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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 |
|
lahutā |
lightness (e.g., kāya lahutā is lightness in body) |
|
lakkhaṇa |
characteristc of |
|
loka |
realm or world depending on the context |
|
lokiya |
belonging to this world of 31 realms |
|
lokuttara |
beyond this world of 31 realms, transcendental |
|
macchariya |
hiding wealth due to extreme greed |
|
magga |
path; procedure |
|
mahā |
large or important |
|
māna |
arrogance, self-admiration |
|
manasikāra |
memory. Details at: Citta and Cetasika – How Viññāṇa (Consciousness) Arises |
|
mano |
mind |
|
mano sañcetanā |
vedanā, saññā that arise due to one's gati |
|
manodhatu |
mind element |
|
manodvāra |
mind door to nāmaloka; see, Our Two Worlds: Material and Immaterial |
|
manodvāravajjana |
a citta coming to the mind door as in manodvāravajjana citta |
|
manussa |
human being |
|
marana |
death (death of a physical body is not necessarily the end of human bhava; see, "Antarābhava and Gandhabba" |
|
mettā |
kindness. Has two meanings: "Ariya Mettā Bhāvanā" |
|
micchā diṭṭhi |
wrong views; see. "Wrong Views (Micchā Diṭṭhi) – A Simpler Analysis" |
|
middha |
lethargic mind |
|
moha |
delusion; mind totally covered; see, "Lobha, Dosa, Moha versus Rāga, Paṭigha, Avijjā" |
|
mohakkhaya |
moha + khaya, removing delusion |
|
muditā |
joy in the success of others |
|
mudutā |
malleability; e.g., kāya midutā |
|
mūla |
root (usually in root cause) |
|
musāvāda |
lies, trying to deceive: The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them |
|
muta |
combined word for smelling, tasting, and touching |
|
nāma |
name, mental |
|
nāmarūpa |
name and form OR mental image of a nāma and rūpa |
|
namaskāraya (Sinhala) |
||
ñāṇa |
knowledge |
|
nātha |
with refuge, opposite of anātha |
|
nekkhamma |
relinquish sense pleasures: Difference Between Giving Up Valuables and Losing Interest in Worthless |
|
neva saññā nā saññāyatana |
fourth arūpa brahma realm |
|
Nibbāna |
stopping the rebirth process: Nibbāna |
|
nibbatti lakkhaṇa |
||
nicca |
having total control, that ability |
|
niddesa |
short description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa |
|
nimitta |
sign; something resembling |
|
nirāmisa |
neutral thoughts without sense cravings |
|
nirodha |
nir + udā or stop from arising |
|
nissaraṇa |
willingly give up assāda: Assāda, Ādīnava, Nissaraṇa – Introduction |
|
Nivana (Sinhala) |
|
|
nīvaraṇa |
hindrance; covered mind |
|
niraya |
hell |
|
niyama (or niyāma) |
law of nature |
|
niyata |
permanent, fixed |
|
ojā |
nutritive essence |
|
oḷārika |
rough, condensed |
|
opapātika |
instantaneous and fully-formed birth as in deva and brahma realms |
|
pabhassara |
devoid of greed, hate, and ignorance; e.g., pabhassara citta |
|
paccayā |
condition |
|
paccuppanna |
conditional arising; present moment arising due to conditions |
|
pahāna |
abandon; remove |
|
pahātabba |
removal |
|
pakiṇṇaka |
particulars or occasionals as in pakiṇṇaka cetasika: Cetasika – Connection to Gati |
|
pāṇātipātā |
killing a living being: The Five Precepts – What the Buddha Meant by Them |
|
panca |
five |
|
pañcadvāra |
five sense doors |
|
pañcadvāra vajjana cittā |
||
pañcakkhandha |
five aggregates |
|
pañcanīvaraṇa |
five hindrances that cover the mind |
|
pañcaupādānakkhandha |
grasping/craving of the five aggregates: Pañcaupādānakkhandha – It is All Mental |
|
paṇīta |
likable or good |
|
paññā |
wisdom; comprehension of Tilakkhaṇa |
|
pāpa kammā |
immoral actions |
|
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) |
|
pāramitā |
strive through many rebirths: Paramita and Niyata Vivarana – Myths or Realities? |
|
paribramana |
rotating around another body |
|
perideva |
lamentation, especially upon remembering a past mishap |
|
parivajjana |
staying clear of bad influences: The Sotāpanna Stage |
|
pīti |
joy |
|
paññindriya |
wisdom faculty |
|
parāmatta |
ultimate reality |
|
pharusāvācā |
harsh speech: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala) |
|
pasāda rūpā |
sensitive matter (five internal senses; not physical senses): Brain – Interface between Mind and Body |
|
passaddhi |
tranquility |
|
pathavi |
element of hardness |
|
paṭicca |
get bonded to something willingly |
|
paṭigha |
aversion, dislike |
|
patikūla manasikāra bhāvanā |
||
paṭipadā |
a procedure; way of living, like in majjima patipāda |
|
paṭiniddesa |
detailed description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa |
