Tibetan-English Glossary of Mahamudra Technical Terms

The following list of suggested English equivalents for mahamudra technical terms in Tibetan is arranged according to English alphabetical order. It has been compiled primarily from Mahamudra Eliminating the Darkness of Unawareness (Phyag-chen ma-rig mun-sel) by the Ninth Karmapa Wangchug Dorje (Kar-ma-pa dBang-phyug rdo-rje) and A Root Text for the Precious Gelug-Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra (dGa’-ldan bka’-brgyud rin-po-che’i phyag-chen rtsa-ba) by the First Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan).

Tibetan English
‘bol-le soft
‘bur-tshugs intensely wide-open
‘byams-pa totally immerse
‘dre-ba to mix
‘gyu-ba stirring
‘jog-pa, bzhag-pa, gzhag-pa set the mind into ….
‘jur-btab tighten up
‘phrang-lnga five dangerous gorges (where you can be ambushed by enemies)
‘phro-ba to be emanating
‘tsher shiny
a-‘thas solidifying
a-‘thas-kyis in a solidifying manner
ban-bun the gurgle-gurgle of “this” and “not that”
bar-chad interference
bcos-med uncontrived
bdag-nyid identity-nature
bdag-med unself-conscious (tenet systems: lack of an impossible “soul”)
bdo-ba comprehensive
bka’-babs transmission
bkrag luster
blo intellect, attitude
blo-‘das chen-po the great state beyond the intellect
blo-gtad trust
blos-byas intellectually derived
bogs-‘don enhancing one’s progress
brda label
brdar-ba’i gser rubbed gold
brod-pa joy
bsam-mno cogitating thoughts
byang-chub purified state
bzo-med non-manufactured
cer (cer-re) piercing stare
cham-du utterly
cham-‘gro pass utterly into …
cham-gyis tranquilly
cham-me tranquil
chil-le-ba pronounced (odor)
cho-‘phrul magical emanations
chos-nyid actual nature
chos-skad Dharma jargon
ci-yang byar-med-pa having nothing whatsoever to be done
cig-car-ba those for whom it happens all at once
dag-pa gnyis-ldan double purity
dal leisured
dangs see: dvangs
dbang-po rab-‘bring-tha those with highest, middling and least capabilities
De-bzhin-nyid the accordant nature (of reality) (Skt. tathata)
de-kho-na-nyid the very nature of reality
de-nyid real nature, fact of reality, reality, the real thing (Skt. tattvata)
dkar lustrous
dkar-po chig-thub singular sufficient white panacea
dmigs-gtad focal support
dngos-‘dzin grasping for truly existent functional phenomena
dngos-grub actual attainments
don-gyi mtha’ utmost point
dran-rtog conceptual memory
dri-ma stain
dred-po closed-minded and smug
dung-dung affectionately
dung-nge-ba emotionally affectionate
dvangs lucid, lucidity
gar thod-thod whatever comes up
gdams-ngag guideline instructions
gdams-pa guidelines
gdangs luster
gdod-lta the view that is there from the start
gdod-nas from the start
gegs hindrance
glod loosen, let go, release
gnas-lugs abiding nature
gnas-pa to settle (the mind)
gnyan-sa frightening haunted places
gnyis-‘dzin dualistic grasping
gnyug-ma primordial state
gnyer-med not anxiously caring
go-ba intellectual understanding
go-‘phang topmost achievement
go-yul theoretical understanding
gol-sa gsum three places for deviation
gsal-le sparkling
gsha’-ma genuine
gshis character
gtan immemorial
gtan-la ‘bab-pa to ascertain
gtum fierce
gu-tog-po claustrophobic
gu-yangs-pa expansively open
gud-na separately, independently
g.ya tarnish
gya-gyu fluttering
g.yar-khral-du dutifully
g.yeng-ba mental wandering
gzhag set (your mind)
gzhal-yas-khang immeasurably magnificent palace
ha-re-ba staring
hrig-ge-ba vividly wide awake
hrim-gyis bsgrims firm tightness
hur-phyung-pa to re-energize
kad-de-ba a whimsical thought
kha-sbyor bdun-ldan united couple having seven features
khrig-ge securely (settled)
khyad-du gsod-pa to put down, to be dismissive of
krong-nge straightly, uprightly (straight as an arrow)
kun-gzhi rnam-shes specific awareness alaya, alayavijnana
kun-gzhi ye-shes deep awareness alaya
lam-me vividly clear
lam-rim-pa those who progress through stages
las-dkar lustrous impulse
las-nag dark impulse
legs goodness, good things
lhag-ge distinctly
lhan-ne serene (tranquil)
lhang-gis (lhang-nge) distinctly (clearly understandable)
lhod-de relaxed
lhod-kyis glod relax and loosen up
lhug-pa at ease
lhug-par ‘jog set at ease
