the rangjung yeshe tibetan english dictionary of buddhism

THE R ANGJUNG YESHE TIBETAN-ENGLISH DICTIONARY OF BUDDHIST CULTURE, V3 - 2003
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T HE R ANGJUNG Y ESHE T IBETAN-ENGLISH DICTIONARY OF BUDDHIST CULTURE
version 3

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Introduction
It is a great pleasure to present this third version of the Rangjung Yeshe Tibetan-English Dictionary of Buddhist Culture. It contains a wealth of information from multiple sources and, even though the editing has — let’s be frank here — plenty of room for improvement, this dictionary/glossary can provide the user with enough background to decide on, or narrow in on, the right word choice. That has been and still is my main wish: to facilitate a growth in understanding.
While many of the teachers who grew up in Tibet are still alive, I have been encouraged numerous times to make this dictionary — as imperfect as it may be — available so it can be a contribution to the translation efforts of our generation. What you have here can stand alone as a tool for students and translators, and yet, it is still a work in progress.
Begun in 1980, the first entries were written on small rectangles of paper in Boudhanath — and became stacks that steadily grew. (The first list of Dharma terminology was a hot item in those days: Dungsey Trinley Norbu Rinpoche, for instance, asked me for a second copy, because “his oldest son had snapped up the other.”) Later, coinciding with the first laptops models in the early 80’s, these scraps of paper migrated into electronic files. Other translators added their glossaries and in 1996 the first version was published with 72,000 entries. A second followed in 1998 with 84,000 entries. The electronic formats were thanks to Chris Gianottis and Gerry Wiener. A list of everyone to whom thanks are owed is included in the section under acknowledgements.
Now the Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary is approximately 84,000, and with the inclusion of the efforts of Ives Waldo, Jim Valby Richard Barron, Mark Seibold and others, the size is 276,000. To give a comparison, the printable version — set in Autumn 8 points — is about 2950 pages. As a side- remark, though the CD is easy to carry around, it may be the printed version that will survive the longest.
In the electronic format, a search for the desired word is fast. You can look for it, not only as a main entry, but also in context. The different search engines kindly supplied free of charge by their makers, give a variety of valuable usage. Try them out.
Lastly, it is also a great pleasure to be able to write these words as I conclude a project that was directly and indirectly set in motion by my own teachers — Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and Tulku Pema Wangyal. May it be a contribution to fulfill their noble aspirations for the the translation of the Buddha’s teachings into all languages of the world.
— Erik Pema Kunsang Rangjung Yeshe Gomdé, California
August, 2003

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Acknowledgements
I extend my thanks to all the people, venerable as well as ordinary, who have directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, contributed to the hotchpodge presented here.
First to the benefactors of the project whose contributions made the work possible:
Jamgön Kongtrül Rinpoche, III Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche Tulku Pema Wangyal George MacDonald The Nalanda Individual Assistance Trust Nalanda Translation Committee (Larry Mermelstein, in particular) Gyurme Dorje Gerry Wiener Matthieu Ricard
James Valby Lama Chökyi Nyima (Richard Barron)
To the people the dictionary benefitted from directly, by my fortune to receive teachings from, study with, learn from, or translate for, not listed in order of priority; (I apologize for not having kept up with the latest levels of titles — all the lamas are respectively venerable, precious, very venerable, eminent and sublime). Thanks to everyone: Adeu Rinpoche Alak Zenkar Rinpoche Ayang Tulku Rinpoche Bairo Rinpoche Bakha Tulku Rinpoche Beru Khyentse Rinpoche Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche Chatral Rinpoche Sangye Dorje Chhoje Tulku Rinpoche Chogye Trichen Rinpoche Chokling Rinpoche, Mingyur Dewey Dorje Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, whose influence has been priceless Dabzang Rinpoche Dakpo Tulku Dalai Lama, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Dodrub Chen Rinpoche Dorzong Rinpoche Drungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Dzogchen Pönlop Rinpoche Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Goshi Gyaltsab Rinpoche Gyalsey Tulku Rinpoche Gyalwang Karmapa Rangjung Rigpey Dorje Gyatrul Rinpoche
Jamgön Kontrül Rinpoche

