‹ Back to the text
sammappaññāya
sammappaññā
fem instr sg of sammappaññā (noun); fem dat sg of sammappaññā (noun); fem abl sg of sammappaññā (noun); fem gen sg of sammappaññā (noun); …
- sammappaññā (fem): correct understanding; perfect wisdom
- sammappaññāya (fem): with correct understanding; with perfect wisdom
Built from
- sam — prefix · together, completely
The prefix sam- (saṁ before labials) gathers things into one unified whole. Used here to intensify and qualify purity of understanding: Right view integrates and perfects all aspects of the path.
- ma — ending · nominalization suffix
Forms an adjective meaning 'right, correct' from the sense of sameness and completeness; adverbial base for sammāya, sammaṁ.
- paññā — stem · wisdom, understanding
From √pajānāti (knows distinctly): pa- (forward, steps forth) + jānāti (knows). Paññā is the wisdom that penetrates and distinguishes reality; central to all three trainings in the Pali canon.
- ya — ending · instrumental/dative/ablative marker
Feminine singular case-ending marking the instrumental (means), dative (purpose/recipient), ablative (origin), or genitive (possession) depending on context; here instrumental—the wisdom by which one acts.
Analysis. sammaṁ (adverb: correctly, rightly) + paññā (wisdom, understanding); the instrumental case-form sammappaññāya expresses the means or instrument of action.
Etymology. sammaṁ derives from sam- (together, completely) + -ma (adjectival suffix); paññā is from √pajānāti (knows distinctly), pa- + jānāti turning knowing into a step-forward, wisdom that sees clearly. The compound encodes right view as the instrument that orients all eightfold practice in early Buddhist doctrine.