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avinipātadhammā

avinipātadhamma

masc nom pl of avinipātadhamma (adj); fem nom sg of avinipātadhamma (adj); fem nom pl of avinipātadhamma (adj); nt nom pl of avinipātadhamma (adj); …

1. not liable to states of suffering; lit. not bad fall nature

Built from

• a — prefix · not, without
  Plain negation. Cognate to English un-, Greek a(n)-.
• vi — prefix · apart, asunder
  Intensifies ruin or dissolution. Cognate to Latin dis- and related to dvi 'two'.
• ni — prefix · down, into
  Motion downward. Cognate to English nether, German nieder.
• pat — root · fall, strike
  The root of patati 'falls'. Cognate to Latin patere 'to open' (something that has fallen open).
• a — ending · nominalizer
  Derives the abstract noun nipāta 'falling, downfall' from the root.
• dhamma — stem · nature, quality, law
  From Skt. dharma; cognate to Greek thesis (placing, law). Here means inherent nature or characteristic.

Analysis. a-vi-nipāta-dhamma: a- (not) + vi-nipāta (downfall, bad rebirth) + dhamma (nature, quality). The compound denies the quality of being prone to the downfalls (the evil destinies); used in the Suttas of devas and those with unshakeable virtue.

Etymology. a- (without, not) + vi (apart, asunder) + nipāta (falling down, from ni- down + pat- to fall) + dhamma (Skt. dharma, nature). The prefix vi- intensifies the sense of falling asunder or into ruin; nipāta means the four bad destinations (hell, animal, ghost, human suffering). Dhamma is the nature or property. English cognates: the suffix -dom (kingdom, condition), and the Greek thesis (placing, law).

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

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