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cetovimuttiyā

cetovimutti

fem instr sg of cetovimutti (noun); fem dat sg of cetovimutti (noun); fem abl sg of cetovimutti (noun); fem gen sg of cetovimutti (noun); …

1. cetovimutti (fem): mental liberation; emancipation of heart; (comm) samadhi obtained from fruition
2. cetovimutti (fem): meditation attainment; (comm) intention; determination
3. cetovimuttī (adj): mentally liberated; emancipated by mind

Built from

• ceto — root · mind, heart
  From cetas, the seat of thought and intention. Related to √cit (perceive), which appears in Latin cito and English cite.
• vi — prefix · apart, asunder
  Spatial prefix marking separation and clarity. Cognate with Greek dis- and Latin dis-. Here it intensifies the sense of release into distinct freedom.
• mutt — stem · released, freed
  From √muc (let go, release). Cognate with Latin mucus (that which flows away) and English muck. The past participle stem indicates state of liberation.
• i — ending · feminine nominative
  Feminine -ī ending, here appearing as -i in the oblique stem cetovimutti-. Marks the noun as feminine, as mental liberation is grammatically gendered feminine in Pali.

Analysis. ceto- (mind, heart; from cetas) + vimutti (liberation; from vi- + √muc, 'release asunder'). The compound denotes liberation achieved through or consisting in freedom of mind, a key attainment in the contemplative path.

Etymology. ceto- derives from cetas (heart, mind, thought), itself from √cit (perceive, think; cognate with Latin cit- in cito 'quickly, keenly', and English cite). vimutti is vi- (apart, asunder) + √muc (release, let go; cognate with Latin mucus and English muck, both originally 'to slip/move away'). Together: mind-release, the heart set free.

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

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