Pali-English Glossary
THIS GLOSSARY INCLUDES only (a) important doctrinal terms, and (b) words and meanings not found in the PTS's Pali-English Dictionary. The latter, compiled by Ven. Ñānamoli in a section of his manuscript, are here marked by an asterisk and are followed by references to the Majjhima passage where they occur. All terms are defined only by way of the meanings they bear in the Majjhima Nikāya, and no account is taken of meanings they may have in other Buddhist texts. The Pali words are listed here in Indian alphabetical order.
| Pali | ENGLISH |
| :--: | :--: |
| akālika | immediately effective |
| akiriyavāda | doctrine of non-doing |
| akuppa | unshakeable |
| akusala | unwholesome |
| *akkhāyati | to be plain (evident) (11.13) |
| anga | factor |
| angana | blemish |
| *accādāya | overlapping (39.10; 53.10; 107.6; 125.18) |
| *accokkattha | too low (91.19) |
| ajjhatta | internal(ly) |
| ajjhosāna | holding |
| aññā | final knowledge |
| atthāna | impossibility |
| *atammayatā | non-identification (113.21; 137.20) |
| *atināmeti | to exceed (the right amount) (91.14) |
| *atinijjhāyitatta | excessive meditation (128.26) |
| *atipāteri | to shoot across (12.62) |
| atimāna | arrogance |
| attakilamatha | self-mortification |
| attabhāva | individuality |
Pali
atta
attha
atthangama
adukkhamasukha
adosa
*adduva
adhikarana
adhicitta
adhitthāna
adhimāna
adhimuccati
adhivāsanā
*adhisallekhata
anagāriya
anattā
*anapāya
anāgamin
anicca
animitta
anissita
anukampā
anupassanā
*anupāya
anubyañjana
anusaya
anussati
anussava
*anvākāri
*anvāgameti
apakattha
apadāna
apāya
*appativibhattabhogin
appanihita
*appabaddha
appamāna
appamāda
*abbyāyeyya
abyāpāda
abhijjhā
abhiññā
abhinandati
*abhinipphajjati
ENGLISH
self
(1) meaning; (2) purpose; (3) good disappearance
neither-painful-nor-pleasant
non-hate
knee (91.10)
litigation
higher mind
(1) decision; (2) foundation
overestimation
to resolve upon
endurance
too exacting (66.7)
homelessness
not self
unrepelled (111.4; 112.4)
non-returner
impermanent
signless
independent
compassion
contemplation
unattracted (111.4; 112.4)
feature
underlying tendency
recollection
oral tradition
flung (86.6)
to follow after (131.3)
too loose (91.19)
attribute (129.2)
state of deprivation
one who shares without reservation
(48.6; 104.21)
desireless
coherent (32.4)
immeasurable
diligence
would pull out (105.19)
non-ill will
covetousness
direct knowledge
to delight in
to come to, to be achieved (13.9)
PALI
*abhinipphanna abhinivesa abhibhāyatana abhibhū abhivadati abhisankhata abhisankharoti abhisañcetayita abhisamaya amata amanasikāra amarāvikkhepa amoha ayoniso arati *arahati arahant ariya ariyasacca ariyasāvaka arūpa alobha avacara *avadhāna avaloketi avijjāavisārin avihimssā aveccappasāda asankhata asappurisa asamaya asāmāyika asita asubha asura asekha asmimāna assāda ahankāra ākāsa ākāsānañcāyatana
ENGLISH
achieved, produced (101.28)
adherence
base for transcendence
overlord
to welcome, to affirm
conditioned
to generate, to perform
volitionally produced
penetration
deathless
inattention
eel-wriggling
non-delusion
unwise
discontent
to be proper (95.8)
untranslated: (1) a liberated person;
(2) accomplished, Accomplished One
noble, noble one
noble truth
noble disciple
immaterial
non-greed
sphere
giving (ear) (95.30)
to turn to look (91.10)
ignorance
euphonious (91.21)
non-cruelty
perfect confidence
unconditioned
untrue man
perpetual
perpetual
sickle (96.10)
foulness
titan
one beyond training
the conceit "I am"
gratification
I-making
space
base of infinite space | Pali | ENGLISH |
