The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Akkha*a
Akkha*a [a + kha*a, BSk. ak+a*a Av- i.291 = 332] wrong time, bad luck, misadventure, misfortune. There
are 9 enumd at D iii.263; the usual set consists of 8; thus D iii.287; VvA 193; Sdhp 4 sq. See also kha*a. --
vedhin (adj. n.) a skilled archer, one who shoots on the moment, i. e. without losing time, expld as one who
shoots without missing (the target) or as quickly as lightning (akkha*a = vijju). In var. combns.; mostly as
durep!tin a. A i.284 (+ mahato k!yassa pad!let!); ii.170 sq. (id.), 202; iv.423, 425; J ii.91 (expld as either
"avir!dhita -- vedh"" or "akkha*a' vuccati vijju": one who takes and shoots his arrows as fast as lightning),
iii.322; iv.494 (C. explns aviraddha -- vedhin vijju -- !lokena vijjhana -- samattha p. 497). In other combn
at J i.58 (akkha*avedhin + v!lavedhin); v.129 (the 4 kinds of archers: a., v!lavedhin, saddavedhin &
saravedhin). In BSk. we find ak+u**avedha (a Sanskritised P!li form, cp. Mathur! k+u*a = Sk. k+a*a) at
Divy 58, 100, 442 (always with d(revedha), where MSS. however read ak+u*a˚; also at Lal. Vist. 178. See
Divy Index, where trsln is given as "an act of throwing the spear so as to graze the mark" (Schiefner gives
"Streifschuss"). - Note. The explanations are not satisfactory. We should expect either an etym. bearing on
the meaning "hitting the centre of the target" (i. e. its "eye") (cp. E. bull's eye), in which case a direct
relation to akkha = akkhi eye would not seem improbable (cp. formation ikkhana) or an etym. like "hitting
without mishap", in which case the expression would be derived directly from ak kha*a (see prec.) with the
omission of the neg. an -- ; akkha*a in the meaning of "lightning" (J ii.91 C.) is not supported by literary
evidence.
Akkhata
Akkhata (adj.) [pp. of a + k+an, cp. parikkhata1] unhurt, without fault Mhvs 19, 56 (C. niddosa). -- acc.
akkhata' (adv.) in safety, unhurt. Only in one phrase Vv 8452 (pacc!gamu' P!&aliputta' akkhata') & Pv
iv.111 (ness!mi ta' P!&aliputta' akkhata'); see VvA 351 & PvA 272.
Akkhaya
Akkhaya (adj.) [a + khaya, k+i] not decaying, in akkhaya- pa&ibh!na, of unfailing skill in exposition Miln 3,
21.
Akkhara
Akkhara (adj.) [Vedic ak+ara] constant, durable, lasting D iii.86. As tt. for one of 4 branches of Vedic
learning (D i.88) it is Phonetics which probably included Grammar, and is expld by sikkh! (DA i.247 =
SnA 477) pl. nt. akkhar!ni sounds, tones, words. citt'akkhara of a discourse (suttanta) having variety &
beauty of words or sounds (opposed to beauty of thought) A i.72 = iii.107 = S ii.267. Akkhar!ni are the
sauce, flavour (vyañjana) of poetry S i.38. To know the context of the a˚ the words of the texts, is
characteristic of an Arahant Dh 352 (C. is ambiguous DhA iv.70). Later: akkhara' a syllable or sound PvA
280 (called sadda in next line); akkhar!ni an inscription J ii.90; iv.7 (likhit!ni written), 489; vi.390, 407. In
Grammar: a letter Kacc. 1. -- cintaka a grammarian or versifier KhA 17; SnA 16, 23, 321. cp. 466; PvA
120. -- pabheda in phrase sakkharappabheda phonology & etymology D i.88 (akkharappabhedo ti sikkh! ca
nirutti ca SnA 447 = DA i.247) = A iii.223 = Sn p. 105. -- pi*.a "word -- ball", i. e. sequence of words or
sounds DhA iv.70 (= akkhar!na' sannip!to Dh 352).
Akkharik!
Akkharik! (f.) a game (recognising syllables written in the air or on one's back). D i.7; Vin ii.10; iii.180. So
expld at DA i.86. It may be translated "letter game"; but all Indian letters of that date were syllables.
Akkh!ta