Tapa & Tapo [from tapati, cp. Lat. tepor, heat] 1. torment, punishment, penance, esp. religious austerity, selfchastisement, ascetic practice. This was condemned by the Buddha: Gotamo sabbaŋ tapaŋ garahati tapassiŋ lūkhajīviŋ upavadati D i.161=S iv.330; anattha -- sañhitaŋ ñatvā yaŋ kiñci aparaŋ tapaŋ S i.103; J iv.306 (tattatapa: see tatta). -- 2. mental devotion, self -- control, abstinence, practice of morality (often= brahmacariyā & saŋvara); in this sense held up as an ideal by the Buddha. D iii.42 sq., 232 (attan & paran˚), 239; S i.38, 43; iv.118, 180; M ii.155, 199; D ii.49= Dh 184 (paramaŋ tapo), 194 (tapo sukho); Sn 77= S i.172 (saddhā bījaŋ tapo vuṭṭhi); Sn 267 (t. ca brahmacariyā ca), 655 (id.), 901; Pv i.32 (instr. tapasā= brahmacariyena PvA 15); J i.293; Nett 121 (+indriyasaŋvara); KhA 151 (pāpake dhamme tapatī ti tapo): VvA 114 (instr. tapasā); PvA 98.
   -- kamma ascetic practice S i.103; -- jigucchā disgust for asceticism D i.174; iii.40, 42 sq., 48 sq.; A ii.200; -- pakkama=˚kamma D i.165 sq. (should it be tapopakkama=tapa+upakkama, or tapo -- kamma?). -- vana the ascetic's forest Vism 58, 79, 342.

Pali-English Dictionary, TW Rhys Davids, William Stede,