The most important and highly developed of the Pure Land schools

created by a Chinese Buddha named Amitabha in Sanskrit (Amitofo in Chinese, Amida

in Japanese), featured chanting Amitabha’s name (Namo A-mi-t’l Fo) as a meditative act

and communal ritual.

“nonself,” the doctrine denying the reality of a permanent, immortal soul as

the spiritual center of the human being.

An enlightened disciple, according to the Theravada school; an advanced

disciple, according to the Mahayana.

A Buddha to be, either in the present life or in a future life; in the

Mahayana tradition, all individuals should aspire to be Buddhas, hence the bodhisattva

is the highest human role; some future Buddhas can be reborn as deities, hence in

Mahayana Buddhism there are also bodhisattvas who can assist humans.

A twelve-part formula explaining how individuals are bound to

future rebirth until they extirpate desire and ignorance.

The Buddha’s teaching, one of the three refuges; more broadly, the truth at

the center of Buddhism, the basis for realizing enlightenment.

A reformist movement among global Buddhists seeking to relate

the teachings to contemporary suffering.

A Buddhist spiritual riddle designed to foster spiritual growth, posed by monastic

teacher to junior monks, such as “what is the sound of one hand clapping?” or “Does a

dog have a Buddhist nature?”

Worship, feeding, and petitioning of the souls of dead ancestors

at family graves, temples, or home altars.

Tradition by which human mediums are possessed by spirits and

communicate with the living; in China called wu/xi or fa-shih; in Korea, mudang. Also –

The practice of leaving your body to enter the realm of the gods and spirits and learn

higher spiritual truths and the arts of healing to bring back to one’s people; has its roots

in ancient animistic and polytheistic cultures.

Indigenous religion of Japan that reveres the deities of the islands, including

the emperor.

A supreme overlord believed to keep records on each individual soul, according

to texts found in Han-era tombs in China.

Literally, “sign of God”; title used by certain Shiah religious leaders who are

widely reputed for their learning and piety.

Successor of Muhammad as the political and military head of the Muslim

community.

Literally, protected non-Muslim peoples; refers to Jews and Christians (later

extended to others) who were granted “protected” status and religious freedom under

Muslim rule in exchange for payment of a special tax.

Legal opinion or interpretation issued on request by legal expert (mufti) to

either judges or private individuals.

Annual pilgrimage to Mecca; all Muslims should make the hajj at least once in

their lifetime, but it is recognized that individual circumstances may make compliance

impossible.