best, excellent DN.i.18, DN.i.99; SN.iii.13; Snp.47, Snp.181, Snp.822, Snp.907; Dhp.1, Dhp.26; Ja.i.443; Mnd.84 = Cnd.502 (with syn.) Ja.i.88; cp. seṭṭhatara Ja.v.148.

• *-[k …

Aṅgīrasi¹

A term of affection (Radiant One) used by Pañcasikha in addressing Suriyavaccasā. DN.ii.265

Aṅgīrasa²

One of the ten ancient seers who conducted great sacrifices and …

Aṭṭhaka¹

A celebrated sage, composer and reciter of sacred runes, mentioned together with nine others (Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamataggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha and Bhagu), V …

Bhāradvāja¹

A monk whose Theragāthā verses speak of the heroic roar of the conquerors. Thag.177–178

Bhāradvāja²

He was the eldest of a clan of Bhāradvājas living in Rājagaha a …

IccānaṅgalaIcchānaṅkala

A brahmin village in the Kosala country. It was while staying in the woodland thicket there that the Buddha preached the Ambaṭṭha Sutta. DN.i.87 From this sutta, the village w …

One of the greater yakkhas who should be invoked if any follower of the Buddha be molested by an evil spirit. DN.iii.204

In the Mahāsamaya Sutta DN.ii.258 he is mentioned among the vassals of the F …

A hall in the Mahāvana near Vesāli. The Buddha stayed there on several occasions, and in the books are found records of various eminent persons who visited him there and of his conversations with them …

A class of devas present at the preaching of the Mahāsamaya Sutta. DN.ii.261

…Icchānaṅgala. Snp.p.115 Vasettha, of the Vāseṭṭha Sutta, was also his pupil. Snp.594 In the Subha Sutta, MN.ii.200ff. Subha Todeyyaputta,…

…Mendasira, Uttara, Madhuvāsettha and his son Mahānāga, and Visākhā. Bhūta Thera was born in a suburb of Sāketa.

The Vinaya Vin.i.270f.…

One of the most eminent great brahmins, contemporary of the Buddha.

He was present at the assemblies of the brahmins in Icchānaṅgala and in Manasākaṭa.

He was the teacher of Bhāradvāja, companion of …

A city, capital of the Licchavis. It is not possible to know how many visits were paid by the Buddha to Vesāli, but the books would lead us to infer that they were several. Various Vinaya rules are me …

Vāseṭṭha¹

An old sage held in high esteem for his knowledge. He was one of the originators of the Vedic mantras. Vin.i.245 DN.i.104 MN.ii.164 MN.ii.200

Vāseṭṭha²

A clan, proba …

noun adjective

1. ruler, master Ja.iv.223; Vv.81#1; Mil.388; Dhp-a.i.36 (= seṭṭha).
2. ruling over, governing, predominant; ruled or governed by Vb.216 sq. (chandaṃ adhipatiṃ katvā making energy pre …

Agga¹

adjective noun

1. (adj.)
   1. of time: the first, foremost Dpvs.iv.13 (saṅgahaṃ first collection). See cpds
   2. of space: the highest, topmost, Ja.i.52 (˚sākhā)
   3. of qual …

Anu¹

indeclinable prep. & pref

A.

As prep. anu is only found occasionally, and here its old (Vedic) function with acc. is superseded by the loc. Traces of …

1. an under-seṭṭhi (banker, merchant) Ja.v.384 (see anu B iii. a.).
2. in redupl. cpd seṭṭhānuseṭṭhi (see anu B iv) “bankers & lesser bankers” i.e. all kinds of we …

indeclinable adv. and prep of direction (forward motion), in primary meaning “on and further”, then “up to and beyond”.

