Dear Piya and Mahinda,

Thanks for your helpful comments. The use of -jaata as kind or group
makes good sense and fits the context well. Abh 1077a (jaato bhuute
caye jaata.m) gives two meanings. Caya refers to collection and one
also finds jaata.m listed among the 29 synonyms of samuuho at Abh
629-31.

In Ledi Sayadaw's Niruttidiipanii, pp. 44-5, he lists gata, jaata, and
anta as aagamas at the end of words (in reference to the Mahaavutti).
The two examples given for jaata are atthajaata.m & dhammajaata.m. Not
sure if this applies in our case though.

Best wishes,
Jim

> Jim,
>
> I guess the suffix -jaata (since the Comentaries are silent) could
> mean something like "-kind" and in "mankind" (*manussa,jaata), thus
> referring to a group, kind, etc. It is a generic suffix.
>
> With metta,
>
> Piya

and from Mahinda:

> PTS Dictionary actually mentions that -jaata in some contexts can

mean

> "kinds of..." Thus gandhajaata: kinds of incense. See PTSD under

jaata.

> vividhehi paa.nakajaatehi khajjamaana must surely mean " being

devoured by

> various kinds of small creatures".
>
> Mahinda