Pali Dictionary

I. Crude meaning

bulk, massiveness (gross) substance.

1. Esp. used
   1. of an elephant: the bulk of the body, i.e. its back SN.i.95 vāraṇassa Ja.iii.392; hatthi-khandha-vara-gata on the back of the state elephant Ja.i.325; Pv-a.75. Also with ref. to an elephant (hatthināga) sañjāta˚ “to whom has grown bulk = a large back” Snp verse 53, expl. Snp-a.103 by susaṇṭhitakkhandho “well endowed with bulk.”
   2. of a person: the shoulder or back: nangalaṁ khandhe karitvā SN.i.115 appl. to Māra; Vism.100; Dhp-a.iv.168 (ohita˚-bhāra the load lifted off his shoulder). -
   3. of a tree: the trunk. rukkhassa Pv-a.114, also as rukkha˚; Ja.i.324; tāla˚ the stem of a palm Pv-a.56 nigrodhassa khandhaja (see compounds) SN.i.207 = Snp verse 272 mūlaṁ atikkamma kh˚ ṁ sāraṁ pariyesitabbaṁ “one must go beyond the root and search the trunk for sweetness” SN.iv.94
   4. as t.t. in exegetical literature section, chapter, lit. material as collected into uniform bulk; freq. in postscripts to Texts and Commentaries See also khandhaka
2. More general as denoting bulk (-˚); e.g. aggi˚ a great mass of fire MN.ii.34, MN.ii.41; Ja.iv.139; udaka˚ a mass of water (i.e. ocean) AN.iii.336; SN.iv.179; Ja.i.324; Pv-a.62; puñña˚ a great accumulation of merit AN.iii.336 = SN.v.400; bhoga˚ a store of wealth AN.v.84; Ja.i.6; maṇi˚ an extraordinarily large jewel (possessing magic power) Ja.ii.102 sq.

II. Applied meaning

1. (-˚) the body of, a collection of, mass, or parts of; in collective sense “all that is comprised under”; forming the substance of.
   1. dukkha˚; all that is comprised under “dukkha,” all that goes to make up or forms the substance, the idea of “ill.” Most prominent in phrase kevalassa dukkhakhandhassa samudaya and nirodha (the origin destruction of all that is suffering) with ref. to the paṭiccasamuppāda the chain of causal existence (q.v.) Vin.i.1; SN.ii.95; SN.iii.14; AN.i.177; AN.v.184 & passim. Similarly samudaya Vb.135 sq. nirodha Ne.64; antakiriyā AN.i.147; vyādhimaraṇatunnānaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ vyapānudi Thig.162
   2. lobha˚; dosa˚ moha˚ the three ingredients or integrations of greed, suffering and bewilderment, lit. “the big bulk or mass of greed” (see also under padāleti), SN.v.88 (nibbijjhati through the satta bojjhangā)
   3. vayo˚; a division of age, part of age, as threefold: purima˚, majjhima˚, pacchima Nd ii.in def. of sadā
   4. sīla (etc.) kh˚ the 3 (or 5 groups or parts which constitute the factors of right living (dhamma), viz.
      1. sīla˚ the group dealing with the practice of morality;
      2. samādhi˚ that dealing with the development of concentration;
      3. paññā˚ that dealing with the development of true wisdom. They are also known under the terms of sīla-sampadā, citta˚ paññā˚ DN.i.172 sq.; see sīla. -DN.i.206; Ne.64 sq.; Ne.126 tīhi dhammehi samannāgato “possessed of the three qualities,” viz. sīla-kkhandhesu, etc. Iti.51; cp AN.i.291; AN.v.326. tīhi khandhehi… aṭṭhangiko maggo sangahito MN.i.301; sīlakkhandhaṁ, etc. paripūreti “to fulfil the sīla-group” AN.i.125; AN.ii.20, AN.iii.15 sq. These 3 are completed to a set of 5 by
      4. vimutti the group dealing with the attainment of emancipation and
      5. vimutti-ñāṇa-dassana ˚the group dealing with the realization of the achievement of emancipation.
         ■ As 1–⁠4 only at DN.iii.229 (misprint puñña for paññā); cp AN.i.125. As 5 at SN.i.99 = AN.i.162; SN.v.162; AN.iii.134 AN.iii.271; AN.v.16 (all loc. = SN.i.99); Iti.107, Iti.108; Nd ii.under sīla.
2. (absolute) in individual sense: constituent element, factor, substantiality. More especially as khandhā (pl.) the elements or substrata of sensory existence, sensorial aggregates which condition the appearance of life in any form. Their character according to quality and value of life and body is evanescent, fraught with ills & leading to rebirth. Paraphrased by Bdhgh. as rāsi, heap, e.g. Asl.141; Vb-a.1 f.; cf B. Psy. 42.
   
