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ghānindriyasaṁvarasaṁvuto

ghānindriyasaṁvara

nominative singular masculine past participle (saṁvuto) of a noun; the form ghānindriyasaṁvarasaṁvuto is a bahuvrihi (possessive compound) meaning 'one who is restrained regarding the faculty of smell'

1. restrained in the olfactory sense
2. guarding the sense faculty of smell (in monastic discipline)

Built from

• ghāna — root · smell, nose
  Related to the faculty of olfaction; derived from verbal root meaning to perceive by odor.
• indriya — root · sense faculty, power
  From √indh 'to rule, be strong'; the powers governing sensation and action.
• saṁ — prefix · together, with
  Brings components into unified restraint; works like Latin con-.
• vara — root · guard, protect
  The act of watching over and guarding; restraint of the senses.
• saṁvuta — ending · restrained, guarded
  Past participle (vṛta cognate with English 'ward') showing the state of being guarded; nominative singular masculine agrees with the practitioner being described.

Analysis. ghāna- (smell, olfaction) + indriya (sense faculty) + saṁvara (restraint, guard) + saṁvuta (restrained, guarded). The compound describes a practitioner who maintains mindful restraint over the olfactory sense, a key aspect of Vinaya discipline and sīla (ethical conduct) in the Suttas.

Etymology. ghāna from √han (to smell, perceive by odor); indriya from √indh (to rule, power); saṁ-√vara (to guard, protect) lit. 'guard together'; saṁ-vṛta (past participle) means 'covered, guarded', cognate with English 'ward' and Sanskrit vṛta (covered).

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

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