samma

Samma (often transliterated sammā in Pali and Sanskrit) is a term meaning "right," "proper," or "wholesome." In Buddhist contexts it functions as a prefix that marks what is considered correct or appropriate in conduct, thought, and understanding.

The most prominent use is in the Noble Eightfold Path, where eight aspects of practice are described as sammā-ditthi (Right View), sammā-sankappa (Right Intention), sammā-vācā (Right Speech), sammā-kammanta (Right Action), sammā-ājīva (Right Livelihood), sammā-vāyāma (Right Effort), sammā-sati (Right Mindfulness), and sammā-samādhi (Right Concentration). In translations, sammā is often rendered as "Right," though some interpretations use "proper" or "wholesome" to emphasize ethical and cognitive alignment with the path.

Etymologically, sammā derives from the same root as terms for correctness and virtue in both Pali and Sanskrit. In Buddhist doctrine, sammā denotes alignment with the path to liberation, contrasting with the unwholesome (akusala) or incorrect ways of thinking and acting. Right View, for example, involves understanding the Four Noble Truths and the nature of reality, while Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration pertain to mental development and meditative attainment.

Beyond the eightfold path, sammā appears in various compound terms across early Buddhist literature, signaling the broader claim that ethical and cognitive practices should be proper and conducive to awakening. The concept remains central in Theravada and many schools that draw on Pali and Sanskrit vocabulary.