| :--: | :--: |
| ākiñcañña | nothingness |
| ākiñcaññāyatana | base of nothingness |
| *ācariyaka | teacher's doctrine (26.15; 79.8) |
| ājīva | livelihood |
| ädīnava | danger |
| ānāpānasati | mindfulness of breathing |
| āneñja | imperturbable |
| apatti | offence |
| *āpādetar | nurse (141.5) |
| āpo | water |
| ābhicetasika | pertaining to the higher mind |
| *āmanda | gallnut (120.12) |
| āmisa | material thing, worldly |
| āyatana | base |
| *āyatika | having as a basis (122.18) |
| ayu | life, life-term, vitality |
| āruppa | immaterial, immaterial realm |
| ālaya | worldliness |
| āsava | taint |
| *āhañcam | I will beat (26.25) |
| *ähattar | one who brings (89.18) |
| āhāra | nutriment |
| *icchati | to stir (28.22) |
| iñjita | perturbable |
| iddhäbhisankhāra | feat of supernormal power |
| iddhi | (1) supernormal power; (2) spiritual power; (3) success |
| iddhipāda indriya | basis for spiritual power |
| iriyāpatha | faculty |
| issā | posture |
| | envy |
| uccheda | annihilation |
| *uttarārani | upper fire-stick (36.17; 93.11; 126.13) |
| uttarimanussadhamma | superhuman state |
| udayabbaya | rise and fall |
| uddhacca | restlessness |
| *upakāri | bastion (13.13) |
| upakkilesa | imperfection |
| *upadussati | to resent (135.11) |
| *upadhā | cushion (12.45) |
| upadhi | (1) attachment; (2) object of attachment |
| upanāha | revenge |
| *upapajjati | also: to be tenable (148.10) |
PALI
upapatti
*upavicarati
upavicāra
*upasankamitar
upasama
upasampadā
upädāna
upädinna
upāyāsa
upāsaka
upāsikā
upekkhā
ubbilla
usmā
*ussata
ussolhi
*ürunda
ekaggatā
ekatta
ekāyana
ekodibhäva
*etaparama
*okkappaniya
ottappa
*odhasta
*opakkama
*opārambha
obhāsa
kathā
kappa
kamma
kammanta
karunā
*kalabhāga
kalyāna
kasina
*kasimāna
*kākātidayin
kāma
kāmaguna
ENGLISH
reappearance (by way of rebirth)
to explore (137.8)
mental exploration
one who approaches, visitor (12.30)
peace
full admission (to Sangha)
clinging
clung-to
despair
man lay follower
woman lay follower
equanimity
elation
heat
eminent (not as in PED) (82.28)
enthusiasm
large enough (140.3)
unification (of mind)
unity
direct, going in one direction
singleness (of mind)
at most (12.52)
believable (36.45)
fear of wrongdoing
lying ready (21.7; 119.31)
due to exertion (101.14)
censurable (88.8)
light
talk
aeon
action
action
compassion
fraction (129.9)
good
untranslated: meditation device
emaciation (12.52; 25.9)
open to crows (66.11)
(1) sensual pleasure; (2) sensual desire;
(3) sense-sphere (being)
cord of sensual pleasure | Pali | English |
| :--: | :--: |
| kämacchanda | sensual desire |
| käya | body |
| käyasakkhin | body-witness |
| *kisora | foal (93.14) |
| *kukkuka | fruit-bud core (of plantain tree) (35.22) |
| kukkucca | remorse |
| kusala | wholesome |
| *ko | also: where (81.20; 93.18) |
| kodha | anger |
| kopa | anger |
| khattiya | noble (caste) |
| khanti | (1) forbearance; *(2) acceptance (of a view) (22.11; 70.23; 95.14) |
| khandha | aggregate, mass |
| khaya | destruction |
| *kharigata | solidified (28.6; 62.8; 140.14) |
| *khinna | also: sharp (139.10) |
| *khurakā | prancing (65.33) |
| khurappa | hoof-tipped (kind of arrowhead) (63.5) |
| *khulukhulukāraka | making a splashing noise (91.15) |
| gaṇa | group, company |
| gati | (1) destination; (2) retentiveness |
| *gämandala | village lout (93.18) |
| gocara | resort |
| *cangarava | sieve (23.2) |
| carava | conduct |
| *carasa | prowling (66.6) |
| cäga | (1) generosity; (2) relinquishment |
| citta | mind |
| cittuppada | inclination of mind |
| *cīlma | tendon (146.11) |
| cīvara | robe |
