to desire.

1. Objective: pleasantness, pleasure-giving, an object of sensual enjoyment.
2. Subjective: (a) enjoyment, pleasure on occasion of sense, (b) sense-desire.

Buddhist commentators exp …

Agga¹

adjective noun

1. (adj.)
   1. of time: the first, foremost Dpvs.iv.13 (saṅgahaṃ first collection). See cpds
   2. of space: the highest, topmost, Ja.i.52 (˚sākhā)
   3. of qual …

fire.

1. fire, flames, sparks; conflagration Vin.ii.120 (fire in bathroom); MN.i.487 (anāhāro nibbuto f. gone out for lack of fuel); SN.iv.185, SN.iv.399 (sa-upādāno jalati provided with fuel blazes …

I. Crude meaning

bulk, massiveness (gross) substance.

1. Esp. used
   1. of an elephant: the bulk of the body, i.e. its back SN.i.95 vāraṇassa Ja.iii.392; hatthi-khandha-vara-gata on th …

I. Etymology

Although nir + vā “to blow”. (cp. BSk. nirvāṇa) is already in use in the Vedic period (see nibbāpeti), we do not find its distinctive ap …

Attha¹

(also aṭṭha, esp. in combinations mentioned under 3) masculine & neuter

1. interest, advantage, gain; (moral) good blessing, welfare; profit, prosperity, well-b …

world, primarily “visible world,” then in general as “space or sphere of creation, with var. degrees of substantiality. Often (unspecified in the comprehensive sense of “universe.” Sometimes the term …

adjective great, extensive, big important, venerable
■ nom. mahā Snp.1008; Mhvs.22, Mhvs.27. Shortened to maha in cpd. pitāmaha (following a …

A wanderer who later became an arahant Thera. Several conversations he had with the Buddha are mentioned in the books. For details see the Tevijja Vacchagotta-, Aggi Vacchagotta-, Mahā Vacchagotta- …

orig. a sharp stone as hurling-weapon thence in mythol. Indra’s thunderbolt thunder-clap, lightning Ja.i.71, Ja.i.167; Ja.ii.154; Ja.iii.323; Mil.277; Vv-a.83.

• -aggi the fire …

…(id. AN.ii.15, AN.ii.17; sakuntānaṃ g. the course, flight of birds Dhp.92 = Thag.92
■ Opp. āgati Pv.ii.9#22
■ tassā gatiṃ…

Dosa¹

corruption blemish, fault, bad condition, defect; depravity, corrupted state; usually -˚, as khetta˚ blight of the field Mil.360; tiṇa˚ spoilt by weeds Dhp.356; Pv-a.7; visa ill ef …

1. The Vedic god Indra DN.i.244; DN.ii.261, DN.ii.274; Snp.310, Snp.316, Snp.679, Snp.1024; Mnd.177.
2. lord, chief, king; Sakko devānaṃ indo DN.i.216, DN.i.217; DN.ii.221, DN.ii.275; SN.i.219 Vepacit …

adjective (-˚ only) made of, consisting of
■ An interesting analysis (interesting for judging the views and sense of etymology of an ancient commentator) of maya is given by Dhamm …

coal-pan, a vessel for holding embers for the sake of heating Vin.i.32 (= aggi-bhājana C.); Vv-a.147 (mandamukhī, stands for angara-kapalla p. 142 in explⁿ of hattha-patāpaka Vv.33#32) …

wealth, usually wealth of money, riches, treasures

1. Lit. DN.i.73 (sa˚); MN.ii.180.; AN.iii.222; AN.iv.4 sq. Cnd.135 (+ yasa, issariya etc.) Thig.464 (+ issariya) Ja.i.225 (paṭhavigataṃ karoti: …

adjective small, little, insignificant, often in the sense of “very little = (next to) nothing” (so in most compounds); thus expl^d. at Vv-a.334 as equivalent to a negative part. (see *[a …

1. anything that comprises a number of things of the same kind; a bundle, bunch sheaf; a row, multitude; usually of grass, bamboo-or sugar-canes, sometimes of hair and feathers SN.iv.290 (tiṇa˚); Ja …

