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ariyasāvakassa

ariyasāvaka

masc dat sg of ariyasāvaka (noun); masc gen sg of ariyasāvaka (noun)

1. disciple of the noble ones; a noble disciple

Built from

• ariya — root · noble, worthy
  From PIE *ar- (fit, proper). Cognates: Sanskrit ārya, Latin area. Refers to those who embody virtue and understanding.
• sāvaka — stem · disciple, hearer
  From Sanskrit śrāvaka, ultimately from śru (hear). Cognates: English hear, German hören, Latin audīre. A listener and follower of the teaching.
• ssa — ending · genitive/dative singular marker
  Masculine singular ending indicating possession or indirect object; here marks the referent as recipient or possessor in context.

Analysis. ariya- (noble, worthy) + sāvaka (disciple, hearer); compound describing one who hears the teaching of the ariyas (the awakened or those on the path to awakening).

Etymology. ariya derives from a Proto-Indo-European root *ar- (fit, proper), cognate with Sanskrit ārya and ultimately with Latin area (space set apart, hence proper place). sāvaka is from Sanskrit śrāvaka, from śru (hear), cognate with English hear, German hören, Latin audīre — literally one who hears. The compound reflects the Buddhist understanding of discipleship as receptive listening to those who have transcended ordinary existence.

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

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