Pāli Glossary
Here is a Theravāda Buddhist glossary of Pāli terms, including the preferred and alternative translation for each word, organized in lists.
3 characteristics/marks (lakkhaṇa)
Pāli Term
1. anicca
2. dukkha
3. anattā
Preferred Translation
impermanent
dissatisfaction
not-self
Alternate Translations
inconstant
suffering, pain, distress, discontent
selflessness, ownerlessness
3 poisons/defilements (kilesa)
Pāli Term
1. lobha
2. dosa
3. moha
Preferred Translation
attachment
aversion
delusion
Alternate Translations
grasping, greed, lust
hatred, ill-will, malevolence
ignorance, confusion
3 baskets (piṭaka)
Pāli Term
1. Vinaya
2. Sutta
3. Abhidhamma
Preferred Translation
Discipline
Discourses
Analysis
Alternate Translations
monastic code, discipline, law
scriptures,
analytical texts
3 refuges (saraṇa)/jewels/gems (ratana)
Pāli Term
1. Buddha
2. Dhamma
3. Saṅgha
Preferred Translation
Buddha
Dhamma
Sangha
Alternate Translations
Teacher, Blessed One, Realized One
Teachings, Truth, Way *Commonly used: Dharma (Sanskrit)
Community, Order [of monastics]
4 Noble Truths (ariya sacca)
Pāli Term
1. dukkha
2. taṇhā
3. nirodha
4. magga
Preferred Translation
dissatisfaction
craving
cessation
path
Alternate Translations
suffering, pain, distress, discontent
grasping, thirst (lit.)
stilling, ceasing, stopping
way
4 divine abidings/abodes (brahmavihāra)
Pāli Term
1. mettā
2. karuṇā
3. muditā
4. upekkhā
Preferred Translation
lovingkindness
compassion
sympathetic joy
equanimity
Alternate Translations
good will, friendliness, benevolence
empathy
appreciation, empathic joy, celebration
equilibrium
4 foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna)
Pāli Term
1. kāya
2. vedanā
3. saṅkhāra
4. dhamma
Preferred Translation
body
feelings
mind states
qualities
Alternate Translations
physical form, physicality
affect, charge
mental states, emotional states, mind
mind-objects, phenomena, principles, things
4 paths (magga) and fruits (phala)
Pāli Term
1. sotāpanna
2. sakadāgāmī
3. anāgāmī
4. arahant
Preferred Translation
stream-entry/enterer
once-return/returner
non-return/returner
arahant
Alternate Translations
stream-winner
Perfected One
5 aggregates/aspects/heaps (khandha)
Pāli Term
1. rūpa
2. vedanā
3. saññā
4. saṅkhāra
5. viññāṇa
Preferred Translation
form
feeling
perception
formations
consciousness
Alternate Translations
body, appearance, physical phenomena
affect, charge
recognition, interpretation
choices, volitional formations, kammic formations
knowing, cognizance
5 faculties (indriya)
Pāli Term
1. saddhā
2. viriya
3. sati
4. samādhi
5. paññā
Preferred Translation
faith
energy
mindfulness
concentration
wisdom
Alternate Translations
conviction
persistence, effort
memory, recollection
immersion, integration
knowing, cognizance
5 hindrances (nivāraṇa)
Pāli Term
1. kāmacchanda
2. vyāpāda
3. thīna-middha
4. uddhacca-kukkucca
5. vicikicchā
Preferred Translation
sensual desire
ill-will
sloth and torpor
restlessness and worry
doubt
Alternate Translations
lust, grasping at sense pleasures
hatred, malevolence
dullness, laziness
anxiety
skeptical doubt
5 jhāna factors
Pāli Term
1. vitakka
2. vicāra
3. pīti
4. sukha
5. ekaggatā
Preferred Translation
aiming
sustaining
rapture
happiness
one-pointedness
Alternate Translations
thought, connecting, initial application
investigation, sustained application
joy, bliss
ease
single-pointedness
5 precepts (sīla)
Pāli Term
1. pāṇātipātā
2. adinnādānā
3. kāmesu-micchācāra
4. musāvādā
