Copy of `A Zen glossary`

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A Zen glossary Category: People and society > Zen Date & country: 11/11/2007, UK Words: 527

Mandara
diagram expressing religious view of the universe (= Mandala)

mandara
blossoms, heavenly red flowers

mani ju
mani jewels, wish fulfilling gems

manji
swastika, ancient symbol of Indian Buddhism

mappo
present era of predicted decline of Buddhism

matcha
thick green tea, whipped to a froth in the Tea Ceremony

mayoi
delusion

Mikkyo
Tantric Buddhism

Miroku bosatsu
Maitreya Bodhissatva, the next Buddha, the Loving One

mokugyo
fish shaped drum used to beat rhythm during chanting

mokusa or moxa
'burn herb' or incense next to the skin causing scars

mokusho zen
'zen of silent enlightenment' i.e. without koans

Mon
temple gate

mondo
'question and answer' sessions when student asks Master about aspects of Buddhism

Monju Bosatsu
Manjushri Bodhisattva of Wisdom, the wisdom aspect of the Eternal Buddha

monshin
a bow from the waist with the hands in gassho

mosshoseki
'leaving not trace', an enlightened person lives completely natyrally leaving no trace

mu
no/none/nothing/immaculacy/Buddha Mind-a famous koan

mu i
(= wu wei Ch.) 'non doing'

muga
no ego

muji
mu practice; meditating on the koan Mu

Mujinni Bosatsu
Aksayamati Bodhisattva of devotion

mujo
impermanence

mujodo no taigen
actualisation of the supreme way in daily life

muku sho
serene reflection

Mumonkan
famous collection of koans

munen-muso
'without concepts and thoughts', a state of meditative absorption

musa
that which exists in its original unconditioned state

mushin
no heart

mushotoku
without any goal or profit seeking

myo
mystic

myo ho
mystic law

Myo ho renge kyo
Lotus Sutra

naisan
visiting the roshi secretly for sanzen when special circumstances warrant it

namu amida butsu
Homage to Amidhaba Buddha mantra

namu myoho renge kyo
Honour to the Lotus Sutra mantra

nehan
nirvana, extinction of desire and delusion

Nehan
day for observing the Death of the Buddha-15th February

nembutsu shu
Pure Land sect

nenge misho
' smiling and twirling a flower' transmission from Shakyamuni Buddha to Mahakashyapa, from master to student

nenju
formal thanksgiving to Roshi in Zendo

ni oshi
woman priest, priestess

ni sodo
nun

ningen
human beings

ninkyo funi
'person phenomenon not two'

Niwa zume
'occupying the court', one of the experiences that a novice has to go through before admittance to a monastery, left outside the monastery for several days

nosu or noshi
patchwork robe of monk or a monk who wears the patchwork robe

nyoi
wooden or jade sceptre carried by celebrant during ceremonies, can be shape of lotus representing the compassion of Kanzeon

nyoi
jewel = cintamani (skt.) jewel capable of removing all suffering

nyoihoju
wish fulfilling gem

Nyorai
Tathagata, 'thus gone', i.e. Buddha

Nyorai zo
'Tathagata treasurehoue', Buddha nature

Nyorai zo shin
' mind of Tathagata treasure-house', the mind of human beings is identical to that of the Buddha

oba san
monk or priest

Obaku shu
Obaku Zen sect

ocha
green tea

ochazuke
tea poured over boiled rice

Ohigan
Japanese festival of the equinox

ojin
(Nirmanakaya Skt.) transformation body of Buddha; oneness; absorption to the point of self forgetfulness

oryoki
formal meals, set of bowls for meals and begging

Osho
a Buddhist priest

otoki
dinner

rakan
arhat (lohan Ch.) humans who have achieved full enlightenment;

renge
lotus blossom

ri
measure of distance about 1/3 mile

rinne
'wheel of life', cycle of birth and death in the six realms

Rinzai
Zen school

ro
'twelth month', marks end of ango; monks count the number of ro spent in the monastery as a rank of seniority

Rohatsu or Rohachi
day of the Buddha's enlightenment-8th December

rokudo
six realms of existence :

Rokuso
'Sixth Patriarch' Hui Neng

Roshi
'venerable teacher'

Ryo
a dragon, defender of the Buddhist faith

Ryoga kyo or Ryogi kyo
Lankaravata Sutra. the Lanka Entering Scripture

Ryogon kyo
Shurangama Sutra

sabetsu no sekai
world of differentiation and intellectual understanding

saiketanden
see tanden

saiza
dinner

sakugo
'requesting a work', question asked by a student during the Master's teisho

Sambo
the Three Treasures :-Namu kie Butsu -Namu kie Ho -Namu kie So

sammyaku smabodai
complete and perfect enlightenment

samo-samu
physical work as part of everyday life in monastery; working meditation

sampai
(triple) prostration with the forehead on the ground and the palms upwards

San Ki Kai
the Three Refuges

San mon
the main gate of a Zen monastery

sanakudo
the three evil realms : hell, hungry ghosts and beasts

sangai
the three worlds of desire, form and no form

sange
contrition, sincere repentance

sanju ni so
the 32 distinguishing marks of a Buddha

sanshin
the three bodies = trikaya (Skt)

Sanso
'mountain monk' name a Roshi uses to describe himeslf

sanzen
interview with teacher

Sanzo
the Tripitaka, Buddhist Cannon

Sarei
tea drinking ceremony in a Monastery

satori
enlightenment experience

Segaki
feeding the Hungry Ghosts ceremony held twice a year

seiza
Japanese sitting posture, kneeling with the back straight and the buttocks on the heels

Sekko
a Zen master

Semmon Dojo
Zen Institute

senge
'entering transformation', dying