1. (n.) tying down to; ground (lit. or fig.), foundation, occasion source, origin, cause; reason, reference, subject (“sujet”) MN.i.261; AN.i.134 sq.; AN.i.263 sq., AN.i.338; AN.ii.196 AN.iv.128 sq.; Dhs.1059 (dukkha˚, source of pain), Dhs.1136 Ne.3, Ne.32; Mil.272 (of disease: pathology, aetiology), Mil.344 (˚paṭhanakusala, of lawyers); Pv-a.132, Pv-a.253.
2. (adj. ˚) founded on, caused by, originating in relating to SN.v.213 sq. (a˚ & sa˚); AN.i.82 (id.); Snp.271 (ito˚), Snp.866 (kuto˚), Snp.1050 (upadhi˚ = hetuka, paccayā kāraṇā Cnd.346); Cnd.872 (icchā˚) etc.; Vv-a.117 (vimānāni Rājagaha˚ playing at or referring to R.)
3. nidānaṃ (acc. as adv.) by means of, in consequence of, through usually with tato˚ through this, yato˚ through which DN.i.52, DN.i.73; MN.i.112; Pv.iv.1#61 (through whom = yaṃ nimittaṃ Pv-a.242); Pv-a.281; ito˚ by this Cnd.291#2.

Sk. nidāna, ni + *dāna of dā, dyati to bind, cp. Gr. δέσμα, δ ̈ημα (fetter) & see dāma