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ñāṇamattāya

ñāṇamattā

fem instr sg of ñāṇamattā (noun); fem dat sg of ñāṇamattā (noun); fem abl sg of ñāṇamattā (noun); fem gen sg of ñāṇamattā (noun); …

1. ñāṇamattā (fem): measure of understanding; mere knowing
2. ñāṇamattāya (fem): for a measure of understanding; enough for knowledge

Built from

• ñāṇa — root · understanding, knowing
  From √ña (to know). Cognate with Latin gnōscere, Greek ginōskein. The root captures direct perception and cognitive apprehension.
• matta — stem · measure, amount
  From √mat- (to measure, to think). Denotes a bounded quantity; in doctrinal contexts, knowledge measured and limited, without excess.
• ā — ending · feminine nominative
  Feminine singular nominative marker, forming the citation form ñāṇamattā.
• ya — ending · instrumental/dative/ablative/genitive
  Feminine singular ending marking instrumental ('by means of'), dative ('for'), ablative ('from'), or genitive ('of') depending on syntactic context.

Analysis. ñāṇa (understanding, knowledge) + matta (measure, amount, limit); literally 'a measure of knowledge', used adverbially to mean 'for the sake of knowledge only' or 'merely to the extent of knowing'.

Etymology. ñāṇa derives from √ña (to know), cognate with Latin gnōscere and Greek ginōskein (to know, recognize); matta from √mat- (to measure, think), related to Sanskrit mati (thought, wisdom). The compound expresses the Buddhist concept of knowledge as a limited, measured thing—knowing just enough without attachment.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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