Pāli Glossary – (L-Z)

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Pāli Glossary – (L-Z)

August 12, 2016; Revised May 27, 2017; February 19, 2020; May 29, 2022 (#4 added)

Tipiṭaka English” Convention

1. I have revised the Pāli words to align with the convention used by most English texts. This convention was apparently adapted by the early European scholars (Rhys Davis and others) in order to keep the length of the word short. I will use this convention in new posts and try to update old posts gradually. See the following two posts for details:

“Tipiṭaka English” Convention Adopted by Early European Scholars – Part 1

“Tipiṭaka English” Convention Adopted by Early European Scholars – Part 2

Additional Pronunciation Keys:

“a” is pronounced like “u” in cut; “ā” is pronounced like “a” in father

“i” is pronounced like “i” in sit; “ī” is pronounced like “ee” in bee

“u” is pronounced like “u” in “put”; “ū” is pronounced like “oo” in cool

“o” is pronounced like “oe” in “Moe”; “e” is pronounced like “a” in pay

“c” needs to be pronounced like “ch” as in “charm” or “chicago”

“ñ” needs to be pronounced like “gn” in “signor”

2. This glossary is in two posts, because there are a total of over 400 Pāli words included now. This is the first part of the glossary; second part at, “Pāli Glossary – (A-K).”

I have been able to get the audio files incorporated, and also have provided links to key posts whenever possible/needed.

We also have a Popup Pāli Glossary with Pronunciation, thanks to Mr. Seng Kiat Ng. If that GoldenDict dictionary is installed on your computer, you will be able to access this glossary from each post directly. Furthermore, it could provide translations from other online dictionaries as well.

3. Relevant posts on any of the words can be found by using the “Search” box on the top right.

Pāli Word

Meaning

Audio

lobha

excess greed: Lobha, Rāga and Kāmaccanda, Kāmarāga

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lahutā

lightness (e.g., kāya lahutā is lightness in body)

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lakkhaṇa

characteristc of

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loka

realm or world depending on the context

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lokiya

belonging to this world of 31 realms

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lokuttara

beyond this world of 31 realms, transcendental

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macchariya

hiding wealth due to extreme greed

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magga

path; procedure

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mahā

large or important

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māna

arrogance, self-admiration

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manasikāra

memory. Details at: Citta and Cetasika – How Viññāṇa (Consciousness) Arises

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mano

mind

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mano sañcetanā

vedanā, saññā that arise due to one's gati

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manodhatu

mind element

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manodvāra

mind door to nāmaloka; see, Our Two Worlds: Material and Immaterial

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manodvāravajjana

a citta coming to the mind door as in manodvāravajjana citta

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manussa

human being

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marana

death (death of a physical body is not necessarily the end of human bhava; see, "Antarābhava and Gandhabba"

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mettā

kindness. Has two meanings: "Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā"

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micchā diṭṭhi

wrong views; see. "Wrong Views (Micchā Diṭṭhi) – A Simpler Analysis"

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middha

lethargic mind

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moha

delusion; mind totally covered; see, "Lobha, Dosa, Moha versus Rāga, Paṭigha, Avijjā"

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mohakkhaya

moha + khaya, removing delusion

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muditā

joy in the success of others

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mudutā

malleability; e.g., kāya midutā

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mūla

root (usually in root cause)

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musāvāda

lies, trying to deceive: The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them

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muta

combined word for smelling, tasting, and touching

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nāma

name, mental

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nāmarūpa

name and form OR mental image of a nāma and rūpa

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namaskāraya (Sinhala)

Namaskāraya – Homage to the Buddha

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ñāṇa

knowledge

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nātha

with refuge, opposite of anātha

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nekkhamma

relinquish sense pleasures: Difference Between Giving Up Valuables and Losing Interest in Worthless

