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 |