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Forest Sangha Style Guide
Word List
A
abbreviations
See Abbreviations
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
acronyms
See Abbreviations
Adulyadej
Use: His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej of Thailand.
ajahn
(Thai: teacher) Used for monks and nuns over ten vassas. Lower case: He is now an ajahn. Ten ajahns will be visiting. Capitalize when used as a title or part of a name: Ajahn Mahanamo. When will the Ajahn arrive? Abbreviate as: Aj. (use a period): Aj. Mahanamo.
Ajahn Amaro
Often Tan Ajahn Amaro. Title: Chao Khun Videsabuddhiguna (พระวิเทศพุทธิคุณ)
Ajahn Chah
Often Luang Por Chah or Ven. Ajahn Chah. Also Luang Bu Chah; Phra Bodhinyana Thera
Ajahn Kevali
Title: Phra Kru Ubonbhavanavidesa
Ajahn Liem
Often Luang Por Liem. Title:
Ajahn Maha Amorn
Often Luang Por Maha Amorn
Ajahn Maha Boowa
Often Tan Ajahn Maha Boowa. Also Luang Da or Luang Da Maha Boowa.
Ajahn Mun
Often Ven. Ajahn Mun. Also Luang Bu Mun.
Ajahn Munindo
Often Luang Por Munindo
Ajahn Pasanno
Often Luang Por Pasanno. Title: Chao Khun Bodhinyanavidesa (พระโพธิญาณวิเทศ)
Ajahn Preechar Jutindharo
Title: Pra Kru Santidhammavitet
Ajahn Sao
Often Ven. Ajahn Sao
Ajahn Sumedho
Often Luang Por Sumedho. Also Luang Por Sumedhajahn. Title: Chao Khun Rajasumedhajahn
Ajahn Tate
Often Luang Bu Tate or Ven. Ajahn Tate
Ajahn Tongrat
(not Taungrut)
alms
To give alms. To receive alms.
alms bowl
(two words)
alms-food
almsgiving; almsgiver
(no hyphen)
alms-mendicant; alms-mendicancy
alms-round
Anuradhapura
apostrophes
See Punctuation
arom
(Thai: mood)
Aruna Ratanagiri
or Harnham Buddhist Monastery
Ashoka
King Ashoka
B
Bhumipol
Use: His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej of Thailand.
bahp
(Thai) Unskilful action.
Benares
Former name for Varanasi.
Bhante
Capitalize when used as a form of address: Can I help you, Bhante?
bhikkhu; bhikkhus
(lower case)
Bhikkhu Sangha (and the Nuns’ Sangha or Siladhara Sangha)
bhikkhuni; bhikkhunis
(lower case)
Bhikkhuni Sangha
birthless
Bodh Gaya
Bodhi
Bodhi Tree
Capitalize for the sacred tree in Bodh Gaya: the Bodhi Tree. Lower case for others: A bodhi tree grew outside the house.
borapet
(Thai) A medicinal plant.
bowl-bag; bowl-cover; bowl-lid; bowl-stand
Brahman
(not Brahmin) Capitalize. Refers to members of the Hindu caste, or ultimate reality underlying all phenomena in the Hindu scriptures.
Buddha
Always use an article or title: The Buddha; The Lord Buddha. (Never just ‘Buddha’, as if it’s a name: Buddha said it is of great benefit. – INCORRECT. The Buddha said it is of great benefit. – CORRECT.)
Buddha-Dhamma
Buddha image
Buddha-rupa
Buddha-sasana
Buddhism
Schools: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism; southern Buddhism and northern Buddhism (lower case ‘s’ and ‘n’). Mahayana includes Vajrayana (or Tibetan) Buddhism. Identify Buddhism as a religion rather than a philosophy.
Bung Wai
(Thai) Village nearest to Wat Pah Nanachat.
