‹ Back to the text
chavadussānipi
chavadussa
nt; nom./acc. pl. chavadussāni + api (even corpse cloths)
- corpse cloth; shroud
Built from
- chava — root · corpse, fallen body
From √chu; concretely the body when it falls away from life. Related to Sanskrit chaya and ultimately to English "shed." Spiritually, a memento mori in monastic practice.
- dussa — stem · cloth, fabric
Derived from √dus; originally "that which is scattered/woven" (fibers pulled apart and reassembled). Cognate with Sanskrit dūṣya.
- āni — ending · nominative/accusative plural neuter
The neuter plural ending -āni marks multiple cloths; here used in the accusative to register direct object or in nominative for subject.
- pi — ending · even, also (enclitic)
The enclitic particle api "even, also" attached to the plural form, generalizing or emphasizing the items.
Analysis. chava (corpse) + dussa (cloth); accusative plural chavadussāni "corpse cloths" + api "even, also" (enclitic particle).
Etymology. chava: from √chu "to fall away, shed", related to Sanskrit chava and ultimately Proto-Indo-European *skewd- "to throw, shed" (English shed, scatter); dussa: from √dus "to dust, scatter", also akin to Sanskrit dūṣya "cloth" via sense of woven material that scatters light.