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dhammadharā

dhammadhara

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

1. who knows the Dhamma by heart; lit. Dhamma bearer

Built from

• dhamma — root · doctrine, teaching
  From √dham 'to put in order'; the Dhamma is the natural law and the Buddha's teaching. See also dhātu, dharma in Sanskrit.
• dhara — stem · bearing, holding
  From √dhṛ 'to hold, bear', cognate with Latin firmus and English firm. The agent noun means 'one who bears or holds'.

Analysis. dhamma (Pali doctrine, the law of nature) + dhara (bearing, holding) — literally 'bearing the Dhamma', one who holds and preserves the teachings. In the monastic tradition, a dhammadhara is a monk or nun who has memorized and preserves the scriptures by recitation.

Etymology. dhara from √dhṛ (to hold, bear), cognate with Latin firmus (firm, steadfast), Sanskrit dhṛ (to hold). The prefix-like first element dhamma- compounds with the agent dhara to form a possessive compound (bahuvrīhi): 'one for whom the Dhamma is what is held'.

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

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