C
Canon
Use: the Pali Canon; the Canon; the Buddhist Canon.
chair; chairman; chairmen; chairperson; chairpersons
Prefer ‘chair’: She will chair the meeting. He is the chair of that committee.
Chao Khun
(Thai) Tan Chao Khun
Chithurst
Village where Cittaviveka is located. Also short for Chithurst Buddhist Monastery: He spent three vassas at Chithurst.
Chithurst Buddhist Monastery
Usually ‘Cittaviveka’.
Cittaviveka
The Pali name of Chithurst Buddhist Monastery. ‘Cittaviveka’ is usually used on its own, without ‘Monastery’ or ‘Buddhist Monastery’, and is the name usually preferred in their literature. Cittaviveka’s website is cittaviveka.org .
coordinate; coordination; coordinator
D
diacritics
‘Diacritic’ is the noun, ‘diacritical’ is the adjective: A macron is a diacritic: it’s a mark which serves a diacritical function. The dot-under is another diacritical mark. See Diacritics for a list of those used in Pali and more about their use.
Daeng
(Thai: person’s name; means ‘red’)
defilements
(lower case)
Dhamma
Dhamma practice
(two words)
Dhamma Talk
(two words, both capitalized)
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
Dhamma-vinaya
Translate as ‘the Teaching and Training’.
Dhammayuttika; Dhammayut
(Thai, not Pali)
Dhammic
This word has not been accepted into English, and is usually best avoided.
Dharma
(English; from Sanskrit not Pali) Always use ‘Dhamma’ when referring to the Buddha’s teaching and practice.
Dharmic
This word has not been accepted into English, and is usually best avoided. If needed, use ‘Dhammic’.
diacritic
(noun) Diacritics are the marks written over or under a letter to indicate a difference in pronunciation. For more on FS Style usage guidelines for Pali diacritics see: Diacritics
Pali diacritics are used throughout the text.
diacritical
(adjective) Diacritical marks are used in Pali orthography.
E
East Coast
(of the United States)
east
(lower case) To the east of … ; But upper case – the East – when referring to regions east of Europe, esp. China, Japan, India: She spent many years living in the East.
eastern, easterly
Eight Precepts
Capitalized when a proper noun: the Eight Precepts; otherwise lower case.
I took the Eight Precepts.
I undertook the eight-precept training.
I’m keeping eight precepts.
I’m keeping the Eight Precepts.
(See ‘precepts’ – under ‘P’ – for more.)
Eightfold Path
elder
(lower case) There were elder monks present. A gathering of the elders. One should check with an elder nun.
Elders’ Council
Abbreviated as EC. Elders’ Council Meeting is abbreviated as ECM.
e-book
emphasize
energize
enquire/enquiry or inquire/inquiry
UK: Both are OK but prefer the former; whichever is used be consistent.
US: Use inquire/inquiry.
F
familiarize
fantasize
feedback
(one word)
finalize
Five Precepts
Capitalized when a proper noun: the Five Precepts; otherwise lower case.
I took the Five Precepts.
I undertook the five-precept training.
I’m keeping five precepts.
I’m keeping the Five Precepts.
(See ‘precepts’ – under ‘P’ – for more.)
five khandhas
(lower case, leave out diacritics) To know the five khandhas for what they are. There are five ‘khandhas’, or groups, which constitute human experience. The five khandhas are: rupa (form), vedana (feeling), sañña (perception), sankhara (mental formations), and viññana (sense consciousness).
forest tradition
(lower case) Use ‘the Thai forest tradition’. [TBC]
forest monastery
forest monk
formalize
fourfold assembly; fourfold community (not fourfold sangha)
(lower case) Use ‘fourfold assembly’ to refer to the community of Buddhist monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen – not ‘fourfold sangha’. Note that ‘sangha’ always refers to the monastic community in Buddhist literature and tradition. The Buddha praised the ongoing maintenance of the fourfold assembly of monastic and lay disciples.
