lit. a small bean, used as a standard of weight & value; hence a small coin of very low value. Of copper, wood & lac (Dhs-a.318 cp. Kp-a.37; jatu˚, dāru˚, loha˚); the suvaṇṇa˚ (golden m.) at Ja.iv.107 reminds of the “gold” in fairy tales. That its worth is next to nothing is seen from the descending progression of coins at Dhp-a.iii.108 = Vv-a.77, which, beginning with kahāpaṇa, aḍḍha-pāda, places māsaka & kāhaṇikā next to mudhā “gratis.” It only “counts” when it amounts to 5 māsakas
■ Vin.iii.47 Vin.iii.67; Vin.iv.226 (pañca˚); Ja.i.112 (aḍḍha-māsakaṃ na agghati is worth nothing); Ja.iv.107; Ja.v.135 (first a rain of flowers, then of māsakas, then kahāpaṇas); Dhp-a.ii.29 (pañca-māsakamattaṃ a sum of 5 m.); Pv-a.282 (m + aḍḍha˚ half-pennies & farthings, as children’s pocket-money).

fr. māsa² + ka = māsa³