1. pleasure, fondness of (-˚), delight, always as adj. (-˚) delighting in, enjoying finding pleasure in (usually comb^d. with rata, e.g. dhammārāma dhammarata finding delight in the Dh.) SN.i.235 SN.iv.389 sq. (bhav˚, upādān˚); AN.i.35, AN.i.37, AN.i.130; AN.ii.28 (bhāvan˚); Iti.82 (dhamm˚); Snp.327 (id.; expl^d. by Snp-a.333 as rati and “dhamme ārāmo assā ti”); Pp.53 (samagg˚) Vb.351.
2. a pleasure-ground, park, garden (lit sport, sporting); classified at Vin.iii.49 as pupph˚ and phal˚ a park with flowers or with fruit (i.e. orchard) def. at Dhp-a.iii.246 as Veḷuvana-Jīvak’ ambavan’ ādayo i.e. the park of Veḷuvana, or the park belonging to Jīvaka or mango-groves in general. Therefore:
   1. (in general) a park, resort for pastime etc. Vin.ii.109; DN.i.106; Dhp.188; Vv.79#5 (amb˚ garden of mangoes); Vv-a.305 (id.); Pv.ii.7#8 (pl. ārāmāni = ārām’ ûpavanāni Pv-a.102)
   2. (in special) a private park, given to the Buddha or the Sangha for the benefit of the bhikkhus where they meet & hold discussions about sacred secular matters; a place of recreation and meditation, a meeting place for religious gatherings. Amongst the many ārāmas given to the bhikkhus the most renowned is that of Anāthapiṇḍika (Jetavana; see Ja.i.92, Ja.i.94, DN.i.178; Vin.iv.69; others more frequently mentioned are e.g. the park of Ambapālī (Vin.i.233); of Mallikā (DN.i.178) etc
      ■ Vin.i.39, Vin.i.140, Vin.i.283, Vin.i.291; Vin.ii.170; Vin.iii.6, Vin.iii.45, Vin.iii.162 Vin.iv.85; AN.ii.176; Dpvs.v.18.

• -pāla keeper of a park or orchard, gardener Vin.ii.109; Vv-a.288.
• -ropa, -ropana planter, planting of pleasuregroves SN.i.33; Pv-a.151.
• -vatthu the site of an Ārāma Vin.i.140; Vin.ii.170; Vin.iii.50, Vin.iii.90.

Sk. ārāma, ā + ram