Glossary of Buddhist Terms

This glossary, which originally accompanies the introductory text, Oneness, provides a fair number of essential Buddhist terms. Hope it is useful for you (and apologies for the antiquated formatting).

If you can’t find the term you are looking for, then please try Glossary of Pali and Buddhist terms at Access to Insight

Acariya,          teacher (Thai: Ajahn)       
Adhitthana,       decision, resolution, self determination, will 
Akusala,          unwholesome, demerit, wrong, bad, evil   
Anagami,          a Non-returner, the third stage in the realization of 
                  Nibbana  
Anapanasati,      mindfulness of in and out breathing
Anatta,           not self, Egolessness
Anicca,           Impermanence
Arammana,         sense objects, and object of consciousness (in Thai: 
                  mood, temper, emotion)
Arahant/Arahat,   The worthy one
Ariya,            Noble:  1. The Sublime Path of the Hole life
                          2. Ariya atthaangika magga, The Noble 
                             Eightfold Path
Ariya Dana,       (Thai: Ariyasab) the sublime or noble treasure         
Ariya Phala,      fruition:  1. Sota patti phala, fruition of stream 
                                entry 
                             2  Sakadagamiphala, fruition of once 
                                returning
                             3, Anagami phala, fruition of non 
                                returning    
                             4  Arahatta phala, fruition of the worthy 
                                one  or perfected one                    
Ariya Sacca,       Noble Truth         
Asava,             mental intoxication, defilememt
Atta,              Self, Ego 
Avijja             Ignorance, nescience, not knowing better, delusion

Bhavana,           mental culture, development, the control and 
                   evolution of the mind, meditation
Bodhipakkhiya 
Dhamma,            the 37 qualities contributing to Enlightenment
Bodhisatta (Pali)/Bodhisattva (Sanskrit), A Buddha to be, one who 
                   has resolved to attain Enlightenment for the helping 
                   of all sentient beings.      
Brahma,            (in Hinduism, The Creator, The Universal Self); in    
                   Buddhism, a divine being of the Form Sphere or the  
                   Formless Sphere, Happy and blameless celestial                     
                   beings, inhabitants of the higher heavens.
Buddha,            The Awakened One, The Enlightened one
Buddho,            a recitation of the Buddha, an example of a mantra     

Citta,             thought, thoughtfulness, active thoughts, mind, a 
                   state of consciousness   

Dana,              giving, gift, alms-giving, alms, generosity, 
                   charity, benevolence, liberality, donation
Deva,              a shining one, god, deity
Devata, (Thai: Thevada) a shining one, god, deity
Dhamma (Pali) Dharma (Sanskrit) The Dhamma, The Doctrine, The 
                   Teaching of the Buddha, The Law, nature, the Truth, 
                   Ultimate Reality, The Supramundane esp. Nibbana, 
                   righteousness, virtue, morality 
Dukkha,            Suffering, misery, woe, pain, ill, sorrow, trouble, 
                   discomfort, unsatisfactoriness       

Ekaggata,          one-pointedness (of mind) concentration   

Iddhi,             success, psychic power
Iddhipada,         The Four Paths of Accomplishment 
     
Jhana,             meditation, trance, ecstasy, absorption, a state of 
                   serene contemplation attained by meditation            

Kamma,             A volitional action           
Kandha,            aggregate, category
                   Pancakkhandha,  The five Aggregates, The five 
                   causally conditioned elements of existence forming a 
                   being or entity, corporeality, feeling, perception, 
                   mental formations and consciousness
Kammatthana,       the act of meditation or contemplation, subjects of 
                   meditation exercises 
Kappa (Pali)/ Kalpa (Sanskrit),  an aeon, world cycle
Karuna,            Compassion  
Khanti,            patience, forebearance, tolerance, endurance
Kilesa,            defilement, impurities
Kusala,            wholesome, meritorious, good action, virtue    
Kuti,              an abode of a Buddhist monk or novice  

