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evaṁpaṭiññānaṁ

evaṁpaṭiññāna

accusative singular neuter of evaṁpaṭiññāna (compound adjective/noun)

1. such promise or undertaking
2. acknowledgment in such manner
3. solemn assent of that kind

Built from

• evaṁ — root · thus, so
  Demonstrative particle meaning 'in this way'; no inflection here, functioning as adverbial modifier.
• paṭi — prefix · back, against, in return
  Spatial prefix imaging counter-movement or reciprocal action; here shapes the sense of knowing-back, i.e., acknowledgment given in return.
• ñāna — root · knowing, recognition
  From √ñā 'to know', cognate with Latin gnō- (gnoscere, gnarus) and Greek ginṓskō; the root underlying all forms of 'gnosis'.
• ṁ — ending · accusative singular neuter
  Accusative case-ending marking the object of the action ('such promise'); neuter singular form.

Analysis. evaṁ (thus, in this way) + paṭi (back, in return) + ñāna (knowing, recognition) = a knowing-back or acknowledgment made in this/such manner; in Pali law and ordination texts, a formal pledge or undertaking witnessed or accepted reciprocally.

Etymology. Compound of evaṁ ('thus', from demonstrative root *e-) + paṭiññāna (return-knowing, from paṭi- 'back, against' + ñāna 'knowing', cognate with Latin gnō- as in gnoscere, Greek ginṓskō). The prefix paṭi- images a pledge that turns back toward the speaker or commitment renewed in reciprocal exchange.

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

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