Editing Lao language (section)

==== Theravada Buddhism ====
Lan Xang was religiously diverse, with most of the people practicing [[Tai folk religion]] albeit somewhat influenced by local Austroasiatic [[animism]], as well as the [[historical Vedic religion|Brahmanism]] and [[Mahayana Buddhism]] introduced via the Khmer and Theravada Buddhism which had been adopted and spread by the [[Mon people]]. Although Lao belief is that the era of Lan Xang began the period of Theravada Buddhism for the Lao people, it was not until the mid-[[sixteenth century]] that the religion had become the dominant religion.<ref>Holt, J. C. (2009). ''Spirits of the Place: Buddhism and Lao Religious Culture''. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai{{okina}}i Press. p. 14.</ref>

With Theravada Buddhism came its liturgical language, Pali, an Indic language derived from the [[Prakrit]]. Many Pali terms existed alongside earlier Sanskrit borrowings or were Sanskritized, leading to doublets such as Sanskrit ''maitri'' ({{lang|lo|ໄມຕີ/ໄມຕຣີ}} {{IPA|/máj.tìː/}}) and Pali ''metta'' ({{lang|lo|ເມດຕາ/ເມຕຕາ}} {{IPA|/mȇːt.tàː/}}), both of which signify 'loving kindness' although the Sanskrit term is more generally used for 'friendship'. The spread of Theravada Buddhism spread literacy, as monks served as teachers, teaching reading and writing as well other basic skills to village boys, and the [[Tai Noi script]] was used for personal letters, record-keeping, and signage, as well as to record short stories and the ''[[klon (poetry)|klon]]'' ({{lang|lo|ກອນ}} {{IPA|/kɔ̀ːn/}}) poetry that were often incorporated into traditional folksongs.<ref name="Toad"/>
{| class="wikitable" 
|+ Shared Pali loan words from Theravada Buddhism
! Pali
! Isan
! Thai
! Lao
! Gloss
|-
| {{lang|pi|पुञ्ञ}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|puñña}}<br>{{IPA|/puɲɲa/}}
| {{lang|tts|บุญ}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|bun}}<br>{{IPA|[būn]}}
| {{lang|th|บุญ}}<br>{{transliteration|th|bun}}<br>{{IPA|[būn]}}
| {{lang|lo|ບຸນ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|bun}}<br>{{IPA|[bùn]}}
| 'merit'<br>'virtue'
|-
| {{lang|pi|दुक्ख}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|dukkha}}<br>{{IPA|/d̪ukkʰa/}}
| {{lang|tts|ทุกข์}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|thuk}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰùk]}}
| {{lang|th|ทุกข์}}<br>{{transliteration|th|thuk}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰúk]}}
| {{lang|lo|ທຸກ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|thuk}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰūk]}}
| 'suffering'<br>'misery'
|-
| {{lang|pi|पापकम्म}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|pāpakamma}}<br>{{IPA|/paːpakamma/}}
| {{lang|tts|บาปกรรม}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|bap kam}}<br>{{IPA|[bàːp kām]}}
| {{lang|th|บาปกรรม}}<br>{{transliteration|th|bap kam}}<br>{{IPA|[bàːp kām]}}
| {{lang|lo|ບາບກຳ/ບາບກັມ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|bap kam}}<br>{{IPA|[bȁːp kàm]}}
| 'sin'<br>'transgression'
|-
| {{lang|pi|अनुमोदना}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|anumōdanā}}<br>{{IPA|/ʔanumoːd̪anaː/}}
| {{lang|tts|อนุโมทนา}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|anumo thana}}<br>{{IPA|[ʔā.nù(ʔ).môː tʰā.nâː]}}
| {{lang|th|อนุโมทนา}}<br>{{transliteration|th|anumo thana}}<br>{{IPA|[ʔā.nú(ʔ).mōː tʰā.nāː]}}
| {{lang|lo|ອະນຸໂມທະນາ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|anoumo thana}}<br>{{IPA|[ʔā.nū(ʔ).móː tʰā.náː]}}
| 'to share rejoicing'
|-
| {{lang|pi|सुख}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|sukha}}<br>{{IPA|/sukʰa/}}
| {{lang|tts|สุข}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|suk}}<br>{{IPA|[sȕk]}}
| {{lang|th|สุข}}<br>{{transliteration|th|suk}}<br>{{IPA|[sùk]}}
| {{lang|lo|ສຸກ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|suk}}<br>{{IPA|[súk]}}
| 'health'<br>'happiness'
|-
| {{lang|pi|विज्जा}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|vijja}}<br>{{IPA|/ʋiɟdʒaː/}}
| {{lang|tts|วิชชา}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|witcha}}<br>{{IPA|[wìt.sâː]<br>[wì(ʔ).sâː]}}
| {{lang|th|วิชชา}}<br>{{transliteration|th|witcha}}<br>{{IPA|[wít.tɕʰāː]}}
| {{lang|lo|ວິຊາ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|wisa}}<br>{{IPA|[wī(ʔ).sáː]}}
| 'knowledge'<br>'wisdom'
|-
| {{lang|pi|च‍क्कयुग}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|cakkayuga}}<br>{{IPA|/tʃakkajuga/}}
| {{lang|tts|จักรยาน}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|chakkrayan}}<br>{{IPA|[tɕǎk.kā.ɲâːn]}}
| {{lang|th|จักรยาน}}<br>{{transliteration|th|chakkrayan}}<br>{{IPA|[tɕàk.krā.jāːn]}}
| {{lang|lo|ຈັກກະຍານ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|chakkanyan}}<br>{{IPA|[tɕák.kā.ɲáːn]}}
| 'bicycle'
|-
| {{lang|pi|धम्म}}<br>{{transliteration|pi|ḍhamma}}<br>{{IPA|/ɖʱamma/}}
| {{lang|tts|ธรรม}}<br>{{transliteration|tts|tham}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰâm]}}
| {{lang|th|ธรรม}}<br>{{transliteration|th|tham}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰām]}}
| {{lang|lo|ທຳ/ທັມ}}<br>{{transliteration|lo|tham}}<br>{{IPA|[tʰám]}}
| 'dharma'<br>'morals'
|}