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samaṇāmhāti

samaṇo

nominative plural (samaṇā) with instrumental postposition -mhāti, resolved from surface form samaṇāmhāti; contracted form

1. by the renunciates
2. with the ascetics
3. by means of the monks

Built from

• samaṇā — stem · renunciates (ascetics)
  Nominative plural of samaṇo. In the canon, renunciates are Buddhist monks and nuns who have left household life.
• -mhāti — ending · by, with, through
  Instrumental postposition (enclitic particle). This ending marks agency or means, answering 'by whom?' or 'by what means?'.

Analysis. samaṇā (nominative plural of samaṇo, 'renunciate, ascetic') + -mhāti (instrumental postposition, 'by, with, through'). The form contracts via sandhi: samaṇā + mhāti > samaṇāmhāti.

Etymology. samaṇo is likely from Sanskrit śramaṇa (from śrama 'effort, toil'), referring originally to those who labour in religious practice; cognate with English 'shramana' in Buddhist usage. The postposition -mhāti is an enclitic particle expressing the instrumental case in older Pali texts.

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

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