This glossary contains an alphabetical list of Buddhist terms that you may find on this website. Many of the terms now include phoneticized Sanskrit (Skt) as well as two forms of Tibetan—the phonetic version (Tib), which is a guide to pronunciation, and transliteration using the Wylie method (Wyl). Search for the term you want by entering it in the search box or browse through the listing by clicking on the letters below. Please see our Content Disclaimer regarding English terms in LYWA publications that may be outdated and should be considered in context.

Glossary terms for "U"

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z

ultimate truth

paramartha satya (Skt); don dam den pa (Tib); don dam bden pa (Wyl)

Or absolute truth; one of the two truths, the other being conventional truth. It is the understanding of the ultimate nature of reality, that things are empty of true existence.

umdze (Tib)

dbu mdzad (Wyl)

The chant master in a Tibetan monastery.

upasaka (Skt)

genyen (Tib); dge bsnyen (Wyl)

A male lay follower of Buddhism.

upasika (Skt)

genyenma (Tib); dge bsnyen ma (Wyl)

A female lay follower of Buddhism.

upper realms

The three higher realms in samsara of human, asura and sura.

ushnisha (Skt)

urgyän (Tib); dbu rgyan (Wyl)

The crown protrusion of a buddha. Not to be confused with the place known in Tibetan as Orgyen (Wyl: o rgyan).