- Buddhist
Dictionary
- Manual
of Buddhist Terms
and Doctrines
by NYANATILOKA MAHATHERA
Appendix
Attempt at a
chronological fixing of
terms not found, or not found in this form or meaning, in the
oldest parts of the Sutta
Pitaka.
akusala-sádhárana-cetasika:
This
term is probably used for the first time in Abh. S., though
already in Vis.M. XIV the 4 cetasika
in question are mentioned amongst the mental factors associated
with each of the 12 akusala-cittas
(Tab. I, 22-33), while in the Abhidhamma Pitaka (Dhs. §§ 365-429) uddhacca
is
found only in the last of the 12 cittas, missing in all the
remaining 11 cittas.
ánantarika-kamma:
This term
seems to be used for the first time in Kath. (190) of the Abh.
Canon; the 5 crimes
mentioned, however, are already enumerated and explained in the
old Sutta texts (e.g. A.V,
129), as is to be seen from the main part of this work.
árammana:
s. paccaya, 2.
avacara:
kámávacara is
already met with in the oldest sutta texts (e.g. D. 1). Rúpávacara
and arúpávacara,
however, occur probably for the first time in Pts.M. (I. 83ff.),
while in the Abhidhamma
Canon and the Com. all the 3 terms are frequently mentioned and
explained.
ávajjana:
s. citta-víthi.
avyákata:
This term in the
sense of 'amoral' or 'karmically neutral', does not occur in the
old sutta texts, while it
is found in Pts.M. (e.g. I, 79ff). It plays an important role in
the Abh. Canon (e.g.
Dhs.) and the philosophical commentaries.
áyúhana:
probably met with for
the first time in Pts.M. (I . 10f.).
bhava: The 2-fold division, kamma
and upapatti, is probably found for the first time in Vibh.
of the Abh. Canon, but
it expresses throughout the genuine teaching of the suttas.
bháva: as an isolated word,
signifying-the physical nature or faculties of sex, probably
occurs only in the Com. The
expression itthibháva and purisabháva, with the
meaning of 'being a man',
or 'being a woman', or after ñatvá, etc., as for instance tassá
itthibhávam
ñatvá: 'knowing her to be a woman': such expressions are often
found in the oldest
sutta texts.
bhavanga-sotá,
-citta: These 2
compound terms belong exclusively to the exegetical literature,
while the term bhavanga
is several times, briefly and unexplained, mentioned in the Patth.
of the Abh. Canon, as
though already known at that time.
carita: rága-c., dosa-c.,
buddhi-c., etc., are only to be met with in the Com. and
Vis.M.
cáritta-
and váritta-sila:
are only found in the Com., as Vis.M. 1, etc., but the teaching
indicated by it is
frequently mentioned in the old sutta texts as karaníya and
akaraníya
(e.g. A. II, 16).
cetasika:
This term oceurs often in
the old sutta texts, but only as adj. (e.g. cetasikam sukham,
etc.) or, at
times, used as a sing. neut. noun (e.g. D. 1; p. 213, PTS). As a
designation for mental
factors, or concomitants of consciousness (citta-sampayuttá
dhammá), it is
frequently met with in Dhs. (§ 1189, 1512) as cetasika-dhamma,
while in Vis.M.,
Abh. S., etc., cetasika is used also as a neuter noun, in
the sense of mental
phenomenon.
citta-lahutá,
-mudúta,
-kammaññatá, -páguññatá, -ujukatá: s. lahutá.
citta-víthi,
as well as all
terms for the various functions within the processes of
conseiousness, such as ávajjana-citta,
sampaticchana, santírana, votthapana, javana, tadárammana,
bhavanga, cuti: none of
these terms is found in the Sutta Canon. except javana, in
Pts.M. Even in the Ahh.
Canon (e.g. Patth) only javana and bhavanga are
twice or thrice briefly
mentioned. The stages, however, must have been more or less known.
Cf. e.g Patth: ''Cakkhu-viññánam
tam sampayuttaká ca dhammá (= cetasiká) mano-dhátuyá
(performing the sampaticchana-function),
tam sampayuttakánañ ca dhammánam (cetasikánani) anantara-paccayena
paccayo.
