Glossary

This glossary provides definitions for key Buddhist terms, concepts, and practices referenced throughout the Middle Way Education Curricular Framework. Terms are drawn from multiple Buddhist traditions and include both original language words (Sanskrit, Pali, Japanese, Tibetan) and English translations. Each definition aims to be accessible while maintaining accuracy to traditional meanings.

The glossary serves as a reference tool for educators and students engaging with Buddhist concepts across the framework’s five domains. Definitions emphasize practical understanding and application rather than purely academic interpretation, supporting the framework’s inquiry-based approach to learning.

Terms marked with asterisks (*) indicate transliterated words from original Buddhist languages. Cross-references appear in parentheses where relevant concepts connect to other glossary entries.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Identity
The sense of who or what we believe we are. Buddhism questions fixed notions of identity, encouraging reflection on how attachment to self-images can lead to suffering and how recognizing selflessness (anatta) can lead to freedom.
Ikebana
The Japanese art of flower arrangement, often approached as a contemplative practice. In a Buddhist context, it becomes a meditation on impermanence, balance, and beauty, reflecting interconnectedness and awareness in each gesture.
Impermanence (Anicca)
The fundamental Buddhist insight that all conditioned phenomena are in a constant state of change. Recognizing impermanence helps loosen attachment and supports the development of wisdom and compassion.
Indigenous
Refers to the original peoples and cultures native to a specific region. In Buddhist education, exploring indigenous traditions offers insight into diverse expressions of awareness, land-based wisdom, and respectful cultural dialogue.
Inquiry
A central aspect of Buddhist practice and education. Rather than accepting teachings blindly, practitioners are encouraged to investigate, question, and experience for themselves. Inquiry deepens understanding and supports genuine insight.
Insight (Vipassana)
Clear seeing into the nature of things, particularly impermanence, suffering, and non-self. Insight arises through meditation and is key to liberation from cyclic existence.
Intention (Cetana)
The mental factor that directs actions of body, speech, and mind. In Buddhism, intention plays a key role in karma, as it determines the ethical quality of an action and shapes future experiences.
Interconnection
The principle that all phenomena arise in dependence upon causes and conditions. This teaching is foundational to Buddhist ethics, ecology, and compassion, highlighting that no being or thing exists in isolation.
Internal obstacles
Mental habits such as doubt, distraction, or craving that hinder meditation and learning. Recognizing and transforming these internal patterns is an essential part of the Buddhist path.
Intoxicants
Substances that cloud the mind and impair clarity, such as alcohol or recreational drugs. Avoiding intoxicants is one of the Five Precepts, supporting mindfulness, responsibility, and care for others.