| cuti | passing away |
| cetana | volition |
| ceto | mind, heart |
| cetokhila | wilderness in heart |
| cetovimutti | deliverance of mind |
| chanda | (1) desire; (2) zeal |
| chambhitatta | fear | | Pali | English |
| :--: | :--: |
| jarā | ageing |
| jāgariya | wakefulness |
| jāti | birth |
| *jātibhūmi | native land (24.2) |
| *jāpeti | to fine (caus. of jahati) (35.12; 89.13) |
| jīva | soul |
| jīvita | life |
| jhāna | (1) untranslated: meditative absorption;
(2) meditation |
| *ñatta | renown (47.8) |
| ñāna | knowledge |
| ñāya | true way |
| thāna | (1) state; (2) possibility |
| takka | reasoning |
| *tacchati | to pare, to plane (5.31; 130.12) |
| tanhā | craving |
| tathägata | untranslated: Thus Come One, Thus
Gone One |
| tiracchānakathā | pointless talk |
| tiracchānayoni | animal realm |
| tulanā | scrutiny |
| *tūlinī | silky (21.18) |
| tejo | fire |
| *telamasikata | dirty, oily (75.23) |
| thambha | obstinacy |
| thīna | sloth |
| daratha | disturbance |
| dassana | seeing, vision |
| dāna | giving, gift |
| dittha | seen |
| ditthi | view |
| ditthitthāna | standpoint for views |
| ditthippatta | one attained-to-view |
| dibbacakkhu | divine eye |
| dibbasota | divine ear |
| *dukkarakārikā | performance of austerities (12.56; 26.27) |
| dukkha | suffering, pain, painful | | Pali | ENGLISH |
| :--: | :--: |
| duggati | bad destination |
| duccarita | misconduct |
| *duṭthulla | inertia (64.9; 127.16; 128.21) |
| *dubbaca | difficult to admonish (15.2) |
| deva | god |
| devatā | deity |
| devadüta | divine messenger |
| domanassa | grief |
| dosa | hate |
| dhamma | (1) untranslated: the Buddha's teaching;
(2) things, states, factors; (3) mind-
objects; (4) qualities; (5) teachings; (6)
(as suffix) subject to |
| dhammavicaya | investigation-of-states |
| dhammānusārin | Dhamma-follower |
| dhātu | element |
| *dhutta | (brewer's) mixer (35.5; 56.7) |
| dhuva | everlasting |
| natthikavāda | nihilism |
| nandī | delight |
| *narassika | manly (91.29) |
| nānatta | diversity |
| nāma | mentality |
| nāmarūpa | mentality-materiality |
| nicca | permanent |
| *niccakappam் | constantly (144.11) |
| niṭthā | (1) goal; (2) conclusion |
| nibbāna | untranslated: final deliverance from
suffering |
| nibbidā | disenchantment |
| nimitta | (1) sign; (2) basis |
| *nimmathita | kindled (90.12) |
| niraya | hell |
| nirāmisa | unworldly |
| nirodha | cessation |
| *nisevita | scraping (27.10) |
| nissarana | escape |
| nissita | dependent |
| *nihanim | instituted (aor.) (83.21) |
| nīvaraṇa | hindrance |
| *nthata | faultless (140.20) |
| nekkhamma | renunciation |
Pali
nevasaññānāsaññāyatana
paccanubhoti
paccaya
paccavekkhana
paccekabuddha
paja
pañña
paññāvimutta
paññāvimutti
*patikaroti
patikkala
patigha
paticca samuppāda
patinissagga
patipada
*pativānarūpa
*pativeti
patisallana
*patthita
pathavi
panīta
*panopanavidhā
pandita
*pandumutika
*padumaka
padhāna
papaña
*papatati
pabbajja
pabhava
*pabhāvika
*pabhivatta
pamāda
parāmāsa
*parikkamana
parikkhāra
*parikkhepeti
pariggaha
parinña
paritassana
parideva
ENGLISH
base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception
to experience
condition
reviewing, reflection
untranslated: a solitary enlightened one generation
wisdom
one liberated-by-wisdom
deliverance by wisdom
to carry out (instructions), to obey (125.12)
repulsive
(1) sensory impact; (2) aversion
dependent origination
relinquishment
(1) way, practice; (2) progress
disappointed (104.2)
to disappear (111.4)
meditation
gone out (12.49)
earth
sublime
haggling, bargaining (70.26)
wise, wise man