Mano-dhátu ... manoviññána-dhátuya (performing the santírana
and votthapana
function).... Purimá purimá kusalá dhammá (javaná) pacchimánam
pacchimánam
kusalánam dhammánam (javanacittánam) anantara-paccayena paccayo...
avyákatánam
dhammánam (tadárammana- and bhavanga-cittánam....)."
cuti-citta:
s. citta-víthi.
dhátu-vavatthána:
This term is first
used in Pts.M. while the subject in question is often treated in
the old sutta texts (e.g.
M. 28, 62, 140, etc.). Cf. sammasana.
dhutanga:
This compound term is
used only in the Com. The only place in the suttas where the first
part, dhuta, is
used in the above sense, is found in S. XIV. The names of the
performers of these 13
ascetical exercises, however, are all mentioned in the suttas, but
scattered here and
there, for instance: pamsukúlika, áraññika, pindapátika,
ekásanika, tecívarika,
sapádánacárí, sosánika, abhhokásika, nesajjika, yathásanthatika, in
M. 5, 113;
A. V, 181-190, etc.; rukkhamúlika, khalupacchábhattika and pattapindika
in
A. V, 189f. etc.
gotrabhú:
s. javana.
hasituppáda-citta:
This term is used
in Abh. S. for the citta, Tab. I, 72. This type of
consciousness (the Buddha's
smile) is often implied in the suttas.
iddhi: Most, or perhaps all, of the 10
terms listed at Vis.M. XII, as adhitthána, etc., are absent
in the older sutta
texts. In Pts.M. (II, 205-214), however, they are enumerated in
due order and minutely
explained. The magical powers indicated by these terms are,
nevertheless, for the most
part explicitly described already in the oldest sutta texts. Cf.
D. 34; M. 3; A. III, 99,
etc.
indriya-samatta:
This term is
probably found for the first time in the Com., esp. Vis.M. IV. The
rudiments of this
doctrine, however, are already found in the old sutta texts, e.g.
A. III, 100.
javana: The only reference in the
Sutta Pitaka is Pts.M. II, 73: kusalakammassa javana-khane, "in
the
impulsion-moment of a wholesome karma." In the Abhidhamma Pitaka
it is briefly
mentioned in the Patthána, but without explanation, as if already
known. The teaching of
the flashing forth of 4 javana immediately before entering
the jhána or lokuttara-magga,
i.e. parikamma, upacára, anuloma, gotrabhú is, as such,
without doubt a later
development in the commentarial literature.
kalápa: This doctrinal term, as well
as the doctrine of the different corporeal units or groups, such
as the suddhatthaka-k.,
jívitanavaka-k., cakkhudasaka-k., etc. (s. Vis.M. XVIII),
belong only to the later
developments of exegetical literature, as Vis.M. etc.
káma: Vatthu-k. and kilesa-k.
are probably found for the first time in MNid. 1. They correspond
to the pañca
kámaguná (cakkhu-viññeyyá rúpá, etc.) and káma-rága
in the
older sutta texts (e.g A. VI, 68).
kamma: ahosi-, janaka-, garuka-,
bahula-, upatthambhaka-, upaghátaka-, upapílaka-, maranásanna-,
upacchedaka-k. None
of these terms is found in the Sutta or Abh. Canon. They have been
introduced by the
commentators (e.g. in Abh. S. and Vis.M.) for the purpose of a
systematical grouping of
the various aspects and functions of karma. The term katattá,
however, occurs
repeatedly in the Abh. Canon in such expressions as: 'Yasmim
samaye ... kusalassa
kammassa katattá ... cakkhuviññánam hoti....' (Dhs. § 431);
or: 'Yam atthi
rúpam kammassa katattá ....' (Dhs. § 653); or 'katattá ca
rúpánam' (Patth.),
etc.
kammaññatá:
s. lahutá.
kammattháná:
This term, as a
designation for the meditation exercises (bhávaná), is
found only in the Com. In
the suttas the word is only used in a concrete sense for 'field of
activity or
occupation', as agriculture, trade, etc.
katattá-kamma:
s. kamma.
