Abbhuta¹

adj. nt. terrifying, astonishing; strange, exceptional puzzling, extraordinary, marvellous, supernormal Described as a term of surprise & consternation (vimhay;’ āvahass’ adhivacanaṃ DN-a.i.43 & Vv-a.329) & expl^d. as “something that is not” or “has not been before”, viz abhūtaṃ Thag-a.233; abhūta-pubbatāya abbhutaṃ Vv-a.191 Vv-a.329; abhūta-pubbaṃ DN-a.i.43.

1. (adj.) wonderful marvellous etc. Snp.681 (kiṃ ˚ṃ, comb^d. with lomahaṃsana) Ja.iv.355 (id.); Thig.316 (abbhutaṃ vata vācaṃ bhāsasi = acchariyaṃ Thag-a.233); Vv.44#9 (˚dassaneyya); Sdhp.345, Sdhp.496.
2. (nt.) the wonderful, a wonder, marvel SN.iv.371, also in ˚dhamma (see Cpd.). Very freq. in comb^n. with acchariyaṃ and a part. of exclamation, viz acchariyaṃ bho abbhutaṃ bho wonderful indeed & beyond comprehension, strange & stupefying DN.i.206; acch. vata bho abbh. vata bho DN.i.60; acch. bhante abbh. AN.ii.50 aho acch. aho abbh. Ja.i.88; acch. vata abbh. vata Vv.83#16
   ■ Thus also in phrase acchariyā abbhutā dhammā wonderful & extraordinary signs or things MN.iii.118, MN.iii.125; AN.ii.130; AN.iv.198; Mil.8; and in acchariya-abbhutacitta-jāta dumbfounded & surprised Ja.i.88; Dhp-a.iv.52; Pv-a.6, Pv-a.50.

• -dhamma mysterious phenomenon, something wonderful supernormal; designation of one of the nine angas or divisions of the Buddhist Scriptures (see nava B 2; Vin.iii.8; MN.i.133; AN.ii.103; AN.iii.86, AN.iii.177; Pp.43; Mil.344; Pv-a.2, etc.

*Sk. adbhuta which appears to be constructed from the Pāli & offers like its companion *āścarya (acchariya abbhuta see below) serious difficulties as to etym. The most probable solution is that P. abbhuta is a secondary adj
■ formation from abbhuṃ which in itself is nt. of abbha = Vedic abhva (see etym. under abbhāmatta and cp. abbhu, abbhuṃ & J.P.T.S. 1889, 201). In meaning abbhuta is identical with Vedic abhva contrary to what usually happens, i.e. striking, abnormal, gruesome horrible etc.; & that its significance as a + ; bhū (“unreal?”) is felt in the background is also evident from the traditional etym. of the Pāli Commentators (see below) See also acchariya

Abbhuta²

neuter a bet, a wager, only in phrase abbhutaṃ karoti (sahassena) to make a bet or to bet (a thousand i.e. kahāpaṇa’s or pieces of money) Vin.iii.138; Vin.iv.5; Ja.i.191; Ja.v.427; Ja.vi.192; Pv-a.151; & in phrase pañcahi sahassehi abbhutaṃ hotu Ja.vi.193.

= abbhuta¹ in the sense of invoking strange powers in gambling, thus being under direct spell of the “unknown”