The Gentle Law

The Gentle Law

Pali Pathways

Lesson 46

Negation

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Matt Bianca
Dec 21, 2025
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1. What is Negation?

Negation is how we express "not" or the absence/denial of something in a sentence.


2. Common Negation Words in Pali

  • Na — simple negation, meaning "not"

  • Nahi — a stronger negation, often "certainly not" or "never"

  • N' — short form of na, used before vowels or for ease of pronunciation

  • Micchā — meaning "wrong" or "false," used often in ethical contexts (e.g., micchā-ditthi = wrong view)

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