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hetu

masc nom sg of hetu (adj); fem nom sg of hetu (adj); nt nom sg of hetu (adj); masc voc sg of hetu (adj); …

1. because; by virtue (of)
2. reason (for); cause (for); condition (for); sake (of)
3. by means of; according to
4. for; for the purpose; for the sake (of); lit. reason
5. root-cause
6. because (of); due (to)

Etymology. Sanskrit hetu, from Indo-European *sed- 'to sit, settle' (as in 'foundation'). The root sense is 'that which sits as the ground or basis of something'; cognate with Latin sedes 'seat', English settle. In Pali metaphysics, hetu is the standing cause or condition in dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda).

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

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