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pāṇātipātaṁ

pāṇātipāta

accusative singular masculine (pāṇātipātaṁ); compound noun

1. killing of living beings
2. taking of life
3. destruction of animate creatures

Built from

• pāṇa — root · living being
  From the root √prā 'to breathe', the foundation of life-force; Pali pāṇa encompasses all animate creatures.
• ati — prefix · beyond, over
  Signals transgression of a limit; the act of killing goes beyond the pale of right conduct.
• pāta — root · throwing, striking down
  Related to √pat 'to fall, throw'; the brutal image of life cast down or extinguished.

Analysis. pāṇa (living being, life) + ati (beyond, over the mark) + pāta (throwing down, killing); lit. 'throwing-down of life beyond measure', hence the offense of killing any sentient being with intent.

Etymology. Compound of pāṇa (from √prā 'to breathe', cognate with Latin prāna, Sanskrit prāṇa) + ati-pāta (from √pat 'to fall, throw', cognate with English fall and Latin patere 'to lie open'). The prefix ati- conveys excess or transgression: killing carries life-taking beyond the mark of restraint.

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

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