Bodhisattva: Enlightened beings that choose to reincarnate to benefit sentient beings.
Buddhism: Buddhism was established as a religion through the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who was born a Hindu prince in Nepal around 563 BCE. Through meditation, Siddhartha awoke to a full consciousness beyond suffering, and he taught others to follow his path by understanding the Four Noble Truths. Most Buddhists also live by the concepts of karma and reincarnation. (For more information on Buddhism, click here.)
Butter lamp: A decorative cup or vessel that holds melted butter and a wick, which burns like a candle when lit.
Chenrezig: The deity of perfect compassion. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama is the human incarnation of Chenrezig
Compassion: The wish to free others from their suffering.
Dalai Lama: An honorary title translated as "Ocean of Wisdom." The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. The present Dalai Lama is the fourteenth.
Deity: Embodiment of perfection.
Dzomo: A cross between a bull and a female yak.
Exile: The state of being forced to live outside of one's homeland.
Gelugpa: The fourth and largest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. This is the sect of the Dalai Lama.
Incarnate: A deep level of consciousness reborn in a new body.
Karma: The theory that all actions and thoughts produce effect in the future and thereby determine our future circumstances.
Kashag: The Tibetan government's cabinet.
Kata: A white ceremonial scarf offered in respect.
Lama: Tibetan Buddhist teachers.
Lhasa: Capital city of Tibet, home of the Dalai Lama until the Chinese takeover in 1959.
Mahakala: The Buddha of compassion appearing as a fierce protector, the special protector of the Dalai Lamas.
Meditation: A practice of deep concentration of the mind.
Metaphysics: Philosophy of the mind, of knowing.
Momos: Tibetan dumplings often filled with meat or vegetables.
Monastery: A place where monks live together and practice their religion.
Monk or nun: Someone who devotes his or her life to a particular practice of religion.
Nirvana: Complete peace, a mind state of complete awareness reached after one frees oneself of all negativities.
Norbulingka: The summer palace of the Dalai Lamas.
Offering: Gifts offered to show respect.
Potala Palace: The official residence of the Dalai Lamas in Tibet’s capital city, Lhasa. (Photo by George Tsarong)
Regent: An appointed leader who governs while the Dalai Lama is a child or is absent.
Rinpoche: The title for an incarnate lama, meaning "Precious One" in Tibetan.
Samsara: In Buddhism, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, one of continued suffering, which one abandons by purifying body, speech, and mind.
Scriptures: Sacred religious texts.
Temple: A building dedicated for religious worship.
Tsampa: Roasted barley meal, the mainstay of the Tibetan diet.
Tukpa: Tibetan noodle soup.
Tulku: Lamas who reincarnate for the benefit of all others. The Dalai Lama is a tulku.
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BSPP: Burma Socialist Programme Party. In 1962, Ne Win established this governmental party after seizing power from Burma's democratically elected leader, U Nu. This party was made up primarily of military leaders, and it took over private businesses and closed Burma to the "West."
General Aung San: Born in 1915 in Natmauk in central Burma, General Aung San became the leader of the Burmese Independence Army (BIA) and later joined the government to work for the independence of Burma from Britain. In 1947 he went to England to sign the Aung San-Attlee Agreement, offering Burma elections within four months and full independence within one year. He was assassinated by a political opponent on July 19, 1947. Aung San Suu Kyi was his daughter.
Golden Triangle: The area of land encompassing the hill regions of far western Burma, northern Laos, and northern Thailand. Most of the people living in the Golden Triangle are of ethnic minorities. The area is infamous for the illegal production of opium.
Jataka: The tales of the early life of the Buddha.
Least Developed Country: This designation was created by the United Nations to determine which countries in the world were in the greatest need of aid. Burma was given this status on December 11, 1987. The criteria used to determine the countries in greatest need were per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product, the goods and services a country produces), share of manufacturing in total GDP, the adult literacy rate, the quality of life index, the economic diversification index and population size.
