the word this week vaa, indeclinable and enclitic, means or, either.
Be careful not to confuse with va, which has two meanings: (1) only,
just, surely; (2) like.
Here are five examples of sentences using vaa. There are several
places where I am not sure of, please help.
(1) DN2 Samannaphala Sutta CSCD174/PTS1.56
Tattha natthi hantaa vaa ghaatetaa vaa,
there / no / killer / or / destroyer
There (is) no killer or destroyer,
sotaa vaa saavetaa vaa, vi~n~naataa vaa vi~n~naapetaa vaa.
hearer / or / speaker / or / knower / or / explainer
hearer or speaker, knower or explainer.
hanti - to kill;
ghaateti - to kill; to destroy;
saaveti - to make hear; to announce; to delcare;
vi~n~naata (pp. of vijaanaati) understood; known;
vi~n~naapeti - to inform; to teach.
(2) DN22 Mahasatipatthana Sutta CSCD375/PTS2.292
Iti ajjhatta.m vaa kaaye kaaya-anupassii viharati,
thus/internally/or/[on]body/one who contemplates the body/maintains
Thus, (he) who contemplates the body maintains (contemplating) on the
body internally,
bahiddhaa vaa kaaye kaayaanupassii viharati,
externally/or/[on]body/one who contemplates the body/maintains
or maintains (contemplating) on the body externally,
ajjhatta-bahiddhaa vaa kaaye kaayaanupassii viharati.
internally-externally/or/[on]body/one who contemplates the
body/maintains
or maintains (contemplating) on the body internally and externally.
(4) Dhp 98
Gaame vaa yadi vaara~n~ne, ninne vaa yadi vaa thale
[in] village / or / if / or [in] forest / [in] valley / or / if /
or / [on] hill
whether in the villqge or in the forest, whether in the valley or on
the hill
vaara~n~ne=vaa+ara~n~ne
(5) Dhp 385
Yassa paara.m apaara.m vaa paaraapaara.m na vijjati
that / the opposite shore / this shore / or / both this shore and the
opposite shore / not / exists
(To whom) that does not exist the opposite shore, this shore or both
shores
paara (n.) the opposite shore, the other side.
apaara (n.) this shore, this side.
paara+apaara (n.) both this shore and the opposite shore.