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pañcakaṅgo

pañcakaṅga

masc nom sg of pañcakaṅga (noun)

1. name of a layperson; lit. set of five tools

Built from

• pañca — root · five
  From Indo-European *penkwe. Cognates: Latin quinque, Greek pente, English five, Sanskrit pañca. Fundamental numeral in compound formations, especially for enumerating precepts and disciplines in Buddhist practice.
• kaṅga — stem · tool, implement
  Noun stem of uncertain etymology, appearing in compounds denoting instruments or implements. May relate to Sanskrit kaṅkara (piece, fragment) or be a native Pali word; used in monastic and lay contexts to describe practical items or abstract qualities.

Analysis. pañca (five) + kaṅga (implement, tool); a person characterized by possessing five implements or skills, likely referring to the five precepts or five tools of livelihood.

Etymology. pañca < Indo-European *penkwe (five); cognates: Latin quinque, Greek pente, English five. kaṅga is of uncertain origin but appears in technical and domestic contexts; possibly related to Sanskrit kaṅkara (small piece, fragment) or a native Pali formation.

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

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