Pali Vocabulary

法

Teaching / Truth / Phenomenon / Natural Law

masculine noun (a-stem)

One of the most central words in Pali, with multiple layers of meaning: (1) the Buddha's Teaching as a whole; (2) truth or natural law; (3) a phenomenon or mental object; (4) righteousness or virtue. In the Three Jewels (Ti-ratana), the Dhamma is the second jewel — the liberating truth taught by the Buddha.

苦

Suffering / Unsatisfactoriness / Imperfection

neuter noun (a-stem)

The first of the Four Noble Truths (Cattāri Ariyasaccāni) — the pervasive unsatisfactoriness of conditioned existence. Dukkha has three aspects: (1) ordinary suffering (dukkha-dukkha) — pain, illness, death; (2) suffering of change (vipariṇāma-dukkha) — impermanence of pleasant experiences; (3) pervasive suffering (saṅkhāra-dukkha) — the fundamental unsatisfactoriness of conditioned existence itself. Understanding dukkha fully is the beginning of the path to liberation.

集

Origin / Arising / The cause of suffering

masculine noun (a-stem)

The Second Noble Truth — the origin or cause of suffering. Specifically, the craving (taṇhā) that fuels the perpetuation of dukkha: craving for sensual pleasures (kāma-taṇhā), craving for existence (bhava-taṇhā), and craving for annihilation (vibhava-taṇhā). Understanding samudaya reveals that suffering has a cause and is therefore not inevitable.

滅

Cessation / Extinction (of suffering)

masculine noun (a-stem)

The Third Noble Truth — the cessation of suffering through the complete fading away and cessation of craving. Nirodha is the goal of the path: Nibbāna, the state of complete liberation from the cycle of suffering and rebirth. The word comes from ni- (without, cessation) + rodha (obstruction, confinement).

道

Path / Way

masculine noun (a-stem)

The Fourth Noble Truth — the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Specifically, the Noble Eightfold Path (Ariya Aṭṭhaṅgika Magga). Also used in the context of the four stages of enlightenment: sotāpatti-magga (path of stream-entry), sakadāgāmi-magga, anāgāmi-magga, and arahatta-magga.

渴愛

Craving / Thirst

feminine noun (ā-stem)

Craving — the primary root of dukkha identified in the Second Noble Truth. Three types: kāma-taṇhā (craving for sensual pleasures), bhava-taṇhā (craving for existence/becoming), vibhava-taṇhā (craving for non-existence/annihilation). Taṇhā is also one of the 12 links of Dependent Origination (Paṭicca-samuppāda), arising from feeling (vedanā) and conditioning clinging (upādāna).

涅槃

Nibbana / Liberation / Extinguishing

neuter noun (a-stem)

The ultimate goal of the Buddhist path — the complete cessation of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha), and with them the end of the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra). The word literally means 'extinguishing' — as a flame is extinguished when fuel runs out. Two aspects: (1) sa-upādisesa-nibbāna — liberation while still alive (Arahant with residual aggregates); (2) anupādisesa-nibbāna — final Nibbāna at death (Parinibbāna).

無常

Impermanence

adjective (a-stem)

The first of the Three Characteristics of existence (Ti-lakkhaṇa). All conditioned phenomena (saṅkhāra) are impermanent — arising dependent on conditions, they must also cease when those conditions change or pass away. Contemplating anicca in one's direct experience is a fundamental Vipassanā meditation practice.

無我

Non-self / Not-self

adjective (a-stem)

The third of the Three Characteristics — the most radical and distinctive Buddhist teaching. None of the five aggregates (khandha) that make up a 'person' (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness) constitute a permanent, independent, unchanging self (attā). Understanding anattā directly — not merely conceptually — leads to liberation from the illusion of selfhood that perpetuates suffering.