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Flower Ornament Scripture Glossary

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A

absolute state — Nirvana.

action — As “karma” refers to doings that are conditioned by past habits and also condition future habits and states of development.

adornment — All manife[[stations, all phenomena, may be referred to as “adornments.” The features of the world may be called adornments of space. Also, qualities are adornments of essence; specifically, virtue and knowledge are adornments of persons; beauty and harmony are adornments of worlds.

anointed — Means “crowned,” based on the ancient Indian]] coronation ceremony of anointing the crown prince with the waters of the surrounding oceans; in this scripture it means anointment with the “elixir” of true knowledge. This is the highest of the ten abodes of enlightening beings (see Book 15), in which the knowledge of all aspects of enlightening practices is consummated; it is also used to describe the highest of the Ten Stages of enlightening beings (see Book 26), in which the ten powers]] of Buddha hood are developed.

Apara Godaniya — The Western of the four continents of Indian]] Buddhist geography.

B

bases of mystic powers — four bases of spiritual powers: will, effort, concentration, and meditation.

birthless — Refers to emptiness of absolute existence or individuality]]; as things have no in[[dependent individual existence or absolute reality, they are said to have no origin — the “origin” or “birth” of something specific is a point of definition conceived by the mind of the perceiver, not an inherent property]] of objects. From the viewpoint of relativity and continuity, as all things are part of one whole and have no separate existence, these are ultimately no boundaries or demarcations, no beginnings, so individual things have in themselves no point of origin as discrete entities outside of projected definitions.

Brahma — Refers to a class of Gods; or, as a proper name of an individual God, it refers to the God Brahma, associated with knowledge and creativity.

Brahma heavens — See heavens.

C

celestial devil — The ruler]] of the sixth heaven in the realm of desire, the heaven of control of or free enjoyment of others' ema[[nations; “others' ema[[nations” means the experiences of the senses, and the celestial devil is the grasping]] aspect of the cognitive faculty, which conceives attraction and repulsion and thus acts as a compulsive force and a source of con[[fusion.

celestial ear — Super normal hearing, of extraordinary range and acuity.

celestial eye — Clairvoyance, ability to see things and events at great distances; also referred specifically to seeing the births and deaths of sentient [[beings everywhere.

child of Buddha — Or “offspring of Buddha” — an epithet of enlightening beings.

compounded — Conditional, made up of elements, not having in[[dependent discrete existence; usually it is said that all things are compounded except space and Nirvana.

conqueror — An epithet of a Buddha, referring to the victory over oneself; also the term Victor is used.

D

definitive marks of all things — (1) All actions are impermanent; (2) all actions involve suffering; (3) all things are selfless]]; (4) Nirvana is ultimately tranquil.

demons — Any attachment]] or obsession, anything that obstructs wisdom, is called a demon. Any delusion or force of distraction is called a demon. The so-called four demons are the demon of afflictions, the demon of the five clusters (q.v.) or mental and physical elements, the demon of death, and the devil or the Most evil [[one, the king of the heaven of free access to or control of others' enjoyments, the highest of the heavens in the realm of desire, symbolic]] of the conceptual]] or cognitive mind commandeered by desire.

Devadatta — Arch villain of Buddhist myth, renegade from the original Buddhist order, said to have attempted to kill the Buddha.

diamond realm — existence seen as identical to emptiness and therefore indestructible.

discriminatory thought — Thinking]] of percepts and concepts as objective realities, discrete and definitive; fixation on appearances while ignorant of essence. discrimination is commonly used in the sense of false or arbitrary discrimination, notions not true to reality; it may also be used, however, in the sense of nonemotive, unbiased discernment. Con[[text makes it clear which of these meanings is intended. Also, discrimination in the sphere of relative mundane truth may be temporarily suspended for the purpose of focusing the attention on absolute truth, then resumed with greater]] clarity, precision, and detachment in order to function in the ordinary world after the awakening of trans mundane in[[sight.

dusts — The material world; used specifically to refer to sense data.

