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atthaññaṁ

accusative singular neuter of atthaññu (adjective meaning 'knowing the meaning/purpose'); sometimes read as accusative of a noun atthaññā

1. for the sake of the meaning
2. for utility
3. purposefully

Built from

• attha — root · meaning, purpose
  From Sanskrit artha. In Buddhist philosophy, contrasted with pāḷi (word/form) to mark the distinction between semantic substance and mere linguistic expression.
• ñ — root · know
  From √ñā, cognate with Greek ginōskein and Latin cognōscere. Here fused into ññu as a nominal adjective meaning 'knowing'.
• u — ending · quality adjective
  Forms adjectives expressing a quality or capacity; ññu means 'one who knows'.
• aṁ — ending · accusative singular
  Marks the object case; used adverbially here to express the purpose or direction of an action.

Analysis. atthaññaṁ is from atthaññu, a compound of attha (meaning, purpose, welfare) + ññu (knowing), lit. 'knowing the meaning'. The accusative form here functions adverbially in the sense 'for the purpose of' or 'in regard to meaning/utility'. In canonical Pali it appears in idioms like atthaññaṁ kathaṁ as a fixed phrase, 'a discourse/explanation for the sake of meaning'.

Etymology. attha derives from Sanskrit artha (purpose, meaning, thing), related to the root *ar- 'fit, join' (Sanskrit ṛ, Pali r); ññu from √ñā 'know' (cognate with Greek ginōskein, Latin cognōscere, English know). The compound crystallized as a philosophical term in Buddhist Pali, emphasizing knowledge that grasps purpose or utility rather than mere verbal form.

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

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