vihiṁsūparatiyā

vihimsūparati

instrumental singular feminine of vihimsūparati (noun, corrected from vihiṁsūparatiyā, which appears to be a variant or textual form)

by ceasing from harm
by refraining from violence
by the practice of non-harming

Built from

vi — prefix · apart, clarity
The prefix marks separation from harm and clarity regarding violence; works like Latin dis-.
hiṁs — root · injure, harm
The root √hiṁs means to cause injury or violence; cognate with Sanskrit hiṁsā (harm).
ā — prefix · toward, up to
Reverses or redirects the action; here integrated into uparati as the reversal of motion.
upa — prefix · near, alongside
Marks approach and proximity; here the drawing near to a state of cessation or restraint.
rati — stem · resting, restraint
The stem denotes quietude or restraint; combined with upa it forms uparati 'ceasing'.
ī — ending · feminine
Marks the feminine gender of the noun vihimsūparati.
yā — ending · instrumental singular
The instrumental case suffix marks the means or instrument by which something is accomplished; here 'by means of ceasing from harm'.

Analysis. vi-hiṁsā-uparati: vi (apart, clarity) + hiṁsā (harm, injury) + uparati (ceasing, restraint). The compound means 'ceasing from harm' or 'the restraint that abandons violence'; uparati is itself upa (near, close approach to a state) + rati (pleasure, delight in, or in this context restraint). The instrumental form denotes the means or instrumental cause—'by means of refraining from harm'.

Etymology. hiṁsā derives from √hiṁs (to injure, cognate with Sanskrit hiṁsā). The prefix vi- emphasizes the separation from or clarity regarding harm. Uparati compounds upa (near, alongside) + the root meaning rest or restraint, giving 'drawing near to quietude' or 'cessation approaching'. This is a doctrinal compound typical of Buddhist ethical discourse.

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

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