   1. Unspecified. They are usually enumerated in the foll. stereotyped set of 5: rūpa˚; (material qualities), vedanā (feeling), saññā (perception), saṅkhārā (coefficients of consciousness), viññāṇa (consciousness) For further ref. see rūpa; cp. also Mrs. Rh. D. Dhs trsl. pp. 40–56. They are enumerated in a different order at SN.i.112, viz. rūpaṁ vedayitaṁ saññaṁ viññāṇaṁ yañ ca sankhataṁ n’ eso ‘ham asmi. Detailed discussions as to their nature see e.g. SN.iii.101 (= Vb.1–61) SN.iii.47; SN.iii.86. As being comprised in each of the dhātus, viz. kāma˚; rūpa˚ arūpa-dhātu Vb.404 sq.
      1. As factors of existence (cp. bhava). Their rôle as such is illustrated by the famous simile: “yathā hi angasambhārā hoti saddo ratho iti evaṁ khandhesu santesu hoti satto ti sammuti” “just as it is by the condition precedent of the co-existence of its various parts, that the word ʻchariot’ is used, just so it is that when the skandhas are there, we talk of a ʻbeing’” (Rh. D. (cp. Hardy, Man. Buddh. p. 425) SN.i.135 = Mil.28 Their connotation “khandha” is discussed at SN.iii.101 = MN.iii.16: “kittāvatā nu kho khandhānaṁ khandhâdhivacanaṁ rūpaṁ (etc.) atītânāgatapaccuppannaṁ ajjhattaṁ vā bahiddhā vā oḷārikaṁ,” etc.: i.e. material qualities are equivalent terms for the kh. What causes the manifestation of each kh.? cattāro mahābhūtā… paccayo rūpa-khandhassa paññāpanāya; phasso… vedana˚, saññā˚, sankhārā˚, etc. nāmarūpaṁ… viññāṇa˚: the material elements are the cause of rūpa, touch is that of vedanā, saññā sankhārā, name and shape that of viññāṇa (SN.iii.101); cp. MN.i.138 sq., MN.i.234 sq. On the same principle rests their division in: rūpa-kāyo rūpakkhandho nāmakāyo cattāro arūpino khandhā “the material body forms the material factor (of existence), the individualized body the 4 immaterial factors” Ne.41; the rūpakkhandha only is kāmadhātu-pariyāpanno: Vb.409 the 4 arūpino kh˚ discussed at Ps.ii.74, also at Vb.230 Vb.407 sq. (grouped with what is apariyāpanna).
         ■ Being the “substantial” factors of existence, birth & death depend on the khandhas. They appear in every new conjuncture of individuality concerning their function in this paṭisandhi-kkhaṇe; see Ps.ii.72–Ps.ii.76. Thus the var phases of life in transmigration are defined as-(jāti: ya tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ tamhi tamhi satta-nikāye jāti sañjāti okkanti abhinibbatti khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo āyatanānaṁ paṭilābho Nd ii.on Snp verse 1052; cp. jāti dvīhi khandhehi sangahitā ti Vv-a.29; khandhānaṁ pātubhāvo jāti SN.ii.3; Ne.29; khandhānaṁ nibbatti jāti Vism.199
         ■ (maraṇaṁ:) yā tesaṁ tesaṁ sattānaṁ… cuti cavanatā bhedo antaradhānaṁ maccu maraṇaṁ kālakiriyā khandhānaṁ bhedo kalevarassa nikkhepo MN.i.49 = Vb.137 = SN.ii.3, SN.ii.42
         ■ vivaṭṭa-kkhandha (adj.) one whose khandhas have revolved (passed away) i.e. dead SN.i.121 = SN.iii.123
         ■ kh˚anaṁ udaya-vyaya (or udayabbaya) the rising and passing of the kh., transmigration Dhp.374 = Thag.23, Thag.379 = Iti.120 = Kp-a.82; Ps.i.54 sq.
      2. Their relation to attachment and craving (kāma): sattisūlûpamā kāmā khandhānaṁ adhikuṭṭanā SN.i.128 = Thig.58, Thig.141 (Thag-a.65: natthi tesaṁ adhik˚?); craving is their cause & soil: hetupaṭicca sambhūtā kh. SN.i.134; the 4 arūpino kh. are based on lobha, dosa, moha Vb.208. -
      3. their annihilation: the kh. remain as long as the knowledge of their true character is not attained, i.e. of their cause & removal: yaṁ rūpaṁ, etc.… n’ etaṁ mama n’ eso ‘haṁ asmi na m’ eso attā ti; evaṁ etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya passati; evaṁ kho jānato passato… ahankāramamankāra-mānânusayā na hontī ti SN.iii.103-pañca-kkhandhe pariññāya SN.iii.83; pañca-kkhandhā pariññātā tiṭṭhanti chinnamūlakā Thig.106. See also SN.i.134
      4. their relation to dhātu (the physical elements) and āyatana (the elements of sense-perception) is close, since they are all dependent on sensory experience. The 5 khandhas are frequently mentioned with the 18 dhātuyo & the 12 āyatanāni: khandhā ca dh˚ cha ca āyatanā ime hetuṁ paṭicca sambhūtā hetubhangā nirujjhare SN.i.134; kh˚-dh˚-āyatanaṁ sankhataṁ jātimūlaṁ Thig.472; dhammaṁ adesesi khandh’ āyatana-dhātuyo Thig.43 (cp. Thag-a.49). Enumerated under sabba-dhammā Ps.i.101 = Ps.ii.230; under dhammā (states) Ds.121, as lokuttara-kkhandhā, etc. Ds.358 Ds.528, Ds.552