E

eight difficult situations — Conditions in which it is difficult to be able to hear the teaching of Enlightenment: hells, the state of hungry ghosts, the state of animals, earthly paradise, the heaven of long life, the conditions of deafness and blindness, the condition of intellectual brilliance in terms of worldly]] knowledge, and in times before and after the existence of a Buddha in the world.

eight liberations — (1) Contemplating external form while still having internal images of form: this means looking at or contemplating “impure forms” such as decomposing corpses to inhibit the ari[[sing of physical desires and eliminate attachment]] to the body; (2) contemplating external form without internal images of form: this means observing impure external forms even after attachment]] to the body is quelled, in order to strengthen this detachment; (3) fulfilled stage of physical realization of pure liberation: this refers to observing “pure forms” which means only seeing light and color; “physical realization” means at this stage the body is filled with bliss; (4) absorption of the mind in the infinity of space; (5) absorption in the infinity of consciousness; (6) absorption in nothingness; (7) neither perception nor nonperception; (8) cessation of sensation and perception.

Eightfold Path of sages — An ancient formulation]] of eight elements of the [[way to liberation: right seeing, right thinking]], right speech, right action]], right livelihood, right effort, right recollection, right concentration. “right” here means conducive to liberation.

eighteen elements — six sense faculties, six associated sense consciousnesses, and six fields of sense data — in combination these are the elements of experience.

end of the right doctrine — It is said that spiritual teachings go through three stages: the first is when the genuine teaching is operative and there is practice and realization; second is a period of imitation, where there is practice but no true realization; third is the ending period, when the teaching is vitiated and has become an inoperative relic.

enter — This word is commonly used in the sense of intellectual penetration, experiential understanding, realization, in[[sight, vision.

essence — emptiness, or the conditional nature of things.

F

field of bles[[sings — Saints, enlightening beings, and Buddhas are called fields of bles[[sings because of their beneficial effect on the world, and because giving to them produces bles[[sings and felicity. Also, all beings may be called fields of bles[[sings, for the reason that giving to others is productive of bles[[sings or worldly]] happiness as well as furthering human development through nonpresumptuous generosity.

five clusters — Components of living beings: matter (physical form), sensations, perceptions, (mental) con[[formations, consciousness. traditional]]ly this analysis is made for contemplation purposes, especially to convey the sense that the psycho physical being is not an irreducible unity, and to provide a frame[[work for meditation on the emptiness of the ideas of self, soul, person, and individual life. They are called “grasping]] clusters” as long as they are characterized by clinging and attachment]].

five eyes]] — five levels of perception: the physical eye, the celestial eye (clairvoyance), the eye of wisdom (perceiving [[emptiness of absolute reality), the objective eye (seeing things in the relative world as they are in fact, without subjective projection]]), and the Buddha-eye (including all of the preceding four eyes).

five faculties — faith, energy, recollection, concentration, awareness]].

five powers — Full development of the five faculties.

Five Moral Precepts — Basic precepts forbidding killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and drinking alcohol.

Flower Ornament meditation — Observation of the “net of Indra” principle, seeing all things as interrelated, seeing the unity of being.

four bases of spiritual powers — (1) Will, or desire; (2) energetic effort; (3) concentration; (4) meditation. These are bases of higher psychic]] developments.

four demons — Major sources of distraction and delusion: the demon of afflictions, the demon of the clusters, the demon of death, and the “celestial demon” of the conceptual]] faculty controlled by desire.

four fearless]]nesses — four kinds of expertise, or infallibility, or confidence peculiar to Buddhas. In the Chinese tradition these are understood as freedom from fear of contradiction, or confidence, in realizing all truths; in awareness]] of extinction of all contaminations; in definitive de[[scription]] of all obstacles to Enlightenment; and in accuracy of realization of all ways to emancipation. Indian]] tradition refers to these as types of expertise. There are also four kinds of expertise proper to enlightening beings: expertise in memory and explanation of teachings heard; expertise in protecting others by virtue of purity of thought, word, and deed, with nothing in one's conduct harmful to others, this being attained]] as a result of realization of selfless]]ness]]; rightly taking up the teaching without heedlessness, attaining ultimate wisdom and skillfulness, liberating sentient [[beings, causing joy to all who see the enlightening being, and clearing away obstructions to Enlightenment; and never forgetting the thought of omni[[science, not seeking emancipation by any other way, attaining full mastery]] and benefiting sentient [[beings in all ways. (Also four fold fearless]]ness)

four formless concentrations — absorption in the infinity of space, the infinity of consciousness, the infinity of nothingness, and in neither perception nor nonperception. (Also four formless attainments)

four fruits of ascesis — The four stages of the vehicle of listeners; stream-enterers, Once-Returners, Non-Returners, and saints.

