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puttapasusammattaṁ

puttapasu

accusative neuter singular of puttapasu (compound noun), with -sammattaṁ suffix forming a locative/instrumental adverbial phrase meaning 'in the manner of cattle and children'

1. like beasts and children
2. in the way of animals and young ones
3. as cattle and infants

Built from

• putta — root · child, son
  From √pad; historically a word for those following or dependent.
• pasu — root · beast, cattle
  From √paś; cognate with Sanskrit paśu, animal, originally 'watched-over creatures'.
• sam — prefix · together, thoroughly
  Bringing things into one measure or proportion.
• mattaṁ — ending · manner, fashion, measure
  Dative/locative ending forming an adverbial phrase; here indicating 'in the manner of' or 'like'.

Analysis. putta (child, son) + pasu (beast, cattle) + sammattaṁ (in the manner of, according to); the phrase occurs in the canon describing those who act without discrimination or wisdom, like animals or small children.

Etymology. putta is the neuter form of putta (boy, son), from √pad (foot), cognate with Sanskrit putra and possibly English 'foot' (those who follow at one's feet); pasu (cattle, beast) is from the same root as Sanskrit paśu (animal), from √paś (to see, watch), referring originally to creatures watched over; sammattaṁ (in the manner of) is from sam- (together, thoroughly) + √mat (to measure, consider), meaning 'measured together, proportioned, fitting'.

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

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