Buddhist Terms Flashcards
Learn the vocabulary of Buddhism with free Buddhist terms flashcards: 73 words such as dukkha, anattā and bodhicitta, each answered by a definition from our sourced glossary. Cards you know come back later, cards you miss come back tomorrow, and your progress stays on your device.
0 cards are due for review, and 10 new cards wait.
Your progress is kept in this browser only.
How the cards come back
Every card sits in one of five boxes. A new card starts in the first; each time you know it, it moves up a box and waits longer before it returns: one day, then two, four, eight and sixteen. Miss it, and it goes back to the first box, comes round once more at the end of the session, and returns tomorrow. Each session brings in up to ten new cards alongside the ones that are due, so the deck grows at a pace you can keep.
The decks
The cards are grouped by the topic of the guide each term links to: Core Teachings (22), Ethics & Lifestyle (4), History, Art & Culture (5), Meditation & Practice (11), More terms (15), Texts & Scriptures (9) and Traditions & Schools (7). Every answer opens onto its glossary entry and its full guide, and you can see how to say any term in the term lookup.
Rules for saying the words: how to pronounce Pali and Sanskrit. Test yourself further with the Buddhism quiz. See all our free tools.
Frequently asked questions
How do Buddhist flashcards help me learn the terms?
Each card shows a term, such as dukkha or anattā, and asks you to recall its meaning before you turn it over. Cards you know come back after longer and longer gaps, up to sixteen days; cards you miss come back tomorrow. A few minutes a day works through the deck without cramming.
Where do the definitions come from?
From our glossary: each card's answer is the one-line definition of a glossary entry, and each entry lists its sources on its own page. There are 73 cards, one for every term in the glossary.
Which deck should I start with?
Any. The decks group the terms by the topic of the guide each one links to; the largest is Core Teachings, with 22 cards. Or study all 73 together; each session adds up to ten new cards to whatever is due.
Can I study the other way round?
Yes. Tick 'Show the definition first' to see the meaning and recall the term. The term and its Pali and Sanskrit forms are blanked out of the definition so the answer does not give itself away.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in your browser only. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else, and there is no account. Clearing your browser's site data, or switching device, starts the deck afresh.