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

Saddha
Faith that begins with admiration, then progresses to aspiration, and ultimately becomes confidence or conviction on any aspect of the teachings. It is seen as the foundation for developing trust and commitment on the path.
Samadhi
Concentration or meditative absorption; the cultivation of a focused, one-pointed mind, often in the practice of meditation.
Samanera/Samaneri
A novice monk (samanera) or novice nun (samaneri) in the Buddhist tradition, who has taken the initial monastic vows.
Samma Ajivo
Right Livelihood; the fifth factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, which guides practitioners to earn a living in a way that is ethically sound and does not cause harm.
Samma Sankappa
Right Intention; the second factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, involving intentions rooted in renunciation, goodwill, and harmlessness.
Samma Vaca
Right Speech; the third factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, focusing on speech that is truthful, kind, and beneficial, avoiding lying, divisive speech, and harsh words.
Samsara (Cycle)
The cyclic existence of birth, death, and rebirth, characterized by suffering (dukkha) and driven by karma and ignorance, from which one seeks liberation.
Sangha
The community of Buddhist practitioners, including monastics and lay practitioners, who support one another in their practice.
Sanskaras
Mental formations or volitional actions, which are the seeds of karma, shaping a person's behavior, attitudes, and future experiences.
Sati
Mindfulness; the practice of maintaining awareness of the present moment, cultivating mental clarity and insight through direct attention to one's body, emotions, thoughts, and actions.
Selflessness
Refers to Anatta (non-self), the Buddhist teaching that there is no permanent, unchanging self, and that what we identify as "self" is simply a collection of impermanent aggregates.
Shamatha
Calm abiding meditation; the practice of focusing the mind and developing mental stability, typically through concentration on an object of meditation.
Shila/Sila
Ethical conduct or virtue; one of the foundational practices of Buddhism, focused on avoiding harmful actions and cultivating moral discipline through right speech, action, and livelihood.
Shrine
A sacred space or place where religious objects or relics are kept and venerated, often used for meditation or worship.
Shunyata
Emptiness; the concept that all phenomena are devoid of inherent existence or independent essence, and are interdependently arising.
Skandhas
The five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) that make up the individual being, illustrating the lack of a permanent self.
Smrti
Mindfulness; another term for sati, emphasizing the practice of remembering to maintain awareness and presence in the moment.
Sot-indriya
The faculty of hearing, or ear-consciousness; one of the six sense faculties in Buddhist teachings, through which one perceives sound.
Sraddha
See Saddha.
Stupa
A sacred, dome-shaped structure that contains Buddhist relics or important texts, often used as a place of meditation and pilgrimage.
Sutra
A discourse or scripture of the Buddha, often recorded in a collection of teachings that form the basis of Buddhist doctrine and practice.