the top part, best part of milk or butter, etc. i.e. cream scum; fig. essence of, the pick of, finest part of anything parisā˚; the cream of a gathering, the pick of the congregation, excellent congregation AN.i.72 (or for ˚maṇḍala?); bodhi˚; essence of enlightenment, highest state of enlightenment; in later literature objectively “the best place of enlightenment, the Throne of Enlightenment or of the Buddha” (does it stand for ˚maṇḍala in this meaning?) Ja.iv.233 (cp. puthavi-maṇḍa ibid. & puthavi-maṇḍala Snp.990); Dhp-a.i.86; Dhp-a.ii.69 Dhp-a.iv.72. sappi˚; “cream of butter,” the finest ghee (cp Avs.i.15#2 sarpimaṇḍa) DN.i.201; AN.ii.95; Pp.70; Mil.322
■ maṇḍaṃ karoti to put into the best condition to make pleasant Snp-a.81
■ manda at Dhs-a.100 is to be read baddha (variant reading BB). Cp. Expos. 132ⁿ.

• -khetta best soil, fertile ground Mil.255.
• -peyya to be drunk like cream, i.e. of the finest quality first-class SN.ii.20 (˚ṃ idaṃ brahmacariyaṃ).

later Sk. maṇḍa, perhaps dial. from *mranda, cp. Sk. vi-mradati to soften. Attempts at etym. see Walde, Lat. Wtb. s. v. mollis. Cp. also mattikā