5. surāmeraya-majjapamādaṭṭhānā
Preferred Translation
not taking life
not taking that which isn’t offered
not committing sexual misconduct
not lying
not misusing intoxicants that cloud the mind
Alternate Translations
not killing
not stealing
not misusing sexuality/sexual energy, express sexual energy wisely *Alternate 3rd precept for retreat: celibacy, abstain from sexual expression, spiritual path (abrahmacariyā)
speak the truth with kindness
abstaining from…
5 collections (nikāya) of discourses (sutta)
Pāli Term
1. Dīgha Nikāya
2. Majjhima Nikāya
3. Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Aṅguttara Nikāya
5. Khuddaka Nikāya
Preferred Translation
Long Discourses
Middle Length Discourses
Connected Discourses
Numbered Discourses
Minor Discourses
Alternate Translations
Linked Discourses
Numerical Discourses
6 realms (loka) of cyclic existence (saṃsāra)
Pāli Term
1. niraya
2. peta
3. tiracchāna
4. manussa
5. asura
6. deva
Preferred Translation
hells
hungry ghosts
animal
human
jealous gods
heavens
Alternate Translations
demonic
ghost
titans, demons,
deities, spirits
6 sense doors (āyatana)
Pāli Term
1. cakkhu
2. sota
3. ghāna
4. jivhā
5. kāya
6. mano
Preferred Translation
eye, seeing
ear, hearing
nose, smelling
tongue, tasting
body, sensing
mind, thinking
Alternate Translations
sight
sound
smell
taste
touch
cognition, thinking-feeling
7 factors of awakening/enlightenment (bojjhaṅga)
Pāli Term
1. sati
2. dhamma-vicāya
3. viriya
4. pīti
5. passaddhi
6. samādhi
7. upekkhā
Preferred Translation
mindfulness
investigation
energy
rapture
tranquillity
concentration
equanimity
Alternate Translations
memory, recollection
investigation of dhammas/experience/phenomena
vigor
joy, bliss
repose, calm
immersion, integration
equilibrium
8 Noble Eightfold Path (ariya aṭṭhaṅgika magga)
Pāli Term
1. sammā-diṭṭhi
2. sammā-saṅkappa
3. sammā-vācā
4. sammā-kammanta
5. sammā-ājīva
6. sammā-vāyāma
7. sammā-sati
8. sammā-samādhi
Preferred Translation
wise view
wise intention
wise speech
wise action
wise livelihood
wise effort
wise mindfulness
wise concentration
Alternate Translations
right… view, understanding
right… thought
right…
right… conduct, behavior
right… living, occupation
right…
right… memory, recollection
right… immersion, unification
10 perfections (pāramī)
Pāli Term
1. dāna
2. sīla
3. nekkhamma
4. paññā
5. viriya
6. khanti
7. sacca
8. adhiṭṭhāna
9. mettā
10. upekkhā
Preferred Translation
generosity
ethics
renunciation
wisdom
energy
patience
truthfulness
determination
lovingkindness
equanimity
Alternate Translations
giving
virtue, morality
letting go
knowledge, discernment, insight
vigor,
forbearance
truth
persistence
good will, friendliness, benevolence
equilibrium,
12 links (nidāna) of dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda)
Pāli Term
1. avijjā
2. saṅkhāra
3. viññāṇa
4. nāmarūpa
5. saḷāyatana
6. phassa
7. vedanā
8. taṇhā
9. upādāna
10. bhava
11. jāti
12. jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparideva-dukkhadomanassupāyāsā
Preferred Translation
ignorance
volitional formations
consciousness
name and form
six sense bases
contact
feeling
craving
clinging
becoming
birth
old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress
Alternate Translations
kammic/karmic formations, choices
name-and-form
…doors
sense/sensory contact
affect, charge
wanting, thirst (lit.)
grasping, feeding (lit.)
being, existence, continued existence
rebirth
aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair