indeclinable prohibition particle: not, do not, let us hope not, I wish that… not [cp Lat. utinam & ne]. Constructed with various tenses e.g.

1. with aor. (prohibitive tense): mā evaṃ akattha do not thus Dhp-a.i.7; mā abhaṇi speak not Pv.i.3#3; mā cintayittha do not worry Dhp-a.i.12; mā parihāyi I hope he will not go short (or be deprived) of… MN.i.444 mā bhāyi fear not Ja.ii.159; mā mariṃsu I hope they will not die Ja.iii.55; mā (te) rucci may it not please (you), i.e. please do not Vin.ii.198; mā evaṃ ruccittha id. Dhp-a.i.13.
2. with imper.: mā gaccha Ja.i.152 mā detha Ja.iii.275. mā ghāta do not kill: see māghāta
3. with pot.: mā anuyuñjetha Dhp.27; mā bhuñjetha let him not eat Mhvs.25, Mhvs.113; mā vadetha Ja.vi.364.
4. with indic. pres.: mā paṭilabhati AN.v.194
   ■ A peculiar use is found in phrase ānemi mā ānemi shall I bring it or not? Ja.vi.334.
5. mā = na (simple negation in māsakkhimhā we could not Vin.iii.23. -Ma

cp. Vedic mā, Gr. μή

-Mā

see puṇṇa-mā.

the short form of māsa, direct derⁿ fr. mā: see mināti