four gross physical elements — earth, water, fire, air; these re[[present the material body and are used in contemplation of physical disintegration, to view the body as an object rather than a self, to develop dispassion.

four im[[measurable states of mind — Im[[measurable kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity; cultivated by enlightened beings.

four intellectual powers — knowledge of doctrines (or phenomenal facts and principles), meanings, phraseology, and appropriate expression. Also called the four powers of understanding and the four special knowledges, these are analytic and expository powers exercised in preaching and teaching. The four general aspects of enlightened knowledge are: mirrorlike knowledge (unbiased perception of things as they are, like a mirror that reflects impartially without grasping]] or rejecting]]); knowledge of essential equality]] (realization of the emptiness of absolute reality of all things); differentiating knowledge (distinguishing the relative characteristics of things); practical knowledge (involved in the accomplishment of tasks).

four means of integration — generosity, kind speech, beneficial action, co[[operation]]; also called means of salvation, these are means by which enlightening beings integrate with the world and also integrate people into a Buddha-Land.

four meditations — four stages of meditation, each having several characteristic elements: (1) focused awareness]], precise thought, joy, bliss, single-mindedness; (2) inner purity, joy, bliss, single-mindedness; (3) equanimity, mindfulness, precise knowledge, bliss, single-mindedness; (4) neither pain nor pleasure, equanimity, mindfulness, single-mindedness.

four points of mindfulness — Contemplation of the body as impure, sensation as irritating, mind as impermanent and unstable, and things as un graspable and identityless, these are used to develop detachment.

four powers of understanding — See four intellectual powers.

four right efforts — (1) Eliminating unwholesome states; (2) preventing further ari[[sing of unwholesome states; (3) developing good states; (4) increa[[sing good states.

four special knowledges — See four intellectual powers.

four torrents — desire, becoming, views, ignorance; currents that sweep the mind away from Enlightenment and hold it in bond age by compelling force.

freedom from birth — Detachment from the world.

G

gandharva — A Demigod; mythical celestial musician.

gandharva city — A mirage or illusion.

garuda — A fantastic birdlike creature.

gate — A method, a means of access to understanding, a facet or aspect of experience; commonly used to refer to a way of entry into truth, a specific teaching or practice, or a particular perspective.

Gods — Re[[presentation]]s of higher psychic]] faculties or meditative [[states without Enlightenment.

Guide — An epithet of Buddha.

heavens — These are classified as belonging to the realm of desire, the realm of form, or the Formless Realm.

Brahma heavens — or heavens of purity — are in the realm of form, free from lust, tranquil; there are three divisions — Brahma hosts or pure hosts, Brahma assistants, and great Brahmas. Brahma is the creator God of Hindu mythology]].

heaven of enjoyment of ema[[nations — In the realm of desire; the inhabitants enjoy themselves by emanating sense experiences with which they amuse themselves.

heaven of free access to, or control of, others' enjoyments or ema[[nations — Highest of the heavens in the realm of desire, where the inhabitants enjoy the ema[[nations of other heavens in the realm of desire.

heaven of good manife[[station — In the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of good sight — In the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of great freedom — The realm of Maheshvara, the Great Lord, at the summit of the realm of form, presiding over the world system.

heaven of infinite light — In the realm of form, perceived in the third meditation.

heaven of infinite purity — In the realm of form, perceived in the third meditation.

heaven of little light — In the realm of form, perceived in the second meditation.

heaven of minor purity — In the realm of form, perceived in the third meditation.

heaven of minor vastness — In the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of no heat — In the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of no troubles — In the fourth]] meditation, the abode of Non-Returners.

heavens of the four world guardians — Abodes of guardian Deities of the four quarters.

heaven of the ultimate of form — Highest of the heavens in the realm of form, at the peak of the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of thirty-three celestial realms — Or thirty-three heavens]]; in the realm of desire, ruled by Indra, envisioned as atop the polar mountain Sumeru, with the thirty-three realms]] of celestial cities surrounding Indra's palace.

heaven of universal purity — In the realm of form, perceived in the third meditation.

heaven of vast results — In the realm of form, perceived in the fourth]] meditation.

heaven of vastness — In the fourth]] meditation.

light-sound heaven — Also called heaven of ultimate light purity; in the realm of form, there is no sound and speech is done by means of light.

