Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 108

etymology in the Buddhist context. For if we relate it to the Vedic puraṁdara and mark purindada as a mere distorted form of puramdara (vide PTSD s.v. purimdada we are missing some thing very important. In the first place, we of Indra are ignoring the complete metamorphosis in the character as is depicted in the Pali canon. If the deeds and character change, the names and epithets must also change and if these change, their significations should also change, the names then, are to be derived independently and diffe rently. What relevancy puramdara can have in Pali where there no more remain fortresses of the non-Aryans to be destroyed. The relevancy is only of the appraisal of Dana which elevates one to the position of purimdada. Puramdara is Vedic, puramdada is Buddhist. Thus, there is a real 'morphological diversity' for if they have a difference in meanings it is because they are different persons altogether.
4.7. One can go a still further and insist that it is not always wise to translate the Bhikkhu in oft-repeated 'sunatha bhikkhave' with an assiduously pointed reference to the original etymological sense of the word of 'begging alms', 'Oh, ye, almsmen' was never the address of the Buddha. Begging of alms is after all a very minor thing, recommended only for the subsistence.. The Buddha, always, looked at his men as those philosophers who not unlike him, saw peril in the existence (the bhikkhu being derived from bhi (fear, peril)+ikkhu (=one who sees), (samsare bhayamikkhati'ti bhikkhu, adinavadassavi). So now there will be always this tussle, for the etymologist will always say a bhikkhu (=a beggar) is 'one who begs' (bhikkhat'ti bhikkhu) and the Dhammapada will always insist,
A
na tena bhikkhu so hoti yavata bhikkhate pare |
vissam dhammam samādāya bhikkhu hoti na tavata
67
(Trans. He is not a mendicant simply because he begs others (for alms). Receiving stale things, he does not become a mendicant thereof.)
Shall we be justified in sticking to the historical etymological meaning of the word bhikkhu, disregarding completely all that Lord wanted to convey through this word ?
Below is given a register of only a few important words, peculiarly derived in the Pali canoncial and commentorial literature. References to their actual occurances can be found out from PTSD which also gives the peculiar etymologies of these words.
ajhayaka
anuvidita
arahā
ariya
ajaniya
kusala
khettajina
caraṇavā
tathāgata
tevijja
näga
nahataka
(nhātaka) paribbajaka
pandita
brāhmaṇa
bhikkhu
bhünahu
loka
viriyava
vedagu venayika
samana
sabbaji
sottiya