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Tulku Chögyal Rinpoche Tulku Pema Rigdzin Tulku Rangdröl Tulku Sang-ngak Rinpoche Tulku Thondup Rinpoche Zangzang Tulku Zatrul Rinpoche
Special thanks to:the members of Nalanda Translation Commitee in Boulder and Halifax, especially Gerry Wiener, Larry Mermelstein, Tony Duff, Ives Waldo, Scott Wellenbach, and others Matthieu Ricard, French translator and assistant to Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche the members of Padmakara Translation Group in France the members of Kalu Rinpoche's translation group in Sonada the members of Marpa School of Translation in Boudhanath the members of Lama Norlha's translation group in New York the members of the Yeshe De Project in Berkeley the members of the translation commitee for A Treasury of Mahayana Sutras, headed by the late Garma C. Chang
To the translators of the present age who have generously donated years of their precious life to further the spreading of the Buddhadharma:Allan Walace Andreas Kretschmar Ani Jinpa Palmo, nun from Holland Ani Lodrö Palmo, American nun Ani Ngawang Chödrön, Marilyn Silverstone Ann Benson Arie Goldfield Bo Colomby Chökyi Nyima, Richard Barron David Christiansen Erik Haarh, late teacher of Tibetan at University of Copenhagen George Dreyfuss, a Western Geshe Geraldo Abboud, translator from Argentina Geshe Tubten Jinpa Gyurme Dorje, translator from Scotland

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Peter Roberts Professor Norbu in Darjeeling Sangye Khandro, translator of Gyatrul Rinpoche Sarah Harding Shakya Dorje, Canadian translator Sister Palmo, Mrs Bedi Steven Goodman Thomas Roth Tony Duff, who worked on an early version
Through their work and writings, published or unpublished, works these people have used have greatly helped in the compiling of the dictionary:Akong Rinpoche Alex Wayman Alexander Berzin Ato Rinpoche Chimey Rinpoche Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Christian Lindtner Constance Wilkinson Cyrus Stearns Dagyab Rinpoche Daniel Cozort David Jackson Dhongthog Rinpoche Dorje Wangchuk Edward Conze Elizabeth Napper Flemming Faber Francesca Fremantle Garma C. Chang Gene Smith Geoffrey Hopkins Geshe Kalsang Geshe Lundrup Sopa Geshe Wangyal Guy Newland Herbert Guenther

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Lama Yeshe Rinpoche Lati Rinpoche Lobsang Lhalungpa Lokesh Chandra for his Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary Martin Wilson Melvin Goldstein Michael Roach, Geshe La Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Robert Thurman Sarat Chandra Das Shenphen and Michael Hookham Stephen Batchelor Tsepak Rigdzin for his Dictionary Tubten Zopa Rinpoche
Lastly, thanks to the staff at Rangjung Yeshe Translations & Publications in Boudhanath, and to the other people who directly have contributed to the efforts of compiling and editing of this work:Andreas Kretchmar Ani Lodrö Palmo Ben Rosenschweig Chris Gianottis Felice Bachman George MacDonald Graham Sunstein Heidi Koeppl Ives Waldo
Jacob Leschley Joanne Larson Judy Amzits Kathy Morris Mark Seibold Marcia Binder Schmidt Maria Pelaez Matthieu Ricard Monika Kretchmar Phinjo Sherpa Thomas Doctor Tina Lang Tracy from Australia
Thanks again to everyone named here as well as all of you who have worked on presenting the Dharma preserved in Tibetan to the rest of the world.