Four Noble Truths
(capitalized) … the Four Noble Truths. The Dhamma is expounded through the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. But: The Buddha referred to four ‘Noble Truths’… Never use figures (never write: the 4 Noble Truths). Write out and capitalize each number when referring to the teaching: the First Noble Truth, the Second Noble Truth, etc. One can consider the Fourth Noble Truth to be the way of practice. However, use lower case as in: The fourth of these Noble Truths is …
Four Requisites
fruition, fruitions
G
generalize; generalization
glot
(Thai) a mosquito net umbrella
(the) Going Forth; (they will be) going forth
Goenka
S.N. Goenka
Gotama
Guest Monk; Guest Nun
H
Hammer Wood
Hampstead; Hampstead Vihara
harmonize
heartfelt
hitch-hike
Holy Life
holy places
The Buddhist holy places.
home-grown
I
ill will
interdependent (arising)
interfaith
internalize
Internet
inter-religious
inquire/inquiry or enquire/enquiry
UK: Both are OK but prefer the latter; whichever is used be consistent.
US: Use inquire/inquiry.
Isan
J
jackfruit
K
kamma
(lower case)
kammic
(new word, not yet widely accepted)
Kassapa
karma
(Sanskrit) Avoid use unless context requires it: use ‘kamma’ instead.
karmic
Kathina ceremony
King of Thailand
Use: His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej of Thailand
knower
(lower case) Learn to stay with the knower while doing what you do.
kuti, kutis
(leave out diacritics)
L
lay Buddhist
lay community
lay folk
lay follower
lay guest/visitor
lay life
layman, laymen; laywoman, laywomen
(one word, no hyphen)
lay minister
Abhayagiri lay minister
laypeople
(one word, no hyphen)
layperson, laypersons
(one word, no hyphen)
lay resident
lay supporter
laywoman, laywomen; layman, laymen
(one word, no hyphen)
learned
UK: prefer learned to learnt
likeable
US: prefer likeable to likable
long-term
(always hyphenate)
We have long-term plans. (adj.)
But: A long term of office. (noun)
Lopburi
The city in Thailand.
loving-kindness
lower case
(abbreviated l.c.)
Luang Por, Luang Bu, Luang Da, Luang Pi
(Thai: Respected Father, Grandfather, Granddad, Brother)
M
macron
The diacritical mark denoting a long vowel sound in roman transliterations of Pali. A long ‘a’ is written using a macron, like so: ‘ā’.
Mahānikaya (see reference in Pali words)
meditator, meditators
memorize
mid November (a mid-November breeze)
midday (the midday meal)
monastery
monk, monks
(the) monks’ community
(the) Monks’ Sangha
monkhood (archaic) – some better alternatives: monastic community/life; monk’s/mendicant life
Muhammad (not Mohammed)
multitasking
multifaceted
Avoid ‘a monastic’; ‘monastics’ [TBC]
Avoid the use of the word ‘monastic’ as a noun. Prefer ‘sangha member’, ‘monastic community member’ or ‘monk’, ‘nun’, ‘novice’, ‘samana’, etc. instead of ‘monastic’; prefer ‘sangha’, ‘monastic community’ or ‘sangha members’, ‘monks’, ‘nuns’, etc. instead of ‘monastics’. Use: There were twenty sangha members gathered in the Temple, rather than: There were twenty monastics gathered in the Temple. (In these contexts postulants and novices, as well as monks and nuns, are considered ‘sangha members’, i.e. members of the monastic community.) Quite a few of the sangha were interested, rather than Quite a few monastics were interested. That person is a monk/nun/novice/samana/contemplative, etc., rather than: That person is a monastic. Use of ‘monastic’ as a noun is not incorrect, and is used by some sangha writers as it provides a convenient English gender-neutral term. Other non-Pali alternatives to those cited above include ‘contemplative’, ‘renunciant’, and ‘mendicant’. See Points Worth Noting >
N
namaste
(English, from Sanskrit)
Noble Truths
First (not 1st …)
northern Buddhism
Lower case ‘n’
Neng (Thai: name)
(the) new year; new year’s celebrations but New Year’s Day/Eve
Nibbāna
Four Noble Truths: First Noble Truth, Second, Third, Fourth
non-perception
non-self
no one
north (to the north of …) but the North often when referring to northern England
north-east (abbr. NE), north-eastern (the north-east); north-west
northern (in northern Thailand/England/Europe etc.)
