A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).

Another name for Śakra, also known as Indra.

The term dhāraṇī has the sense of something that “holds” or “retains,” and as such can refer to the special capacity of practitioners to memorize and recall detailed teachings. It can also refer to a verbal expression of the teachings‍—an incantation, spell, or mnemonic formula‍—that distills and “holds” essential points of the Dharma and is used by practitioners to attain mundane and supramundane goals. The same term is also used to denote texts that contain such formulae.

Kālidāsa (c. fourth–fifth century ᴄᴇ) was one of India’s greatest poets. He is the author of Cloud Messenger (Skt. Meghadūta, Tib. sprin gyi pho nya), a work that exerted a major influence on Tibet’s poetic tradition, and a praise to Sarasvatī called Sarasvatīstotra (Toh 3704).

The level of realization of a bodhisattva, typically ten in number.

The ten perfections are generosity (Skt. dāna, Tib. sbyin pa), discipline (Skt. śīla, Tib. tshul khrims), patience (Skt. kṣānti, Tib. bzod pa), diligence (Skt. vīrya, Tib. brtson ’grus), concentration (Skt. dhyāna, Tib. bsam gtan), insight (Skt. prajñā, Tib. shes rab), skillful means (upāyakauśala, Tib. thabs la mkhas pa), might (Skt. bala, Tib. stobs), aspiration (Skt. praṇidhāna, Tib. smon lam), and wisdom (Skt. jñāna, Tib. ye shes).

Literally “coming together,” samaya, refers to precepts given by the teacher, the corresponding commitment by the pupil, and the bond that results, which can also be the bond between the practitioner and the deity or a spirit. It can also mean a special juncture or circumstance, or an ordinary time or season.

The goddess of eloquence, learning, and music.

Śrīdhara (ca. 870 ᴄᴇ–ca. 930 ᴄᴇ) was a renowned Indian scholar who composed the Vajra­sarasvatī­stotra (Toh 1925), a praise to Sarasvatī.

Tsongkhapa Losang Drakpa (1357–1419 ᴄᴇ) was the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, a polymathic scholar, and a prolific author.

One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa (“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su).