Abbot: the one who gives the disciples the monastic precepts.

Bhikshu: male fully-ordained monk.

Bhikshuni: female fully-ordained nun.

Chogu: upper yellow robe made of seven strips of patches.

Defeat: see parajika.

Donka: vest.

Gatha: a brief saying to recite and contemplate that helps one to maintain mindfulness of one's activities.

Kerag: belt.

Mala: prayer beads, rosary.

Meyog: underskirt.

Monastic: a general term for a monk or nun. This includes one who is a sramanera, sramanerika, bhikshu, or bhikshuni.

Namcha: upper yellow robe made of up to 25 strips of patches, worn by bhikshus and bhikshunis only.

Ngullen: shirt.

Ordination ceremony: the ceremony during which one takes Buddhist precepts.

Parajika: A root precept for bhikshus and bhikshunis. A full transgression means one is defeated and is no longer a monastic.

Pratimoksa vows: the vows of individual liberation. They are of eight kinds: 1) bhikshu, 2) bhikshuni, 3) shiksamana, 4) sramanera, 5) sramanerika 6) upasaka, 7) upasika, 8) one-day vow with eight precepts.

Pratimoksa Sutra: the sutra containing the list of bhikshu or bhikshuni precepts.

Precept: a guideline or rule for training one's body, speech, or mind.

Rabjung: leaving the householder's life.

Sanghavasesa: the second most serious categories of precepts for bhikshu and bhikshunis.

Shiksamana: female nun who holds the novice precepts plus six additional regulations for two years and is preparing to become a bhikshuni.

Sramanera: male novice monk with ten (subdivided into 36) precepts.

Sramanerika: female novice nun with ten (subdivided into 36) precepts.

Shamtab: lower robe.

Upasaka: male lay follower of the Buddha who has taken refuge and often lay precepts.

Upasika: female lay follower of the Buddha who has taken refuge and often lay precepts.

Vinaya Pitaka: one of three categories or baskets of the Buddha's teachings. Its topic concerns monastic precepts and the functioning of the sangha community.

Zen: upper shawl.