Suyama heaven — The “heaven of timely portion,” in the realm of desire, re[[presenting knowledge of suitable time and amount of enjoyment.

Tushita heaven — The “heaven of happiness” or contentment, in the realm of desire, said to be the abode of the Buddha-to-be.

honored one — An epithet of Buddha.

human Tamer — An epithet of Buddha, as a teacher]].

I

immortality — Refers to Nirvana, freedom from bond age to life and death.

indestructible body — Refers to the realization of the identity of existence and emptiness, and to the unity of being, transcending ephemeral particulars.

Indra — A particular God, ruler]] of the Gods of the thirty-three fold heaven, sometimes called the king or emperor of goods.

invisible crown — Refers to the inconceivability of the ultimate realization of Enlightenment.

J

Jambudvipa — The southern of the four continents of Indian]] Buddhist geography, sometimes identified with India.

K

kalavinka — A mythical bird with a beautiful voice.

kinnara — A fantastic creature with a human body and a horse head.

knot of flesh on the head — one of the supposed physical marks of Buddha.

L

limbs of Enlightenment — seven aspects of Enlightenment: discrimination of true and false, energy, joy, ease, relinquishment, st[[ability, mindfulness.

lion — A term used to refer to Buddhas as the best of humans.

lion throne/seat — Seats of honor for Buddhas and enlightening beings.

lion's roar — The realization or explanation of the ultimate emptiness of conditional things.

M

Maheshvara — “Great Lord,” applied to Indra and other Gods.

mahoraga — A great serpent; a fantastic creature.

methods of fostering the path — Thirty-seven aids to Enlightenment consisting of the four points of mindfulness, four right efforts, four bases of spiritual powers, five faculties, and five powers (all of the foregoing are glossed separately), the seven branches of Enlightenment (analysis of things, vigor, joy, ease, equanimity, st[[ability and concentration, and mindfulness), and the Eightfold Path (right seeing, thinking]], speech, action, livelihood, effort, recollection, and concentration).

moon — A symbol of truth or reality, being reflected]] everywhere while itself remaining undivided.

most honorable human — Buddha.

N

naga — A mythical creature; a “dragon” or rain spirit.

nature — Sometimes used in the conventional sense of character or quality, more usually refers to absolute or intrinsic nature, which is naturelessness or emptiness.

nature of things — emptiness, or relativity.

nine successive stages of meditation — These consist of the four basic stages of meditation, the four formless attainments, and the stage of passing away of all sensation. (Cf. “The Ten Stages,” Book 26)
oceanic reflection]] concentration — A metaphor for holistic awareness]]; the mind is likened to an ocean which, when the waves are stilled, clearly reflects everything at once. The Flower Ornament Scripture supposed emerges from the oceanic reflection]] concentration.

O

one sound — Or “one voice,” refers to universal truth, such as the truth of the relativity of all conditional things.

other shore — transcendence]], or ultimate perfection]] or consummation.

P

path of ten virtues — Not killing, not stealing, not commit ting adultery, not lying, not speaking]] divisively, not s[[lander]]ing others, not speaking]] frivolously, not being greedy, not being moved to anger or hatred, not entertaining false views.

perdurance — Refers to unity of emptiness and existence, so that there is really nothing which disintegrates, having no in[[dependent reality to begin with.

points of mindfulness — mindfulness of the body, sensations, mind, and phenomena; these are basic meditation practices.

points of totality — yogic practices involving total absorption in ten objects of concentration, which are expanded to cover the total field of awareness]]: absorption in the color blue, the color yellow, the color red, the color white, earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness.

principles of great people — Having few desires, being content, enjoying peace and quiet, being vigorous in effort, being heedful and mindful, cultivating meditation concentration, cultivating knowledge and wisdom, and not indulging in idle speculation.

purity — Essential purity means emptiness; relative purity means purity as opposed to defilement. Asking about purity is part of the ordination ceremony and refers to asking the novice whether he is pure, or innocent, in regard to the precepts.

purvavideha — The Eastern of the four continents of Indian]] Buddhist geography.

Q

quakes — Re[[presentation]] of the “shaking” or breaking down of fixed views, the shattering of the habitual world view.

