Dzogchen

thumb|upright=1.2|A white Tibetan script|Tibetan letter A inside a rainbow thigle is a common symbol of Dzogchen. The Sanskrit letter A is also a common symbol for non-arising in Mahayana Buddhism.

thumb|upright=1.2|Vajradhara, the main Ādibuddha, depicted in the Sarma (New Translation) schools of Tibetan Buddhism

Zhangzhung or Shangshung was an ancient kingdom in western and northwestern Tibet, existing from about 500 BC to 625 AD, pre-dating Tibetan Buddhism. The Zhangzhung culture is associated with the Bon religion, which has influenced the philosophies and practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Zhangzhung people are mentioned frequently in ancient Tibetan texts as the original rulers of today's western Tibet. Only in the last two decades have archaeologists been given access to do field work in the areas once ruled by the Zhangzhung.

The dharmakāya (, "truth body" or "reality body", , ) is one of the three bodies (trikāya) of a Buddha in Mahāyāna Buddhism. The dharmakāya constitutes the unmanifested, "inconceivable" (acintya) aspect of a Buddha out of which Buddhas arise and to which they return after their dissolution. When a Buddha manifests out of the dharmakāya in a physical body of flesh and blood, which is perceptible to ordinary sentient beings, this is called a nirmāṇakāya, "transformation body".

thumb|The Moonlight|moon and its light hidden by the clouds is a metaphor for the [[luminous mind of Buddha-nature, which is always shining but can be hidden or covered over by the afflictions.]]

thumb|upright=1.2|Chöd practitioners at Boudhanath stupa

Svabhava (, svabhāva; , sabhāva; ; ; ) literally means "own-being" or "own-becoming". It is the intrinsic nature, essential nature or essence of beings.

Level of realization within Tibetan Buddhism

thumb|280px|Tibetan letter "A" inside a thigle. The A, which corresponds to the sound ‘ahh’, represents kadag while the thigle represents lhun grub.

thumb|right|Ekajati, also known as Blue Tara or Ugra Tara, is one of the fierce goddesses in the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.

thumb|right|265px|Milarepa, wearing the distinctive white shawl (zen) of a ngakpa

thumb|265px|Samantabhadri in union with Samantabhadra

In Buddhist philosophy, svasaṃvedana (also svasaṃvitti) is a term which refers to the reflexive nature of consciousness, or the awareness of being aware. It was initially a theory of cognition held by the Mahāsaṃghika and Sautrāntika schools while the Sarvāstivāda-Vaibhāṣika school argued against it.

Semde (; Sanskrit: , "mind division", "mind class" or "mind series" is the name of one of three scriptural and lineage divisions within the Dzogchen (Great Perfection) tradition. The Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism traditionally classifies its Dzogchen teaching into three main divisions: Semde, Longdé (Space Series) and Menngagde (Secret Instruction Series).