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ka - 1) the first, number one in an alphabetical register, volume One in a series of books, alpha. 2) primal, basic. 3) primordial, primeval, original. 4) See {ka ba} pillar. 5) the very, just, namely; fx {'grongs ka} at the very moment of death. 6) the alphabet; 7) number + ka - all # of them./ the #. 8) indeed, surely [RY]
ka - one, pillar, all, the, the very, the beginning, the root, power, all the, indeed, surely, SA ka ba, symbol of origin of reality, infinitive particle [JV]
ka - alphabetical register, pillar, vol. KA (1, the 1st, alpha, primal, basic, primordial; KA; 1) Ming gzhi'i pho yig cig; 2) Rtags mtshungs 'dren skabs ga da ba sa ste rjes 'jug phos drangs pa'i ming gi cha shas shig ...Ga da ba sa ...Thog ka,...Dpyid ka,...Rgyal kha; 3) after numbers = all gnyis ka source, root [IW]
ka ka - excrement, crow, cry of the crow [JV]
ka ka - duck, crane [IW] ka ka - 1) magpie/ crow [sound]; 2) croak;
3) sheep's aa cug or the ge; 3) small child's clothing; 4) excrement [IW]
ka ka - 1) crow, raven. 2) croaking, voice of a crow. 3) excrement [RY]
ka ka tha ta - bird resembling a crow, big crow, raven [IW]
ka ka ni - 1) small Indian coin worth 20 cowrie shells; 2) 1/4 pa a or m na; 3) seed of Albrus precatorius used as med. weight; 4) shell of Cyprea moneta used as money [IW]
ka ka ni - small coin of ancient india, fourth part of a pana, quarter of a mana, seed of abrus precatorious used as a weight in medicine, shell of cyproea moneta used as money [JV]
ka ka nI la - sapphire [RY] ka ka mu kha - kakamukha, kangkamukha
[one of {phra men brgyad} crow/raven- faced one [IW]
ka ka mu kha - 1) Kakamukha / Kangka- mukha; one of {phra men brgyad}. 2) crow-faced [RY]
ka ka rang - cucumber [IW] ka ka rang - cucumber, cucumber in kun-
awar [JV] ka ka ri - fabulous snowy mountain where
tujanaya grows [JV] ka ka ri - ka ka ri mt [fabulous snowy mt n
of a river called Petru where a medici- anal plant tujanaya grows] [IW]
kA kal li - pleasant sound, melody [RY] ka ki ni - 1) n. of a mountain. 2) n. of fe-
male deity [RY] ka ki ni - buddhist literary work, female
buddhist deity [JV] ka ki ni - female deity, literary work [IW] ka ki'i sgra - cry of a peacock [RY] ka ku sta - a river [JV] ka ku sta - Ka ku sta river [IW] ka ku bha ya - SK tree, dug mo nyung or
aardzu na [IW]
ka ku bha ya - plant used in medicine, terminalia arjuna, fruit of the tree of lit- tle poison [JV]
ka ke ri ya - tree which grew on vulture peak hill of magadha [JV]
ka ke ri ya - tree growing on Vulture Peak Hill in Magadha [IW]
ka ko - SA ka ko la [JV] ka ko la - med/poison castor bean tree
[saccharum munja cardomum cocculus indicus secret abode of dakinis; rgya gar nag dang lho mon nas thon pa'i rtsva ldum gyi 'bras bu de'i lo sdong ljang gu dang 'bru'i pags pa mthug cing sul can, dri ro ga bur dang phyogs mtshungs pa 'dis phomtsher gyi grang nad sel,...syn: zla ba'i byema dang, zla ba'i gzhon nu ma'o,] [IW]
ka ko la - berry plant Chinese cardamom (Amomum medium), cardamom, fruit of coculus indicus,, saccharum munja, fruit used in medicine, poisonous tree- drug, castor oil plant, secret abode of the dakini, piper cubeba, amomun sa- bulatum, cubeb, greater cardamon, cardamon, amonum subulatum, 1 of bzang drug [JV]
ka ko la - 1) big raven. 2) moon. 3) secret abode of the dakinis. 4) castor-oil plant [RY]