R

rakshasa — A fantastic creature, may refer to evil goblins or to benevolent Demigods]].

real character — The identity of emptiness and existence.

reliances — four basic principles for understanding Buddhism: rely on the teaching, not on the person; rely on the meaning, not on the letter; rely on the complete teaching, not on partial teaching; rely on knowledge, not on conditioned consciousness.

religious faculties and powers — faith, vigor, recollection, concentration, discernment. (Also five faculties, five powers)

roots of goodness — Also bases of goodness, foundations of goodness; refers to virtues firmly established in one's character, or to virtues in general, or good deeds, or higher developments of human faculties.

S

seven branches of Enlightenment — Factors involved in attaining Enlightenment: discernment, energy, joy, comfort, recollection, concentration, equanimity.

seven Jewels of awakening — The seven branches, or limbs, of Enlightenment. See thirty-seven aids to Enlightenment.

seven kinds of wealth — The spiritual wealth of sages — faith, discipline, learning, con[[science, shame, detachment, and wisdom.

seventh sage — The historical Buddha Shakyamuni was said to be the seventh of a succession of ancient Buddhas.

shrouds — Another term for afflictions or hindrances to Enlightenment; also refers to obstructions to meditation such as agitation and torpor, anxiety and craving.

six dispositions — The states of being of heavens, hells, animals, ghosts, humans, and titans; a way of referring to the mundane existence in general and in particular.

six paranormal powers — six spiritual powers: psychic]] travel, or projection]] of awareness]]; clairvoyance (celestial eye); clairaudience (celestial ear); mental tele[[pathy or mind-reading; recollection of past states; awareness]] of the ending of mental contaminations.

Six Principles]] of harmony and respect — six bases of organization of a religious community: the same acts of devotion, the same recitations, the same faith, the same precepts, the same views, and the same livelihood.

Six Principles]] of steadfastness — Steadfastness in faith, steadfastness in the midst of phenomena, steadfastness in practice, steadfastness in virtue, steadfastness in highest attainment, and steadfastness in awareness]].

six thoughts — thought of Buddha, of the teaching, of the spiritual community, of discipline, of charity, and of heaven.

six fold respect — principles for a spiritual community — respect in behavior, speech, and thought; sharing the same ethics, the same views, and the same material goods.

sixteen knowledges of refined meditation — This refers to the so-called eight recognitions and eight knowledges, which are recognition of and knowledge of the four Holy Truths as they apply to the realm of desire, and as they apply to the realms of form and formlessness.

sixty-two views — This refers to all the various opinions and doctrines of the philosophers of India, and by extension to all dogmas and fixed ideas.

sweet dew — Or ambrosia, or elixir; the elixir of immortality, an epithet of Nirvana, by which one overcomes the dread and sorrow of death; also used gene rally for realization of eternal truth.

T

teacher]]less path / teacher]]less knowledge — Autonomous knowledge or inherent knowledge which cannot in itself be taught or learned, but is to be awakened from latency.

ten eyes — The physical eye, the celestial eye, the eye of wisdom, the objective eye, the Buddha-eye, the eye of knowledge, the eye of light, the eye leaving birth and death, the unobstructed eye, the eye of omni[[science.

ten powered — An epithet of Buddhas.

ten powers]] — These are ten kinds of enlightened knowledge. One de[[scription]] of the ten powers]] according to the Chinese tradition is given in the Introduction to this volume. They are also described as knowledge of the following ten things: (1) what is so and what is not so; (2) results of actions; (3) various interests; (4) various realms; (5) higher and lower faculties; (6) all desti[[nations; (7) all states of meditation and concentration, how they are defiled, how they are purified, and how to emerge from them; (8) past states of being; (9) the conditions of death and birth of other beings; (10) the end of contamination. These ten kinds of knowledge power are sometimes equated with the comprehensive omni[[science of Buddhas, the knowledge of all particulars. The term “ten powers]]” typically refers to these ten powers]] of Buddhas, but there are also ten powers]] of enlightening beings: (1) resolution; (2) deliberation; (3) becoming; (4) patience; (5) knowledge; (6) extirpation; (7) concentration; (8) presence of mind; (9) virtue; (10) action. Another enumeration of the ten powers]] of enlightening beings gives (1) intent; (2) will; (3) application; (4) wisdom; (5) commitment; (6) means; (7) practice; (8) magic; (9) awakening; (10) teaching.

ten uni[[verses — Prototypes of existence: realms of animals, ghosts, hells, titans, humans, celestials, Hearer]]s, individual illuminates, enlightening beings, and Buddhas.

