Jai (S): Victory; T. gyal: as in Lha Gyal Lo! -victory to the gods! a phrase typically shouted by KPSR at the end of fire pujas.

Ja lu (T): Rainbow body. Dzogchen practitioners who have mastered the Trekchod phase of Dzogchen in which pure and total presence is stabilized are able to practice Tho-gal. Tho-gal is the final practice of Dzogchen, which enables the yogi to dissolve his or her physical body into the essence of the elements at the time of death. The yogi then disappears into a body of light, leaving only hair toe & finger nails, and nasal septum behind.

Jambhala (S): Tibetan: Dzambhala. Buddhist deity and member of the Jewel family who bestows wealth and personifies abundance. His fat belly shows his prosperity and he holds a mongoose on his left thigh that vomits jewels as he squeezes it. In his right hand he holds a flaming wish-fulfilling jewel which is symbolic for the riches one attains with the wealth of spirituality. He is primarily black in color and has the stunted, thick form of a dwarf with a potbelly. He is seated sideways on a dragon with his right foot down and his knee up. In his white form, he is holding a trident and a scepter. He is related to a number of Indian deities signifying prosperity, the best known being Kubera. In Tibetan art, Jambhala is often the peaceful, wealth-bestowing aspect of Vaishravana, protector of the north.

japa (S): Recitation. Practice of concentratedly repeating a mantra, often while counting the repetitions on a mala or strand of beads. It is recommended as a cure for pride and arrogance, anger and jealousy, fear and confusion. It fills the mind with divine syllables, awakening the divine essence of spiritual energies. The same practice in Buddhism would is called "Mantrayoga."

Jataka (Jataka Tales): Sutras narrating the birth stories of Shakyamuni in past lives, and effects related to the past and the present lives.

Je Tsongkhapa is the founder of the Gelug-pa school and is the central figure in their Refuge Tree. He is dressed as a monk and wears the yellow pandita hat this lineage has become associated with. After studying with a reported 45 masters, he founded the Gelukpa school in 1409 which emphasized monastic discipline. One of his students, Gedundrup, was retrospectively recognized as the first Dalai Lama, an emanation of Avalokitesvara. He is an emanation of Manjusri and is often depicted with Shakyamuni Buddha in his heart. The Gelukpa order has the largest and most politically influential school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Jetsunma (T): Reverend Mother. Tibetan honorific title.

Jewel Family: The family headed by Ratnasambhava.

jhana (P): Sanskrit: dhyana. Mental absorption. A state of strong concentration focused on a single physical sensation (resulting in rupa jhana) or mental notion (resulting in arupa jhana). Development of jhana arises from the temporary suspension of the five hindrances (see nivarana) through the development of five mental factors: vitakka (directed thought), vicara (evaluation), piti (rapture), sukha (pleasure), and ekaggatarammana (singleness of preoccupation). See dhyana.

Jigme Lingpa (1729—1798): Jigme Lingpa is one of the greatest and, even today, one of the most important teachers of the Dzogchen lineage. He received three visionary transmissions from Longchen Rabjam and realized his teachings, which were to become famous throughout Tibet under the name of Longchen Nyingthig. He kept them secret for about seven years, until the time had come to teach them since it is very important that a terton practises the teachings himself, before passing them on to others. Jigme Lingpa had many excellent students. The first Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Jigme Trinle, became his main lineage-holder. Among Jigme Lingpa's reincarnations are many famous lamas such as Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (his mind-emanation), Patrul Rinpoche (his speech-emanation) and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (his body-emanation, Phowa Lineage).