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　　bodhi: Awakening; enlightenment; transcendent wisdom. Bodhi is equated with perfection of insight into the Four Noble Truths and the realization of Nibbãna, the cessation of all suffering.

　　brahma (brahmã): Celestial beings who inhabit the first three realms of the Fine Material World. Beings reborn into those sublime realms are said to have some experience with the meditative absorptions (jhãna). Con­sequently, brahmas have extremely refined bodies composed of pure light and experience extremely refined degrees of mental pleasure. When the good kamma that sent them to those realms is finally exhausted, these beings pass away and are reborn again somewhere else, in a realm of existence suitable to their remaining kamma.

　　Buddhasãsana: The Teachings of the Lord Buddha and, by extension, the Buddhist religion in general (see sãsana)

　　buddho: Supremely enlightened. A traditional epithet for the Buddha, buddho is a preparatory meditation-word (parikamma) that is repeated mentally while reflecting on the Buddha”s special qualities. In its simplest form, one focuses attention exclusively on the repetition of “buddho”, continuously thinking the word “buddho” while in meditation. One should simply be aware of each repetition of “buddho, buddho, buddho” to the exclusion of all else. Once it becomes continuous, this simple repetition will produce results of peace and calm in the heart.

　　citta: The citta is the mind”s essential knowing nature, the fundamental quality of knowing that underlies all sentient existence. When associated with a physical body, it is referred to as “mind” or “heart”. Being corrupted by the defiling influence of fundamental ignorance (avijjã), its currents “flow out” to manifest as feelings (vedanã), memory (saññã), thoughts (sankhãra), and consciousness (viññãna), thus embroiling the citta in a web of self-deception. It is deceived about its own true nature. The true nature of the citta is that it simply “knows”. There is no subject, no object, no duality; it simply knows. The citta does not arise or pass away; it is never born and never dies.

　　Normally, the “knowing nature” of the citta is timeless, boundless, and radiant, but this true nature is obscured by the defilements (kilesa) within it. Through the power of fundamental ignorance, a focal point of the “knower” is created from which that knowing nature views the world outside. The establishment of that false center creates a “self” from whose perspective consciousness flows out to perceive the duality of the “knower” and the “known”. Thus the citta becomes entangled with things that are born, become ill, grow old, and die, and therefore, deeply involved it in a whole mass of suffering.

　　In this book the citta is often referred to as the heart; the two are synonymous. The heart forms the core within the body. It is the center, the substance, the primary essence within the body. It is the basic founda­tion. Conditions that arise from the citta, such as thoughts, arise there. Goodness, evil, happiness, and suffering all come together in the heart.

　　Samãdhi meditation provides confirmation of the heart”s significance. When the citta gathers all of its outflowing currents into one point, the calm, still state of samãdhi arises. From the meditator”s perspective, that experience is centered in the middle of the chest. The stillness, the brightness, and the awareness of this experience appear to emanate prominently from the region of the heart. The knowing nature of the citta is pronounced right there. Thus, the true seat of consciousness is in the heart; and it is wise, therefore, to avoid thinking of the “mind” as essentially cerebral and …

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