Rūpa
/ˈruː.pə/noun
In Buddhist philosophy, rūpa refers to physical form or material phenomena, including the body and sensory matter.
Did you know?Rūpa is one of the five Buddhist aggregates, meaning physical form is treated as a conditioned process rather than a permanent identity.
Etymological Timeline
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
rūpa
“Form, shape, appearance, beauty, or visible configuration”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
rūpya
“Wrought or shaped silver; an adjective derived from rūpa, “form””
Early Buddhism
Pali
rūpa
“Material form or physical matter, one of the five aggregates”
Classical Buddhism
Sanskrit
rūpa
“Physical form or material phenomena contrasted with mental processes”
19th–20th Century
English
rūpa
“A technical term in English-language Buddhist philosophy and Indology for material form”