thanks for the discussion of 'a`nga'. At the very least, I know that
I analysed the compound correctly, there are not many possible
combinations, but I did get a different one in the first attempt.
a`nguttara = a`nga + uttara
I tend to agree with Rett, that the meaning of anga, in the context
of "A`nguttara Nikaya" as a collection of teachings ordered
numerically, can be borrowed from outside the Buddhist lingua franca.
The title is certainly made after the Buddha's Parinibbana. But, I
think in the Jainist system, a`nga means part or volume.
The Chinese agama counterpart is named "Zeng1 Yi1",
meaning "increasing by one".
I have another look at the PED, and found that uttara can have
various meanings like:
I should be using "subsequent, following, second, further" rather
than "higher, superior, upper".
Literally, a`nguttara means the following factor, or (as used by
PTS) "further factored". We can see that in each sutta, the Buddha
discusses a list of factors, one following another. That is probably
how the name a`nguttara comes about. However, if we treat a`nguttara
as a Bahubbiihi compound, and look at how the Nikaya is organised,
then there is perhaps another meaning to a`nguttara. What prompted me
is why the Nikaya is named a`nguttara, and not uttaraa`nga. So, there
can be a twist in the meaning of the word. The suttas are indeed
organised by the list of topics they discuss, numerically. That is
why I proposed the title numerically grouped. That is, the suttas
are "numerically grouped", or grouped according to a number, the
number of items on their list.
But, again, I can be wrong, especially in understanding the compound
a`nguttara. So, please correct me if there is any mistake.