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 …

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 is superseded by the loc.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 …