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asallīnaṁ

asallīna

accusative singular neuter of asallīna, adjective

1. not stuck, not adhering
2. not clinging
3. unstuck (of the mind)

Built from

• a- — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation. Cognates: English un-, Greek a(n)-. The prefix denies the property that follows.
• sallīna — stem · stuck, adhering
  Derived from √sal (to stick, adhere). Describes adhesion or clinging, both physical and mental.

Analysis. a- (prefix, not) + sallīna (stuck, adhering) — the negation of sallīna, meaning free from adhesion or mental clinging.

Etymology. The prefix a- negates sallīna (from √sal, to stick or adhere). In Buddhist usage, asallīna describes the mind unattached to sense objects and mental formations — a key sign of liberation. The imagery is spatial: as physical objects stick fast, so the mind sticks to objects; freedom is unsticking.

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

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