|
paṭisandhi |
Grasping a new existence (bhava) |
|
paṭisevana |
good associations as in paṭisevana pahātabba: The Sotāpanna Stage |
|
pattānumodanā |
||
pattidāna |
transfer of merits: Transfer of Merits (Pattidāna) – How Does it Happen? |
|
pavutthi |
during this life, current |
|
pīḷama (peleema in Sinhala) |
incessant stress, agitation: Anicca – The Incessant Distress (“Pīḷana”) |
|
peta (pretha) |
hungry ghost; one of the four apāyā |
|
phala (pala in Sinhala) |
fruit, fruition |
|
phassa |
sense contact; most times it is defiled or samphassa: Difference between Phassa and Samphassa |
|
pisuṇāvācā |
slandering: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala) |
|
phoṭṭhabba |
"poththa" + "abba", where |
|
pubbe |
previous |
|
pubbenivāsānussati ñāṇa |
see #12 of Antarābhava and Gandhabba |
|
puggala |
individual |
|
puñña kriyā |
deed that makes one's heart joyful |
|
purisa |
masculine |
|
rāga |
attachment to the 31 realms: Lobha, Rāga and Kāmaccanda, Kāmarāga |
|
rāgakkhaya |
rāga + khaya: removal of attachment to the 31 realms |
|
rasa |
taste |
|
rūpa |
matter AND energy |
|
rūpa kalāpa |
elementary material group unit: Rūpa Kalāpa (Grouping of Matter) |
|
rūpāvacara |
belonging to rūpa loka |
|
sabba |
all |
|
sacca |
truth, as in a Noble Truth |
|
sadda |
sound |
|
saddhā |
faith (through knowledge and understanding) |
|
sahajāta |
born together |
|
sahetuka |
with good roots as in dvihetuka and tihetuka; if no good roots it is an ahetuka birth |
|
Sakadāgāmī |
Once-Returner (one more rebirth in kāma loka) |
|
saḷāyatana |
six sense bases for a normal human |
|
samādhi |
concentration on a good or bad mindset: What is Samādhi? – Three Kinds of Mindfulness |
|
samanantara |
matching with anantara: Anantara and Samanantara Paccayā |
|
samāpatti |
different from jhāna, see: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs |
|
sammā |
quench (defilements): What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra) |
|
sammappadhāna |
four main efforts to stop “saŋ” from arising: Two Versions of 37 Factors of Enlightenment |
|
samatha |
calming the mind |
|
sāmisa |
citta with kilesa or akusala cetasika |
|
sampajāna |
sorting defiled thoughts: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta – Structure |
|
sampappalāpa |
frivolous talk: Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala) |
|
samphassa |
“saŋ” + "phassa": Difference between Phassa and Samphassa |
|
sampaṭiccana |
where "gati" are incorporated into a citta vīthi: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs |
|
sampayutta |
together and inseparable, like a dye dissolved in water |
|
samudaya |
arising due to “saŋ”: “saŋ” + "udaya" |
|
samuppāda |
birth of a similar kind: sama + uppada |
|
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 |
|
saŋ |
||
sandiṭṭhiko |
“saŋ” + “diṭṭhi” or enable seeing “saŋ”: Supreme Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha |
|
sañkappa |
thoughts, ideas |
|
saṅkhāra |
actions leading to defilements, habits |
|
saṅkhata (sankata in Sinhala) |
arisen by conditions |
|
saññā |
perception, identification |
|
saṁsāra or saŋsāra |
beginningless rebirth process: What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra) |
|
saṁsāric |
related to the rebirth process |
|
santati |
one of the 28 types of rūpa: Rūpa (Material Form) |
|
saṁvara |
“saŋ” + “vara” or stop “saŋ” by moral behavior: What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra) |
|
saṁvarena |
via sanvara as in sanvarena pahatabba: The Sotāpanna Stage |
|
saṁvega |
“saŋ” + "vega": enhanced javana of a citta due to “saŋ”, i.e., highly emotional |
|
sapta or saptha |
seven |
|
sāsana |
Buddha sāsana is Ministry of the Buddha |
|
sasankhārika |
immoral citta arising due to shrunken mind (thīna middha) |
|
sāsava |
with craving |
|
satara (in Sinhala) |
four |
|
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)? |
|
sati |
in the mindset of anicca, dukkha, anatta: Satipaṭṭhāna – Introduction |
|
satipaṭṭhāna |
maintain sati: Mahā Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta |
|
santīraṇa |
where a decision is made in a citta vīthi: Citta Vīthi – Processing of Sense Inputs |
|
sanyojana or saṁyojana |
bind to defilements or “saŋ” |
|
sīla |
virtue, moral conduct |
|
silabbata paramasa |
perception that Nibbāna can be attained via just obeying set precepts or procedures |
|
sekha |
trainee (the three stages below the Arahant stage) |
|
sobhana |
