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uccāsayanamahāsayanā

uccāsayanamahāsayana

nt nom pl of uccāsayanamahāsayana (noun); nt instr sg of uccāsayanamahāsayana (noun); nt abl sg of uccāsayanamahāsayana (noun); nt voc sg of uccāsayanamahāsayana (noun); …

1. large and luxurious beds

Built from

• uccā — prefix · high, up
  From ud- 'up, out' + √cal 'move'. Concrete image of rising upward; used attributively in compounds to mean elevated or eminent.
• sayana — root · bed, lying down
  From √śī (lie, recline). Cognate with Latin sedēre 'sit, settle'; also with English sit. Refers to the place or act of reclining.
• mahā — prefix · great, large
  From √mah 'grow, increase'. Cognate with Latin magnus 'great'; appears in Pali mahānt- and many compounds. Emphasizes size and importance.
• sayana — root · bed, lying down
  Repeated element (from √śī). Reinforces the sense of sleeping furniture by doubling the noun in compound form.

Analysis. Compound of uccāsayana (high bed) and mahāsayana (large bed): uccā (high) + sayana (bed) + mahā (great) + sayana (bed). Both elements describe lavish sleeping furniture, the first emphasizing height, the second size and grandeur.

Etymology. uccā is the instrumental or locative of ucca (high, from ud- 'up' + √cal 'move/rise'); sayana is from √śī (lie down, Sanskrit śayate); mahā is from √mah (great, related to Latin magnus). The prefix ud- appears in English out; √śī is cognate with Latin sedēre (sit, settle). The compound reflects monastic critique of material luxury forbidden to bhikkhus.

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

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