Dear Piya,

I met the same problem on this word some time ago but managed to get
it cleared up by Ven. Sujato. Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation is
correct. The root word is sabbatta [sabba + atta]. the addition of
the suffix -taa [sabbattataa] converts the word to its abstract noun
form i.e. all-and-self becomes "all-and-selfness". The final word
sabbattataaya of course is the dative case making the meaning "to all-
and-selfness" or as bhikkhu bodhi translates it - "to all as to
himself".

With mettaa
Cheang Oo

--- In Pali@..., Piya Tan <libris@...> wrote:
> Dear Pali friends,
>
> The Kesaputtiya Sutta in the Anguttara (A 1:192,8) has an
interesting
> word in the description of the Four Brahmaviharas from this passage:
>
>
> Iti uddha.m adho tiriya.m sabbadhi sabbattataaya sabbaavanta.m
loka.m
> mettaa,sahagatena cetasaa...
>
> which is repeated for each of the other three Brahmavihara.
>
> PED 681 has sabbatthataaya "on the whole" (references given).
>
> However, Bhikkhu Bodhi (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, 1999:66
has
> "to all as to himself", where he apparently reads the word as
> sabbattataaya. Am I right? I think this reading is better but cannot
> substantiate it.
>
> Could someone please throw more light on this interesting point.
>
> Thanks & sukhi.
>
> P.