nun, nuns
nuns’ order; order of nuns (exceptions apply)
(the) nuns’ community
(the) Nuns’ Sangha
O
Oakenholt Buddhist Centre
Observance day
odour, odours
online
open-minded
order (lower case except as part of a name: the Order of Siladhara but the nuns’ order.)
ordinand (not ordinee/ordainee: there are no such words)
organize, organization
ownerlessness
P
Pali
(no diacritic)
Pali Canon
precepts; the Precepts
(lower case, capitalize when proper noun)
It’s important to follow the Precepts.
It’s important to follow precepts.
They keep their precepts.
She keeps the Precepts.
I took the ten-precept pabbajja.
A ten-precept nun.
They took the Five Precepts.
I’m keeping eight precepts.
I’m keeping the Eight Precepts.
They will request the Five Precepts.
Pa Ba (see Tort Pa Ba)
pa-kow (Thai: white-robed anagarika)
Pali (no diacritical – from Pāli)
Pali Canon; the Canon; Buddhist Canon
Paritta chanting (from Pali: paritta)
patibat (not phadtibut) (Thai: to practise – patibat Tham = to practise Dhamma)
pātimokkha
patronize; patronizing
PDF
perceiver
Piboon (Thailand)
pindapat (anglicized from )
plah (Thai: fish)
Pollonaruwa (Sri Lanka)
postulant (or novice)
Pra (not Phra) (Thai: title often used for monks)
Pra Kru (not Phra Khru)
practice, practices (noun) (e.g. a/the/my practice; special practices)
practise, practised, practising (verb); I practised, to practise, she’s practising)
precepts (l.c., cap. when proper noun) e.g.:
I keep precepts
I keep the Precepts I took the eight-precept ordination I took the Eight Precepts I’m keeping eight precepts I’m keeping the Eight Precepts
preceptor
proliferation, proliferations
publicize
Puja/puja (cap. when specific to Evening/Morning Puja; lowercase otherwise: a puja) (anglicized from Pali pūjā)
Q
Content ...
R
Rains Retreat; (number of) rains (He has five rains)
Rājagaha
rationalize, rationalization
realize/realization (the Buddha’s realization – l.c.)
recognize
recollectedness
Refuges & Five Precepts
renunciant, renunciants; renunciant life (not renunciate) The word renunciate is a rare verb: to renunciate. It does not exist in English as a noun or as an adjective. So: a renunciate should be a renunciant and a renunciate community should be a renunciant community.
retreat centre (no caps unless a proper name); Amaravati Retreat Centre
robe-cloth
S
Sangha/sangha
Capitalize to represent the global tradition and institution, but use lower case when referring to a specific monastic community.
The Sangha has a 2,560 year-old history.
The sangha will need to decide how to distribute the offerings.
Sangha member/sangha member
Capitalize the first word of this term in line with FS Style for capitalizing the word ‘Sangha’ (see above): i.e. capitalize if referring to members of the global institution, but use lower case for members of a specific community.
Most Sangha members in Buddhist countries exude a calm restraint.
