Subtle substances that permeate the body, caused by the coalescing of the mind and its accompanying wind at certain parts of the body. Said to have originated from the original white drop from the father and the red drop from the mother, drops are an important element in Vajrayana practice.

The ignorant view characteristic of the unenlightened mind in which all things are falsely conceived to have concrete self-existence. To such a view, the appearance of an object is mixed with the false image of its being independent or self-existent, thereby leading to further dualistic views concerning subject and object, self and other, this and that, etc.

See Collected Topics.

See completion stage.

As opposed to aspirational bodhicitta, which is uncontrived, this is the wish to achieve enlightenment for all sentient beings that arises through reasoning. See bodhicitta and effortless bodhicitta.

The wrong conception of the self; the mistaken belief that "I am self-existent." The fundamental ignorance that has caused us to circle through cyclic existence since beginningless time.

These items represent a group of offerings presented to the Buddha as symbols of the Eightfold Path. They are the mirror, precious medicine, yoghurt, long-life (durva) grass, bilva fruit, the right-turning conch, cinnabar (vermilion powder) and mustard seeds.

The close entourage of Shakyamuni Buddha: Manjushri, Vajrapani, Avalokiteshvara, Ksitigarbha, Sarvanivaranviskambini, Akashadarbha, Maitreya and Samantabhadra.

As opposed to the supreme siddhi (enlightenment), these mundane attainments are usually listed as: the sword of invincibility (Tib: rel dri ngö drub), the eye potion enabling one to see the gods (Tib: mig mem gyi ngö drub),swift footedness—the ability of being able to cover great distance extremely quickly (Tib: kang gyog kyi ngö drub), invisibility (Tib: mi nang bä ngö drub), the art of extracting the essence (rejuvenation) (Tib: chü len gyi ngö drub), becoming a sky-traveler—the ability to fly (Tib: kha chö kyi ngö drub), the ability to make medicinal [invisibility] pills (Tib: ril bü ngö drub), the power of perceiving treasures under the earth (Tib: sa og ngö drub). See also common siddhi and siddhi.

Fears that Tara is able to dispel, each external fear relating to an internal state; they are the fear of: lions (pride), wild elephants (ignorance), fire (anger), snakes (jealousy), floods (attachment), imprisonment (miserliness), thieves (wrong views) and cannibals (doubt).

The hell of being alive again and again, the black-line hell, the gathered and crushed hell, the hell of crying, the hell of great crying, the hot hell, the extremely hot hell and the inexhaustible hot hell.

Traditional offerings to the Three Jewels (the Three Rare Sublime Ones), they are: water for drinking (Skt: argham), water for cleaning the feet (Skt: padyam), flowers (Skt: pushpe), incense (Skt: dhupe), light (Skt: aloke), perfume (Skt: gandhe), food (Skt: naivedya), music (Skt: shabda).

Eight qualities that are said to be most conducive to developing spiritually. They are: long life, handsome or beautiful body, noble caste, wealth, power and fame, trustworthy speech, a male body and a strong body and mind. See also the four Mahayana Dharma wheels.

A short essential mind training text composed by Geshe Langri Tangpa.

The six sense powers, the six consciousnesses and the six objects.

The subtle minds that exist below the conscious level, controlling our conscious mental activities. These minds dissolve during the latter stages of the death process.

Asanga's eleven-point analysis whereby the advantages of following the mind of attachment to the eight worldly dharmas is compared to following the holy Dharma. They are: worldly pleasure 1) it doesn't satisfy the whole body, the Dharma does; 2) it depends on external conditions, the Dharma doesn't; 3) it doesn't exist in all three realms, the Dharma does; 4) it is not the cause for the seven treasures of the aryas, the Dharma is; 5) its pleasure finishes by enjoying it, the Dharma's never finishes; 6) it can be destroyed by external enemies, the Dharma cannot; 7) It cannot be carried into future lives, the Dharma can; 8) it cannot bring full satisfaction, the Dharma can; 9) it is the cause of suffering, the Dharma generates no suffering; 10) it is merely labeled on a false base, the Dharma isn't; 11) it causes attachment and delusions to arise, the Dharma doesn't.