Bala¹

neuter

1. strength power, force DN.ii.73; AN.i.244; Thag.188; Dhp.109 (one of the 4 blessings, viz. āyu, vaṇṇa, sukha, bala; cp Dhp-a.ii.239); Pv.i.5#12 (= kāya-bala Pv-a.30); Pv …

“becoming”, (form of) rebirth, (state of) existence, a “life.” There are 3 states of existence conventionally enumerated as kāma˚ rūpa˚, arūpa˚; or sensual existence, deva-corporeal, formless exist …

Rājā (Rājan)

king, a ruling potentate. The defⁿ at Vin.iii.222 is “yo koci rajjaṃ kāreti.” The fanciful etym. at DN.iii.93 Vism.419 is “dhammena pare rañjetī ti rājā” i.e. he gladdens othe …

Rājā (Rājan)

king, a ruling potentate. The defⁿ at Vin.iii.222 is “yo koci rajjaṃ kāreti.” The fanciful etym. at DN.iii.93 Vism.419 is “dhammena pare rañjetī ti rājā” i.e. he gladdens othe …

adjective noun masculine one. Eka follows the pron. declension i.e. nom. pl. is eke (e.g. Snp.43, Snp.294, Snp.780 etc.)

1. “one” as number, either with or without contrast to two or more; often al …

feeding, food, nourishment, meal Dhp.185; Pp.28, Pp.55; Ja.ii.15; Ja.v.170 (bhatta-manuñña-rūpaṃ for bhattaṃ-); Vism.66 (where 14 kinds enumerated, i.e. sangha˚ uddesa˚ etc.); Sdhp.118
■ ucchiṭṭh …

1. price, value, worth, Mil.244; Mhvs.26, Mhvs.22; Mhvs.30, Mhvs.76; Vv-a.77
   ■ mahaggha (adj.) of great value Ja.iv.138; Ja.v.414; Ja.vi.209; Pv.ii.1#18. See also mahāraha. …

Ajja & Ajjā

adverb to-day, now Snp.75 Snp.153, Snp.158, Snp.970, Snp.998; Dhp.326; Ja.i.279; Ja.iii.425 (read bahutaṃ ajjā; not with Kern, Toev. s. v. as “food”); Pv.i.11#7 (= idāni Pv-a.59); Pv-a …

Ajja & Ajjā

adverb to-day, now Snp.75 Snp.153, Snp.158, Snp.970, Snp.998; Dhp.326; Ja.i.279; Ja.iii.425 (read bahutaṃ ajjā; not with Kern, Toev. s. v. as “food”); Pv.i.11#7 (= idāni Pv-a.59); Pv-a …

(individual) life, lifetime, span of life; living, livelihood (cp jīvikā) Vin.ii.191; SN.i.42; SN.iv.169, SN.iv.213; MN.ii.73 (appaṃ) AN.i.155, AN.i.255; AN.iii.72; AN.iv.136 (appakaṃ parittaṃ); Snp.1 …

1. (lit.) a field, a plot of land, arable land, a site, DN.i.231; SN.i.134 (bījaṃ khette virūhati; in simile); three kinds of fields at SN.iv.315, viz. agga˚ majjhima˚, hīna˚ (in simile); AN.i.229 = A …

1. As adj. n.un
   1. born, grown, arisen, produced (= nibbatta pātubhūta Cnd.256) Snp.576 (jātānaṃ maccānaṃ niccaṃ maraṇato bhayaṃ); jātena maccena kattabbaṃ kusalaṃ bahuṃ Dhp.53 = Mil.333; yakkhinī …

1. seed, germ, semen, spawn. Used very frequently in figurative sense: see on similes J.P.T.S. 1907, 116
   ■ DN.i.135 (˚bhatta seed-corn food); DN.iii.44 (the five kinds: see below under ˚gāma) …

adjective better (than others), best first, supreme; first-born; elder brother or sister, elder eldest DN.ii.15 (aggo jeṭṭho seṭṭho = the first, foremost & best of all); AN.i.108; AN.ii.87; AN.iii.15 …

adjective without fire Mil.324 (˚okāsa).

nis + aggi + ka

firewood, fuel Ja.iv.27 (adj. an˚ without fuel aggi); Ja.v.447; Thag-a.256; Vv-a.335; Sdhp.608. Cp. idhuma.

