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bahussutā

bahussuta

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

1. very learned; well educated; knowledgeable; lit. much heard
2. well learned monk; knowledgeable man; lit. much heard

Built from

• bahu — stem · much, many
  An adjective and substantive meaning abundance or multiplicity; the concrete sense is 'spread out, distributed' (compare Sanskrit bahu and Greek polys from *bʰeh₂g- 'to distribute'). Emphasizes quantity.
• ssuta — ending · heard, learned
  Past participle of √su (√śru in Sanskrit, 'to hear'), with s-reduplication common in past participles. In this compound it denotes one who has heard and retained much; the form marks accumulation of knowledge through learning and recollection.

Analysis. bahu- 'much' + -ssuta 'heard'; the compound literally means 'much heard', i.e. one who has heard much of the Dhamma and the traditions. A learned person is one who retains and absorbs much learning.

Etymology. bahu (much) is cognate with Sanskrit bahu and Greek polys (many), from the Indo-European root *bʰeh₂g- (to distribute, share out). Ssuta is the past participle of √śru (Pali soti, to hear), cognate with Sanskrit śruta and English 'shrew' (one who discriminates keenly, hence understands by hearing); the prefix ba- before hu- regularly assimilates to bahu-.

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

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