There were plenty of sangha members at the event.
southern Buddhism
(lower case ‘s’)
sabai
sala (Thai)
samana, samanas (Pali: samaṇa)
samanera (anglicized, no diacriticals – from sāmaṇera), samaneras (pl.= Eng.)
samsara (anglicized, no diacriticals – from saṃsāra)
samsaric
Sangha (Pali: saṅgha) (anglicized, cap., not ital.) Use the singular: ‘the Sangha is …’ rather than the plural (‘the Sangha are …’) CHECK
sangkahn (not sungkahn) (Thai: saṅkhāra)
Saraburi (Thailand)
Sāriputta
sāsana (the) (l.c., also see Buddha-sāsana)
scrutinize
Second Noble Truth (not 2nd …)
shrine room
Siddhattha
siladhara (anglicized, l.c., singular and plural identical – no ‘s’ ending) Pali forms: sīladhara (sing.) sīladharā (pl.)
(the) Siladhara Order – (the) Order of Siladhara
sīmā
Sinhalese
spring (the season)
Sr (no full stop) but Ven. (not Ven)
short-term (adj.) but a short term (noun)
skilful, skilfulness
socialize
Songkran
south, southern, southerly (direction only)
South-East Asia (abbr. SE Asia)
south-east (abbr. SE), southeastern (the south-east); south-west
soya milk (soy milk is US spelling)
stabilize
summarize
Sumedhajahn (Tan Chao Khun)
Sumedho
summer
supramundane
symbolize
T
Times
For formatting style for times of day, see Times of day, under Dates >
Tan (not Tun) (Thai title)
teachings (the teachings, Buddhist teachings)
Temple (ref. Amaravati Temple); a Buddhist temple
(the) Ten Precepts (see precepts)
Thai forest tradition
Tham (Thai: Dhamma)
Tathāgata
Theravada (no diacritical – from theravāda)
Theravadan (not Theravadin)
theorize
Third Noble Truth (not 3rd …)
toothwood
Tort Pa Ba (def. ‘almsgiving ceremony’ not Fund Raising Event. Use ‘people offer money’ not ‘people raise money’)
Triple Refuge
tudong (not thudong) (anglicized Thai)
U
US (United States)
Ubon, Ubon Ratchathani (Thai)
unallowable
unarisen
unbothered
undeluded (‘not deluded’ is better)
undistracted
unenergetic
unentangled
unpeaceful (not peaceful better)
unshakeable, unshakeably
upasampada
upajjhāya (preceptor)
upcountry
utilize
V
Varanasi (formerly Benares)
Vassa (the) but ten vassas and a vassa (I spent the Vassa but I spent a vassa)
Ven. (full stop) but Sr not Sr.
Visakha Puja (Wesak or Wesak Day)
vigorous but vigour (not vigor)
vihara
Vinaya
vipassana (sometimes anglicized from vipassanā)
visualize
W
wai (Thai: anjali, among other meanings)
Wat Cholpratan (monastery of Tan Chao Khun Paññananda)
Wat Pah Nanachat
Wat Pah Pong (Wat Nong Pah Pong)
(the) Web
web page
website
Wesak, Wesak Day (Vesakha Puja)
well-being
west, western, westerly (direction only)
the West (as a cultural sphere)
West Coast (of the United States)
Western (cultural adjective)
western hemisphere
westerner
westernize
while (rather than whilst)
winter
(the) Winter Retreat but a winter retreat (similar in capitalization style as for Vassa)
woon wai (Thai: confused, chaotic)
worldling, worldlings
wordly
worldview
worldwide
X
Content ...
Y
Young Persons’ Retreat
Z
Content ...
Pali words
Pali words that have become English words (listed in the ODE).
Spell these words as follows, without diacritics
These words have been accepted into the English language (as recorded in the Oxford Dictionary of English) and are correctly written without diacritics. Therefore leave them out, and note this in the frontmatter in works where diacritics are generally being used. If writing them specifically as Pali words, e.g. in an academic or technical work, or in referencing their Pali etymology, include the diacritics of their original Pali form.
ahimsa
bhikkhu
bhikkhuni
bodhisattva
brahman
(from Sanskrit) Use brahman rather than brahmin.