         ■ khandhānaṁ khandhaṭṭho abhiññeyyo dhātūnaṁ dhātuṭṭho, etc. Ps.i.17; cp. Ps.i.132; Ps.ii.121, Ps.ii.157 In def. of kāmâvacarā bhūmi Ps.i.83. In def. of dukkha and its recognition Ne.57. In def. of arahanto khīṇāsavā Nd ii.on sankhāta-dhammā (“kh sankhātā,” etc.), on tiṇṇa (“khandha-(etc.) pariyante thitā”), & passim
      5. their valuation & their bearing on the “soul”-conception is described in the terms of na mama (na tumhākaṁ), anattā, aniccaṁ and dukkhaṁ (cp. upādānakkh˚ infra and rūpa) rūpaṁ (etc.)… aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ, n’ eso ‘ham asmi, n ‘eso me attā “material qualities (etc. kh. 2–5) are evanescent bad, I am not this body, this body is not my soul” Vin.i.14 = SN.iv.382. n’ eso ‘ham asmi na m’ eso attā SN.i.112; SN.iii.103, SN.iii.130 & passim; cp. kāyo na tumhākaṁ (anattā rūpaṁ) SN.ii.65; Cnd.680; and rūpaṁ na tumhākaṁ SN.iii.33; MN.i.140 = Cnd.680
         ■ rūpaṁ etc. as anattā: Vin.i.13; SN.iii.78, SN.iii.132–SN.iii.134; AN.i.284 AN.ii.171; AN.ii.202; cp. SN.iii.101; Vin.i.14
         ■ as aniccaṁ SN.iii.41, SN.iii.52, SN.iii.102, SN.iii.122, SN.iii.132 sq., SN.iii.181 sq., SN.iii.195 sq., SN.iii.202–SN.iii.224 SN.iii.227; AN.iv.147 (aniccânupassī dukkhânupassī); anicca dukkha roga, etc., Ps.ii.238 sq.; Vb.324.
   2. Specified as panc’ upādāna-kkhandhā the factors of the fivefold clinging to existence. Defined & discussed in detail (rūpûpadāna-kkhandha, etc.) SN.iii.47; SN.iii.86–SN.iii.88; also Vin.i.10; SN.iii.127 sq. Specified SN.iii.58 SN.iii.100 = MN.iii.16; SN.iii.114, SN.iii.158 sq.; SN.v.52, SN.v.60; AN.iv.458; Vism.443 sq (in ch. xiv: Khandha-niddesa), Vism.611 sq. (judged aniccato etc.)
      ■ Mentioned as a set exemplifying the number 5 Kp.3.; Ps.i.22, Ps.i.122. Enumerated in var. connections SN.i.112; DN.iii.233; MN.i.190; AN.v.52; Kp.4. (explained Kp-a.82 = AN.v.52); Mil.12 (var. references concerning the discussion of the kh. in the Abhidhamma)
      ■ What is said of the khandhas alone—see above 1 a–e—is equally applied to them in connection with upādāna.
      1. As regards their origin they are characterized as chandamūlakā “rooted in desire, or in wilful desire” SN.iii.100; cp. yo kho… pañcas’ upādānakkhandhesu chandarāgo taṁ tattha upādānaṁ ti MN.i.300, MN.i.511. Therefore the foll. attributes are characteristic: kummo pañcann’ etaṁ upād˚ ānaṁ adhivacanaṁ MN.i.144; bhārā have pañcakkh˚ā SN.iii.26 pañcavadhakā paccatthikā pañcann’… adhivacanaṁ SN.iv.174; pañc’ upād˚… sakkāyo vutto MN.i.299; SN.iv.259
      2. their contemplation leads to the recognition of their character as dukkha, anicca, anattā: na kiñci attānaṁ vā attaniyaṁ vā pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu SN.iii.128; rogato, etc.… manasikātabbā pañc˚ SN.iii.167; pañcasu upād˚esu aniccânupassī “realizing the evanescence in the 5 aggregates of attachment” AN.v.109; same with udayavyayânupassī SN.iii.130; AN.ii.45, AN.ii.90; AN.iii.32; AN.iv.153; and dhammânupassī MN.i.61. Out of which realization follows their gradual destruction: pañc’… khandhānaṁ samudayo atthangamo assādo, etc. SN.iii.31, SN.iii.160 sq.; AN.ii.45, AN.ii.90 AN.iv.153; Nd ii.under sankhārā. That they occupy a prominent position as determinants of dukkha is evident from their rôle in the exposition of dukkha as the first one of the noble truths: sankhittena pañc’upādānakkhandhā pi dukkhā “in short, the 5 kh. are associated with pain Vin.i.10 = MN.i.48 = AN.i.177 = SN.v.421; Ps.i.37, Ps.i.39 Vb.101 & passim; cp. katamaṁ dukkham ariyasaccaṁ pañc’upād˚ ā tissa vacanīyaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ… SN.iii.158 = SN.v.425; khandhādisā dukkhā Dhp.202 (expl. Dhp-a.iii.261).
   3. Separately mentioned: khandhā as tayo arūpino kh˚ (ved˚, sañña˚, sankh˚) Dhp-a.i.22; viññāṇa-kh˚ (the skandha of discriminative consciousness) in Def. of manas: manindriyaṁ viññāṇaṁ viññ˚-khandho tajjā manoviññāṇadhātu Nd ii.on Snp verse 1142 = Ds.68.