Longyi: An ankle length, wrapped skirt worn by Burmese men and women. The men tie their longyi in the front whereas the women tie theirs on the side.
Mahatma Gandhi: The great leader of the independence movement in India. Gandhi was an advocate of nonviolence and peaceful civil disobedience. Aung San Suu Kyi greatly admired him.
Myanmar: On June 18, 1989, SLORC decided that the name Burma, in English, would no longer be used. In the Burmese language, the country is called Myanmar Naing-ngan. Without asking the citizens of Burma, SLORC decided that Myanmar should be used in English in place of the word Burma. The people had no control over the name change and are often offended when the country is not called Burma in English.
NCGUB: The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. Eight elected members of the National League for Democracy, including Aung San Suu Kyi's cousin, Dr. Sein Win, fled to Burma's border with Thailand and established the NCGUB on December 18, 1990. In 1993, the NCGUB transferred its head office to Washington, DC.
Ne Win: By military coup in 1962, Ne Win seized the leadership of Burma from U Nu. He dissolved the parliament, threw out the constitution written by General Aung San, and arrested Burma's political leaders, including U Nu.
NLD: National League for Democracy. In 1988, Aung Gyi, Tin Oo, and Aung San Suu Kyi established the National League for Democracy. The NLD supported nonviolent activities for the establishment of what Aung San Suu Kyi calls a compassionate democracy in Burma.
SLORC: State Law and Order Restoration Council: the military government of General Saw Maung, which seized control of Burma in 1988. Saw Maung appointed himself prime minister, foreign minister, and defense minister of the new government. SLORC was responsible for placing Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest in 1989, and for disallowing a transfer of governmental power after Aung San Suu Kyi's democratic party won a national election in 1990.
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Altitude Sickness: Officially called Acute Mountain Sickness, or AMS. Regions over 2500 meters above sea level have less oxygen than at lower levels. Therefore less oxygen reaches the muscles and brain, which makes the heart and lungs work harder. It can occur within 24 hours of reaching an elevated region and may be delayed up to three weeks. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. These minor symptoms could develop into breathlessness, a dry cough, severe headaches, lack of balance, confusion, irrational behavior, vomiting, and unconsciousness. It can be fatal. To help avoid this several measures are recommended: sleeping at a lower elevation than the greatest height reached during the day, drink extra fluid, eat light, high carbohydrate meals, avoid alcohol, and ascend slowly allowing your body to get used to the altitude.
Buddhism: Buddhism was established as a religion through the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who was born a Hindu prince in Nepal around 563 BCE. Through meditation, Siddhartha awoke to a full consciousness beyond suffering, and he taught others to follow his path by understanding the Four Noble Truths. Most Buddhists also live by the concepts of karma and reincarnation. (For more information about Buddhism, click here.)
Chomolungma: The Tibetan and Sherpa name for Mt. Everest. Literally this means "Mother Goddess of the World"
Closed Oxygen System: An oxygen pack strapped to the climber's back, which allowed the climber to breathe pure oxygen through a mask. Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans, members of the 1953 Everest team, tested this system on their summit attempt. (See Open Oxygen System)
Himalayan Tahr: A wild mountain goat, often encountered when hiking Everest.
Hinduism: Hinduism is the dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent, and the third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam. Established over 3000 years ago, Hinduism is based on ancient scriptures known collectively as the Vedas. Hindus believe in a supreme spiritual force called Brahman with which an individual will become one after cleansing his or her karma through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. In life, Hindus follow the laws of dharma, or spiritual teachings. The dharma led to the development of a caste system, which divides society by social class and occupation. Although the caste system is now illegal in India, it still governs the lives of many Indian Hindus. In Nepal, the caste system is more relaxed. (See Karma and Reincarnation.)
Impeyan Pheasants: The national bird of Nepal, often encountered when hiking Everest. The male of the species is covered with colorful feathers. These birds are "downhill fliers", as they do not really fly, but glide. When going uphill they must walk. Their main enemy is the golden eagle."