(rice) stored in a sheaf (81.16)
(kind of wood) (93.11)
striving
proliferation
to flee (12.48)
going forth (into homelessness)
production
arising from (87.3)
selected (81.18)
negligence
adherence
avoidance (8.14)
requisite
to utterly destroy (35.21)
possession
full understanding
agitation
lamentation | Pali | English |
| :--: | :--: |
| parinibbāna | (1) final Nibbāna; (2) extinguishing |
| paribbāaka | wanderer |
| pariyutṭhāna | obsession |
| pariyesana | search |
| palāsa | domineering |
| *pavatṭikā | ornamental chain (140.20) |
| *pavana | wilds (of forest) (19.25; 26.34) |
| paviveka | seclusion |
| pasāda | confidence |
| passaddhi | tranquillity |
| pahāna | abandonment |
| pahitatta | resolute |
| *pātipuggalika | personal, for a particular person (142.5) |
| pāna | living being |
| pānātipāta | killing living beings |
| *pānupeta | for life (until the end of one's life) (4.35) |
| *pātavyatā | gulping down (45.3) |
| pātimokkha | untranslated: code of monastic rules |
| pāpa | evil |
| pāpicchā | evil desire |
| pāmojja | gladness |
| pāramī | perfection |
| pāripūri | fulfilment |
| pārisuddhi | purification |
| *pāsādanīya | inspiring, pleasing (89.4) |
| pindapāta | almsfood |
| pisunā vācā | malicious speech |
| pīti | rapture |
| puggala | person |
| puñña | merit |
| puthujjana | ordinary person |
| punabbhava | renewal of being |
| pubbenivāsa | past life |
| *purindada | first of givers (56.29) |
| peta | ghost |
| pharati | to pervade |
| pharusā vācā | harsh speech |
| phala | fruit, fruition |
| phassa | contact |
| *baddha | imprisoned (39.14) |
| *bandha | imprisonment (19.7) |
| *bandhana | imprisonment (39.14) |
PALI
bala
bahiddhā
bahuīkata
bahussuta
bāla
*bāhulika
buddha
bojjhanga
bodhisatta
byañjana
byāpāda
*byābangī
brahmacariya
brahmavihāra
brahmā
brāhmaṇa
bhagavā
bhaya
bhava
*bhavyatā
bhāvanā
bhāvita
bhikkhu
bhikkhunī
bhūta
makkha
magga
macchariya
mañitati
maññita
*maññussava
*mattatthaka
*mattha
mada
manasikāra
manussa
mano
mamankāra
marana
ENGLISH
power
external(ly)
cultivated
learned
fool
luxurious (26.26)
(1) untranslated; (2) enlightened, Enlightened One
enlightenment factor
untranslated: a future Buddha
phrasing
ill will
carrying-pole (96.10)
holy life, celibacy
divine abode
untranslated: (1) supreme God (for
brahmins); (2) class of deities (for
Buddhists)
brahmin (caste)
blessed, Blessed One
fear
being
ability (119.29)
development
developed
untranslated: Buddhist monk
untranslated: Buddhist nun
(1) a being; (2) what has come to be
contempt
path
avarice
to conceive
conceiving
tide of conceiving (140.30)
lasting for a moment (28.7)
churning-stick (126.17)
vanity
attention
human
mind, mental
mine-making
death | Pali | ENGLISH |
| :--: | :--: |
| mahaggata | exalted |
| *mahacea | pomp (82.28) |
| mahāpurisa | great man |
| mahābhūta | great element |
| *mahī | greatness (35.30) |
| mahesakkha | influential |
| mātika | codes (summaries of teachings) |
| māna | conceit |
| māyā | deceit |
| micchā | wrong |
| micchācāra | misconduct |
| middha | torpor |
| muta | sensed |
| muditā | appreciative joy |
| muni | sage |
| musāvāda | false speech |
| mūla | root |
| mettā | loving-kindness |
| moha | delusion |
| yathābhūta | as it actually is |
| *yāvetadohi | as far as this (81.9) |
| yogakkhema | security from bondage |
| yoni | (mode of) generation |
| yoniso | wise, thorough |
| rana | conflict |
| rati | delight |
| rāga | lust |
| ruci | approval |
| rūpa | (1) form (visible object); (2) material form, materiality; (3) fine-material (being) |
| läbha | gain |
| loka | world |
