Dear Gunnar and friends,

> I think the common translation is "(it is) well"; it
> would be interesting to know the historical
> background.

PED says it comes from "Saadh", to succeed (cp "Saadhu", "Saadheti").

> Especially since the word, as a noun, is nowadays also
> used about Hindu ascetics. I even heard someone say
> once "There are good Sadhus and there are bad
> Sadhus..."

That's funny. But, it could make grammatical sense... "Bad Saadhu"
could be a translation of "asaadhu" (cp saadhu, PED). It sounds like
a Buddhasubhaasita: "Santi kho avuso saadhavo, santi caasaadhavo."

Metta,

Yuttadhammo