Karma: The theory that all actions and thoughts produce effect in the future and thereby determine our future circumstances.
Mani Stones: Stones carved with the Tibetan Buddhist prayer "Om Mani Padme Hum". Walls are created of these stones and Buddhists worship at them, always walking around them in a clockwise manner, going with the flow of life.
"Ocean to Sky": The name of the expedition Sir Edmund Hillary made by speedboat along the Ganges River. With his party, Hillary went from the river's mouth at the Bay of Bengal to its origin in the Himalayan town of Badrinath.
Om Mani Padme Hum: "Hail to the jewel of the lotus", a Tibetan Buddhist mantra.
Open Oxygen System: An oxygen pack strapped to the climber’s back, which allowed him to breath a mixture of pure oxygen and outside air filtered through a mask. This is the system Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay used in their final ascent of Mt. Everest. (See Closed Oxygen System)
Pilgrimage: A journey made by a religious person to a holy site. To travel the length of the Ganges River, as Hillary did in the "Ocean to Sky expedition, is considered a holy pilgrimage for Hindus.
Prayer flags: A string of brightly colored flags which fly throughout the Himalayan region. Each carries a sacred Buddhist "mantra" or prayer that is "said" when the wind causes the flag to flutter.
Pujare: a holy man, or shaman.
Sherpa: The ethnic group inhabiting the Everest region. They moved to this region from Tibet over 500 years ago. Sherpas are Buddhists and believe the mountain is the home of an enlightened deity. The name "Sherpa" literally means "people from the east".
Sirdar: The leader of the local guides and porters that help trekkers in the Himalayan region.
Yaks: A large beast of burden, like a cow, found 3000 meters above sea level. Often these creatures carry gear for trekkers.
Yeti: The Abominable Snowman. It is said to live in the remote areas of the Himalayas. The Sherpas tell many legends about the yeti, and often point to large footprints and gnawed yak bones to show the yeti has passed nearby. The goal of Sir Edmund Hillary’s second expedition to the Everest region was to search for evidence of this creature. His team escorted a Sherpa with an alleged yeti scalp and skins to Chicago, Paris and London, where scientists agreed the scalp was from a goat and the skins were from a Tibetan blue bear. They found no other evidence of the existence of the yeti. |
Capitalism: Capitalism is an economic system characterized by private ownership of property and well-developed financial institutions. Capitalism allows individual initiation, business competition, inheritance, and profit earning.
Class struggle: Communist theory endorses the elimination of social classes. In order to achieve a classless society, citizens must go through class struggle. They must identify the evils of the dominant class and root out and destroy the causes of social inequality. Class struggle is a violent method used to equalize society.
Communism: A governmental system that encourages the elimination of private property and the equitable distribution of goods to the public. A Communist government maintains central control over banking, business, housing, education, industry, medical care, the military, and regional security forces.
Confucianism: A philosophy originating around 500 B.C. and based on the ideas of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.). From the 100s B.C. to the A.D. 1900s, Confucianism was the most important single force in Chinese life. It influenced Chinese education, government, personal behavior, and a person's duty to society. Confucius taught that moral behavior was connected to traditional social roles and hierarchies. Each person had set responsibilities to others—ruler and ruled, teacher and student, parent and child, man and woman. Meeting these responsibilities, he believed, would create a virtuous society. Even the highest ruler had obligations to his people. In China, the ruler held the "Mandate from Heaven." This meant that if he did not rule well, the heavens would remove the mandate by striking him down through rebellious citizen action. Confucius taught these ideas to students who came to him for advice, and his students taught their students, so the traditions were passed down. Confucius recorded many of his rules in sayings that were recorded by his students in a short text called TheAnalects, which became the base for Chinese social and political order. Later, The Analects were studied and memorized by generations of students. Before the modernization of China's educational system in the early twentieth century, literacy was measured by a person's knowledge and understanding of Confucian texts.