káya-lahutá:
-mudutá,
-kammaññatá, -páguññatá, -ujukatá, s. lahutá.
khana:
The 3 phases in a moment
of consciousness, i.e. uppáda, thiti, bhanga, are probably
mentioned for the first
time in the commentaries; but there is a close parallel in two
sutta texts which may have
been the source for that teaching of a three-phased moment of
consciousness:
"There are 3
characteristics of what
is conditioned (sankhatassa lakkhaná): an arising (uppádo)
is apparent, a
passing away (vayo) is apparent, a change in the existing (thitassa
aññathattam: Com. = ageing) is apparent" (A. III, 47). The
same 3 phases are
mentioned in S. XXII, 37, where they are applied to each of the 5
khandha.
kilesa: the 10 kilesa are probably
for the first time enumerated and explained in Dhs. (§§
1229-1239). There they are,
however, called kilesa-vatthu, which name (dasa
kilesa-vatthu) is already
mentioned in Pts I, 130, though there they are neither enumerated
nor explained.
kiriya: (kiriyá, kriyá) citta
is a term first used in the Abh. Canon (e.g. Dhs. §§ 566-582). It
has an important place
in post-canonical Abh. literature, e.g. Vis.M. XIV.
lahutá,
mudutá, kammaññatá: as rúpassa-,
káya-, or citta-, are for the first time found in the Abh.
Canon, esp. Dhs. All,
however, perhaps with the sole exception of paguññatá, are
implied in the Sutta
Canon, e.g. 'citte mudu-bhúte kammaníye' (M 4); 'lahu-saññañ
ca káye
okkamitvá' (S. LI. 22); 'cittam ujukam akamsu' (S. I.
26; PTS). Káya-passaddhi
and citta-passaddhi, however, are well known in the old
sutta texts in this
connection.
manodvárávajjana:
s. citta-víthi.
mudutá:
s. lahutá.
ñána: Of the 9 kinds of
insight-knowledge constituting the patipadá-ñánadassana-visuddhi
(s. Vis.M.
XXI), the following 6 are, as such, enumerated and explained for
the first time in Pts.M.,
namely: udayabbayánupassaná-ñána (I. 54-57), bhangánupassaná-ñána,
(ib. 57f.). bhayatupatthána-ñána (ib. 59f). muccitukamyatá-ñána,
patisanká-ñána,
sankhárupekkhá-ñána (ib. 60-65). The terms udayabbaya
and bhanga,
in connection with the 5 groups of existence, however, are often
met with in the old sutta
texts. Of the remaining 3 kinds of knowledge, ádínavánupassaná,
nibbidánupassaná
and anulomañána, the first 2 occur often in the old sutta
texts, while anuloma-ñána,
though only briefly mentioned in the Abh. Canon (Patth.), plays a
prominent part in the
exegetical literature.
natthi-paccaya:
s. paccaya.
n'eva-sekha-n'ásekha:
While the
terms sekha and asekha occur frequently in the old
sutta texts (e.g. A. II,
4: 'sekho ca asekho ca imasmim loke... áhuneyyá' etc.), the
term n'eva-sekha-n'ásekha
is perhaps mentioned for the first time in Pug. of the Abh. Canon.
nibbána:
The 2 terms kilesa-
and khandha-parinibbána (or nibbána) are
found only in the Com.;
their corresponding 2 aspects sa-upádisesa and anupádisesa-nibbána,
however, are mentioned and explained in It. 44 of the Sutta Canon.
nimitta:
As signifying the mental
reflex-image occurring in meditation, this term, singly or in
compounds (parikkamma-,
uggaha-, patibhága-n.), is found only in the Com., Vis.M.,
etc. The same holds good
for kamma-nimitta, gati-nimitta.
nissarana-pahána:
s. pahána.
nissaya,
nissita: These two terms,
in combination with tanhá and ditthi, belong
probably, as such, to the
commentarial literature, e.g. Vis.M. I.
niyáma: The compound words utu-,
bíja-, kamma-, citta-, and dhamma-niyáma, probably occur for
the first time in the
Com. Niyámatá, however, occurs often in the old sutta
texts, e.g. 'thitá va
sá dhátu dhammatthitatá dhammaniyámata...' (A. III. 134. etc.)
