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bhikkhusaṅghe

bhikkhusaṅgha

masc acc pl of bhikkhusaṅgha (noun); masc loc sg of bhikkhusaṅgha (noun)

1. community of monks; monastic order

Built from

• bhikkhu — root · beggar, monk
  From √bhikṣ 'to beg, ask'. The monk is one who lives by alms-begging; cognate Sanskrit bhikṣu.
• saṅgha — root · community, assembly
  Compound of sam- 'together' + √gam 'go, gather'; lit. 'those gathered together'. In canonical usage, refers specifically to the four-fold saṅgha (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) and most centrally to the monastic order of bhikkhus.

Analysis. bhikkhu (monk) + saṅgha (assembly, community); the assembly of those who beg.

Etymology. bhikkhu from √bhikṣ (beg, ask), cognate with Sanskrit bhikṣu; saṅgha from sam- (together) + √gam (go, gather), so lit. 'those who go/gather together'.

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

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