A compact map of Sanskrit to Pāḷi

Here is a concise map of major sound changes from Old Indo-Aryan (Sanskrit) -> Middle Indo-Aryan (Pāḷi).

Consonant Cluster Simplification (Biggest Change)

Middle Indo-Aryan strongly simplifies clusters.

Stop + Stop -> Geminate

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
dharma	law, doctrine	dhamma	teaching, doctrine
karma	action	kamma	action, deed
sapta	seven	satta	seven

Rule (simplified): r + consonant often disappears; cluster becomes doubled consonant.

dhy -> jh

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
dhyāna	meditation	jhāna	meditative absorption
dhyāyati	meditates	jhāyati	meditates
upādhyāya	preceptor, teacher	upajjhāya	monastic preceptor

jñ -> ññ / ñā

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
jñāna	knowledge	ñāṇa	knowledge, insight
ajña	ignorant person	añña	ignorant; "other" (by development)

kṣ -> kkh / kh

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
kṣetra	field	khetta	field
kṣānti	patience, forbearance	khanti	patience, endurance

Loss of r in Clusters

Sanskrit r in clusters often disappears and causes doubling:

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
karma	action	kamma	action
varṇa	color, class	vaṇṇa	color, appearance
śraddhā	faith	saddhā	faith, confidence

Assimilation & Gemination

Clusters assimilate to nearby sounds:

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
satya	truth	sacca	truth
tattva	principle, reality	tatta	that-ness; reality

Sibilant Simplification

Sanskrit has 3 sibilants (ś ṣ s). Pāḷi reduces them mostly to s.

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
śīla	moral conduct	sīla	moral virtue
śraddhā	faith	saddhā	faith

Vowel Changes

Less dramatic than consonants, but:

• ai -> e
• au -> o

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
maitrī	loving-kindness	mettā	loving-kindness
gaurava	weight, respect	garava	respect

Aspiration Often Preserved

Unlike later Prakrits, Pāḷi often keeps aspiration:

Sanskrit	Meaning	Pāḷi	Meaning
bhikṣu	mendicant, monk	bhikkhu	Buddhist monk
buddha	awakened one	buddha	the awakened one
duḥkha	suffering, pain	dukkha	suffering, unsatisfactoriness
laghu	light (in weight)	lahu	light, swift

Big Picture

Old Indo-Aryan -> Middle Indo-Aryan (Pāḷi) shifts:

• Complex clusters -> simplified
• r in clusters -> lost + doubling
• dhy -> jh
• jñ -> ññ
• kṣ -> kkh/kh
• Three sibilants -> mostly one (s)
• Diphthongs simplified

Pāḷi is therefore phonologically simpler and more regular than classical Sanskrit.