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akāriyaṁ

akāriya

nominative singular neuter

1. what ought not to be done
2. improper action
3. wrong deed

Built from

• a- — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation. Cognates: English un-, Greek a(n)-. Here it reverses the ethical valence of kāriya.
• kāriya — stem · to-be-done
  Gerundive (passive future participle) of √kar, denoting duty or propriety. In context, akāriya is what ought not to be done, emphasizing moral impropriety in the Vinaya and suttas.

Analysis. a- (not, without) + kāriya (gerundive of karoti "do"), literally "not-to-be-done"; contrasts with kāriya (what should be done).

Etymology. The prefix a- (without, not) negates kāriya, the passive future participle of √kar (do). The root √kar descends from Proto-Indo-European *k̑wer- (make, do), cognate with English craft and German Werk. In Buddhist ethics, akāriya denotes actions contrary to the Dhamma and the precepts.

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

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