Lobha,             greed, covetousness                                 
Loka,              the World, a world, plane of existence            
Lokiya,            mundane, worldly
Lokuttara,         supramundane, transcendental

Magga,             The Path, The Way  
                   The Eightfold Noble Path:
                   1 Right Understanding, Right Vision
                   2 Right Thoughts          
                   3 Right Speech                             
                   4 Right Action  
                   5 Right Livelihood                
                   6 Right Effort
                   7 Right Mindfulness
                   8 Right Concentration, Meditation
Majjima patipada,  The Middle Way (The Eightfold Noble Path)
Mana, Mano,        mind, thinking faculty
Manta, Mantra,     sacred or magical formula
Metta,             Loving kindness,good will, friendliness
Moha,              delusion, ignorance, dullness
 
Nana,              knowledge, real knowledge, wisdom, insight
Nama,              mind, name, mental factors, mentality,
Nibbana,           the extinction of the fires of greed,of hatred and
                   ignorance, the Unconditioned, the Supreme Goal of 
                   Buddhism, the final emancipation
Nirodha,           Liberation, the Cessation of suffering
Nissaya,           foundation, help, support, protection (in Thai:
                   habit) 
Nekkhama,          renunciation

Panna,             wisdom, insight   
Papa,              evil, wrong action, demerit, bad, wicket, 
Parami,            Perfections, stages of spiritual perfection achieved
                   by a Boddhisatta on his path to Buddhahood        
Patticcasamupada,  The Dependent Origination, The Law of Causation, The
                   twelve links of conditioned co-production      
Phala,             fruit, effect, result, consequence             
Phassa,            contact, touch, mental impression (Thai: Samphas)                            
Puja,              worship (external and mental, honour, veneration,
                   homage, devotional offering  
Punna,             merit, meritorious action, virtue, righteousness
                   (Thai: Tham boon)

Ratanattaya,       the Triple Gem, the Three Jewels (viz, the Buddha, 
                   the doctrine, and the Order)
Rupa,              matter, form, material body, shape, corporeality

Saddha,            faith, confidence
Sala,              hall, pavilion, wayside shelter, study and merit-
                   making hall, preaching hall
Samadhi,           Concentration, contemplation, absorption
Samathabhavana,    Concentration development, tranquility
Samsara,           the Round of Rebirth, Cycle of Existence
Samudaya,          the Cause of Suffering
Sangha,            Community, a chapter of (not less than four) 
                   Buddhist monks, the Order
Sankhara,          Compounded things, conditioned things, volitional 
                   activities
Sati,              mindfulness
Satipatthana,      (the Four) Foundations of Mindfulness
Sila,              Morality
Sotapanna,         a Stream Enterer, one who has attained the first 
                   stage of sainthood

Tanha,             craving, desire, thirst
Tepitaka,          the Three Baskets, the three divisions of the 
                   Buddhist Canon: Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma 
                   generally known as the Pali Canon
tilakkhana,        the common characteristics of component things

Upadana,           attachment, clinging
Upaya,             means, method, resource, expedient
Upekkha,           equanimity, even-mindedness, neutrality
Uposatha,          1. Observance of the Eight Precepts;
                   2. Bi-weekly recitation of the Vinaya rules by a 
                   chapter of Buddhist monks
Uposatha hall,     a hall in a monastery in which ceremonies are 
                   performed

Vatta,             duty, service, monastic daily routine or service, 
                   observance.
Vedana,            sensation, feeling
Vesantara,         a prince, cited as one of the previous births of the 
                   Buddha in order to illustrate the practising of one 
                   of the Ten Perfections, in this case Generosity
Vihara,            a monastery, temple
Vimutti,           deliverance, release
Vinaya,            discipline, the monastic regula
Vinnana,           consciousness
Vipaka,            effect, result, fruit, kamma resultant
Vipassana,         insight intuitive vision, introspection, 
                   contemplation, insight development
Viriya,            effort, energy, vigour, endeavour, exertion

Wat (Thai),        Monastery, temple

Yome (Thai),       appellation used by a monk for his parents or his 
                   patron or supporter