icchantika: A class of beings who have cut off all their virtuous roots, and some say have no hope of attaining buddhahood.
ignorance (avidya, wuming): Along with hatred (anger) and greed, it is one of the three forces that cause reincarnation. Literally it means darkness or without illumination. Actually it means illusion without enlightenment or the illusory phenomena. See “avidya.”
immortals: See the Shurangama Sutra for the ten types of immortals.
impermanence (anitya, wuchang): All conditioned dharma (phenomena) are subject to the processes of cause and effect and the four stages of arising, subsisting, changing and passing away. All sentient beings die and all non-sentient beings and things perish. The first of the eight fundamental right views of cultivation. Everything in this world comes into being through the occurrence of certain causes and conditions and passes away with the cessation of such causes and conditions. Nothing can be held on to and nothing can be kept forever. In fact, there is nothing to obtain, seek, lose, or take.
Indra (Dishi): King of the Trayastrimsa Heaven. The ruler of the gods in ancient Indian mythology. See also “Sakra.”
indriya: Literally means the sense organs including our physical and psychological capabilities and faculties. Commonly grouped into a list of 22: 1-6) the six sense bases (ayatana), 7-9) three factors concerning gender (male, female, and vitality), 10-14) five feelings, 15-19) five spiritual faculties, 20) arta-marga, 21) highest knowledge which marks the attainment of stream-entry (srotapanna), and 22) perfect knowledge which marks the stage of an arhat. Sometimes just refers to the five spiritual or controlling faculties or dominants (panchaindryani): faith, devotion (shraddha); joyous effort or exertion, perseverance (virya); perfect mindfulness (smriti); perfect concentration or meditative absorption (samadhi); and wisdom or insight (prajña). When these five indriya are strengthened or developed they become the five “powers (balas)” See further the “thirty-seven limbs of enlightenment (bodhipakshika-dharma).”
infinite hell: The lowest and worst of the eight hot hells and the destination of those who commit the five most serious crimes known as the five immediate misdeeds since they bring about almost immediate karmic retribution either in the same life or upon death. Also called Avici Hell, Hell of Uninterupted Suffering, or Hell of No Interval. The term Avici Hell, which literally means no space, refers to the fact that there is no interval without suffering—the torture is uninterrupted. See also “hell” and “Vajra Hell.”
initiation: The Chinese characters “guan ding” is the Sanskrit word “abhisheka.” It can be translated as anointing, initiation, empowerment or consecration. Literally, it means to pour on the crown or consecrate by sprinkling water on the head. This is a process in which the disciple is enabled or empowered by a Vajra Master to carry out specific meditation or other tantric practices. See “five Inner Tantra Initiations,” “four Outer Tantra Initiations”.
inner mandala (nei tanchen): Used in advanced tantric practice of physical cultivation.
inner-tantric initiations (mijing guanding): See “tantric initiations.”
insight: See “vipashayana.”
Isipatana: See “Sarnath.” Name for Saranth used in Pali Canon.
Institute: Refers to the Master Wan Ko Yee International Cultural Institute, headquartered in Alhambra, California that promotes the many extraordinary achievements of Master Wan Ko Yee (H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III) in the fields of Buddhism, Chinese culture, ethics, benevolence, literature, poetry, calligraphy and painting, music, medicine, medical science, science, and technology.
ista-devata: See “yidam.”