GLOSSARY 323experienced, without reference to the
question of whether or not they corres-
pond to anything outside of experience.
Po~adha (Uposatha). Observance Day,
determined by the phases of the moon.
For the laity, these days are times to ob-
serve the Eight Precepts and listen to the
Dharma; they occur on the days of the full,
new, and half moons. For monastics, they
are times to listen to the Pratimok.fa, occur-
ring on the days of the full and new
moons.
Prajiiii (Paiiiiii). Discernment; wisdom.
(The first of these equivalents is closer to
the original meaning, as the word is re-
lated to the Pali verb pajanati, which
means to discern. Thus this is the equiva-
lent used in this textbook to translate
prajiia in Theravada and other Hinayana
contexts. "Wisdom," however, has been
the established usage in English-language
discussions of Mahayana for so long that to
change the usage would amount to an
affectation.) Understanding of the true
nature of reality, leading to release from
bondage to sa1J1sara. The final step in the
stages of the practice, it depends on the
previous ones while at the same time
strengthening and perfecting them
[2.3.1, 5.1].
Prajiiii-piiramitii. The perfection of
prajiia. The Mahayana designation of the
supreme degree of prajiia, which views all
dharmas as sunya, devoid of svabhava; also
the designation of the earliest Mahayana
Siitras [4.1, 5.1].
Priitimok~a (Piitimokkha). The code of
monastic discipline [3 .1.2, 3.4 .1].
Pratitya-samutpiida (Pa#cca-
samuppiida). Dependent co-arising; also
translated in other works as dependent
origination, conditioned genesis, and vari-
ations on these. The specific formula ana-
lyzing the preconditions (nidana) in the
causal loops connecting avidya with the
consequents ofbirth, aging, death, and the
whole mass ofsamsaric du~kha [1.4.3].
Private Buddha (Pratyeka-buddha).
See Buddha.
Pudgala. "Person." A designation of rela-
tive status-neither ultimate nor conven-
tional truth-to describe what gives
cohesion to the personality, transmigrates,
and attains nirva1Ja. A doctrine asserted by
the Pudgalavadins (Personalists) [3.2.2].
Samadhi. Concentration; a mindful state
characterized by singleness of object, calm,
stability, and absence of distraction; right
concentration is equivalent to the four
states of dhyana [2.3.2].
Sal:p.siira. "The wandering-on"; the
round of death and rebirth, into which
beings driven by craving (tr~IJa) are repeat-
edly born; characterized as anitya, du~kha,
anatman, and sunya [1.4.2, 4.2].
Sal:p.bhoga-kiiya. The "recompense-
body" or "enjoyment-body"; the glorified
body that the Buddha attains as a reward
for his bodhisattva practices; a transfigured
form that the great bodhisattvas apprehend
when they see him [4.3].
Sangha. "Assemblage, community." This
word has two levels of meaning: (1) On
the ideal (arya) level, it denotes all of the
Buddha's followers, lay or ordained, who
have attained at least the level of
srotiipanna; (2) on the conventional
(sam\qti) level, it denotes the Orders of
Bhik.fus and Bhik.fufJis [2.4].
Satori Qapanese). Awakening.
Shinto (Japanese). Native, pre-Buddhist
beliefS in Japan, centered on the worship
ofkami [10.1].
Sila. Morality, virtue; precepts ofbehavior
conducive to the development of samadhi
and prajiiii [2.3.1, 3.4.4].
Skandha (Khandha). "Heap, mass, ag-
gregate." A term to indicate that all factors
with which one might identifY one's "self'
are in fact impermanent, causally produced
aggregations. The five skandhas are (1)
form (riipa, the body or physical skandha);
(2) feeling (vedana); (3) perception, mental
label (saJ.11.jna); (4) thought formations
(saJ.11.skaras, plural); and (5) sensory con-
sciousness (vijnana). These five skandhas
constitute the phenomenal world and
person; are the five bases for clinging to
(taking sustenance from) conditioned exis-
tence, resulting in continued rebirth; and
are characterized by anitya, duMha, and
anatman [2.3 .1].
Soteriology. The study or doctrine of
salvation; studies of or theories about sav-
ior figures SJich as the Mahayana
bodhisattvas.