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neva saññā nā saññāyatana

fourth arūpa brahma realm

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Nibbāna

stopping the rebirth process: Nibbāna

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nibbatti lakkhaṇa

Nibbatti Lakkhana in Udayavaya Ñāṇa

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nicca

having total control, that ability

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niddesa

short description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa

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nimitta

sign; something resembling

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nirāmisa

neutral thoughts without sense cravings

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nirodha

nir + udā or stop from arising

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nissaraṇa

willingly give up assāda: Assāda, Ādīnava, Nissaraṇa – Introduction

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Nivana (Sinhala)

 

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nīvaraṇa

hindrance; covered mind

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niraya

hell

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niyama (or niyāma)

law of nature

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niyata

permanent, fixed

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ojā

nutritive essence

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oḷārika

rough, condensed

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opapātika

instantaneous and fully-formed birth as in deva and brahma realms

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pabhassara

devoid of greed, hate, and ignorance; e.g., pabhassara citta

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paccayā

condition

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paccuppanna

conditional arising; present moment arising due to conditions

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pahāna

abandon; remove

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pahātabba

removal

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pakiṇṇaka

particulars or occasionals as in pakiṇṇaka cetasika: Cetasika – Connection to Gati

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pāṇātipātā

killing a living being: The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them

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panca

five

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pañcadvāra

five sense doors

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pañcadvāra vajjana cittā

Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs

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pañcakkhandha

five aggregates

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pañcanīvaraṇa

five hindrances that cover the mind

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pañcaupādānakkhandha

grasping/craving of the five aggregates: Pañcaupādānakkhandha – It is All Mental

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paṇīta

likable or good

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paññā

wisdom; comprehension of Tilakkhaṇa

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pāpa kammā

immoral actions

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para loka (paralowa in sinhala)

a human or animal gandhabba lives in para loka until a womb becomes available: Hidden World of the Gandhabba: Netherworld (Paraloka)

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pāramitā

strive through many rebirths: Pāramitā – How a Puthujjana Becomes a Buddha

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paribramana

rotating around another body

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perideva

lamentation, especially upon remembering a past mishap

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parivajjana

staying clear of bad influences: The Sotāpanna Stage

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pīti

joy

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paññindriya

wisdom faculty

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parāmatta

ultimate reality

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pharusāvācā

harsh speech: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala)

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pasāda rūpā

sensitive matter (five internal senses; not physical senses): Brain – Interface between Mind and Body

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passaddhi

tranquility

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pathavi

element of hardness

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paṭicca

get bonded to something willingly

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paṭigha

aversion, dislike

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patikūla manasikāra bhāvanā

4. What do all these Different Meditation Techniques Mean?

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paṭipadā

a procedure; way of living, like in majjima patipāda

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paṭiniddesa

detailed description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa

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paṭisandhi

Grasping a new existence (bhava)

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paṭisevana

good associations as in paṭisevana pahātabba: The Sotāpanna Stage

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pattānumodanā

Transfer of Merits (Pattidāna) – How Does it Happen?

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pattidāna

transfer of merits: Transfer of Merits (Pattidāna) – How Does it Happen?

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pavutthi

during this life, current

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pīḷama (peleema in Sinhala)

incessant stress, agitation: Anicca – The Incessant Distress (“Pīḷana”)

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peta (pretha)

hungry ghost; one of the four apāyā

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phala (pala in Sinhala)

fruit, fruition

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phassa

sense contact; most times it is defiled or samphassa: Difference between Phassa and Samphassa

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pisuṇāvācā

slandering: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala)

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phoṭṭhabba

"poththa" + "abba", where
"poththa" is skin: sense of touch

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pubbe

previous

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pubbenivāsānussati ñāṇa

see #12 of Antarābhava and Gandhabba

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puggala

individual

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puñña kriyā

deed that makes one's heart joyful

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purisa

masculine

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rāga

attachment to the 31 realms: Lobha, Rāga and Kāmaccanda, Kāmarāga

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rāgakkhaya

rāga + khaya: removal of attachment to the 31 realms

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rasa

taste

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rūpa

matter AND energy

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rūpa kalāpa

elementary material group unit: Rūpa Kalāpa (Grouping of Matter)