kA ko la - kind of a poison [RY] ka bkol ma - ka khol ma [IW] ka bkyag - column seat [IW] ka rka ta - cancer (constellation). Syn {kar
ka ta} [RY] ka rka ta - constellation Cancer [IW] ka rka ta - crab (1 of khyim bcu gnyis) [JV] ka rke ta - yellow precious stone [RY] ka ske - neck of a pillar or column [JV] ka ske - upper part/ neck of a column
[IW] ka ske - upper part of a column [RY] ka sked - shaft of column [IW] ka sked - shaft of a column [RY] ka sked - shaft of a column, shaft of a pil-
lar [JV] ka skong ba - fill up a void, make up a de-
ficiency, fill up the mouth with water, rinse the mouth [JV]
ka skyor - ka ba'i 'gram nas skyor ba'i shing,...Khang gog la ka skyor brgyab ??? [IW]
ka kha - a-b-c, alphabet, feather [JV] ka kha - Tibetan consonants, alphabet[ic],
feather, alphabetical register, [IW] ka kha - 1) the alphabet [Tibetan]. 2) al-
phabetical register. 3) feather [RY] ka kha pa - abecedarian, beginner of the
alphabet, child [JV] ka kha pa - a person beginning to study
the alphabet, schoolboy, abecedarian [RY]
ka kha pa - person beginning to study [the alphabet], schoolboy [IW]
ka kha phye - region of dividing KA and KHA [mdo khams kyi sa cha phal mo cher ka dang ga gnyis kyi sgra gdangs gcig tu klog pas de gnyis dbye ba 'byed ched mdo smad pas ka la ka kha phye zer la, ka kha dbye 'ang zer, kha phye
med pa'i ga la kha zum zer la, ga kha sdom yang zer,...Ka...Ka [IW]
ka kha'i klog thabs - Tibetan primer [RY] ka kha'i tho - alphabetical register [JV] ka kha'i tho - alphabetic index, primer, al-
phabetic order [IW] ka kha'i tho - 1) alphabetic index. 2)
primer. 3) alphabetic order [RY] ka kha'i dpe - a-b-c book, a-b-c book,
primer [JV] ka kha'i dpe - alphabetic index, alphabet,
primer. Syn {ka kha'i tho} [RY] ka kha'i rim pa - alphabetic order. Syn {ka
kha'i tho} alphabetic index [RY] ka khi la - door, entrance [JV] ka khu bha ya - med. plant [terminalia ar-
juna = {dug mo nyung gi shing nor} [IW]
ka khong - alphabetical group [RY] ka khol ma - SA khol ma, historical pillar in
lhasa [JV] ka khol ma - 1) boiling. 2) outlet for the
smoke in a roof. 3) n. of a historical pillar in the grand temple of Buddha at Lhasa [RY]
ka khol ma - 1) boiling outlet for smoke in a roof; 2) ka khol ma pillar [in the grand temple of buddha at Lhasa where will of king songtsen gampo was found, 11th century; bka' chems le'u ka pa nas khol bton gyis lha ldan gtsug lag khang gi ka ba s hing lo can, later found by At- isha chos 'byung zhig yin = lhasa'i dkar chag kyang zer] [IW]
ka khyi - rtsab cig under water wheel axle [IW]
ka 'khor ba - beginningless cyclic exis- tence. beginningless samsara, cyclic ex- istence [RY]
ka 'khor ba - beginningless cyclic exis- tence [IW]
ka gA nI la - sapphire [RY] ka ga ni' la - kind of sapphire [IW] ka ga' ni' la - kind of sapphire [IW] ka gis - suddenly, immediately [IW] ka gis - 1) suddenly. 2) immediately. See
{kag gis} [RY] ka grangs - consonants ka mad 30 etc.
signified # [IW] ka mgo - capital of a column [RY] ka mgo - capital of a pillar [JV] ka 'go - 1) sne'i cha on top of a column; 2)
Chu 'khor gyi srog shing gi 'go la bskon pa'i lcags sgor [IW]
ka rgyan - 'phan etc pillar ornament [IW] ka rgyug - sbra and tent pole [IW] ka rgyug - tent pole [RY] ka sgrog - crow [IW] ka sgrogs - crow [RY] ka sgrom - ka ba'i sgrom skyor [IW] ka rnga ka la - black poison [IW] ka ca - goods, things, articles, effects,
property, furniture [JV] ka ca - goods, things, property, material,
provisions, things, household articles [IW]