niyata-miccháditthi:
is apparently
mentioned for the first time in Dhs. (e.g. § 1028) of the Abh. As a
name for the 10th and
last of the akusala-kammapathas, it plays a prominent role
in the Com.
paccaya:
This term occurs often in the
old sutta texts in such expressions as: 'ko hetu, ko paccayo',
'yam yad eva paccayam
paticca uppajjati viññánam', etc., or as abl. adverb in 'avijjápaccayá
sankhárá'. All the 24 paccaya are for the first time
enumerated, explained
and applied to the phenomena of existence in the Abh. Canon
(Patth). Of these 24 paccaya,
5 are already mentioned in Pts.M. (II, 49-54, 59f., 72-77),
namely, sahajáta-,
aññamañña-, nissaya-, sampayutta-, vippayutta-paccaya.
1. Hetu
is already used in the
sutta texts as 'condition' in a general and indefinite way, as a
synonym of paccaya.
In the sense of kusala and akusala roots (múla;
s. M. 9), however,
it is only found in the Abh. Canon and Com.
2. Árammana
has in the 'sutta
texts only the meaning of 'foundation', or 'basis', or 'dependent
on', e.g. M. 21: 'tadárammanañca
sabbalokam mettásahagatena cetasá pharitvá....' or D.33;
S.XXII.53: 'viññánam
... rúpárammanam ... vedanáram-manam....' As term for the 6
objects, rúpárammana,
saddárammana, etc.,
it is first used
in the Abh. Canon, though
the teaching of dependency of the 6 kinds of viññána on the
6 sense-objects is
an integral part of the suttas. Cf. e.g. M.38: 'cakkhuñca
paticca rúpe ca uppajjati
viññánam sotañca paticca sadde ca ...' etc.
3. Adhipati,
as a philosophical
term, occurs for the first time in the Abh. Canon (esp. Patth.).
The 4 adhipati are
in the suttas called iddhipáda (e.g. S. LI. 11). In the old
sutta texts, 3 adhipateyya
are however mentioned: atta-, loka-, dhamma- (A. III, 38).
4. & 5. Anantara-
and
samanantara-paccaya occur, as paccaya, for the first
time in the Abh. Canon
(esp. Patth.). In a veiled form, however, we find the first term
in the old sutta texts
(e.g. Ratana Sutta in Khp. and Sn.): 'samádhim
ánantarikaññamáhu': the
concentration (associated with the arahatta-magga), which
is called the 'immediate'
condition (for arahatta-phala).
6. & 7. Sahajáta
and aññamañña-paccaya.
Though these terms, as such, are not found in the older sutta
texts, still the teaching of
the conascent and mutual conditionedness of the 4 mental groups (vedaná,
saññá,
sankhára, viññána) is taught in the old texts, e.g. M. 28, 43;
S. XXII, etc.
8. Nissaya-paccaya
is mentioned in
Pts; s. first paragraph of this article, above.
9. Upanissaya-paccaya.
Though this
name is not found in the suttas, the teaching expressed thereby
is, however, frequently
met with there, sometimes even in the form of upanisá
(apparently a contraction of
upanissaya), e.g. S. XII, 23: 'Yam pi'ssa tam bhikkhave
khayasmim khaye ñánam,
tam sa-upanisam vadámi, no anupanisam '. The terms pakati-,
árammana- and
anantara-upanissaya are later developments of the Abh. Com.
All the remaining
terms are met with only
in the Abh. literature though the substance is, perhaps in all
cases, already dealt with
in the old sutta texts.
pádaka-jjhána:
This term is not
found in the Sutta Canon, nor apparently in the Abh. Canon, but
very often used in the
exegetical literature. The idea, however, expressed thereby, is
implied in many places of
the old sutta texts, e.g., A. IX, 36, where it is shown how the jhánas,
one after
the other, may serve as basis, or foundation (as mental object),
for vipassaná. In
many of the old sutta texts it is also shown how the 4th jhána
forms the
foundation for the attainment of the 5 higher spiritual powers (abhiññá).
páguññatá:
s. lahutá.