Cultural Revolution: The social upheaval that began in 1966 as a struggle between Mao Zedong and other high-ranking Communist leaders. The movement spread throughout China, and violence frequently broke out as competing radical groups struggled for power. Mao's attempt to put China back on a revolutionary path wrecked the government and economy.
Great Leap Forward: Mao Zedong's dramatic mass organization (1958-1961) to increase industrialization and productivity in China. This movement, based on Mao's belief that human willpower and effort could overcome all obstacles, resulted in economic disaster and widespread starvation.
Guomindang: After the fall of the last empire in China, a new revolutionary government was established in 1912. However, that government was unstable and ever-shifting. The authority was reorganized into a national political force called the National People's Party, or the Guomindang (sometimes written as Kuomingtang). Members hoped to create a true democratic republic in China. The Guomindang defeated all other political parties in national elections of February 1913. Despite its strength in 1913, the Guomindang's leadership and membership were not stable. Sun Yatsen reorganized the party, and his death in 1925 led to new leadership by his successor, Chiang Kaishek.
Marxism: Marxism is a political and economic theory of German thinker Karl Marx, who died in 1883. The theory promotes a classless society, the elimination of private ownership, and the provision of work, lodging, and food for all citizens.
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Capitalism: Capitalism is an economic system characterized by private ownership of property and well-developed financial institutions. Capitalism allows individual initiation, business competition, inheritance, and profit earning.
Class struggle: Communist theory endorses the elimination of social classes. In order to achieve a classless society, citizens must go through class struggle. They must identify the evils of the dominant class and root out and destroy the causes of social inequality. Class struggle is a violent method used to equalize society.
Communism: A governmental system that encourages the elimination of private property and the equitable distribution of goods to the public. A Communist government maintains central control over banking, business, housing, education, industry, medical care, the military, and regional security forces.
Confucianism: A philosophy originating around 500 B.C. and based on the ideas of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.). From the 100s B.C. to the A.D. 1900s, Confucianism was the most important single force in Chinese life. It influenced Chinese education, government, personal behavior, and a person's duty to society. Confucius taught that moral behavior was connected to traditional social roles and hierarchies. Each person had set responsibilities to others—ruler and ruled, teacher and student, parent and child, man and woman. Meeting these responsibilities, he believed, would create a virtuous society. Even the highest ruler had obligations to his people. In China, the ruler held the "Mandate from Heaven." This meant that if he did not rule well, the heavens would remove the mandate by striking him down through rebellious citizen action. Confucius taught these ideas to students who came to him for advice, and his students taught their students, so the traditions were passed down. Confucius recorded many of his rules in sayings that were recorded by his students in a short text called TheAnalects, which became the base for Chinese social and political order. Later, The Analects were studied and memorized by generations of students. Before the modernization of China's educational system in the early twentieth century, literacy was measured by a person's knowledge and understanding of Confucian texts.
Cultural Revolution: The social upheaval that began in 1966 as a struggle between Mao Zedong and other high-ranking Communist leaders. The movement spread throughout China, and violence frequently broke out as competing radical groups struggled for power. Mao's attempt to put China back on a revolutionary path wrecked the government and economy.
Great Leap Forward: Mao Zedong's dramatic mass organization (1958-1961) to increase industrialization and productivity in China. This movement, based on Mao's belief that human willpower and effort could overcome all obstacles, resulted in economic disaster and widespread starvation.
Guomindang: After the fall of the last empire in China, a new revolutionary government was established in 1912. However, that government was unstable and ever-shifting. The authority was reorganized into a national political force called the National People's Party, or the Guomindang (sometimes written as Kuomingtang). Members hoped to create a true democratic republic in China. The Guomindang defeated all other political parties in national elections of February 1913. Despite its strength in 1913, the Guomindang's leadership and membership were not stable. Sun Yatsen reorganized the party, and his death in 1925 led to new leadership by his successor, Chiang Kaishek.
Marxism: Marxism is a political and economic theory of German thinker Karl Marx, who died in 1883. The theory promotes a classless society, the elimination of private ownership, and the provision of work, lodging, and food for all citizens.
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