tenfold knowledge — knowledge of facts, inferential knowledge, knowledge of others' minds, knowledge of the world, knowledge of the four truths (of the existence of suffering, the cause of [[suffering, the end of suffering, and the [[way to end suffering), knowledge of extinction, and knowledge of nonorigination]].

thirty-seven aids to Enlightenment — elements of the path of Enlightenment — four points of mindfulness (mindfulness of the body, sensations, mind, and phenomena); four right efforts (to eliminate existing bad states, prevent future ari[[sing of bad states, foster good states, and further develop existing good states); four bases of psychic]] powers (desire, effort, concentration, contemplation); five faculties and five powers (faith, perseverance, mindfulness, concentration, precise awareness]]); seven branches of Enlightenment (discernment, diligence, joy, alleviation, relinquishment, st[[ability, attention); the eightfold right path (right in[[sight, right thought, right speech, right action]], right livelihood, right effort, right recollection, right meditation).

thirty-two marks — An ancient Indian]] idea that a great man has thirty-two special physical features was also applied to the idealized image of [[Buddha; here they are symbols of qualities attained]] by cultivation of good practices.

three doors of liberation — See three liberations.

three fires — The fires of craving, hatred, and folly.

three kinds, or bodies, of pure precepts — discipline or self-control]] developed in the realm of desire, discipline ari[[sing from meditation, and discipline ari[[sing from entry into un contaminated concentration. Also, precepts designed to get rid of evil, precepts designed to embody virtue, and precepts related to helping others.

three levels of truth — Imaginary or mentally constructed truth; relative truth, or the conditional, interdependent existence of things; and absolute truth, the ultimate emptiness of the imagined and relative truths.

three liberations — liberation through realization of signlessness, wishlessness, and emptiness; that is, by realizing that things are not as they appear, have no inherent aim, and have no inherent existence.

three modes of conduct — behavioral discipline, discipline concomitant with concentration, and discipline concomitant with the path of Enlightenment.

three spheres pure — emptiness of absolute existence of subject, object, and medium; usually applied specifically to giving without attachment]] to the giver, the receiver, or the gift.

three super knowledges — knowledge of past states of self and others; seeing the future life and death of self and others; and knowledge of the end of afflictions and contaminations.

three times — Past, present, and future.

three tolerances — tolerance of opposition and injury, tolerance of suffering, and tolerance of truth.

three Treasuries — The Buddha, the teaching, and the religious community.

Three Vehicles]] — vehicles of salvation: the vehicle of “Hearer]]s” or disciples; the vehicle of individual illuminates; the vehicle of enlightening beings. The first two, called the small or lesser vehicles, culminate in lesser Nirvana, or dispassion; the third, called the Great vehicle, includes both self- and other-Enlightenment, and both mundane and trans mundane welfare.

three worlds]]/triple world — The realms of desire, form, and formlessness. The realm of desire is the realm of passion of the ordinary person. The realm of form is the realm of the four meditations (q.v.). The Formless Realm is the realm of the four formless concentrations (q.v.). These realms are psychically, not spatially, distinct; they are usually cited together as the totality of the mundane, and emancipation is referred to as liberation from, or nonattachment]] to, any of these realms.

three fold repetition — This refers to repetition during the ceremony of ordination and giving monastic precepts, where the novice is required to affirm his commitment three times.

titan — A kind of being, re[[presenting anger, jealousy, pride, and arrogance.

torrents — The four torrents are the torrent of passion, involving great anger, folly, and suspicion, in the realm of desire; the torrent of existence, involving greed and pride in the form and Formless Realms; the torrent of views, involving delusive views; and the torrent of ignorance.

twelve sense media — The six sense faculties and six fields of sense data.

two kinds of Nirvana — Nirvana with remainder, being the extinction of afflictions and views while in this life; and Nirvana without remainder, being final extinction upon physical death.

U

uncreated]] — This means void or empty of absolute inherent nature; it is also used of what are known as uncompounded phenomena (space and extinction), but again corresponds as well to the uncompounded or uncreated]] essence — emptiness — within the compounded.

universal tongue — Refers to the expounding of universal truth or all-pervasive principles such as emptiness.

uttara — The Northern of the four continents of Indian]] Buddhist geography.

W

walking seven steps — This refers to the myth of the birth of the Buddha, who is said to have walked seven steps in each direction upon coming into the world.