‹ Back to the text

sammāsaṅkappaṁ

sammāsaṅkappa

accusative singular masculine of sammāsaṅkappa (noun)

1. right intention
2. right resolve
3. the second factor of the Noble Eightfold Path

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, completely
  Brings intention into unified resolve. Works like Latin con- (consider) and English same.
• ā — prefix · toward, up to
  Indicates direction or completeness, as in āgacchati (comes). Here bound in saṅkappa as part of the verbal noun formation.
• kapp — root · fit, ordain, arrange
  From √kapp; related to Latin capere (take, seize) and English capable. Concrete sense: to arrange or fit things in order.
• a — ending · verbal noun
  Forms masculine action noun; sammāsaṅkappaṁ is the accusative form used here to mark the object of perception or practice.

Analysis. sammā (rightly) + saṅkappa (intention, aspiration). Part of the Eightfold Path (aṭṭhaṅgika-magga): sammādiṭṭhi (right view), sammāsaṅkappa (right intention), sammāvācā (right speech), sammākammanta (right action), sammāājīva (right livelihood), sammāvāyāma (right effort), sammāsati (right mindfulness), sammāsamādhi (right concentration).

Etymology. saṅkappa from saṁ (together) + kappati (to be fitting, ordain): literally 'that which is fitted together' or 'resolved intention.' Cognate with Latin capere 'to take' and English capable; the prefix saṁ- works like English same or Latin con-, bringing things into unified focus.

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

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version