A Glossary of Pāļi Words

Found in the Ānāpāna Dīpanī

(In the order of the Roman Alphabet)

Abhijjādomanassanaŋ:

Abhiññāņa: A sign, or token according to Pe Maung Tin's Student's Pāļi-English Dictionary as

well as Childer's but not mentioned in the PTS Dictionary.

Abhippamodayaŋ:

Abhiyacāka: To ask, to request, to entreat.

Abrahmacariya: Unchaste conduct. This is the opposite of Brahmacariya which is the conduct
considered suitable for Monks (i.e. Bhikkhus and Sāmaņeras) and Nuns (i.e. Bhikkhuņīs,
Thīlashins, or Maychees).

Ahaŋ: (1) A day. (2) I, myself.

Āhāra: Nutriment or food.

Ahosiŋ: To be; to exist; to become; to take place; to befall; to behave.

Ājivaţţhamaka:

Ajjhupekkhitā:

Ākāse: Space.

Amata: The drink of the Gods; also a synonym for Nibbāna.

Ānāpāna: Out-breath and in-breath.

Anattā: No self, no soul. This is by far the most difficult truth for people foreign to Buddhism to
grasp. It means to say that there is no strata or sub-strata to the seeming character of beings or
non-beings if you will. All things are the product of action in the past or present just like
chemicals in a laboratory. Neither Buddha, God, or anyone can hope to claim a permanent
character, self, or consciousness. It is one of the three characteristics of all conditioned things.

Ańguttara: By numbers. The fourth of the five sections of the Sutta Piţaka which make up the
second division of the Buddha's teachings.

Aniccaŋ: Impermanence, flux. It is one of the three characteristics of all conditioned things.
Aniccānupassī: Insight into impermanence. This is one of the necessary stages of Vipassanā if
one is to achieve a free mind.

Añña: Knowledge; perfect knowledge; the perfect enlightenment of one who has knowingly
followed a Buddha's teaching to its goal.

Aññataraŋ: One, a certain sum; some other, another. Page 1.

Anubandhanā: Uninterrupted succession, consequence.

Apannā:

Aparibhuttaŋ:

Apāya: Hell.

Āpo: Water. It is also given the characteristic of cohesion.

Arahato: One who has been liberated from all desires, wants, hatred, and pride.

Asappāya: Unfit, unwell, inappropriate.

Assāsa:

Assasāmīti:

Assasanto:

Assāsapassāsa:

Assāsapassāsānaŋ:

Assasissāmīti:

Assasati:

Asurakaţhena:

Atitaddhāmaŋ:

Atta: A static or unchanging self or soul.

Aţţhakathā: Commentary, exegetical literature.

Aţţhakkhanas:
Aviraddhaŋ:

Bahi: Outside, outwards, out, out of doors.

Bahulīkatā: Enlarged, increased, extended.

Bodhipakkhiya: Accessory to the Bodhi or supreme knowledge (Childer's). There are the
Sattatiŋsa Bodhipakkhiyā Dhammā (thirty seven constituents of true knowledge). These are:
The four Satipaţţhāna;
1/1. Kāyānupassanā, mindfulness of the body,
2/2. Vedanānupassanā, mindfulness of feelings,
3/3. Cittānupassanā, mindfulness of the mind and,
4/4. Dhammānupassanā, mindfulness of truths),

The four Sammappadhāna (noble efforts);

5/1. Saŋvarapadhāna, effort to avoid all evil states of mind,
6/2. Pahānapadhāna, effort to abandon all evil states that have
already arisen,
7/3. Bhāvānapadhāna, effort to cultivate wholesome and good
states of mind not yet arisen, and
8/4. Anurakkhanāpadhāna, effort to cultivate and preserve those
meritorious states of mind that have arisen,

The four Iddhipāda;

9/1. Chanda, will or determination for supranormal power,
10/2. Viriya, effort towards creating supranormal power,
11/3. Citta, the correct thoughts at heart for cultivating
supranormal power, and
12/4. Vīmaŋsa, the necessary investigation for supranormal power,

The five Indriya;

13/1. Saddhindriya, the faculty of confidence,
14/2. Vīriyindriya, the faculty of effort,
15/3. Satindriya, the faculty of mindfulness,
16/4. Samādhindriya, the faculty of concentration and,
17/5. Paññindriya, the faculty of wisdom,

The five Bala;

18/1. Saddhabala, the power of confidence,
19/2. Vīriyabala, the power of effort,
20/3. Satibala, the power of mindfulness,
21/4. Samādhibala, the power of concentration,
22/5. Paññābala, the power of wisdom,

The seven Bojjhańga;

23/1. Satisambojjhańga, mindfulness,
24/2. Dhammavicayasambojjhańga, investigation of truths,
25/3. Vīriyasambojjhańga, effort,
26/4. Pītisambojjhańga, joy,
27/5. Passadhisambojjhańga, tranquillity,
28/6. Samādhisambojjhańga, concentration and,
29/7. Upekkhāsambojjhańga, equanimity and,

The Ariyo Aţţhańgiko Maggo (Noble Eightfold Path),

30/1. Sammādiţţhi, right views,
31/2. Sammāsańkappa, right thoughts,
32/3. Sammāvācā, right speech,
33/4. Sammākammanta, right action,
34/5. Sammā-ājīva, right livelihood,
35/6. Sammāvāyāma, right effort,
36/7. Sammāsati, right mindfulness and,
37/8. Sammāsamādhi, right concentration).

Bojjhańga: Member or constituent of Bodhi (enlightenment). As shown under Bodhipakkhiya

(no. 23 - 29) above there are seven Bojjhańga.