• -ādhivacana having kh. as attribute (see above SN.iii.101 = MN.iii.16;
• -āvāra a camp, either 1 fortified (with niveseti) or 2 not (with bandhāpeti), esp. in the latter meaning w. ref. to a halting place of a caravan (= khandhāvāra?) 1 Ja.iv.151; Ja.v.162; Dhp-a.i.193, Dhp-a.i.199. 2 Ja.i.101, Ja.i.332; Pv-a.113; Dhp-a.ii.79. Said of a hermitage Ja.v.35
  ■ fig. in sīla-khandhāvāraṁ bandhitvā “to settle in the camp of good conduct” DN-a.i.244
• -ja (adj. n.) sprung from the trunk (of the tree), i.e. a growth or parasite SN.i.207 = Snp verse 272, expl. at Snp-a.304 khandhesu jātā khandha-jā, pārohānam etaṁ adhivacanaṁ
• -niddesa disquisition about the khandhas Vism (ch. xiv esp.), Vism.482, Vism.485, Vism.492, Vism.509, Vism.558, Vism.389.
• -paṭipāṭi succession of khandhas Vism.411 sq.
• -paritta protective spell as regards the khandhas (as Name of a Suttanta) Vism.414.
• -bīja “trunk seed” as one kind of var. seeds, with mūla˚ phaḷu˚ agga˚ bīja˚ at Vin.v.132, & DN.i.5, expl^d. DN-a.i.81: nāma assattho nigrodho pilakkho udumbaro kacchako kapitthano ti evam-ādi
• -rasa taste of the stem, one of various tastes, as mūla khandha˚ taca˚ patta˚ puppha˚, etc. Ds.629 = Cnd.540.
• -loka the world of sensory aggregates, with dhātu-and āyatanaloka Ps.i.122.
• -vibhaṅga division dealing with the khandhas (i.e. Vb.1 sq.) Mil.12
• -santāna duration of the khandhas Vism.414.

Sk. skandha