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