| lokuttara | supramundane |
| lobha | greed |
| vacī | speech, verbal |
| vatta | round (of existence) |
| vata | observance |
| vaya | vanishing |
| vācā | speech |
PALI
vāyāma
vāyo
*vāla
vicaya
vicāra
vicikiccha
$v i j \bar{a}$
viññāna
viññānañcāyatana
viññāta
*vitabhi
vitakka
vinaya
vinipāta
vinibandha
*vipakkamati
vipariñāma
*vipariyāsa
vipassanā
vipāka
*vipekkhati
vibhava
vimutta
vimutti
vimokkha
virāga
viriya
vivaṭta
vivāda
viveka
visama
visuddhi
vihimsā
vīmamisā
*vuddhasīla
*vekurañja
veda
vedanā
vedayita
veramani
vessa
vossagga
ENGLISH
effort
air
strainer (35.5; 56.7)
investigation
sustained thought
doubt
true knowledge
consciousness
base of infinite consciousness
cognized
canopy (45.4)
thought, applied thought
(1) discipline; (2) removal
perdition
shackle
to disperse (127.11)
change
(mental) derangement (104.17)
insight
result
to look about (91.10)
non-being, extermination
liberated
deliverance
liberation
(1) dispassion; (2) fading away (as
impermanence)
energy
world-expansion
dispute
seclusion
unrighteous
purification
cruelty
investigation
mature virtue (95.9)
not of either kind (?) (93.14)
(1) untranslated: ancient Indian scrip-
ture; (2) inspiration
feeling
what is felt, feeling
abstinence
merchant (caste)
relinquishment | Pali | English |
| :--: | :--: |
| vohāra
*vyāpajjitar | expression
one who undertakes (work) (124.32) |
| samyojana | fetter |
| samvatta | world-contraction |
| samvara | restraint |
| samvega | sense of urgency |
| samisāra | round of births |
| sakadāgāmin | once-returner |
| sakkäya | personality |
| sakkāyaditthi | personality view |
| sakkära | honour |
| sagga | heaven |
| sankappa | intention |
| sankilesa | defilement |
| sankhata | conditioned |
| sankhāra | formation |
| sanganika | society |
| sangha | untranslated: (1) the Buddhist monastic order; (2) the community of noble disciples |
| | truth |
| sacca | concocted (56.30) |
| *saññūlha | mindfulness |
| sati | foundation of mindfulness |
| satipatthāna | being |
| satta | position of beings |
| sattapada | (1) true Dhamma; (2) good quality |
| saddhamma | faith |
| saddhā | faith-follower |
| saddhānusārin | peaceful |
| santa | peace |
| santi | contentment |
| santosa | visible here and now |
| sanditthika | true man |
| sappurisa | all |
| sabba | omniscient |
| sabba | righteous |
| sabbaññū | reclus |
| sama | (1) serenity; (2) stilling (of formations); |
| samana | (3) settlement (of litigation) |
| samatha | to find (131.4) |
| *samanvāneti | conduct, behaviour |
| samācāra | concentration |
| samādhi | |
Pali
samapatti
samudaya
sampajariña
samphappalapa
sambojihanga
sambodhi
sammā
sarana
sallekha
salayatana
sassata
sātheyya
sämaggi
särambha
sāsana
sikkhā
- sikkhapada
siloka
sila
silabbata
sukha
sugata
sugati
suññatā
suta
sudda
suddhāvāsa
subha
*suvaca
*suvihata
*susamannittha
sekha
senāsana
soka
sotāpanna
somanassa
*hassaka
hita
hiri
hetu
ENGLISH
attainment (in meditation)
origin, arising
full awareness
gossip
enlightenment factor
enlightenment
(1) fully, completely; (2) right(ly)
refuge
effacement
sixfold base
eternal
fraud
concord
presumption
Dispensation (of Buddha)
training
training precept
praise
(1) virtue; (2) habit; (3) rule
rules and observances
pleasure, pleasant, bliss
sublime, Sublime One
good destination
voidness
(1) heard; (2) learning
worker (caste)
Pure Abodes
beauty, beautiful
easy to admonish (15.4)
fully stretched out (124.5)
well investigated (pp. su + samannesati) (47.16)
disciple in higher training
resting place
sorrow
stream-enterer
joy
ridiculous $(80.15 ; 99.10)$
welfare
shame
cause