A Manual of Key Buddhist Terms: Categorization of Buddhist Terminologies with Commentary

In order to understand Buddhism clearly, we need to have a good knowledge of Buddhist terminology. This text, written by an 8th-century Tibetan translator named Kaba Paltseg, introduces us to a world of definitive Buddhist terminology. In addition to clearly categorizing many key Buddhist terms, the author provides comprehensive lists with commentaries of the terms through which the reader can learn about the world of Buddhism: its psychology, cosmology, philosophical outlook and other aspects Introduction According to Buddhism, the universe is the co-creation of all beings. Furthermore, it is said that every living being inevitably arises out of a multitude of causes and conditions, and it is one's own actions that determine one's future. To have proper control over one's actions so as to make them result in a positive outcome, one needs to know how an action causes results according to karmic laws. In order to help sentient beings attain these positive, or virtuous, outcomes, which are antithetical to negative outcomes, or suffering, the Buddha gave his teachings. The author of the present text apparently had the same goal in mind when writing this enumeration. By clearly categorizing many key Buddhist terms, the author provides the reader with lists that are easy to memorize. With this knowledge one can develop one's practice, which makes the individual focus on the accumulation of virtue instead of negativity. Of course, many present-day practitioners do not feel it necessary to go so far as to memorize all the relevant terminology. However, since the author also supplies a commentary on the terms, the reader learns a lot about the world of Buddhism, its psychology and its philosophical outlook by studying the terms and their definitions.