Guṇa¹

1. a string, a cord-

   1. of a robe, etc., in (kāya-bandhanaṃ) saguṇaṃ katvā to make tight by tying with a knot Vin.i.46 (Vin. Texts: “laying the garments on top of each other,” wrongly construed), Vin.ii.213 (trsln. “folding his garments”); cp. guṇaka.
   2. of musical instruments Vin.i.182 = AN.iii.375 (vīṇā)
   3. of a bow, in aguṇa stringless Ja.v.433 (dhanu).

2. (a strand of a rope as) constituent part ingredient, component, element; with numerals it equals -fold, e.g. pañca kāmaguṇā the 5 strands of kāma, or 5-fold craving (see kāma); ekaguṇaṃ once, diguṇaṃ twice Snp.714; diguṇaṃ nivāpaṃ pacitvā cooking a double meal Vv-a.63; catugguṇa fourfold, of a sanghāti DN.ii.128; SN.ii.221, cp. Rhys Davids, Dialogues ii.145 aṭṭhaguṇa (hirañña) Thig.153; aneka-bhāgena guṇena seyyo many times or infinitely better Pv.iv.1#9; sataguṇena sahassa˚ 100 and 1,000 times Pv-a.41; asankheyyena guṇena infinitely, inconceivably Mil.106 sataguṇaṃ sahassaguṇaṃ Vism.126.

3. (a part as quality, esp.) good quality, advantage, merit Ja.i.266 Ja.ii.112; Ja.iii.55, Ja.iii.82
   ■ lobha˚ Snp.663; sādhu˚ Snp.678 sīla˚ Ja.i.213; Ja.ii.112; Buddha˚ Ja.ii.111; pabbajita Ja.i.59.

• -aggatā state of having the best qualities, superiority Dpvs.iv.1.
• -aḍḍha rich in virtue Sdhp.312, Sdhp.561
• -upeta in khuppipāsāhi guṇûpeto as Pv-a.10 is to be read khuppipās’ âbhibhūto peto.
• -kathā “tale of virtue,” praise Ja.i.307; Ja.ii.2.
• -kittana telling one’s praises Pv-a.107, Pv-a.120.
• -guṇika in phrase tantākulajāta g-g-jāta at SN.iv.158, see under guḷā-guṇṭhika.

Non-Aryan?

Guṇa²

a ball, a cluster, a chain (?), in anta˚ the intestines; MN.i.185, Kp.11, cp. Kp-a.57 for expln
■ mālāguṇa a garland or chain (cluster of flowers Dhp.53 (but ˚guḷa at Ja.i.73, Ja.i.74). See guḷa³.

for which often guḷa with common substitution of ḷ for ṇ, partly due to dissimilation, as mālāguḷa → mālāguṇa; cp. Sk. guṇikā tumour: guḷa and gaḷa veḷu: veṇu, and note on gala

Guṇa²

a woodworm Ja.iii.431 (˚pāṇaka).

Derivation unknown. Cp. Sk. ghuna