A renowned tenth century master from Muara Jambi in Suvarnadvipa, the “golden island,” now known as Sumatra. Serlingpa was the main teacher of Lama Atisha, who travelled to Sumatra and studied thought transformation with him for twelve years.

Symbolizing the seven factors of enlightenment, they are: the precious wheel (mindfulness), the precious elephant (wisdom) the precious horse (energy), the precious jewel (joy), the precious queen (tranquility), the precious minister (concentration) and the precious general (equanimity).

The seven limbs are: prostrating, making offerings, confession, rejoicing, requesting to turn the Dharma wheel, requesting the teachers to remain in the world and dedicating.

Music; one of the offering substances.

The last of the great Indian scholars to travel to Tibet. He remained in Tibet for ten years, where he taught many Buddhist texts and founded four major monastic centres in Ü and Tsang regions.

An eighth century Indian scholar and disciple of Shantarakshita, Shakyaprabha was learned in the Vinaya (ethical discipline). He is usually thought to be one of the Two Supreme Ones.

Eighth century Indian Buddhist philosopher and bodhisattva who propounded the Prasangika Madhyamaka (Middle Way Consequence) view. Shantideva wrote the quintessential Mahayana text, A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Skt: Bodhicarayavatara; Tib: jang chub sem pä chö pa la jug pa).

One of the two principal disciples of the Buddha, with Maudgalyayana.

A native of the Everest region of Nepal. Two famous Sherpas are Sherpa Tenzin, the first person to climb Mt. Everest, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

A hearer; a Hinayana practitioner who strives for liberation from cyclic existence on the basis of listening to teachings from a teacher. There are four divisions: stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner and arhat. Each of these divisions has two stages, a developing level and a resultant level, thus there are eight levels in total. Cf. pratyekabuddha.

Dorje Shugden, also known as Dolgyal, is a worldly spirit previously practiced by many followers of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated that Shugden is a spirit, not an enlightened being or Dharma protector, as claimed by some, and strongly advises against it. See Lama Zopa Rinpoche's advice on Shugden.

The prince of the Shakya clan who became Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha.

A red powder used in tantric practices, especially Vajrayogini.

Also called laxity or sluggishness, sinking thought is a mental factor which causes the object of meditation to appear in a dull manner. Gross laxity is a dull and heavy mind which holds the object of meditation but lacks clarity and lucidity. Subtle laxity is a stable mind which holds the object of meditation clearly but lacks intensity. Sinking thought and scattering are the two main hindrances to single-pointed concentration. See also lethargy.

The six equanimities are defined in The Great Gomde Dictionary as a tradition of Mahamudra practice advice coming from the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tsangpa Gyarey (1161-1211) and so forth. The six are: taking discursive thoughts onto the path (rnam rtog lam 'khyer), taking afflictions onto the path (nyon mongs lam 'khyer), taking sickness onto the path (na tsha lam 'khyer), taking deities and demons onto the path (lha 'dre lam 'khyer), taking suffering onto the path (sdug bsngal lam 'khyer), and taking death onto the path ('chi ba lam 'khyer). This practice was concealed as a terma by Jetsun Rechungpa and revealed by Drogon Tsangpa Gyarey.

The six great Indian scholars, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga and Dharmakirti, who together with the Two Supreme Ones, Gunaprabha and Shakyaprabha, wrote extensive commentaries on the Buddha's teachings.

1) Cleaning the space and preparing the altar; 2) making offerings on the altar; 3) sitting comfortably, checking the state of the mind, taking refuge and generating bodhicitta; 4) visualizing the merit field; 5) offering the seven-limb prayer and a mandala; 6) requesting the guru for inspiration.