Vedic indhana, of idh or indh to kindle, cp. iddha¹

(poet.) fire AN.iii.347 (mahāgini); Snp.18 Snp.19 (āhito → nibbuto: made → extinguished); Ja.iv.26. Note. The occurrence of two phonetic representatives of one Vedic form (one by diaeresis & one by …

Buddha¹

adjective

1. understood SN.i.35 = SN.i.60 (su-dub-buddha very difficult to understand)
2. having attained enlightenment, wise AN.iv.449; Pv-a.16 (buddh’ ādayo), Pv-a.60 (= ari …

at Thag.321 may be read as agha-gata or (preferably) with variant reading as aggha-gataṃ, or (with Neumann) as agghaṃ agghatānaṃ. See also Mrs. Rh. D, Psalms of the Brethren, p. 191.

indeclinable lokasmiṃ yad idam arahanto “as far as the abodes of beings, as far as heaven, these are the highest these are the best, I mean the Arahants.” SN.iii.84 yāvatā dhammā sankhatā vā asankhatā …

Vara¹

adjective excellent, splendid, best, noble. As attribute it either precedes or follows the noun which it characterizes, e.g. -pañña of supreme wisdom Snp.391, Snp.1128 (= agga …

Patisandhi: lit. ‘reunion, relinking’, i.e. rebirth, is one of the 14 functions of consciousness viññāna-kicca. It is a kamma-resultant type of consciousness and arises at the moment of concep …

group, heap, collection, aggregate, body

Definitions and synonyms

Snp-a.31 gives the foll. synonyms and similes of kāya: kuṭī, guhā (Snp.772), deha, sandeha (Dhp.148 = Thag.20), nāvā (Dhp.3 …

Agha¹

neuter evil, grief, pain, suffering, misfortune SN.i.22; MN.i.500 (roga gaṇḍa salla agha); AN.ii.128 (id.); Ja.v.100; Thig.491; Sdhp.51
■ adj. painful, bringing pain Ja.vi.507 (a …

1. to be cooled or refreshed, to be covered up = to be extinguished, go out (of fire), to cease to exist, always used with ref. to fire or heat or (fig.) burning sensations (see *[nibbāna](/define/nib …

the doing, deed, work orig. meaning (see karoti) either building (cp. Lit kùrti, Opr. kūra to build) or weaving, plaiting (still in mālākamma and latā˚ “the intertwining of garland …

Anattā: No-self, egolessness, soullessness, impersonality, absence of identity, is the last of the 3 universal characteristics of existence ti-lakkhana. This anattā doctrine, which only is t …

Paccaya: ‘condition’, is something on which something else, the so-called ‘conditioned thing’, is dependent, and without which the latter cannot be. Many are the ways in which one thing, or one o …

Khura¹

the hoof of an animal Vv.64#10 (of a horse = turagānaṃ khuranipāta, the clattering of a horse’s hoof Vv-a.279), cp. Sk. kṣura, a monkey’s claw Sp. Avs.i.236.

khura-kāse MN.i.44 …

Kaṭṭha¹

ploughed, tilled Snp.80; Mil.255; Pv-a.45, Pv-a.62. a˚ untilled, unprepared Anvs.27. su˚ well-ploughed AN.i.229; Mil.255.

Sk. kṛṣṭa, pp. of kasati, cp. kiṭṭha

Kaṭṭha^{2</su …}

Ava˚

prefix

I. Relation between ava & o

Phonetically the difference between ava & o is this, that; ava is the older form, whereas o represents a later development. Histor …

Mano & Mana(s)

neuter

I. Declension

Like all other nouns of old s-stems mano has partly retained the s forms (cp cetah → ceto) & partly follows the a-declension. The …

number two.

