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diṭṭhamattaṁ

diṭṭhamatta

accusative singular neuter of diṭṭhamatta (compound adjective)

1. merely seen
2. only apparent
3. limited to the visible

Built from

• diṭṭha — stem · seen
  Past participle of passati 'to see'. Reflects PIE *derk- 'to see' (Latin dīcere in older sense, Greek derkomai). Here, passive voice expresses the object of perception.
• matta — root · measure, extent
  From √mā 'to measure'. Cognate with English 'mate', 'meet', 'mete'. In compounds, it means 'only so much, limited to'.

Analysis. diṭṭha (past participle of passati, 'seen') + matta (measure, extent), 'limited to what is seen'; used in the canon to denote what is merely surface-apparent, without deeper understanding.

Etymology. diṭṭha from √dṛś (Sanskrit dṛṣṭa, 'seen'), cognate with English 'direct' and Latin 'dicere' in its etymological root; matta from √mā (measure), cognate with English 'mate', 'meet', 'mete'. The compound registers the Buddhist epistemological concern: mere seeing without wisdom.

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

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