Buddha
dhamma
dharma
karma
(from Sanskrit) Use kamma instead wherever possible.
metta
(from mettā)
nibbana
nirvana
Pali
puja
samadhi
samsara
sangha
stupa
sutra
sutta
Theravada
vipassana
❦
Commonly-used Pali words
Listed for convenience in English alphabetical order
Abhidhamma
Capitalize.
Abhidhamma Piṭaka
Anglicize as Abhidhamma Pitaka
Ālāra Kālāma
amata-dhamma
Ānanda – The Buddha’s attendant.
(often anglicized as Ananda)
añjalī
(often anglicized as anjali)
arahant
English variants: arahants; arahantship
ariya
English variant: ariyan
ariya-puggala
ariya-sacca
devadūta
dhutaṅga
Plural: dhutaṅgas; capitalize when proper noun. There are thirteen dhutaṅga practices (lower case); but: the Buddha recommended the Thirteen Dhutaṅgas
kalyāṇamitta – spiritual friend
(often anglicized as kalyanamitta)
karuṇā – compassion
(often anglicized as karuna)kataññū – grateful
kataññutā – gratitude
kataññu-katavedi – expression of gratitude
khandhā
(often anglicized as khandha/khandhas) Lower case.
– rūpa khandhā (two words, no hyphen), etc.
kuṭi
Use the anglicized ‘kuti’ instead.Copied in from Sangha Words (need checking):
ācariya – teacher
akusala – unskilful, unwholesome
anagārika/anagārikā* – lay male/female novice, postulant. If used without the macron, ‘female’ becomes ‘anagarikaa.’ Explain once and otherwise leave untranslated.
anusaya – bent, bias, underlying tendency
adhiṭṭhāna – decision, resolution, resolve
ānāpānasati – mindfulness of breathing
anattā* – no-self; non-self, not-self
anicca/aniccaṁ* – impermanent, changeable, inconstant, uncertain
añjali* – the ‘prayer position’ of the hands, palms pressed together, ngers pointing upright. appamāda – heedfulness, vigilance
arahant* – leave untranslated or explain as ‘enlightened being’ ārammaṇa – mental object, mood
ariya – noble one, (generally leave untranslated)
āsava/āsavā (sing./plural) – cankers, out ows, fermentations, corruptions asubha – unattractive
avijjā – ignorance, obscuration
Bhagavā – Lord, Blessed One
bhante* – sir (honori c for addressing monks)
bhāvanā* – cultivation of mind
bhava-tanhā – desire to become something
bhikkhu/ni* – Buddhist monk or nun (use ‘bhikkhuṇī’ only if quoting from a Pali text) bojjhanga/ā – factor/s of awakening
brahmacariya – holy life, (speci cally monastic), celibacy, spiritual life
brahma (deities) – highest gods
brahmaloka – celestial realms, highest heavens, or leave untranslated
brahmavihāra – sublime states. If the context does not make this clear, add (of mind) brahman – use English word ‘brahmin’ in roman font
Buddha* – Awake, Awakened One
Buddha-rūpa* – Buddha-image
chanda – motivation (when skilful), desire, assent (in Sanghakamma) citta – heart, mind, active aspect of awareness
cīvara* – (upper) robe
dāna* – generosity, giving, a donated meal
deva/devatā* – celestial being, demi-god, spirit
devadūta – spiritual messenger (often refers to old age, sickness, death and a samana) that which causes one to wake up or question life.