I. in abstr position

adverbially (only as ttg.): in excess, extremel …

1. (lit.) a constituent part of the body, a limb, member; also of objects: part, member (see cpd. ˚sambhāra); uttam˚aṅga the reproductive organ Ja.v.197; also as “head” at Thag-a.209. Usually in cp …

Brahma & Brahmā

I. Brahman

neuter [cp. Vedic bráhman nt. prayer; nom. sg bráhma]

1. the supreme good; as a buddhistic term used in a sense different from the brahmanic (save in controvers …

Brahma & Brahmā

I. Brahman

neuter [cp. Vedic bráhman nt. prayer; nom. sg bráhma]

1. the supreme good; as a buddhistic term used in a sense different from the brahmanic (save in controvers …

Brāhmaṇa¹

a member of the Brahman caste; a Br teacher. In the Buddhist terminology also used for a man leading a pure, sinless & ascetic life, often even syn. with arahant
■ On brāhmaṇas …

god, a divine being; usually in pl. devā the gods. As title attributed to any superhuman being or beings regarded to be in certain respects above the human level. Thus primarily (see 1^a) …

1. a holy man, one gifted with special powers of insight & inspiration, an anchoret, a Seer, Sage, Saint, “Master” DN.i.96 (kaṇho isi ahosi); SN.i.33, SN.i.35, SN.i.65, SN.i.128, SN.i.191, SN.i.192 SN …

(& kallāṇa)

1. (adj.) beautiful, charming; auspicious, helpful, morally good. Syn bhaddaka Pv-a.9, Pv-a.116) and kusala (SN.ii.118; Pv-a.9 Pv-a.122); opp. pāpa (SN.i.83; MN.i.43; Pv-a.101, Pv-a …

adjective (-˚) speaking; one who speaks, a speaker, preacher Ja.i.148 (dhamma-kathikesu citrakathī); Mil.90, Mil.348 (˚seṭṭha best of speakers). See also kathaṃ-kathin.

cp. kathika

1. as nt. subst. what? sotānaṃ kiṃ nivāraṇaṃ what is the obstruction? Snp.1032; kiṃ tava patthanāya what is it about your wish, i.e. what good is your wish? Vv-a.226; kim idaṃ this is what, that is …

to desire.

1. Objective: pleasantness, pleasure-giving, an object of sensual enjoyment.
2. Subjective: (a) enjoyment, pleasure on occasion of sense, (b) sense-desire.

Buddhist commentators exp …

adjective great, extensive, big important, venerable
■ nom. mahā Snp.1008; Mhvs.22, Mhvs.27. Shortened to maha in cpd. pitāmaha (following a …

greatness Ja.v.331 (= seṭṭhatta C.); Vism.132, Vism.232 sq.; Vb-a.278 (Satthu˚, jāti˚, sabrahmacārī˚); DN-a.i.35; Vv-a.191.

fr. mahat˚ cp. Sk. mahattva

adjective highest, most excellent, superior, best paraphrased by agga seṭṭha visiṭṭha at Cnd.502 A Mnd.84, Mnd.102 (the latter reading viseṭṭha for visiṭṭha); by uttama at Dhp-a …

Pasattha & Pasaṭṭha

praised, extolled, commended SN.i.169; Ja.iii.234; Vv.44#21; Mil.212, Mil.361 As pasaṭṭha at Pv.ii.9#73 (so to be read for paseṭṭha), Pv.iv.1#52 (= vaṇṇita P …

Pasattha & Pasaṭṭha

praised, extolled, commended SN.i.169; Ja.iii.234; Vv.44#21; Mil.212, Mil.361 As pasaṭṭha at Pv.ii.9#73 (so to be read for paseṭṭha), Pv.iv.1#52 (= vaṇṇita P …

at Pv.ii.9#73 is to be read pasaṭṭha (see pasattha).

adjective noun masculine

Cases:
■ gen. dat. pañcannaṃ,
■ instr. abl pañcahi,
■ loc. pañcasu;
■ often used in compositional form pañca˚ (cp. Ved. pañcāra with 5 spokes RV i.164¹³; G …

indeclinable directional prefix in well-defined meaning of “back (to), against towards, in opposition to, opposite.” As preposition (with acc. and usually postponed) towards, near by, at usually …

1. counterpart, likeness, resemblance Cnd. s.v.; Vism.125 (˚nimitta, imitative mental reflex, memory-image); Snp-a.65, Snp-a.76, Snp-a.83, Snp-a.114, Snp-a.265; Pv-a.46, Pv-a.178, Pv-a.279. 2 …

adjective having a superior; neg. app˚; incomparable, unsurpassed Mil.357 (appaṭibhāga +).