good, likable, moral |
|
soka |
sorrow due to personal loss |
|
somanassa |
with joy |
|
sota |
Two possible meanings: ear and Noble Eightfold Path |
|
Sotāpanna |
Stream Enterer (first stage of Nibbāna) |
|
Suddhaṭṭhaka |
smallest material element: The Origin of Matter – Suddhaṭṭhaka |
|
suddhāvāsa |
Brahma realms reserved for the Anāgāmīs |
|
sugati |
"su" + "gathi" or moral habits/behavior; also good realms: Sansāric Habits, Character (Gati), and Cravings (Āsava) |
|
sukha |
bodily pleasure, like with a massage; somannasa is mental |
|
sukuma |
fine; not coarse |
|
suññatā |
emptiness: What is Sunyata or Sunnata (Emptiness)? |
|
suta |
sound |
|
sutta |
discourse in the Tipiṭaka |
|
suva |
as in Nivan suva: |
|
taṇhā |
attachment (bondage) due to greed, hate, or delusion |
|
tatramajjhattatā |
neutrality of mind; not upekkhā: Cetasika – Connection to Gati |
|
tejo |
heat element |
|
Thero |
One who has attained Nibbāna; nowadays it is used for non-Arahants bhikkhus too |
|
thīna |
shrinking of the mind, not alert |
|
tuccha |
lowly (behavior) |
|
tiparivaṭṭa |
Three rounds of bondage to this world. |
|
tihetuka |
paṭisandhi with three good roots |
|
tilakkhana |
Three characteristics of the 31 realms: Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta |
|
Tipiṭaka |
three piṭaka: sutta, vinaya, abhidhamma: Preservation of the Dhamma |
|
tisarana |
refuge in Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha: Tisarana Vandana and Its Effects on One’s Gati |
|
tivijjā |
Three special knowledges of the Buddha: The Way to Nibbāna – Removal of Āsavā |
|
uccheda diṭṭhi |
wrong view that death of the physical body is the end of a living being, i.e., disbelief in rebirth process |
|
udayavaya |
arising and destruction of a saṅkhata (sankata in Sinhala): Udayavaya Ñāṇa |
|
udayavaya or udayabbaya ñāṇa |
||
uddhacca |
tendency to be high-minded (restlessness) |
|
uddesa |
very short description: Sutta Interpretation – Uddesa, Niddesa, Paṭiniddesa |
|
upacāra |
close to |
|
upacāra samādhi |
samādhi close to jhānic state |
|
upādāna |
clinging, like to hold onto |
|
upekkha |
equanimity, neutrality |
|
uppatti |
birth |
|
utu |
natural change kammaja and cittaja energies to rūpa |
|
utuja rūpa |
rūpa produced via the transformation of kammaja and cittaja rūpa |
|
vacī |
speech |
|
vaṇṇa (varna in sinhala) |
color |
|
vaya |
destruction or deviating to immorality |
|
vāyāma |
effort |
|
vāyo |
element of movement, motion |
|
vedanā |
feeling or more precisely "sensing of an event": Vedanā (Feelings) |
|
vedanānupassanā |
anupassanā on feelings: Satipaṭṭhāna – Introduction |
|
veyyāvacca |
paying homage to and taking care of Holy places: Puñña Kamma – Dāna, Sīla, Bhāvanā |
|
vibhava |
disbelief in rebirth: Kāma Taṇhā, Bhava Taṇhā, Vibhava Taṇhā |
|
vicāra |
sustained concentration on a thought object |
|
vicikicchā |
acting without sati; uncertainty of what to do; doing inappropriate things |
|
vipassanā |
insight meditation with and for clear vision: 4. What do all these Different Meditation Techniques Mean? |
|
vimāna |
residence, normally of a deva |
|
vimansā |
contemplation, investigation |
|
vimutti |
release (from the rebirth process) |
|
vinaya |
rules of discipline for bhikkhus: Kamma, Debt, and Meditation |
|
viññāṇañcāyatana |
second arūpi brahma realm: 31 Realms of Existence |
|
viññata |
comprehension via viññāṇa |
|
viññati |
intimation. For example, kāya viññati is express intention via body movement. |
|
viññāṇa |
defiled consciousness |
|
viññāṇañcāyatana |
second arūpa brahma realm: 31 Realms of Existence |
|
vinodanā |
in vinodanaā pahatabba: The Sotāpanna Stage |
|
vipāka |
result (of a kamma) |
|
viparināma |
unexpected change |
|
vipassanā |
removing defilements via insight of Tilakkhaṇa |
|
vippayutta |
appear together, but separable; like a current in a wire |
|
virati |
lose craving for indulgence |
|
viriya |
effort |
|
visuddhi |
purification |
|
vitakka |
initial application of the mind on an object |
|
vīthi |
street; but in a citta vīthi means a "packet of thoughts" with a certain number of citta |
|
votthapana |
determining (citta) |
|
vyāpāda or byāpāda |
ill will, stronger than paṭigha |
|
yojanā |
distance of about 7 miles |
|
yoniso manasikāra |
ability to see consequences of one's actions for future rebirths: Four Conditions for Attaining Sotāpanna Magga/Phala |
4. Anyone can download the audio files here:
“WebLink: GoogleDrive: Pāli Word Pronunciation – Audio Files”