pahána:
The 5 terms, as vikkhambhana,
etc., are, as such, not found in the old sutta texts, but they are
enumerated and
explained already in Pts.M. (II. 179f.).
palibodha:
This 10-fold group is
perhaps for the first time mentioned in Khp. Com. and explained in
Vis.M. III.
pañca-dvárávajjana:
s. ávajjana.
paramattha
s. vohára-desaná.
páramí,
páramitá: Only the
Com. deals with this subject, apart from the 3 apocryphal works,
Buddhavamsa and
Cariyapitaka, and the Játaka.
paricchinnákása:
This term is
used in the Com. for the term ákása-kasina used in the
older sutta texts.
pariññá: ñáta-, tírana-,
pahána-p., belong to the exegetical literature, but they are
already implied in
Pts.M. I. 87: 'Abhiññá-paññá ñátatthe ñánam, pariññá-paññá
tíranatthe
ñánam, pahána-paññá pariccágatthe ñánam ... ye ye dhammá abhiññátá
honti, te
te dhammá ñáta honti ... tíritá ... pahíná.'
pariyatti,
patipatti, pativedha: The
first of these 3 fundamental terms, especially in this 3-fold
grouping, belongs to the
commentarial literature, though the idea expressed thereby is
often found in the suttas in
such expressions as: 'dhammam pariyápunáti suttam geyyam
veyyákaranam ....' The
2 other terms are found separately in the suttas.
patipannaka:
occurs in Pug. 17.
patipatti:
s. pariyatti.
patisandhi:
is chiefly a
commentarial term; but it occurs several times in one of the later
books of the Sutta
Pitaka, the Patisambhidá Magga (Pts.M. I, 11f, 52, 59f.; II,
72f.). The usual sutta term
for 'rebirth' is punabbhava.
patisandhika:
ahetu-,
dvihetu-, and tihetu-p.: are purely commentarial terms.
For patisandhi-citta,
s. citta-víthi.
pativedha:
s. pariyatti.
pattidána:
This term is found
only in the Com., but the belief expressed by it is several times
mentioned in the older
sutta texts. Cf. the main part of this work.
rúpa: the terms nipphanna-rúpa
and rúpa-rúpa are used only in the Com., although sappatigha
and pasáda
are already found in the Abh. Canon (e.g. Dhs. §§ 585, 597f.),
while upádinna
occurs repeatedly in the old sutta texts, e.g. M. 28, apparently
with the meaning given in
the main part of this work. Cf. further upádá-rúpa.
samádhi:
parikamma-, upacára-,
and appaná-s.: are found only in the Com.
sama-sísí:
This term seems to be
met with for the first time in Pug. 19, while the person indicated
is described in A., as
is to be seen in the main part of this work.
samatha-yánika:
s. sukkha-vipassaka.
sammasana:
This term, as noun,
occurs probably for the first time in Pts.M. I. 53, although as a
verb it is found already
in the old texts. The same holds good with its synonym vavatthána.
sammuti:
s. sacca.
sampaticchana-citta:
s. citta-víthi.
samutthána:
kamma- (=
kamma-ja), utu-, áhára-s.: these terms are found only in the
Com. Citta-samutthána-rúpa,
however, occurs already in Dhs. (§ 586) of the Abh. Canon; and is
indicated very often in
Patth., e.g. 'tam (cittam) samutthánánañ ca rúpánam'. The
teaching of the
origin of matter is, of course, already implied in the old sutta
texts.
santána,
santati: The terms citta-,
rúpa-, khandha-, bhavanga-s.:, etc., are found, here and
there, in the Abh. Canon
(e.g. Dhs. § 634, Kath. 110; s. Guide V), but they are often met
with in the Abh. Com. In
the Sutta (Therag. 716) is found sankhárasantati.
santírana-citta:
s. citta-víthi.
síla:
paccayasannissita-,
paccávekkhana-síla:, etc., are terms used in the Com. for the
proper contemplation (patisankhá
yoniso) of the 4 requisites of a monk, often dealt with in the
old texts (e.g. M. 2).
