māsa
Māsa1
a month, as the 12th part of the year. The 12 months are (beginning with what chronologically corresponds to our middle of March) Citta (Citra), Vesākha, Jeṭṭha, Āsāḷha, Sāvaṇa, Poṭṭhapāda Assayuja, Kattika, Māgasira, Phussa, Māgha Phagguna. As to the names cp. nakkhatta. Usually in acc., used adverbially; nom. rare, e.g. aḍḍha-māso half-month Vv-a.66; Āsāḷhi-māsa Vv-a.307 (= gimhānaṃ pacchima māsa); pl. dve māsā Pv-a.34 (read māse) cattāro gimhāna-māsā Kp-a.192 (of which the 1st is Citra, otherwise called Paṭhama-gimha “1st summer and Bāla-vasanta “premature spring”)
■ Instr. pl catūhi māsehi Miln. 82; Pv-a.i.10#2
■ acc. pl. as adv. dasamāse 10 months Ja.i.52; bahu-māse Pv-a.135; also nt. chammāsāni 6 months SN.iii.155. Freq. acc. sg. collectively: a period of…, e.g. temāsaṃ 3 months Dhs-a.15; Pv-a.20; catu˚; DN-a.i.83; Pv-a.96; satta˚; Pv-a.20 dasa˚; Pv-a.63; aḍḍha˚; a fortnight Vin.iv.117
■ On māsa (& f.; māsī), as well as shortened form -ma see puṇṇa.
- -puṇṇatā fullness or completion of the month DN-a.i.140;
- -mattaṃ (adv.) for the duration of a month Pv-a.19.
cp. Vedic māsa, & mās; Gr. μήν (Ionic μείς); Av. māh (moon & month); Lat. mensis; Oir. mī Goth. mēna = moon; Ohg. māno, mānōt month. Fr *mé to measure: see mināti
Māsa2
a bean (Phaseolus indica or radiata); usually combined with mugga, e.g. Vin.iii.64; Mil.267, Mil.341; DN-a.i.83. Also used as a weight (or measure?) in dhañña-māsa, which is said to be equal to 7 lice: Vb-a.343
■ pl. māse Vv.80#6 (= māsa-sassāni Vv-a.310).
- -odaka bean-water Kp-a.237.
- -khetta a field of beans Vv-a.80#2; Vv-a.308.
- -bīja bean-seed Dhp-a.iii.212
- -vana plantation Ja.v.37 (+ mugga˚).
Vedic māṣa, Phaseolus indica, closely related to another species: mudga Phaseolus mungo
Māsa3
a small coin (= māsaka) Ja.ii.425 (satta māsā = s. māsakā C.).
identical with māsa2