Brahma: A God. There are various ranks of Brahma(s), the highest of them is Mahābrahma of
which there is only one. Anyone who is of good heart and diligent in the practises of Samatha
(ecstatic concentration), especially the Brahma Vihāra meditations, is capable of entering this
realm upon their death if they are also firmly established in virtue (Sīla) and renunciation
(Nekkhamma). However, it is not recommended that one should intend to go to such realms
without having practised Vipassanā at least to the extent of entering into the first path of
deliverance (Sotāpanna Magga). The life expectancy of the Gods, although very long, is limited
and will give no assurance of a good rebirth at the end of that life.

Brahma Vihāra Bhāvanā: The four divine states of meditation. These are 1) Metta, loving-
kindness, 2) Karuņā, compassion, 3) Muditā, altruistic joy and, 4) Upekkhā, equanimity. They
are so called the ‘Divine, Sublime or Noble States’ as they are like the states known and
practised by the Gods and through which only can one perceive or have communion with the
Gods.

Bhagavato:

Bhāvanā:

Bhava Sampatti:

Bhayaţhena:

Bhikkhave:
Bhoga Sampatti:

Buddha:

Ca: And.

Cattāro:

Cattuka:

Citta:

Cittaŋpi:

Cittānupassanā:

Cittapaţisaŋvedi:

Cittasańkhāraŋ:

Dāyaka:

Dīghaŋ:

Dīpanī:

Diţţhi:

Disvā:

Duccarita:

Dukkha:

Dullabha:

Durājīvasa:

Dhamma:

Dhammanupassanā:

Dhammapada:

Dhammapāsāda:
Dhātu:

Ekaka:

Etaŋ:

Evaŋ:

Gaņana:

Gandha:

Hoti:

Iddhi:

Idha:

Indriya:

Iriyapatha:

Jhāna:

Kamato:

Kāmāvacara:

Kamma: Action, deed. This word is frequently used without singular or plural distinction. Its
usage seems to refer most frequently to that which has been done in the past minute, hour, day,
month, year, decade, or lifetime(s). This term should technically be used to refer to actions in the
present sense. However, it is often used by many people to represent the effects of past actions.
Vipāka (reaction) would be more appropriate as it is the reaction of deeds (Kamma) we must
suffer from. However, as it has become popular to use the word Kamma (Sanskrit: Karma.)
meaning both action and reaction it may be understood in this way also.

Kammaţţhāna:

Kańkhāvitaraņa:

Kathaŋ:

Kāydarathe:

Kāyaññatarāhaŋ:
Kāyasańkharāhaŋ:

Kāyesu:

Kāyopi:

Kilesa:

Kusala: Wholesome, skilful, correct, good.

Khandha:

Khayaţhena:

Kho:

Lahukaŋ

Lakkhaņa:

Lańghanākarapputtaŋ:

Loka:

Magga: Path, way, or road. As in the english language this word is frequently used in a
figurative sense.

Maggāmaggañāņadassana:

Mahāpurisabhumi:

Mahāthera: Great elder. This title is usually given to a monk (Bhikkhu) who has been in the
order (Sańgha) for at least ten years and has proven himself to be well familiar with the Pāļi
language of the Buddhist Scriptures and the teachings therein.

Majjhima: Middle, middle length. This word is frequently used to express the way by which the
Sammāsambuddhas teach meaning without extreme; i.e. not practising extreme austerities or
partaking of sensual and want-on activities. Majjhima Nikāya is the title of the second of the five
sections (Pañca Nikāya) which make up the Sutta Piţaka or second division of the Buddhist
Texts.

Manasikāro:

Manussatta:
Nāma: The mind. The mind is usually viewed as being made up of four mutually dependent
parts; 1) Viññāņa (consciousness), Sańkhāra (mental volition), 3) Vedanā (feeling) and, 4)
Saññā (perception).

Namo: Homage to, respect to.

Ñāņa: Knowledge. It is not generally used in the sense of common knowledge but in the sense of
knowledge gained by meditation or a significant amount of experience.

Ñāņadassana:

Nemi:

Nibbāna: Cessation; the end of conditioning; the non-conditioned state. This is the ‘object’ of
meditation all Buddhists should cultivate and work towards. Although it has been frequently
been referred to as being equivalent to space (Akāsa) it was never so referred to as being such by
the Buddha as space is a conditioned element and Nibbāna is without any form of conditioning at
all.

Nicca: Permanent, static, unchanging.

Nikāya:

Nimitta: A sign or image that arises or is brought to mind during meditation.

Nirodha: Cessation; end. Frequently used as a synonym of Nibbāna.

Nirodhānupassī:

Nirodhavasena:

Nīvaraņa: Hindrance. There are five hindrances to self purification which are called the
Nīvaraņa although they are not the only hindrances a person can possess. The five Nīvaraņa are
1) Kāmacchanda (sensual desire), 2) Byāpāda (ill will), 3) Thīna-middha (sloth and torpor), 4)
Uddhacca-kukkucca (distraction and remorse, worry and anxiety), and 5) Vicikicchā (doubt
and pointless speculation).

Nu:

Ogha:

Oja:

Olārika:

Pabuti:
Pahānaŋ:

Pajānāti:

Pakkūsāti:

Pallańkaŋ:

Pāļi:

Pana:

Paņņdito:

Paññā:

Parimukhaŋ:

Paripūrenti:

Passāsā:

Passasissāmīti:

Pathavī:

Paţibhāga:

Paţiññāņa:

Paţikkūla:

Payā:

Payātagas:

Phala:

Phusanā:

Piţaka: See Section X, p. . ‘Basket’ is the usual rendering. The word frequently implies any
one of the three major divisions of the Buddha's teachings and sometimes the whole of them
although as such they are more frequently referred to as the Tipiţaka (three baskets).

Pīti:
Purisa:

Puthujjana:

Rammaņe:

Rūpa: