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Glossary |
Glossary of P±li and other terms used
on this site
Included in this list are P±li terms that
appear in the text as well as some other terms of importance in the teaching
of the Buddha. You will need to download and install the Pali
fonts to view this page correctly.
±n±p±na. Respiration. ¾n±p±na-sati-awareness
of respiration.
anatt±. Not self, egoless, without essence, without substance.
One of the three basic characteristics of phenomena, along with anicca and dukkha.
anicca. Impermanent, ephemeral, changing. One of the three basic characteristics
of phenomena, along with anatt± and dukkha.
anusaya. The unconscious mind; latent, underlying conditioning; dormant
mental impurity (also anusaya-kilesa).
arahant/arahat. Liberated being. One who has destroyed all impurities
of the mind.
ariya. Noble; saintly person. One who has purified the mind to the point
of having experienced ultimate reality (nibb±na).
ariya aµµhaªgika magga. The Noble Eightfold Path leading
to liberation from suffering. It is divided into three trainings, namely- s²la.
morality, purity of vocal and physical actions:
samm±-v±c±. right speech,
samm±-kammanta. right actions,
samm±-±j²va. right livelihood;
sam±dhi. concentration, control of one's own mind:
samm±-v±y±ma. right effort,
samm±-sati. right awareness,
samm±-sam±dhi. right concentration;
paññ±. wisdom, insight which totally purifies the mind:
samm±-saªkappa. right thought,
samm±-diµµhi. right understanding
ariya sacca. Noble truth. The Four Noble Truths are (1) the truth of
suffering; (2) the truth of the origin of suffering; (3) the truth of the cessation
of suffering; (4) the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering
bhaªga. Dissolution. An important stage in the practice of Vipassana.
The experience of the dissolution of the apparent solidity of the body into
subtle vibrations that are continually arising and passing away
bh±van±. Mental development, meditation. The two divisions
of bh±van± are the development of tranquility (samatha-bh±van±),
corresponding to concentration of mind (sam±dhi), and the development
of insight (vipassan±-bh±van±), corresponding to wisdom
(paññ±). Development of samatha will lead to the states
of mental absorption; development of vipassan± will lead to liberation
bh±van±-may± paññ±. Experiential
wisdom. See paññ±
bhikkhu. monk; meditator. Feminine form bhikkhuº²-nun
Buddha. Enlightened person. One who has discovered the way to liberation,
has practised it, and has reached the final goal by his own efforts
chaµµha Saªg±yana: the Sixth Council of learned monks held in
Myanmaar in 1954
cint±-may± paññ±. Intellectual wisdom.
See paññ±
citta. Mind. Citt±nupassan±-observation of the mind. See
sati-paµµh±na
dhamma. Phenomenon; object of mind; nature; natural law; law of liberation,
i.e., teaching of an enlightened person. Dhamm±nu-passan±-observation
of the contents of the mind. See satipaµµh±na. (Sanskrit
dharma.)
dukkha. Suffering, unsatisfactoriness.
One of the three basic characteristics of phenomena, along with anatta and anicca
Gotama. Family name of the historical Buddha. (Sanskrit Gautama.)
Goenkaji. "ji" is a respectful term . Used for Mr Goenka
Guruji: Principal Teacher, a term used for Mr Goenka
H²nay±na. Literally, "lesser vehicle." Term used
for Therav±da Buddhism by those of other schools. Pejorative connotation
jh±na. State of mental absorption or trance. There are eight such
states which may be attained by the practice of sam±dhi, or samatha-bh±van±.
Cultivation of them brings tranquility and bliss, but does not eradicate the
deepest-rooted mental defilements
kal±pa. Smallest indivisible unit of matter
kamma. Action, specifically an action performed by oneself which will
have an effect on one's future. (Sanskrit karma)
k±ya. Body. K±y±nupassan±-observation of
the body. See sati-paµµh±na
Mah±y±na. Literally, "greater vehicle." The type
of Buddhism that developed in India a few centuries after the Buddha and that
spread north to Tibet, Mongolia, China, Viet Nam, Korea, and Japan
mett±. Selfless love and good will. One of the qualities of a
pure mind. Mett±-bh±van±-the systematic cultivation of
mett± by a technique of meditation
nibb±na. Extinction; freedom from suffering; the ultimate reality;
the unconditioned. (Sanskrit nirv±ºa.)
P±li. Line; text. The texts recording the teaching of the Buddha;
hence the language of these texts. Historical, linguistic, and archaeological
evidence indicate that P±li was a language actually spoken in northern
India at or near the time of the Buddha. Later the texts were translated into
Sanskrit, which was exclusively a literary language
paññ±. Wisdom. The third of the three trainings
by which the Noble Eightfold Path is practised (see ariya aµµhaªgika
magga). There are three kinds of wisdom: suta-may± paññ±-literally,
"wisdom gained from listening to others," i.e., received wisdom; cint±-may±
paññ±-wisdom gained by intellectual analysis; and bh±van±-may±
paññ±-wisdom developing from direct, personal experience.
Of these, only the last can totally purify the mind; it is cultivated by the
practice of vipassan±-bh±van±
paµicca-samupp±da. The Chain of Conditioned Arising; causal
genesis. The process, beginning with ignorance, by which one keeps making life
after life of suffering for oneself
sam±dhi. Concentration, control of one's mind. The second of the
three trainings by which the Noble Eightfold Path is practised (see ariya aµµhaªgika
magga). When cultivated as an end in itself, it leads to the attainment of the
states of mental absorption (jh±na), but not to total liberation of the
mind
samm±-sati. Right awareness. See sati
sampajañña. Understanding of the totality of the human
phenomenon. i.e., insight into its impermanent nature at the level of sensations
sa½s±ra. Cycle of rebirth; conditioned world; world of
suffering
saªgha. Congregation; community of ariyas, i.e., those who have
experienced nibb±na; community of Buddhist monks or nuns; a member of
the ariya-saªgha, bhikkhu-saªgha, or bhikkhuº²-saªgha
saªkh±ra. (Mental) formation; volitional activity; mental
reaction; mental conditioning. One of the four aggregates or processes of the
mind, along with viññaºa, saññ±, and
vedan±. (Sanskrit samsk±ra.)
saªkh±ra-upekkh± / saªkh±rupekkh±.
Literally, equanimity toward the saªkh±ras. A stage in the practice
of Vipassana, subsequent to the experience of bh±ªga, in which old
impurities lying dormant in the unconscious rise to the surface level of the
mind, manifesting themselves as physical sensations. By maintaining equanimity
(upekkh±) toward these sensations, the meditator creates no new saªkh±ras,
and allows the old ones to be eradicated. Thus, the process gradually leads
to the eradication of all saªkh±ras
saññ±. Perception, recognition. One of the four
mental aggregates or processes, along with vedan±, viññ±ºa,
and saªkh±ra. It is ordinarily conditioned by one's past saªkh±ras,
and therefore conveys a distorted image of reality. In the practice of Vipassana,
saññ± is changed into paññ±, the understanding
of reality as it is. It becomes anicca-saññ±, dukkha-saññ±,
anatt±-saññ±, asubhasaññ±-that
is, the perception of impermanence, suffering, egolessness, and the illusory
nature of beauty
sati. Awareness. ¾n±p±na-sati-awareness of respiration.
Samm±-sati-right awareness, a constituent of the Noble Eightfold Path
(see ariya aµµhaªgika magga).
satipaµµh±na. the establishing of awareness. There are four
interconnected aspects of satipaµµh±na: (1) observation of
the body (k±y±nupassan±); (2) observation of sensations
arising within the body (vedan±nupassan±); (3) observation of
the mind (citt±nupassan±); (4) observation of the contents of
the mind (dhamm±nupassan±). All four are included in the observation
of sensations, since sensations are directly related to both body and mind
Sayagyi: a respectful title used for Mr U Ba Khin, means teacher
Siddhattha. Literally, "one who has accomplished his task."
The personal name of the historical Buddha. (Sanskrit Siddh±rtha.)
s²la. Morality, abstaining from physical and vocal actions that
cause harm to others and oneself. The first of the three trainings by which
the Noble Eightfold Path is practised (see ariya aµµhaªgika
magga)
suta-may± paññ±. Received wisdom. See paññ±
Sutta. Discourse of the Buddha or one
of his leading disciples. (Sanskrit s³tra)
taºh±. Literally, "thirst." Includes both craving
and its reverse image of aversion. The Buddha identified taºh± as
the cause of suffering in his first sermon, the "Discourse Setting in Motion
the Wheel of Dhamma" (Dhamma-cakkappavattana Sutta). In the Chain of Conditioned
Arising, he explained that taºh± originates as a reaction to sensation
Tath±gata. Literally "thus-gone" or "thus-come"
One who by walking on the path of reality has reached the ultimate reality,
i.e., an enlightened person. The term by which the Buddha commonly referred
to himself
Therav±da. Literally, "teaching of the elders." The
teachings of the Buddha, in the form in which they have been preserved in the
countries of South Asia (Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia). Generally
recognized as the oldest form of the teachings
Tipiµaka. Literally, "three baskets." The three collections
of the teachings of the Buddha, namely: (1) Vinaya-piµaka-the collection
of monastic discipline; (2) Sutta-piµaka-the collection of discourses;
(3) Abhidhamma-piµaka-"the collection of higher teaching," i.e.,
systematic philosophical exegesis of the Dhamma. (Sanskrit Tripiµaka.)
vedan±. Sensation. One of the four mental aggregates or processes,
along with viññaºa, saññ±, and saªkh±ra.
Described by the Buddha as having both mental and physical aspects; therefore
vedan± offers a means to examine the totality of mind and body. In the
Chain of Conditioned Arising, the Buddha explained that taºh±, the
cause of suffering, originates as a reaction to vedan± . By learning
to observe vedan± objectively, one can avoid any new reactions of craving
or aversion, and can experience directly within oneself the reality of impermanence
(anicca). This experience is essential for the development of detachment, leading
to liberation of the mind. Vedan±nupassan±-observation of sensations
within the body. See satipaµµh±na.
viññ±ºa. Consciousness, cognition. One of the four
mental aggregates or processes, along with saññ±, vedan±,
and saªkh±ra
vipassan±. Introspection, insight that totally purifies the mind.
Specifically, insight into the impermanent nature of mind and body. Vipassan±-bh±van±-the
systematic development of insight through the meditation technique of observing
the reality of oneself by observing sensations within the body
yath±-bh³ta. Literally, "as it is." Reality
yath±-bh³ta-ñ±ºa-dassana. Wisdom arising
from seeing the truth as it is