paṭi + seṭṭha

adjective “standing out,” setting out or forth, undertaking, able (clever? Vin.iii.210 (dhammiṃ kathaṃ kātuṃ); Vin.iv.60 (cīvarakammaṃ kātuṃ), Vin.iv.254 (dhammiṃ kathaṃ kātuṃ), Vin.iv.285 Vin.iv.290; …

adjective

1. chief, first, excellent eminent, (m.) a leader
   ■ AN.ii.168 (sanga sa˚); Pp.69 Pp.70; Mil.75 (hatthi˚ state elephant). disā˚ worldfamed Ja.i.166, Ja.i.285; Ja.ii.278; Ja.vi.347
   …

… aor sesi Ja.v.70 settha Snp.970; sayi Ja.vi.197, asayittha Ja.i.335
inf sayituṃ Pv-a.157; …

dismissed; in cpd. -esana one who has abandoned all longing or research DN.iii.269 (cp Dial. iii.247 “has utterly given up quests”); AN.ii.41 (so read for saṭh˚;)
■ saṭṭha at SN.iii.84 is to …

… aor sesi Ja.v.70 settha Snp.970; sayi Ja.vi.197, asayittha Ja.i.335
inf sayituṃ Pv-a.157; …

adjective better, excellent; nom. masc. seyyo SN.iii.48 sq.; Snp.918; Dhp.308; Dhs.1116; Ja.i.180; nom. fem. seyyasi Ja.v.393; nom. neut. seyyo often used as a …

foreman of a guild, treasurer, banker, “City man”, wealthy merchant Vin.i.15 sq. Vin.i.271 sq.; Vin.ii.110 sq., Vin.ii.157; SN.i.89; Ja.i.122; Ja.ii.367 etc. Rājagaha˚ the merchant of Rājagaha Vin.ii. …

lion DN.ii.255; SN.i.16; AN.ii.33, AN.ii.245; AN.iii.121; Snp.72; Ja.i.165; Mil.400; Cnd.679 (= migarājā) Vb-a.256, Vb-a.398 (with pop. etym. “sahanato ca hananato ca sīho ti vuccati”); Ja.v.425 (wo …

adjective highest, topmost, most excellent Thag.910. Cp. next.

superl. formation fr. upari in analogy to seṭṭha

adjective = upariṭṭha uparima Dhs.1016, Dhs.1300, Dhs.1401; Pp.16, Pp.17 (sañyojanāni = uddhaṃbhāgiya-sañyojanāni Pp-a.198).

double-superl. formation after analogy of seṭṭha, pacchima & heṭṭhima: heṭṭhā

adjective “ut-most”, highest, greatest, best Snp.1054 (dhammaṃ uttamaṃ the highest ideal = Nibbāna for which seṭṭhan Snp.1064; cp. Cnd.317); Dhp.56; Mnd.211; Cnd.502 (in paraphrase of mahā comb^{d …}

adjective great, eminent, excellent, superb, lofty, noble, rich
■ Dhammapāla at Vv-a.10–Vv-a.11 distinguishes 3 meanings: tīhi atthehi ūḷāraṃ paṇītaṃ (excellent), seṭṭhaṃ (best), mahantaṃ (great) …

appearance etc (lit. “cover, coating”). There is a considerable fluctuation of meaning, especially between meanings 2, 3, 4. One may group as follows.

1. colour Snp.447 (meda˚); SN.v.216 (chavi˚ of t …

ointment, cosmetic, toilet perfume AN.i.107, AN.i.212; AN.ii.209; Thag.616 (sīlaṃ v. seṭṭhaṃ Cp. Ja.iii.290); Pp.51, Pp.58; Pv.ii.3#16; DN-a.i.77 DN-a.i.88.

vi + lepana

indeclinable lokasmiṃ yad idam arahanto “as far as the abodes of beings, as far as heaven, these are the highest these are the best, I mean the Arahants.” SN.iii.84 yāvatā dhammā sankhatā vā asankhatā …

(in comp^n.) a bull peculiar to a bull, bull-like, fig. a man of strong & eminent qualities, a hero or great man, a leader, thus in tār˚ Snp.687; nar˚ Snp.684, Snp.696; āsabha-camma bull’s …