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ka ca lhung sgra - rhyme, strophe [RY] ka can - having pillars, a house [IW] ka can - having columns, place in tibet, a
pillar or pillars, house [JV] ka can - 1) building with columns. 2) sup-
porter [RY] ka can bzhi - the four pillars [4 chief disci-
ples of marpa as pillars of his house: rngog chos rdor, bsod nams rgyal mthan, mtshur dbang rdo rje of tol, mi- larepa] [IW]
ka can bzhi - four disciples of marpa (rngog chos rdor, bsod nams rgyal mtshan, tol gyi mtshul dbang rdo rje, mi la ras pa) [JV]
ka ci - 1) fine silken cloth. 2) coarse white cotton cloth [RY]
ka ci - coarse white cotton cloth for prayer flags, kind of muslin, fine cotton [JV]
ka ci - SK fine [Varanasi] cotton cloth or fine silken cloth, special coarse cotton from Nepal for prayer flags, muslin [IW]
ka ci skus ma - inferior kind of cloth [JV] ka ci skyus ma - an inferior, fine silken
cloth or Varanasi cotton, special coarse cotton (from Nepal for prayer flags, muslin [IW]
ka ci skyem ras - paper of superior quality [RY]
ka ci skyem ras - fine cotton cloth, muslin [JV]
ka ci skyem ras - fine cotton /muslin resembling the fine Tibetan paper called {skyems} [IW]
ka ci skyes ma - inferior cotton cloth [RY] ka ci skyes ma - inferior kind of cotton
cloth [IW] ka ci sgong shun ma - white cotton cloth
[RY] ka ci la - a flower, nickname, alias [IW] ka ci li - kachu Arum colocasia, a food
plant [IW] ka ci li - a flower, plant with an esculent
root cultivated for food, arum colocasia [JV]
ka cig - 1) short time, for a moment. 2) momentary, fleeting [RY]
ka cig - short-time, momentary, fleeting, for a moment [IW]
ka cog zhang gsum - kawa paltseg, chok- ro lui gyaltsen, and ma rinchen chok [IW]
ka cog zhang gsum - Syn {ska cog zhang gsum} Kawa Paltsek, Chok-ro Lui Gyaltsen, and Ma Rinchen Chok. {ska ba dpal brtsegs/ cog ro klu'i rgyal mtshan/ rma rin chen mchog} [RY]
ka gcig sgo gcig - 1) small prison house. 2) mode of capital punishment [RY]
ka gcig sgo gcig - small house, poor cot- tage, fasten prisoner to pillar until he dies of hunger [JV]
ka gcig sgo gcig - 1) small house [w 1 pillar and 1 door]; 2) mode of capital punishment by fastening to a pillar until death from hunger [IW]
ka gcig sgo gcig ma - mdo sbug med pa'i 1 pillar house [IW]
ka gcig lcam gang ma - khang pa ka gnyis ma'i ka ba gcig gi thad nas bar bcad brgyab pa'i khang pa [IW]
ka gcig pa - having one pillar [JV] ka gcig ma - Syn {ka ci} [RY] ka gcig ma - room w 1 pillar in it [IW] ka gcig ma - small house or temple having
only one pillar [JV] ka lci - SA ka ci [JV] ka lcog - ka wa dpal brtsegs and klu'i rgyal
mtshan of lcog ro, [two famous translators of the bka' 'gyur] [IW]
ka lcog - abbr of ka ba dpal brtsegs & lcog ro klu'i rgyal mtshan [JV]
ka lcog - Kawa Paltsek and Chok-ro Lui Gyaltsen. See {ska cog zhang gsum} [RY]
ka cha - household things. Syn {ka ca}; goods, property, furniture [RY]
ka cha - goods, things, property, material, provisions, general name of things, household articles [IW]
ka cha - SA ka ca SA ka ca [JV] ka cha ta - habitation, hut [JV] ka chug - [arch] de ltar, so, like that, ac-
cordingly [IW] ka chug - so, like that, accordingly [JV] ka chug - thus, like this [RY] ka chug mdzod - do like that, do accord-
ingly [JV] ka chen -…

the rangjung yeshe tibetan english dictionary of buddhism

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