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sammappadhānānaṁ

sammappadhāna

genitive plural of sammappadhāna (masculine noun in -a); sammappadhānānaṁ shows external sandhi (final -ā of genitive plural + initial ṁ of enclitic)

1. right effort, right exertion
2. the wholesome volitional effort to cultivate skilful states and eliminate unskillful ones (one of the seven factors of enlightenment)
3. the four right exertions (catusammappadhāna)

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, with
  Indicates collectedness and unity of purpose. Works like Latin con- (concentrate).
• ma — prefix · (assimilated pa)
  Part of the compound sammappadhāna; pa- adds the sense of forth/forward, intensifying effort.
• ppa — prefix · back, against (from paṭi-)
  Indicates counter-effort; the mental resistance brought to bear against defilement. Related to Greek próti 'against'.
• dhāna — stem · placing, putting
  Derived from √dhā (to place, put; cognate with Greek tithēmi 'to place'). Forms the nominal stem for 'effort' as the placing or directing of mental force.
• ānaṁ — ending · genitive plural
  The genitive ending marks these sammappadhānas as possessed or associated with another entity (e.g., factors of the path or enlightenment).

Analysis. sammappadhāna is a compound: samma (right, correct; adverb from sam + ā) + padhāna (effort, exertion). The word embodies the cardinal Buddhist principle that ethical and mental development requires sustained, directed effort along the Noble Eightfold Path.

Etymology. sammappadhāna combines sam (together, with) + ppa (assimilated pad, from prati: back, against, counter) + dhāna (placing, putting; √dhā). The prefix sam- emphasizes unified, collected effort; ppa- suggests the counter-effort against mental defilement; dhāna conveys 'putting in place' or 'placing effort'. The root √dhā (to put, place) is cognate with Greek τίθημι (tithēmi) and English do.

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

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