"äÍÉÔÒÉÊ éxÁÈÎÅÎËÏ (Dimitry Ivakhnenko)" wrote:

> >> "raahulakumaara.m
>
> DC> Isn't this just "Rahula the son"? I wondered why you'd left kumaara
> DC> untranslated.
>
> Thank you, indeed 'Rahula the son'.

Whilst I do not have any intention of involving myself in your discussions--indeed I
am far too busy to do so--I nonetheless take a casual glance at your deliberations
from time to time.

Please note that putta is the usual Pali term for son. "Kumaara" usually denotes
the son of a member of the k.satriya va.rna, just as maa.nava denotes the son of a
member of the braahma.na va.rna. Moroever, since it was from the k.satriya va.rna
that kings/rulers were usually drawn, kumaara can also denote a prince or an
heir-apparent. And since we are told the Buddha could have become some kind of
ruler had he not gone forth, and since Raahula was his son, the title
"Raahulakumaara" could equally be taken as "the k.satriyan youth Raahula" or as
"Prince Raahula".

Peter Masefield.