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phassanirodhā

phassanirodha

masc nom pl of phassanirodha (noun); masc instr sg of phassanirodha (noun); masc abl sg of phassanirodha (noun); masc voc sg of phassanirodha (noun); …

1. ending of sense contact; cessation of sense experience

Built from

• phassa — root · contact, touching
  From √spar 'to touch, scatter', cognate with Latin spargere and English spark (PIE *sper- 'strew'). Refers to the meeting of sense organ, object, and consciousness.
• ni — prefix · down, into
  Carries the sense of pressing down, stopping, moving inward toward stillness. Related to English nether and German nieder.
• rudh — root · obstruct, stop up
  The root √rudh means 'to block, obstruct, press down'. Combined with ni-, it yields the sense of pressing into cessation.
• a — ending · masculine nominative/stem
  Marks the masculine noun in its citation form; agrees with the nominal base phassanirodha.

Analysis. phassa (contact, sense impression) + nirodha (cessation, stopping). In the doctrine of dependent arising, the cessation of phassa is a key link: when phassa ceases, vedanā (feeling) ceases, breaking the chain of suffering.

Etymology. phassa < phan- + -sa (from √spar 'touch', cognate with Latin spargere 'sprinkle' and English spark, all from PIE *sper- 'strew, scatter'); nirodha < ni- 'down, into' + √rudh 'obstruct', literally 'being blocked up, pressed down into stillness' — ni- carries the sense of termination or pressing inward.

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

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