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rūpāvacara

belonging to rūpa loka

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sabba

all

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sacca

truth, as in a Noble Truth

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sadda

sound

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saddhā

faith (through knowledge and understanding)

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sahajāta

born together

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sahetuka

with good roots as in dvihetuka and tihetuka; if no good roots it is an ahetuka birth

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Sakadāgāmī

Once-Returner (one more rebirth in kāma loka)

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saḷāyatana

six sense bases for a normal human

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samādhi

concentration on a good or bad mindset: What is Samādhi? – Three Kinds of Mindfulness

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samanantara

matching with anantara: Anantara and Samanantara Paccayā

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samāpatti

different from jhāna, see: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs

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sammā

quench (defilements): What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra)

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sammappadhāna

four main efforts to stop “saŋ” from arising: Two Versions of 37 Factors of Enlightenment

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samatha

calming the mind

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sāmisa

citta with kilesa or akusala cetasika

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sampajāna

sorting defiled thoughts: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta – Structure

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sampappalāpa

frivolous talk: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala)

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samphassa

saŋ” + "phassa": Difference between Phassa and Samphassa

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sampaṭiccana

where "gati" are incorporated into a citta vīthi: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs

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sampayutta

together and inseparable, like a dye dissolved in water

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samudaya

arising due to “saŋ”: “saŋ” + "udaya"

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samuppāda

birth of a similar kind: sama + uppada

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saṁvega or saŋvega

saŋ” + "vega": javana power in a citta due to “saŋ”: see #9 of Javana of a Citta – The Root of Mental Power

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saŋ

Saŋ

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sandiṭṭhiko

saŋ” + “diṭṭhi” or enable seeing “saŋ”: Supreme Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha

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sañkappa

thoughts, ideas

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saṅkhāra

actions leading to defilements, habits

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saṅkhata (sankata in Sinhala)

arisen by conditions

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saññā

perception, identification

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saṁsāra or saŋsāra

beginningless rebirth process: What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra)

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saṁsāric

related to the rebirth process

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santati

one of the 28 types of rūpa: Rūpa (Material Form)

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saṁvara

saŋ” + “vara” or stop “saŋ” by moral behavior: What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra)

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saṁvarena

via sanvara as in sanvarena pahatabba: The Sotāpanna Stage

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saṁvega

saŋ” + "vega": enhanced javana of a citta due to “saŋ”, i.e., highly emotional

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sapta or saptha

seven

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sāsana

Buddha sāsana is Ministry of the Buddha

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sasankhārika

immoral citta arising due to shrunken mind (thīna middha)

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sāsava

with craving

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satara (in Sinhala)

four

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sakkāya diṭṭhi (or sathkāya diṭṭhi)

perception that things in this world are worth striving for: How do we Decide which View is Wrong View (Diṭṭhi)?

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sati

in the mindset of anicca, dukkha, anatta: Satipaṭṭhāna – Introduction

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satipaṭṭhāna

maintain sati: Mahā Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta

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santīraṇa

where a decision is made in a citta vīthi: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs

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sanyojana or saṁyojana

bind to defilements or “saŋ

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sīla

virtue, moral conduct

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silabbata paramasa

perception that Nibbāna can be attained via just obeying set precepts or procedures

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sekha

trainee (the three stages below the Arahant stage)

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sobhana

good, likable, moral

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soka

sorrow due to personal loss

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somanassa

with joy

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sota

Two possible meanings: ear and Noble Eightfold Path

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Sotāpanna

Stream Enterer (first stage of Nibbāna)

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Suddhaṭṭhaka

smallest material element: The Origin of Matter – Suddhaṭṭhaka

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suddhāvāsa

Brahma realms reserved for the Anāgāmīs

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sugati

"su" + "gathi" or moral habits/behavior; also good realms: Sansāric Habits, Character (Gati), and Cravings (Āsava)

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sukha

bodily pleasure, like with a massage; somannasa is mental

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sukuma

fine; not coarse

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suññatā

emptiness: What is Sunyata or Sunnata (Emptiness)?

