Bardo - tibetan Literally, " transition ". The experience of beings consists of a succession of relative states of existence corresponding to different states of consciousness. Generally there are said to be six bardos or intermediary states. Three are linked to the period of this life. They are the bardo of existence, the bardo of dreaming and the bardo of meditation; whilst three correspond to the period from death to rebirth - the bardo of death, the bardo of dharmata (the ultimate nature of phenomena), and the bardo of becoming. A general use of the term bardo usually refers to the last three types mentioned.

Bodhicitta - sanskrit Mind of enlightenment or enlightened attitude. Initially this is the idea of enlightenment or the enlightened mind of aspiration. This is the wish that all beings without exception, be freed from suffering and established in the state of ultimate happiness. It is also actually putting this wish into practice which is known as application bodhicitta. This involves committing oneself to the bodhisattva's activity which is a spiritual training in relative and ultimate bodhicitta. The first corresponds to the development of compassion and the second to developing an awareness of emptiness. The mind of enlightenment is the source of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas' spiritual qualities.

Bodhisattva - sanskrit Literally, " Enlightenment being ". Broadly speaking this term designates all Mahayana practitioners, and more specifically those who have taken the bodhicitta vows of aspiration and application. It is also a term for enlightened beings that have not yet attained the full realisation of a buddha. Bodhisattvas develop the wish to attain buddhahood in order to free all beings from the suffering of the cycle of existences. They put this wish into practice by training in compassion and the renunciation of all self interest. The bodhisattva's altruistic attitude enables egocentric grasping to be cut off. It is the energy of enlightenment itself. The bodhisattva works for the benefit of beings until samsara's end by practising the ten perfections.

Buddha (a) - sanskrit (Tibetan : Sangye) A being who has realised supreme enlightenment. A being for whom the mind is completely purified of all defilements (sang), and for whom all qualities are perfectly developed (gye). For example - Shakyamuni, the historical buddha of our times.

Buddha (The) - sanskrit Shakyamuni, the fourth historical buddha of this era, lived, attained enlightenment and taught in the sixth century BC, in Northern India. It is said that the Buddha's manifestation is not just limited to his human life. "The Buddha worked for the benefit of beings over countless aeons accumulating wisdom and merit and purifying all the veils of his mindstream. Before he became the Buddha Shakyamuni, he took rebirth for five hundred lifetimes in the impure realms in order to help beings overwhelmed by great suffering, and for five hundred lifetimes in the pure realms in order to guide them towards enlightenment. Finally he manifested perfect buddahood." By means of his four kayas he manifests an enlightened activity which is limitless, spontaneous and non intentional, his mind being as vast as space.