1. What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?
Demonstrative pronouns in Pali point to specific people or things, similar to "this," "that," or "those" in English. They indicate whether something is near the speaker, near the listener, or far from both.
2. The Three Main Demonstratives and Their Meanings
Near the speaker: Words like ayaṃ (masculine/neuter) and ayā (feminine) are used to say "this" — something close to the person speaking.
Near the listener: Words like eso (masculine), esā (feminine), and esa (neuter) are used for "that," referring to something close to the person being spoken to.
Far from both speaker and listener: Words like so (masculine), sā (feminine), and tad (neuter) indicate "that" or "those" at a distance from both.