lhun chags-pa dignified
lings-skyur placed totally in someone or something
long-nge low-keyed
lta-ba to examine
lta-stangs way of gazing
lteng-po lethargic
lus-gnad body posture
ma-bslad-pa unadulterated
ma-nyams-pa unimpaired
ma-rnyog-pa unsullied
man-ngag quintessence teachings
mdangs brilliance, brilliant
me-re limpid
mi-chos polite affectations
mi-‘gyu dgu-‘gyu stirring with all sorts (of conceptual thoughts)
mnyam-nyid the equal nature
mos-gus firm conviction (in your guru’s good qualities) and appreciation (of his kindness)
nan-tan byed-pa to earnestly practice
na-ra-ra steadily
ngang-gis naturally (by their own force without effort)
ngang-gis gnas naturally settle down
ngar-skyed increase intensity, increase strength
ngo-bo essential nature
ngo-‘phrod to have met face to face
ngo-sprod get to know face to face
ngo-ti the actual matter, the actual topic
ngos-gzung identifiable, recognizable
nyams boon, boon experience
nyog-pa muddy-minded
phri-li-li vibrant (like a bell)
phul-tu byung-ba superior
phun-tshogs splendor
rang-babs dropped down to the natural state
rang-byung self-arising
rang-bzhin intrinsic nature (dzog-chen: functional nature, Gelug: self-establishing nature)
rang-chas an intrinsic part of oneself
rang-dag automatically purifying itself away
rang-ga-ba naturally simple
rang-gis reflexively
rang-grol automatically liberate themselves, automatically release themselves
rang-lugs natural mode
rang-mdangs reflexive brilliance
rang-ngo natural face
rang-rdol spring out spontaneously
rang-rig ye-shes reflexive deep awareness
rang-sar grol release itself automatically in its own place
rang-sar zhi still automatically in its own place
rang-shugs-kyis naturally
rang-snang reflexive appearance
rang-so naturally present all along
rang-yan-du at its own leisure
rang-zhi subsiding by their own accord
rbad-rbad bcod cut off “wham-wham”
re-dogs hopes or worries
re-mos alternate
rengs-pa dumbfounded
rgya-yan carefree and loose
rgyu-ba rambling
rig-pa knowing (dzogchen: pure awareness)
rig-rig knowing this and that
rje-btsun ennobling impeccable
rjen-gyis denuded, denuding
rjen-ne stark
rjen-par see: rjen-gyis
rmongs-pa stupefied
rmug-pa bewildered
rmugs-pa foggy-mindedness
rnam-‘phrul miraculous emanations
rnam-g.yeng distractions
rnam-rtog conceptual thoughts
rol-pa play
rten-brten supporting environment and what is supported in it
rting-sor afterwards
rtogs-pa stable realization
rtogs-grol dus-mnyam simultaneous realization and liberation
rtsal display
rtsing-po coarse, wild
rtsol-med unlabored
sa-le vividly transparent
sal-le see: sa-le
sems-nyid mind-itself
sems-don mind’s deepest point
sgrib obscuration
shig-ge comfortable
shigs-se vividly discharging
shigs-shigs see: shigs-se
shor-sa gzhi four places for a loss (of voidness)
sil-gyis shatteringly
sing-nge crystal clear
skor-re circling back
skyor bde-ba fluidly flowing
snang-srid whatever is possible that can appear
snum glistening
spu-ris fine details
so-ma fresh and clean
spro-ba to emanate
spros-bcas bya-ba action with elaboration
spros-bral parted from mental fabrication
spros-pa mental fabrication
sre-ba to merge
stong voidness, bareness
stong-rkyang just an absence
stong-skad talk of voidness
stong-pa cang-med a blank void
stong-nyid shor-ba gzhi four losses of voidness
stong-sang utter bareness
stong sang-nge see: stong-sang
tha-mal ‘du-‘dzi ordinary commotion
tha-mal-gyi shes-pa normal awareness
thag-bcod become decisive
thal-le-ba plainly evident, with no covering or obstruction
thol-gyis suddenly, all of a sudden
thom-me-ba pitch (blackness)
ting-nge-ba absorbed
tsham-tshum blink
tur-tur-po darting here and there
ya-yo wavering to and fro
yang-dag-pa perfectly so
yang-dag-pa’i don totally perfect deepest truth
ye-re pristine
yed-yed trembling (fear)
yengs-pa meandering
yer-gyis rapidly afresh
yin-lugs the way things are
yud-de in the ever-present moment
yul-med a state of not being an object (clung to as truly existent)
zab-be zob-be slack
zab-zob see: zab-be zob-be
zhal-gdams guideline teachings
zhal-lung personal instructions
zhen-pa cling to conceptually
zi-bun enraptured


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