Also the 3 other párisuddhi-síla, as pátimokkhasamvara-,
indriya-, and ájívapárisuddhi-síla,
though under these names perhaps only known in the Com., are fully
dealt with in the old
texts, e.g. M.53, D.2, M.2, etc. The terms pannatti- and paññatti-síla
are used only in the Com.
sukkha-vipassaka
= suddha-vipassaná-yánika:
these terms are used only in the Com., as also their counterpart samathayánika.
tadárammana-citta:
s. citta-víthi.
tathatá:
This term, with the
meaning in question, occurs perhaps only once in the Canon, namely
in Kath. (s. Guide 83).
Whether it is found also somewhere in the Com. , I am unable to
say.
tatramajjhattatá:
occurs probably
for the first time in the Abh. Canon (e.g. Patth.; cf. Guide 110).
theraváda:
This term was already
used by the Buddha himself in speaking of the doctrine of
Álára-Káláma (s. M. 26). As
a name for the Buddha's doctrine it belongs to the commentarial
literature.
ujukatá:
s. lahutá.
upacaya:
is an Abh. term but
already alluded to in the old sutta texts, e.g. M. 149: 'áyatim
pañcúpádánakkhandhá upacayam gacchanti', or in D.2: 'Ayam
káyo ...
odana-kummás' upacayo'.
upádá-rúpa:
is, as such, an
Abh. term, but it is used with the same meaning in the sutta
texts, c.g. in M. 9:
'catunnañ ca mahábhútánam upádáyn rúpam'. Upádá is an
abbreviation of upádáya
(gerund).
váritta-síla:
s. cáritta.
vasí:
The 5 kinds of vasí
are probably found first in the Vis.M.
vatthu: as a general term for the 5
sense-organs (cakkhu-vatthu, etc ) is frequent in the Com.,
and often used together
with árammana (object). This usage, however, is already
indicated in the Abh.
Canon: 'Cakkhum p'etam... vatthum p'etam' (Dhs. § 597;
Vibh., p.71, PTS):
'cakkhuviññánassa vatthu' (Dhs. §§ 679ff.).
vimokkha:
The 3, i.e. suññatá-,
animitta-, appanihita-: are for the first time described and
enumerated in Pts.M. II,
351. As suññatásamádhi, etc., however, they are already
given at D. 33.
viññatti:
káya- and vací-v.,
seem to occur for the first time in Dhs. (§§ 665,718) of the Abh.
Canon.
vipassaná:
is frequently found in
the older sutta texts (e.g. A. II, 32; S. XLV, 159), also together
with samatha.
The 9 and 18 insight-knowledges (vipassaná-ñána and mahá-vipassaná),
however, occur in the Sutta Pitaka only in the Pts.M., Ñánakathá,
where they are
enumerated and explained, though without any group name being
attached to them.
vipassanúpakkilesa:
The group of
10 is mentioned for the first time in Pts.M. II, 102, and it is
said that the mind may
become defiled thereby (kilissati), but the above term is
not used for the 10. This
is probably done for the first time in Vis.M. XX.
vivatta:
as a name for Nibbána,
seems to be found only in the Com.
vivattanánupassaná:
is already
mentioned in Pts.M., together with the remaining 17 kinds of vipassaná.
In the old
texts it is not found.
vohára-sacca:
etc. The terms paramattha-,
vohára-, sammuti-: etc., belong as such to the commentarial
literature, but their
significance is clearly shown in the old sutta texts, e.g. D. 9: 'loka-sámaññá,
loka-vohára'; further(D 33): 'sammuti-ñána', etc.
vokára: pañca-, catu-, and
eka-v. (bhava), occur as technical terms only in the Abh.
(Vibh., Yam., Patth.) and
Com., e.g. Vis.M., but their substance is an integral part of the
suttas.
votthapana-citta:
s. citta-víthi.
vutthána-gáminí-vipassaná:
is
probably implied in Pts.M. I, 60, under the name of vutthána-vivattane
ñána.
yamaka-pátiháriya:
is perhaps
for the first time mentioned and described in Pts.M., as seen in
the main part of this
work.
yogávacara,
yogi: These 2 terms
belong to the commentarial literature, but the first term appears
also in Mil.