Dhamma* – natural law, the teaching of the Buddha. Use initial capital to distinguish this from dhamma
dhamma/ā* – phenomenon/a; mental objects
dhammavicaya – investigation of mental states.
dhutanga (Thai ‘tudong’) – austere practices, austere (not ‘ascetic’)
diṭṭhi – view/s, opinion
dosa – ill-will, hatred
dukkha* – suffering and stress, unsatisfactoriness
dukkaṭa – minor transgression against Patimokkha training
ekaggatā – one-pointedness hiri-ottappa – conscience and concern
iddhipāda, iddhipādā (pl.) – mental powers indriya – faculties, controlling powers
jāti – birth
jhāna* – absorption
kalyāṇamitta – spiritual friend
kāmāsava – sensory obsession
kāma-chanda – sense desire
kāma-taṇhā – sense desire
kamma* – action, intentional action, action with intention kammaṭṭhāna – meditation theme; theme of contemplation karunā* – compassion
kasina* – object or image used to assist concentration kataññu-katavedi – expression of gratitude
kaṭhina* – leave untranslated, explain as necessary kāyānupassanā – insight into the nature of the body khandhā* (sing. khandha) – aggregates
khanti – patience, patient endurance
kilesa – de lement, an item of mental impurity
kuti – a solitary dwelling for a samana
lobha – greed
lokavidū – ‘knower of the worlds’, an epithet of the Buddha
magga – Path (in a spiritual sense)
Māgha/Māgha Puja – festival day commemorating the Sangha in the month of Māgha Mahayana*
māna – pride, conceit
mettā* – friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, loving-kindness
micchā – wrong; generally linked to ditthi, or any other Path factor
moha – stupidity, confusion, delusion
muditā – joy at others’ welfare; appreciative joy, empathic joy
nāga – serpent, generally having supernatural powers; also an epithet of the Buddha. nāma-rūpa – individuality, the material and immaterial factors of an individual, ‘name and form’ namo – homage
ñāṇadassana – knowing and seeing, a state of spiritual clarity
nekkhamma – renunciation
nibbāna* – the extinguishing of re, dying out in the heart of the three ties (Explain once and leave untranslated; to non-Buddhist reader explain that this is the same as nirvana). nibbidā – world-weariness, disenchantment
nibbutiṁ – coolness in the spiritual sense; free from passions
nimitta – sign, often associated with mental images that may arise in meditation
nirodha – ceasing, cessation; generally the cessation of suffering or dukkha or the cessation of consciousness
nīvaraṇa/nīvaraṇā (sing./plural) – hindrance
opanayiko – pertinent/leading inward
ottappa – concern, awareness of others’ moral disapproval
paccattaṁ – by oneself i.e. authentic
paccayo/paccaya – supportive condition
pacceka (cap. when referring to Pacceka Buddha(s))
paccuppanna – dependently arising in the present
pācittiya* – category of bhikkhus’ transgression, transgression (use footnote) pabbajjā – going-forth
Pāli* – use ‘Pali’
paṁsukūla – rag-robes
paññā – discernment, wisdom
pāpa – evil
pārājika* – Defeat; an offence which causes disrobing (use footnote) parāmāsa – attachment
paramattha – ultimate
pāramitā/pāramī* – perfections, virtues, blessings. Use pārami
parinibbāna* – the decease of an enlightened one
pariyatti – study, learning
passaddhi – tranquillity
paṭiccasamuppāda – dependent origination
Pāṭimokkha – Monastic Rule. Add footnote – the 227 training rules for a Buddhist monk paṭipadā – Path (as in the Fourth Noble Truth)
paṭipatti – practice
paṭivedha – realization
phala – fruit (skilful results of Dhamma practice, non-edible)
piṇḍapāta – alms-round/alms-food [in Thai context pindapat can be used. See 4.3]
pīti – rapture, joy
preta (or ‘peta’) – (hungry) ghost
puggala – person
pūjā – (use anglicized form puja*, not italicized) literally ‘act of honouring’, the ritual of making offerings and chanting to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha
puñña – merit, skilful action
puthujjana – worldling, average person
rāga – passion, lust
rūpa/rūpaṁ – form (or bodily form)
sabba – all
sabhāva* – associated with existence (a kind of dukkha) (add footnote)
sacca – real, truthfulness, truth
saddhā – con dence, faith
sakadāgāmī – once–returner (a stage of awakening)
sakkāyadiṭṭhi – personality view (the rst fetter)
samādhi* – concentration, uni cation of mind, collectedness, or leave untranslated
samaṇa* – contemplative, renunciant (samana is also acceptable in colloquial usage) sāmanera* – novice, novice monk (use ‘sāmaṇera’ only in quoting from a Pali text
samatha* – calm, tranquillity, steadying
saṁsāra* – endless wandering, unenlightened existence
sampajañña – clear comprehension, full awareness, clear knowing
sammuti – convention
Sangha* – 1) international community of renunciant disciples; 2) collective of those who have experienced some degree of realization (ariyan Sangha). For the local monastic community use lower case ‘sangha.’
