Here is a Theravada Buddhist glossary of Pāli terms, including the preferred and alternative translation for each word, organized in lists.
10 perfections
(pāramī)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
dāna
generosity
giving
2
sīla
ethics
virtue, morality
3
nekkhamma
renunciation
letting go
4
paññā
wisdom
knowledge, discernment, insight
5
viriya
energy
vigor,
6
khanti
patience
forbearance
7
sacca
truthfulness
truth
8
adhiṭṭhāna
determination
persistence
9
mettā
lovingkindness
good will, friendliness, benevolence
10
upekkhā
equanimity
equilibrium,
3 baskets (piṭaka)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
Vinaya
Discipline
monastic code, discipline, law
2
Sutta
Discourses
scriptures
3
Abhidhamma
Analysis
analytical texts
3 characteristics/marks (lakkhaṇa)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
anicca
impermanent
inconstant
2
dukkha
dissatisfaction
suffering, pain, distress, discontent
3
anattā
not-self
selflessness, ownerlessness [Never use “no self” unless a teacher is specifically using it (usually this will be with the purpose of discouraging the translation)]
3 poisons/defilements (kilesa)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
lobha
attachment
grasping, greed, lust
2
dosa
aversion
hatred, ill-will, malevolence
3
moha
delusion
ignorance, confusion
3 refuges (saraṇa)/jewels/gems (ratana)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
Buddha
Buddha
Teacher, Blessed One, Realized One
2
Dhamma
Dhamma
Teachings, Truth, Way [Commonly used: Dharma (Skt)]
not misusing sexuality/sexual energy, express sexual energy wisely [Alternate 3rd precept for retreat: celibacy, abstain from sexual expression, spiritual path (brahmacariya)]
4
musāvādā
not lying
speak the truth with kindness
5
surāmeraya-majjapamādaṭṭhānā
not misusing intoxicants that cloud the mind
abstain from…
6 realms (loka) of cyclic existence (saṃsāra)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
niraya
hells
demonic
2
peta
hungry ghosts
ghost
3
tiracchāna
animal
4
manussa
human
5
asura
jealous gods
titans, demons,
6
deva
heavens
deities, spirits
6 sense doors (āyatana)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
cakkhu
eye, seeing
sight
2
sota
ear, hearing
sound
3
ghāna
nose, smelling
smell
4
jivhā
tongue, tasting
taste
5
kāya
body, sensing
touch
6
mano
mind, thinking
cognition, thinking-feeling
7 factors of awakening/enlightenment (bojjhaṅga)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
sati
mindfulness
memory, recollection
2
dhamma-vicāya
investigation
Investigation of dhammas/experience
3
viriya
energy
vigor
4
pīti
rapture
joy, bliss
5
passaddhi
tranquillity
repose, calm
6
samādhi
concentration
immersion, integration
7
upekkhā
equanimity
equilibrium
8 Noble Eightfold Path
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
sammā-diṭṭhi
wise view
right… view, understanding
2
sammā-saṅkappa
wise intention
right… thought
3
sammā-vācā
wise speech
right…
4
sammā-kammanta
wise action
right… conduct, behavior
5
sammā-ājīva
wise livelihood
right… living, occupation
6
sammā-vāyāma
wise effort
right…
7
sammā-sati
wise mindfulness
right… memory, recollection
8
sammā-samādhi
wise concentration
right… immersion, unification
12 links (nidāna) of dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda)
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translations
1
avijjā
ignorance
2
saṅkhāra
volitional formations
kammic/karmic formations, choices
3
viññāṇa
consciousness
4
nāmarūpa
name and form
name-and-form
5
saḷāyatana
six sense bases
…doors
6
phassa
contact
7
vedanā
feeling
affect, charge
8
taṇhā
craving
wanting, thirst (lit.)
9
upādāna
clinging
grasping, feeding (lit.)
10
bhava
becoming
being, existence, continued existence
11
jāti
birth
rebirth
12
jarāmaraṇa …
old age and death …
aging and death … [Full phrase: “aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair” ( jarāmaraṇaṃ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā)]
Lineages
Pāli Term
Preferred Translation
Alternate Translation
1
Theravāda
Way of the Elders
2
Mahāyāna
Great Vehicle
3
Vajrayāna
Diamond Vehicle
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