A. Meanings

I. Two as unit

1. with objective foundation:
   1. denoting a combination (pair, couple) or a repetition (twice). In this conn. frequent both objective …

Aṭṭha¹

num. card, eight, decl. like pl. of adj. in-a A. The number in objective significance, based on natural phenomena: see compounds ˚angula, ˚nakha, ˚pada, ˚pāda B. The number in …

…Dhp-a.iii.181 as k-k. sakuṇa, a bird of ill omen Ja.ii.153; -kaṇṇika prec.; -kabara spotted, freckled…

…Dhp-a.iii.181 as k-k. sakuṇa, a bird of ill omen Ja.ii.153; -kaṇṇika prec.; -kabara spotted, freckled…

Mano & Mana(s)

neuter

I. Declension

Like all other nouns of old s-stems mano has partly retained the s forms (cp cetah → ceto) & partly follows the a-declension. The …

ekattha¹

ind. in one place; in one and the same place; in only one place.

ekattha²

mfn. having one meaning; having the same sense

having the same basis or ground; relating to the same matter

Vāseti¹

Caus. of vasati² (q.v.).

Vāseti²

to perfume, to clean or preserve by means of perfumes, to disinfect (?) Vin.i.211 (here in the sense of “preserve, cure,” …

Paticcasamuppāda: ‘dependent origination’, is the doctrine of the conditionality of all physical and psychical phenomena, a doctrine which, together with that of impersonality anattā, forms the …

1. (m.) a single or the same instruction; a single or the same recitation, a shared recitation (of the pātimokkha).
2. (mfn.) having a single recitation, coming together in one recitation (of the pātimokkha)

Bhavanga-sota: and Bhavanga-citta: The first term may tentatively be rendered as the ‘undercurrent forming the condition of being, or existence’, and the second as ‘subconsciousness’, though …

Rasa¹

that which is connected with the sense of taste. The defⁿ given at Vism.447 is as follows “jivhā-paṭihanana-lakkhaṇo raso, jivhā-viññāṇassa visaya-bhāvo raso, tass’ ev …

Agati: the 4 ’wrong Paths ’ are: the path of desire chanda, the path of hate, the path of confusion, the path of fear bhaya. One who is freed from these evil impulses is no longer liable to ta …

sacrifice: see *aggi*˚.

cp. Vedic hotra

1. rain, shower Ja.iv.284; Ja.vi.486 (khaṇika sudden rain); Mil.307; Mhvs.21, Mhvs.31; Dhp-a.iii.163 (pokkhara˚ portentous); Snp-a.224 (mahā˚ deluge of rain); Pv-a.55 (vāta˚ wind & rain)
   ■ fig …

agha¹

neuter (& m.) & mfn.

1. (n. m) wicked; pain, distress.
2. (mfn.) bad; dangerous.

agha²

neuter (& m. or mfn.?) (?) the air, the sky; space; (void, unrestricted?).

adjective crooked, bent; (of hair:) curly Pv-a.189. It is only used with ref. to hair.

-agga with bending (or crooked) tip (of hair), i.e. curled Thig.252 (cp. Thag-a.209); Ja. …

aggha¹

masculine price; worth.

aggha²

masculine neuter hospitality, respectful reception of a guest; an offering of water etc. to a guest.

1. corn ready for threshing, the threshing floor Cnd.587; Vism.120; DN-a.i.203 (khalaṃ sodheti).
2. threshing, mash, in ekamaṃsa-khalaṃ karoti “to reduce to one mash of flesh” DN.i.52 = MN.i.377 (+ …

…various, manifold Ja.i.52 (sakuṇā), Ja.i.127, Ja.i.278 (phalāni); DN-a.i.148 (āvudhā); Pv-a.50, Pv-a.123 Pv-a.135; *…

knowledge, understanding intelligence Dhp.282, quoted at Dhs-a.76 (explained as termed so because it is as widespread as the earth; Dhs.16; Dhp-a.iii.421; same explⁿ at Dhs-a.148) Ja.vi. …

adjective noun

1. (adj. unpleasant, painful, causing misery (opp. sukha pleasant Vin.i.34; Dhp.117. Lit. of vedanā (sensation) MN.i.59 (˚ṃ vedanaṃ vediyamāna, see also below iii.1 …

one who belongs to the same household; a companion, esp. a companion of a king, a chief minister,

(same as aggiparicitta)

A brahmin. He once visited the Buddha at Sāvatthī and asked him whether the five sense-faculties, which were of different scope and range, had any common ground of resort. The Buddha replies that the …

A monk whose Theragāthā verse speaks of dwelling alone in the forest. Thag.62 Vajjiputta’s story is given in the Saṃyutta. SN.i.201f.

A Vajjiputta, perhaps the same person, has another verse that …

Kappa¹

One of Bāvarī’s disciples. The questions he asked of the Buddha are recorded in the Kappamāṇavapucchā. Snp.1007 Snp.1092–1095

Kappa²

A monk whose Theragāthā verses spea …

The inhabitants of the lowest deva world. his world derives its name from the Four Great Kings (Cattāro Mahārājāno) who dwell there as guardians of the four quarters: Dhataraṭṭha of the East, Virūḷh …

(indef. enclitic particle)

1. Indefinite (after demonstr. pron. in the sense of kiṃ = what about? or how is it? cp. kiṃ) = ever, whoever what-ever, etc. [Sk. kaśca, Gr. ὁς τε, Lat: quisque Goth. h …

In the old Pāḷi literature the name Dakkhiṇāpatha would seem to indicate only a remote settlement or colony on the banks of the upper Godāvarī. Thus, we are told that Bāvarī had his hermitage in Dakkh …

Inda¹

Given in the Āṭānāṭiya Sutta as the name of the ninety-one sons of Dhataraṭṭha, king of the Gandhabbas. They are represented as being of great strength and followers of the Buddha. …

Isidatta¹

A verse uttered by Isidatta, in response to the Buddha’s enquiry regarding his welfare, is recorded in the Therāgāthā. Thag.120

According to the Saṃyutta Nikāya, SN.iv.283–288 I …

Māḷa & Māla

a sort of pavilion, a hall DN.i.2 (maṇḍala˚, same at Snp.p.104, which passage Snp-a.447 explains as “savitānaṃ maṇḍapaṃ”); Vin.i.140 (aṭṭa, māla, pāsāda explained at Vin.iii.201. In the …

I. Forms

The 2 bases muñc˚ & mucc˚; are differentiated in such a way, that muñc˚; is the active base, and mucc˚; the passive. There are however cases where the active forms (muñ …

Diṭṭha¹

1. seen; a˚ not seen DN.i.222 (a˚ + avedita asacchikata); MN.i.3 sq. (diṭṭhaṃ diṭṭhato sañjānāti); Snp.147 (diṭṭhā vā ye vā addiṭṭhā), Snp.995 (na me diṭṭho ito pubbe na ssuto… Sat …

thought, supposed, imagined (i.e. received by other vaguer sense impressions than by sight & hearing) MN.i.3; Snp.714 (= phusan’ arahaṃ Snp-a.498), Snp.812; Ja.v.398 (= anumata C.) Vb.14, Vb.429 sq …

1. clay Ja.vi.372; Mhvs.29, Mhvs.5 sq
   ■ tamba˚; red clay Dhp-a.iv.106; Pv-a.191. mattikā pl. kinds of clay (used in cosmetics, like Fuller’s earth) Ja.v.89 (nānā-cunṇāni …

SakkaVatrabhūVāsavaMaghavāMāghaPurindadaSahassakkhaSahassanettaSujampatiKosiya

Almost always spoken of as chief of the devas. The Saṃyutta Nikāya SN.i.229 contains a list of his names.

• Maghavā, be …

monkey grimace Ja.ii.448 (mukha˚). The same as mukha-makkaṭika at Ja.ii.70.

fr. makkhaṭa + ya

(spurious); mageti to track, hunt for, trace out follow, seek MN.i.334 (ppr. magayamana); SN.ii.270 (pp maggayamāna); Thig.384 (cp. Thag-a.255 = pattheti) Ja.v.102 (where T. reads maggheyya, whic …

Dhamma¹

masculine & rarely neuter constitution etc.

A. Definitions by Commentators

Bdhgh gives a fourfold meaning of the word dhamma (at DN-a.i.99; Dhp-a.i.22), viz. 1 guṇe ( …

1. not other, the same, identical.
2. not another; no more

eva¹

ind.

1. that very…, the same …; exactly that…; just ….
2. only, merely, just.
3. indeed, really; certainly; absolutely; even, still.
4. eva is especially common in combination with o …