In this connection, the author wishes to state that
the often quoted Patisambhidā-Magga, as well as Niddesa, Buddhavamsa and Cariyapitaka,
though included in the Khuddaka Nikāya of the Sutta Pitaka, nevertheless bear
throughout the character of Commentaries, and though apparently older than
the Sutta Commentaries handed down to us in Buddhaghosa's version, must doubtless
belong to a later period of origin than the Abhidhamma Canon.
In rendering the terms into English, I often had to
differ considerably from the interpretation of Western scholars, and to introduce
quite new words. A great number of such earlier translations must be considered
partly as totally incorrect, partly as misleading, or at the very least ambiguous.
Incorrect are, for instance, the English renderings of nāma-rūpa by
'name and form'; javana (impulsion, i.e. the kammic impulsive moments)
by 'apperception', etc.
The expositions concerning the true nature of the 8-fold
Path, the 4 Noble Truths, the paticca-samuppāda and the 5 groups of
existence - doctrines which, with regard to their true nature, have been often
misunderstood by Western authors - are sure to come to many as a revelation.
On the doctrine of anattāor 'egolessness', i.e.
the impersonality and emptiness of all phenomena of existence, the author repeatedly
felt the necessity of throwing light from every possible point of view, for
it is exactly this doctrine which, together with the doctrine of the conditionality
of all phenomena of existence, constitutes the very essence of the whole Teaching
of the Buddha without which it will be by no means possible to understand it
in its true light. Thus the doctrine of impersonality runs like a red thread
right through the whole book.
May this little manual provide an ever-helpful companion
and vade mecum to all earnest students in their study of the original
Buddhist scriptures, and also give to Buddhist authors and lecturers the opportunity
of supplementing and deepening their knowledge of the profound teachings of
the Buddha!
Should it, for a better understanding, prove necessary
to give to certain subjects a more detailed treatment, the carrying out of
this task may be reserved for a later edition of this work.
NYANATILOKA :
Central Internment Camp
Dehra-Dun, India
28-8-1946
Editor's Preface To The Third Edition
The present revised and enlarged Third Edition was
intended to be issued in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the venerable
author's passing away on 28th May 1957. But due to unavoidable circumstances
the publication had to be delayed.
It was the venerable author's wish to enlarge the first
edition of this work, but when a second edition became necessary, he was prevented
from expanding it by the illness to which he later succumbed. It rested, therefore,
with his pupil, the present editor, to make, within the original scope and
character of the work, such additions and revisions as seemed useful.
Over seventy articles have been expanded and partly
rewritten; others were slightly revised; more source references were included,
and information on literature for further study of the respective subjects
was added to some of the articles. But only very few new words have been added
(e.g. anupassanā, ānupubbi-kathāetc.). This restriction was observed
because the venerable author himself thought only of 'a more detailed treatment'
of existing articles (see Preface to the 1st ed.) as he obviously wished to
preserve the original form and character of the book. It was also considered
that the adding of more words such as those coined in later commentarial and
abhidhammic literature, would be superfluous as in the English language such
terms will generally be found only in a few scholarly books and translations
which themselves give the explanations needed.
This book is chiefly intended for those who study the
Buddhist teachings through the medium of the English language, but wish to
familiarize themselves with some of the original Pāli terms of doctrinal import.
They are in the same position as a student of philosophy or science who has
to know the terminology of his field, which for common parlance is mostly not
less 'unfamiliar' than are the words of the Pāli language found in the Dictionary.
Such acquaintance with the Pāli terms of the original
texts will also be useful to the student for the purpose of identifying the
various renderings of them favored by different translators. It is deplorable
that there is a considerable multiplication of new English coining for the
same doctrinal term. This great variety of renderings has proved to be confusing
to those students of Buddhism who are not familiar with the Pāli language.
Even at this late stage when many translations of Pāli texts are in print,
it will be desirable if, for the sake of uniformity, translators forgo their
preference for their own coining, even if they think them better than others.
In any case, doctrinal terms have to be known by definition, just as in the
case of philosophical and technical terms in a Western language.
As a small help in the situation described, a number
of alternative renderings used by other translators have been included in some
articles of this edition. In a very few cases, unacceptable though familiar
renderings have been bracketed. The Venerable Nyanatiloka's own preferences
have been placed in inverted commas. Generally it may be said that his renderings,
based on his comprehensive knowledge of texts and doctrine, are very sound
and adequate. Only in a very few cases has the editor changed the author's
preferred rendering e.g. 'fermentation' for āsava (instead of 'bias'), 'right
view' for sammā-ditthi (instead of 'right understanding'). The latter
change was made for the sake of economizing with the few English equivalents
for the numerous Pāli synonyms for 'knowing', etc.; and also to avoid having
to render the opposite term, micchā-ditthi by 'wrong understanding'.
This Dictionary appeared also in the author's own German
version (published by Verlag Christiani, Konstanz, Germany) and in a French
translation made by the late Mme Suzanne Karpeles (published by 'Adyar', Paris,
1961).
NYANAPONIKA :
Kandy, Ceylon
February 1970
Only few and minor revisions have been made to the
text of the Fourth Edition which is now issued by the Buddhist Publication
Society.
NYANAPONIKA :
Kandy, Sri Lanka
March 1980