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anāthapiṇḍikassa

anāthapiṇḍika

masc dat sg of anāthapiṇḍika (noun); masc gen sg of anāthapiṇḍika (noun)

1. name of a layman; great disciple of the Buddha; foremost layman in giving; lit. feeder of the destitute
2. in reference to MN143 Anāthapiṇḍikovādasutta; lit. feeder of the destitute

Built from

• a — prefix · not, without
  Negation; plain absence of the quality following.
• nātha — root · protector, lord
  Related to Sanskrit nātha and ultimately to Latin natus 'born, appointed one.' One who is appointed or set over.
• piṇḍa — root · alms-food, morsel
  A concrete term for the small portions of food given as alms; the material focus of Buddhist generosity.
• ika — ending · agent, one who
  Nominal suffix forming an agent noun; one who gives or distributes piṇḍa.

Analysis. anātha (without a protector, destitute) + piṇḍika (feeder, one who gives alms-food). A nominal compound: 'one who feeds those without a protector.' The word is a proper name bestowed on the wealthy merchant Sudatta for his generosity to the poor and his patronage of the Buddha.

Etymology. anātha is a- (not) + nātha (protector, lord; cognate with Latin natus 'born, appointed'), denoting one bereft of support. piṇḍika derives from piṇḍa (alms-food, morsel) + the agent suffix -ika, 'one who deals in alms.' Together, the compound epitomizes the layman's ideal of compassionate giving in early Buddhist ethics.

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

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