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manoseṭṭhā

manoseṭṭha

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

1. with mind as chief; ruled by mind; lit. mind foremost

Built from

• mano — root · mind
  From *men- (think, stand in mind). Cognates: English mind, Latin mens, Sanskrit manas. The root grounds thinking and awareness in Pali psychology.
• seṭṭha — stem · chief, best, foremost
  Superlative from *stha- (stand). Cognates: Sanskrit stha-, Greek stasis, English stand. 'Standing first' or highest in rank and value.

Analysis. mano- (mind, from √man 'think') + seṭṭha (chief, best, superlative of sādhu 'good'); literally 'mind-chief' or 'mind foremost', denoting states where mental factors predominate or direct conduct.

Etymology. mano from Indo-European *men- (think, mind), cognate with English mind, Latin mens, Sanskrit manas; seṭṭha from *stha- 'stand', hence 'standing first', best (cf. Sanskrit stha-, Greek stasis, English stand). The compound embodies the Buddhist emphasis on mind as the governing faculty of action.

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

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