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santatasīlā

santatasīla

masc nom pl of santatasīla (adj); fem nom sg of santatasīla (adj); fem nom pl of santatasīla (adj); nt nom pl of santatasīla (adj); …

1. consistent in ethical conduct; steadfast in virtue

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, completely
  Brings the elements of virtue into unified, coherent whole. Works like Latin con-.
• tan — root · stretch, extend, draw tight
  Concrete image of stretching or drawing something taut. Cognates: English tend, Latin tendere, Greek teinein. The past participle shows virtue held in continuous tension.
• ta — ending · past participle
  Forms santata; marks the stretching as a completed and sustained state.
• sīla — stem · virtue, ethical conduct
  Ancient Pali word; possibly related to √śīl- (be accustomed). In Buddhist ethics, sīla is the foundation of the path, the restraint that binds conduct.

Analysis. santata (past participle of √tan "stretch, extend") + sīla (ethical conduct); "virtue extended continuously" or "stretched-out conduct"

Etymology. santata from sam- (together) + √tan (stretch, extend; cognate with English "tend", Latin tendere, Greek teinein), expressing the idea of conduct drawn tight and held firm over time. sīla (ethical conduct) is an ancient Pali word of uncertain origin, possibly from √śīl- (be accustomed); the compound fuses "stretched-together" virtue with the virtue itself.

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

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