Skip to main content

Velthuis to Diacritics converter & Pali Dictionary Lookup Tool


Convert to Unicode

Type these Velthuis codes to convert into Pali unicode.

aa ā .m
ii ī .t
uu ū .d
"n .n
~n ñ .l

PED - Dictionary Lookup Tool

Type or paste into the box, hit "Convert" to reformat for the Pali-English Dictionary (PED).
Open PED
A problem with dictionary lookup is the 'niggahīta' which can be transliterated as η, ṁ or ṃ in the texts. The modern form is ṃ. However, the PED uses the old η form and only lists what are called 'true niggahīta' (also sometimes called true anusvāra). This tool will change text to PED format which can then be searched for.
[See Using the PTS Pali-English-Dictionary]

More posts

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Sutta Number to PTS reference converter

Easily look up PTS references in the Sutta Piṭaka. [New expanded coverage tables. Includes alternate numbering. Search accepts space, comma or period separated numbers, case insensitive, diacritic insensitive.] Quick Jump Table   PTS Vol Dīgha Nikāya (DN) D i , D ii , D iii Majjhima Nikāya (MN)   M i , M ii , M iii Saṁyutta Nikāya (SN) S i , S ii , S iii , S iv , S v Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN)   A i , A ii , A iii , A iv , A v Go to Khuddaka Nikaya (KN) ( New! KN ref converter ) Use the quick jump table above; Note: For Vol. i of SN, there are two sets of PTS page numbers for each sutta. This is because the L. Feer editions differs from Somaratne 1999. Or type a Sutta number or name into the search boxes below to search that column of the table!

What is Pali Language? A little history

In all these grammar tutorials we have never stopped to ask: What is Pali?” “What does the word mean?” “What are the origins of Pali? And this is what we will investigate in this post.... What is Pali & Who Speaks it? Well, let's get the obvious answer out of the way: Pali is an ancient Middle Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language, in which, the scriptures of Theravada school of Buddhism - or Tipiṭaka - have been preserved and passed down. True. Today Pali is studied mainly to gain access to Theravada Buddhist scriptures, and is frequently chanted in a ritual context. But when we say a ' language ', most languages are named either after a population or a region, and we have no evidence of a region called Pali or even a population of Pali speakers... Along side this, nowhere in the Pali canon itself is there a mention of a language called Pali!

Karaniya Metta Sutta Snp 1.8 | translation guide

Continuing my look at the Sutta Nipata, - which contains some of the oldest portion of the canon. This translation guide analyses the Mettā Sutta (Snp 1.8) which, is perhaps the most popular discourse for reciting. It is a poem on the virtues of mettā, loving-kindness. It is a brief set of ten verse which lays out the ethical foundations for good will, and shows how to develop it in meditation. The word “Metta” is derived from the Pali word “Mitta” meaning “friend”. In the English, it has been translated as kindness, loving kindness, love and goodwill. Verse composition can throw up challenges to the amateur translator as it often employs alternate forms of words according to the needs of the metre. As such, we may find some unusual archaic endings in verse, or instances where words have been altered (vowel lengths, dropping of a niggahãta etc.) in order to meet the metre. And several examples of these can be found in the verses below.

PTS reference converter: Khuddaka Nikaya

Easily look up PTS references in the Khuddaka Nikaya. (Or look up PTS references in the first four Nikayas ) The Khuddaka Nikaya is the fifth Nikaya known as Collection of Minor Texts , it consists of 15 to 18 books depending on tradition. I beleive, the original Pali Canon has 15 books while the Thai edition has 17 and the Burmese edition 18 books. These then have been arranged and numbered in a couple of different ways.

Attadanda Sutta Snp 4.15 | Translation guide

For those wishing a bit more of a challenge the Atthaka-vagga, of the Sutta Nipata, according to scholars, may well be the oldest portion of the entire canon. It is composed mostly in verse, and includes some lovely imagery. In this guide I've chosen the Attadaṇḍā Sutta (Snp 4.15) which, according to tradition, was taught by the Buddha when he went to settle a quarrel. The title of the sutta, translated here as "arming oneself," conveys the image of a person taking up a stick, (daṇḍa) - the stick being a common symbol in Indian literature for both violence and punishment. This then sets out the basic problem of confrontation  - people hurting each other. The sutta continues by outlining the cause  - the misplaced wish for security driven by desire - and finally, its solution - letting go of the ego.