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Glossary

Key concepts of Buddhism and the Pali Canon

44 terms

Anatta anattā Non-self - the absence of a permanent, unchanging self. One of the three marks of existence, pointing to the impersonal nature of all phenomena

Anicca anicca Impermanence, changeability - the fundamental characteristic of all conditioned existence and the foundation of mindfulness practice

Appamada appamāda Heedfulness, diligence - a sustained caring awareness, one of the key concepts in Buddhist practice

Arahant arahant A fully liberated being who has destroyed all mental defilements, ended suffering, and broken the cycle of rebirth

Brahma-viharas brahma-vihāra The 'Divine Abodes' - four sublime states of mind: metta, karuna, mudita, and upekkha

Brahmaviharas →

Buddha buddha The Awakened One - not a name but a title for one who has realized the truth and is fully liberated from suffering

Personalities →

Dependent Origination paṭiccasamuppāda The law of conditionality of all phenomena, describing the mechanism of suffering through twelve interconnected links

Interdependent Origination →

Devadatta devadatta The Buddha's cousin and monk who became his chief antagonist - an illustration of power without wisdom

Personalities →

Dhamma dhamma Universal law of reality, the Buddha's teaching - the second of the Three Jewels, a polysemous term spanning cosmic law to mental phenomena

Dukkha dukkha Unsatisfactoriness, suffering - the first Noble Truth, encompassing all forms of vulnerability inherent in conditioned existence

Five Aggregates khandhā Five groups of psychophysical phenomena whose interaction gives rise to experience and the illusion of a permanent self

Four Noble Truths cattāri ariyasaccāni The foundational teaching of Buddhism - a practical analysis of the human condition: suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path to liberation

Four Stages of Awakening ariya-puggala The four stages of awakening in Theravada - from stream-enterer to arahant

Jhana jhāna A state of deep meditative absorption, temporarily free from hindrances, achieved through systematic mental training

Kamma kamma The law of cause and effect - intentional actions shape habits, perception, and experience, creating conditions for the future

Ethics Doctrine →

Karuna karuṇā Compassion without suffering - the second brahmavihara, an active wish to remove the suffering of another being

Brahmaviharas →

Kilesas (Defilements) upakkilesa Mental defilements - the emotional coloring of perception that prevents seeing reality as it truly is

Mara māra A multi-layered figure in Buddhism - both character, metaphor, and cosmic force representing everything that obstructs liberation

Metta mettā Goodwill, loving-kindness - the first of four brahmaviharas, a stable attitude of active friendliness toward all beings

Brahmaviharas →

Moggallana moggallāna One of the Buddha's two chief disciples, master of supernatural powers, embodiment of energy and mental strength

Personalities →

Mudita muditā Sympathetic joy - the third brahmavihara, sincere joy in another's happiness without appropriation or comparison

Brahmaviharas →

Namarupa nāmarūpa Mentality-and-materiality - the two inseparable aspects of psychophysical existence that form the basis of perception

Nekkhamma nekkhamma Renunciation - a conscious letting go of the superfluous, a turn from 'acquiring' to 'liberating', part of right intention

Practice Ethics →

Nibbana nibbāna Complete cessation of suffering and its causes - an unconditioned state of mind, the ultimate goal of the Noble Eightfold Path

Cosmology Doctrine →

Noble Eightfold Path ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo The Fourth Noble Truth - a practical path to the cessation of suffering comprising eight interconnected factors

Panna paññā Wisdom - direct insight into the nature of things, immediate realization of the three marks of existence

Doctrine Meditation →

Papanca papañca Mental proliferation - the uncontrolled multiplication of thoughts, judgments and interpretations from a single sensation

Samadhi samādhi Mental concentration - a state of complete collectedness and one-pointedness of mind, an instrument for developing insight

Sampajanna sampajañña Clear comprehension - vigilant awareness of the context and quality of experience, complementing sati (mindfulness)

Samsara saṃsāra The cycle of birth and death - an endless process of conditioned existence that continues as long as ignorance and craving persist

Samvega saṁvega A feeling of spiritual urgency and noble 'haste' in the pursuit of liberation from the suffering of samsara

Sangha saṅgha Community of practitioners - one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism, those who walk the path of the Dhamma together

Sankharas saṅkhārā Volitional formations - intentions or mental constructions that shape our experience and sustain the cycle of rebirth

Aggregates Doctrine →

Sariputta sāriputta The Buddha's chief disciple, embodiment of wisdom, known as the 'General of the Dhamma'

Personalities →

Satipatthana satipaṭṭhāna Foundations of mindfulness - four domains of observation for developing clarity, purifying the mind, and ending suffering

Sila sīla Moral discipline - one of the three pillars of Buddhist practice, encompassing right speech, right action, and right livelihood

Suchness tathatā The nature of things in their unconditioned truth - reality as it is, free from concepts and the division into subject and object

Tathagata tathāgata Epithet of the Buddha - 'Thus Gone' or 'Thus Come', one who has realized the nature of things and transcended conditioned existence

Personalities →

Upadana upādāna Clinging, grasping - the ninth link of Dependent Origination, the active seizing that fuels the fire of samsara

Upaya upāya-kosalla Skillful means - Buddhist methods of teaching and practice tailored to specific situations and levels of understanding

Upekkha upekkhā Equanimity, impartial clarity - the fourth brahmavihara and foundation for the other three sublime states

Brahmaviharas Meditation →

Vipassanā vipassanā Випассана буквально означает "особое видение" - способность видеть вещи такими, какие они есть.

Wellbeing Cascade A sequence of spiritual evolution: virtuous habits give rise to well-being, joy, tranquility, happiness, and concentration

Wholesome and Unwholesome Actions kusala-akusala kammapatha The ten courses of wholesome and unwholesome action - patterns of kamma creation through body, speech, and mind