- Abbhantara: a unit for measuring distance, approximately equal to 14 meters.
- Akkosa-vatthu: a topic for abuse. See Volume One, Pc 2 & 3.
- Andhaka: one of the ancient Sinhalese commentaries on which Buddhaghosa based his work.
- Bhikkhu: a male mendicant ordained in the Bhikkhu Sa"ngha.
- Bhikkhunii: a female mendicant, a member of the Bhikkhunii Sa"ngha but ordained by both the Bhikkhuni and the Bhikkhu Sa"nghas.
- Chanda: consent by proxy.
- Deva (devataa): literally, a "shining one" — a celestial being.
- Dubbhaasita: wrong speech.
- Dukka.ta: wrong doing, the lightest grade of offense.
- Garubha.n.da: a heavy or expensive article. Garubha.n.da belonging to the Sa"ngha includes monasteries and monastery land; dwellings, land on which dwellings are built; furnishings such as couches, chairs, and mattresses; metal vessels and tools; building materials, except for such things as rushes, reeds, grass, and clay; and articles made of pottery or wood.
- Hatthapaasa: a distance of 2.5 cubits, or 1.25 meters.
- Jhaana: mental absorption.
- Ka.thina: literally, a frame used in sewing a robe; figuratively, a period of time in which certain rules are rescinded for bhikkhus who have participated in a ceremony, held in the fourth month of the rainy season, in which they receive a gift of cloth from lay people, bestow it on one of their members, and then make it into a robe before dawn of the following day.
- Kurundii: one of the ancient Sinhalese commentaries on which Buddhaghosa based his work.
- Lahubha.n.da: a light or inexpensive article. Lahubha.n.da of the Sa"ngha includes such things as cloth, food, and medicine; small personal accessories such as scissors, sandals, and water strainers; and light building materials, such as rushes, reeds, grass, and clay.
- Le.d.dupaata: the distance a man of average height can toss a clod of dirt underarm — approximately 18 meters.
- Mahaa A.t.thakathaa: one of the ancient Sinhalese commentaries on which Buddhaghosa based his work, and the one that he took as his primary authority.
- Mahaa Paccarii: one of the ancient Sinhalese commentaries on which Buddhaghosa based his work.
- Mahaapadesa: Great Standard for deciding what is and is not in line with the Dhamma and Vinaya. See Volume One, Chapter 1.
- Naaga: a special kind of serpent, classed as a common animal but having magical powers, including the ability to assume human appearance. Naagas have long been regarded as protectors of the Buddha's teachings.
- Pabbajjaa: Going-forth — ordination as a saama.nera.
- Paacittiya: entailing confession; one of the minor classes of offenses.
- Palibodha: commitment.
- Pa.n.daka: a man sexually deviant or deformed.
- Paaraajika: defeat, the most serious grade of offenses.
- Pavaara.naa: (1) an invitation whereby a donor gives permission to a bhikkhu or a Community of bhikkhus to ask for requisites; (2) a ceremony, held at the end of the Rains-residence, in which each bhikkhu invites the rest of the Community to notify him of any transgressions they may have seen, heard, or suspected that he has committed.
- Sama.na: contemplative. This word is derived from the adjective sama, which means "in tune" or "in harmony." The sama.nas in ancient India were wanderers who tried through direct contemplation to find the true nature of reality — as opposed to the conventions taught in the Vedas — and to live in tune or in harmony with that reality. Buddhism is one of several sama.na movements. Others included Jainism, Ajivakan fatalism, and Lokayata, or hedonism.
- Saama.nera: literally, a small sama.na — a novice monk observing ten precepts.
- Sa"ngha: Community. This may refer to the entire Community of bhikkhus or bhikkhuniis, or to the Community living in a particular location. In passages where the distinction between the two is important, I have used Sa"ngha to denote the first, and Community the second.
- Sa"nghaadisesa: involving the Community in the initial (aadi) and subsequent (sesa) acts required in making amends for the offense; the second most serious grade of offenses.
- Siimaa: territory.
- Sutta (suttanta): discourse.
- Thullaccaya: grave offense, the most serious of the confessable offenses.
- Upajjhaaya: preceptor.
- Upasampadaa: Acceptance — full ordination as a bhikkhu or bhikkhunii.
- Uposatha: (1) Observance day, the day of the new and of the full moon; traditionally, in India, a time of special spiritual practices. (2) The Observance — either the recitation of the Paa.timokkha, the declaration of mutual purity, or determination of the day — that the bhikkhus and bhikkhuniis perform on this day.
- Yojana: a league — a distance of ten miles or sixteen kilometers.