saṅghādisesa* – category of serious offence
saṅkhata – conditioned
saṅkhāra/saṅkhārā (sing./plural) – activities, formations, programs (by analogy with computer programs)
saññā – perception, recognition,
sāsana* also Buddha-sāsana* – the Buddhist religion
sati – mindfulness
satipaññā – mindful wisdom
satipaṭṭhāna – foundations for mindfulness, establishments of mindfulness
sotāpanna* – stream-enterer (the rst stage of awakening)
sīla* – moral practice, virtue, precept
sīlabbata-parāmāsa – attachment to systems and customs, attachment to rituals and techniques sīladharā* – leave untranslated, or use ‘nun’ or ‘Ten-Precept Nun’
sotāpatti – stream-enterer
sukha – happiness, ease
sutta* – discourse
taṇhā – thirst, craving (‘desire’ may cause confusion with chanda (q.v.) which can be skilful) Tathāgata* – Perfect One, Thus-Gone One, Thus-Come One
thera/therī – a monk/nun of ten vassa
Theravāda* – use ‘Theravada’ as a noun and an adjective describing the School of Buddhism, the culture or any of the texts. Use ‘Theravadin’ to describe a follower of
this School.
upādāna – attachment, grasping, clinging
upajjhāya – preceptor
upasampadā* – acceptance into the Sangha; admission into the Sangha upekkhā – equanimity
Uposatha* – Observance Day
Vassa* – Rains Retreat. Use vassa when the term refers to someone’s years in the Sangha. vedanā – feeling
Vesākha – Vesak (commemoration of the Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinibbāna) vibhava-tanhā – desire to get rid of something; annihilationism
vicāra (see vitakka below) – the act of considering and assessing; evaluation vicikicchā – doubt
vijjā – clarity
vīmaṁsā – analysis
vimutti – liberation
vipassanā* – insight
Vinaya* – monastic discipline
viññāna – consciousness
vipāka – result (of kamma)
virāga – absence of passion, waning, dispassion
viriya – energy, effort
Visuddhimagga*
vitakka/vitakka-vicāra – conceiving/conceiving and evaluating viveka – detachment, disengagement
yakkha* – ogre, earth-spirit (add footnote if necessary)
Thai words
The transliteration of words from Thai to English is notoriously challenging, and different approaches have been favored by various sangha members and publishers over the years. This guide recommends using a roughly phonetic spelling for Thai words in the main body of the text, rather than a transliteration system which can distract or confuse readers. Therefore the following list is based on past practice and an approach which seeks to provide a conventional English spelling for words without attempting to represent precisely their sound in Thai. It does not present a communally agreed standard spelling for these words, as such a standard does not exist. The spelling of words on this list may therefore change as they are further considered.
These words are grouped here for convenience. Each is also found in the comprehensive word list above.
ajahn
(Thai) Lower case. He is now an ajahn. Ten ajahns will be visiting. Capitalize when used as a title or part of a name. Ajahn Mahanamo. When will the Ajahn arrive? Abbreviate as: Aj. (use a period). Aj. Mahanamo.
krorp-krua
(Thai: family)