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suta

sound

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sutta

discourse in the Tipiṭaka

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suva

as in Nivan suva:

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taṇhā

attachment (bondage) due to greed, hate, or delusion

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tatramajjhattatā

neutrality of mind; not upekkhā: Cetasika – Connection to Gati

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tejo

heat element

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Thero

One who has attained Nibbāna; nowadays it is used for non-Arahants bhikkhus too

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thīna

shrinking of the mind, not alert

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tuccha

lowly (behavior)

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tiparivaṭṭa

Three rounds of bondage to this world.

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tihetuka

paṭisandhi with three good roots

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tilakkhana

Three characteristics of the 31 realms: Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta

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Tipiṭaka

three piṭaka: sutta, vinaya, abhidhamma: Preservation of the Dhamma

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tisarana

refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha: Tisarana Vandana and Its Effects on One’s Gati

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tivijjā

Three special knowledges of the Buddha: The Way to Nibbāna – Removal of Āsavā

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uccheda diṭṭhi

wrong view that death of the physical body is the end of a living being, i.e., disbelief in rebirth process

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udayavaya

arising and destruction of a saṅkhata (sankata in Sinhala): Udayavaya Ñāṇa

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udayavaya or udayabbaya ñāṇa

Udayavaya Ñāṇa

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uddhacca

tendency to be high-minded (restlessness)

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uddesa

very short description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa

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upacāra

close to

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upacāra samādhi

samādhi close to jhānic state

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upādāna

clinging, like to hold onto

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upekkha

equanimity, neutrality

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uppatti

birth

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utu

natural change kammaja and cittaja energies to rūpa

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utuja rūpa

rūpa produced via the transformation of kammaja and cittaja rūpa

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vacī

speech

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vaṇṇa (varna in sinhala)

color

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vaya

destruction or deviating to immorality

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vāyāma

effort

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vāyo

element of movement, motion

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vedanā

feeling or more precisely "sensing of an event": Vedanā (Feelings)

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vedanānupassanā

anupassanā on feelings: Satipaṭṭhāna – Introduction

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veyyāvacca

paying homage to and taking care of Holy places: Puñña Kamma – Dāna, Sīla, Bhāvanā

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vibhava

disbelief in rebirth: Kāma Taṇhā, Bhava Taṇhā, Vibhava Taṇhā

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vicāra

sustained concentration on a thought object

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vicikicchā

acting without sati; uncertainty of what to do; doing inappropriate things

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vipassanā

insight meditation with and for clear vision: 4. What do all these Different Meditation Techniques Mean?

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vimāna

residence, normally of a deva

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vimansā

contemplation, investigation

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vimutti

release (from the rebirth process)

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vinaya

rules of discipline for bhikkhus: Kamma, Debt, and Meditation

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viññāṇañcāyatana

second arūpi brahma realm: 31 Realms of Existence

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viññata

comprehension via viññāṇa

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viññati

intimation. For example, kāya viññati is express intention via body movement.

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viññāṇa

defiled consciousness

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viññāṇañcāyatana

second arūpa brahma realm: 31 Realms of Existence

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vinodanā

in vinodanaā pahatabba: The Sotāpanna Stage

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vipāka

result (of a kamma)

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viparināma

unexpected change

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vipassanā

removing defilements via insight of Tilakkhaṇa

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vippayutta

appear together, but separable; like a current in a wire

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virati

lose craving for indulgence

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viriya

effort

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visuddhi

purification

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vitakka

initial application of the mind on an object

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vīthi

street; but in a citta vīthi means a "packet of thoughts" with a certain number of citta

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votthapana

determining (citta)

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vyāpāda or byāpāda

ill will, stronger than paṭigha

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yojanā

distance of about 7 miles

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yoniso manasikāra

ability to see consequences of one's actions for future rebirths: Four Conditions for Attaining Sotāpanna Magga/Phala

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4. Anyone can download the audio files here:

WebLink: GoogleDrive: Pāli Word Pronunciation – Audio Files