Glossary

Bodhisattva [Sanskrit: awakened being (बोधिसत्त्व)] — one who has vowed to attain enlightenment for the sake of liberating all sentient beings and postpones final nirvana to remain in the world helping others.

Buddha [Sanskrit: awakened one (बुद्ध)] — one who has attained full englightement and liberation from suffering.  When the B is capitalized, it refers to Siddhartha Gautama (c. 562-483 BCE), a prince born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal) who renounced his privileged life at age 29 to seek the end of human suffering.  Gautama later realized the nature of suffering, its causes, and the path to liberation and spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching the dharma, establishing the sangha, and guiding his students to awakening.  In Mahayana Buddhism, Gautama is considered the most recent in a countless series of buddhas throughout time.

Buddha-Nature — the inherent, original enlightenment that exists within all sentient beings.  It is a fundamental awakened nature that is always already present, complete and perfect, and is never created or destroyed.  It may be obscured by delusion, attachments and discriminating thought.

Chan - See Zen.

Cosmic Mudra — See Universal Mudra.

Dharma [Sanskrit: that which upholds (धर्म)] — teachings of the Buddha, the truth of law or reality, and the fundamental nature of all phenomena.

Dharma Name — a Buddhist name, almost always in the Japanese language,  bestowed upon a practitioner by their Zen teacher during jukai or ordination.  It symbolizes the practitioner's formal entry into the Buddhist lineage, their spiritual transformation and rebirth into practice, and their connection to the dharma transmission.  The name typically consists of two or three Japanese characters that reflect qualities the teacher sees in the student or aspirations for their practice, serving as both an affirmation of their Buddha-nature and a lifelong teaching to embody.

Dharma Talk — a formal teaching or lecture given by a Zen teacher or practitioner exploring Buddhist teachings, practice, meditation experience, kōans, sutras, or the application of dharma to daily life.  These talks are not merely intellectual discourse; they are intended to directly point to the lived reality of practice and awakening, often drawing from the speaker's own realization and intended to inspire and guide practitioners on the path.

Dōan [Japanese: hall practice (堂行)] — the timekeeper in the zendō who signals the beginning and end of zazen periods and kinhin by ringing bells, striking wooden instruments, and coordinating the rhythm of formal practice sessions.

Dōshi [Japanese: guiding teacher (導師)] — the priest or officiant who conducts Zen ceremonies and rituals, guiding the formal liturgy and coordinating the service.

Inō [Japanese: one who keeps it together (維那)] — the main chant leader, and often head of the zendō, who leads liturgy, coordinates ceremonies, and oversees meditation hall protocol.

Jukai [Japanese: receiving the precepts (受戒)] — the Buddhist ceremony in which a practitioner formally receives the precepts (ethical guidelines) and takes refuge in the Three Jewels, marking their commitment to the Buddhist path and often receiving a dharma name.

Kinhin [Japanese: walking sutra (経行)] — a slow, meditative walking practice performed between periods of zazen in Zen Buddhism, where practitioners walk in a circle or line with awareness and synchronized breathing.

Kinhin Mudra — the hand position used in kinhin where one hand forms a fist with the thumb inside (often the left hand), and the other hand wraps around the top of it, with both hands held against the chest or torso.

Kōan [Japanese: public case (公案), originally a legal term for established rulings] — a paradoxical question or story used in Zen practice to short-circuit logical thinking and provoke direct insight beyond conceptual understanding.

Kyōsaku [Japanese: awakening stick (警策)] — a flattened stick used to strike one's shoulders during zazen, not as punishment, but as encouragement to maintain alertness and proper posture.  When feeling drowsy or wanting to deepen their concentration, a meditating practitioner can request the kyōsaku by bowing while holding their hands in the gasshō pose as the practice leader walks by.

Mahāyāna Buddhism  [Sanskrit: great vehicle (महायान)] — one of the two major branches of Buddhism (alongside Theravāda), distinguished primarily by its emphasis on the bodhisattva ideal—the aspiration to attain enlightenment not just for oneself but for the liberation of all sentient beings.

Mokurai [Japanese: silent thunder (黙雷)] — a paradoxical phrase used by Matsuoka Roshi that contrasts the deep silence or stillness of zazen with the its tremendous power, presence or awakening, like thunder.

Mudra  [Sanskrit: seal or sign (मुद्रा)] — a symbolic hand gesture or body position used in Buddhist and Hindu practice to express spiritual states, channel energy, or embody particular qualities.

Nirvana [Sanskrit: blow out / extinguish (निर्वाण)] — the realization of one's true nature and liberation from dualistic thinking, suffering, and the illusion of a separate self.

Õshō [Japanese: reverend / master (和尚)] — In Sōtō Zen, a fully ordained priest who has completed formal training and can perform ceremonies, lead a temple, and take disciples. It is sometimes used as a suffix after a teacher's name as a mark of respect.

Refuge — a source—such as one of the Three Jewels—that provides a practitioner with guidance, protection and support on their path to liberation from suffering and serves as a foundational element for one's spiritual practice and life direction.

Rinzai [Japanese: approaching the crossing (老師)] — a major school of Zen Buddhism that emphasizes sudden enlightenment through intensive koan study, dynamic teaching methods, and rigorous discipline.

Rōshi [Japanese: venerable teacher (老師)] — an honored title for a master teacher who has received dharma transmission, completed extensive training, demonstrated deep realization, and is fully authorized to teach independently and transmit the dharma to successors.  It is sometimes used as a suffix after a teacher's name as a mark of respect.

Sangha [Sanskrit: community (saṃgha: संघ)] — the Buddhist community of practitioners, traditionally referring to ordained monks and nuns, but in broader usage including all followers of the Buddhist path. 

Sensei [Japanese: one who has gone before (先生)] — a respectful title for a teacher who has significant experience and authority in guiding students in practice.

Shikantaza  [Japanese: just sitting (只管打坐)] — meditation where one sits in open awareness without necessarily focusing on kōans, counting breaths, or seeking enlightenment, while embodying the understanding that zazen itself is the complete expression of Buddha-nature.  

Sōtō  [Japanese: from the names of the two founders: Sōzan Honjaku (曹山本寂) and Tōzan Ryōkai (洞山良价)] — a major school of Zen Buddhism that emphasizes shikantaza.

Sutra [Sanskrit: thread (सूत्र)] — a discourse or sermon attributed to the Buddha or his close disciples, forming the scriptural foundation of Buddhist teachings and practice.

Three Jewels — the fundamental refuges in Buddhism to which practitioners commit: the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha.  (Synonyms: Triple Gem, Three Treasures)