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santaṁ

santa

accusative singular masculine of santa (or neuter nominative/accusative singular)

1. peaceful, calm, tranquil
2. extinguished, cooled (of defilements)
3. gone, departed
4. the peaceful state (neuter noun)

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, completely
  Brings things into one state or place; here, bringing all agitation into complete stillness.
• śam — root · calm, settle, extinguish
  The concrete image of fire dying down or a disturbance subsiding into peace.
• a — ending · masculine adjective
  Forms the past participle that functions as an adjective or, in the neuter, as a noun denoting the state itself.

Analysis. sam + anta, 'brought to an end'; or past participle of śam- (to calm). In the neuter, santaṁ denotes the peace of cessation, especially in doctrinal contexts as a noun.

Etymology. From sam- (together, completely) + √śam (to calm, settle, grow peaceful, extinction). The prefix shows how 'brought completely to rest' becomes 'peaceful' and 'extinguished.' Related to Skt. śānta, śama (peace, rest); English 'same' (from the root of sam-); Latin quiēs (quiet, from similar Indo-European root for peace).

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

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