D

Glossary

Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama is an honorific title bestowed on members of a prominent reincarnate lineage within the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Dalai Lamas are traditionally regarded as a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

dana

Translated as giving or generosity, dana is a foundational ethical practice in Buddhism and the first of the perfections (paramitas). It involves the voluntary offering of material support, time, or care, especially to monastic communities, and…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

dzogchen

Usually translated as great perfection or great completion, dzogchen is a Tibetan meditative and philosophical tradition centered on recognizing the mind’s innate, primordial awareness. Its teachings range from preliminary practices and visualization to direct instructions that…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

duhkha

Commonly translated as suffering or unsatisfactoriness, duhkha names the pervasive instability and dissatisfaction of conditioned existence. It is articulated in the first of the four noble truths and characterizes samsara, the cycle of birth and rebirth.…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

dharma

A central Buddhist term with several related meanings, dharma most commonly refers to the Buddha’s teachings and the path it articulates. It can also refer to the fundamental principles or laws that govern reality, such as…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

Dogen Kigen

Dogen was a Japanese Buddhist monk and the founder of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. After training in China, Dogen emphasized zazen (seated meditation) as the direct expression of awakening itself, articulated most fully in…

By maciejkarabon

Glossary

dependent origination

Also called dependent arising and interdependence. Dependent origination is a foundational Buddhist teaching that explains how phenomena arise, persist, and cease in dependence on causes and conditions, rather than existing independently or permanently. Often analyzed through…

By maciejkarabon

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