āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇā

āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇa

nt nom pl of āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇa (noun); nt instr sg of āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇa (noun); nt abl sg of āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇa (noun); nt voc sg of āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇa (noun); …

accepting uncooked grain

Built from

ā — prefix · toward, complete
Reverses or intensifies the verb; here it reaches toward the grain as an offering received.
maka — root · raw, unripe
Related to Sanskrit āmaka. Denotes the uncooked state of the grain.
dhañña — root · grain, food
From dhāna-, related to Sanskrit dhānya. The object being received.
paṭi — prefix · back, in return, against
Expresses the counter-motion of receiving: taking back what is offered. Works like Latin contra-.
gaha — root · taking, seizing
From √gah, to take or grasp. The action of receiving the grain.
ṇa — ending · abstract noun
Nominalizes the action gaha into an abstract noun paṭiggahaṇa. Inflected here as neuter singular/plural in various cases.

Analysis. āmaka- (uncooked, raw) + dhañña- (grain) + paṭi- (back, receiving in return) + gaha- (taking) + -ṇa (abstract noun suffix). The compound denotes the act of a bhikkhu accepting uncooked grain rather than cooked food, an infringement of the Vinaya rules for alms-receiving.

Etymology. āmaka from √mak or ā + mā + ka, "raw, unripe" (compare Sanskrit āmaka); dhañña from dhāna- "grain, food" (compare Sanskrit dhānya); paṭiggahaṇa from paṭi + gaha, "taking back in return, receiving", with paṭi- expressing the counter-motion of reception. The rule against accepting raw grain reflects monastic discipline emphasizing dependence on cooked offerings prepared by supporters.

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

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