有為法與無為法的英譯

今日上課有同學問: 有為法與無為法的英譯為何?

有為法就是緣起的事與物，最簡單的譯法為 the conditioned; 相對的, 無為法是非緣起的，可譯為 the unconditioned.  不過最好還是用原梵文，才得以完全表示其意。

saṃskṛta: 有為法 (Skt., conditioned; Pāli, saṇkhata). Things that are conditioned or brought into being by contributory causes. This applies to anything that ... 

asaṃskṛta: 無為法 (Skt.). The ‘unconditioned’, a term referring to anything that transcends conditioned (saṃskṛta) existence in the state of saṃsāra. The number of items deemed to be unconditioned varied according to ... 

                                                      (from A Dictionary of Buddhism by Damien Keown, Oxford University Press)