ I prayed that your faith may not fail (Lk. 22:32), gsol ba 'debs so/ I pray for them (Jn. 17:9), rgyun chad med par thugs nyid kyi sgo nas/,,gsol ba smon lam thob cig pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (Eph. 6:18), gsol ba 'debs pa la brtson/ wrestling in prayer (Col. 4:12), nyin mtshan med par smon lam dang gsol ba 'debs shing gnas kyang / continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help (1 Tim. 5:5).
Buddhist: slob ma rnams kyis gsol ba btab pa bzhin/ according to the request of [the Buddha's] disciples (SGN 16).
Cognates: 1) gsol ba mchod pa/ to offer requests (KTM); 2) gsol ba zhu ba/ to ask for (KTM).
Biblical: 1) solitary prayer, meditation: thugs dam phyir gcig pur ri la phebs so/ he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray (Mt. 14:23), khong ni dben par thugs dam la bzhugs so/ Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Lk. 5:16); 2) occasionally used of prayer generally: thugs dam dang bka' sgrog pa'i zhabs tog prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).