Dear Yong Peng

Your analysis of the word "Appamattikaa" is very different from what we have
understood all along.

Appamattikaa can be analysed in two ways though the answer would be the same
at the end.

appa (little, small, trivial) + mattaa (measure, standard) ---> appamattaa
(adjectival compound) (trs: small measure, trivial standard)

appamattaa + ka (possessive derivative suffix) ---> appamattikaa (trs: one
having a trivial standard, i.e., unimportant)

OR

appa + mattaa ---> appamattaa (relative compound) (trs: one having a trivial
standard)

appamattaa + ka (synonymic derivative suffix) ---> appamattikaa (trs: the
same)

Then the translation would be straight like this:
"O monks, that advancement is unimportant, that is, the advancement of fame.
The advancement of knowledge --- it is the greatest of all advancements"

It should be noted that:
1. The final vowel aa of appamamattaa is changed into i when followed by the
suffix ka; it rather common with feminine nouns.
2. "Synonymic derivative" is a term translated from the Pali counterpart
"svatthataddhita". It means nothing but that the derivative is a synonym of
the original stem; in this case, appamattaa and appamattikaa are synonyms.

with metta

Ven. Pandita


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