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The New Pali Course Part III (1950)
Prof. A. P. Buddhadatta Maha Nayaka Thera

Chapter VII Definition of the Indeclinables

1. a and an are in the negative sense. a is seen in akusala, amanussa, abhaava, etc. and an in anavajja, anaasava, etc. The Abhidhaanappadiipikaa and the Saddaniiti state that there is an indeclinable a, but the other grammarians state it to be another form of indeclinable na. According to their definition na is changed to a before a consonant, and to an before a vowel. Both are used only as prefixes.

2. acira.m, shortly, before long.

"Acira.m vat'aya.m kaayo pa.thavi.m adhisessati." [Dhp.v.41]

Before long, alas! This body will lie upon the earth.

3. ajja, today; at present.

"Atthi me ajja bhesajjamattaa piitaa." [D.i,205]

I have taken a dose of medicine today.

4. ajjatagge, from this day forth.

"Upaasaka.m ma.m Bhagavaa dhaaretu ajjatagge paa.nupeta.m sara.na.m gata.m." [D.i,85] etc. May the Blessed One accept me as a disciple, as one who, from this day forth, as long as life endures, has taken his refuge in Him.

5. ajju.nho, this night; (this day).

"Sace te Kassapa agaru,
Viharemu ajju.nho aggisaalamhi." [V.M.25]

"If it is not inconvenient to you, Kassapa, I shall spend this nightin this heated hall."

6. a~n~nadatthu, certainly; on the other hand; only.

(a) "A~n~nadatthu sissa.m Muusila.m, aacariya, tvam eva jessasi." (Com. Guttila-vimaanavatthu)

Certainly, master, you will defeat your pupil Muusila.

(b) "Aayasmaa Ra.t.thapaalo sakapitunivesane n'eva daana.m alattha, na paccakkhaana.m, a~n~nadatthu akkosanam eva alattha." [M.ii,62]

In his own father's house, Venerable Ra.t.thapaala, got neither alms nor a refusal, but only abuse.

7. atippageva, very early.

"Kin nu kho, mahaaraaja, atippageva aagato'si." [Mahaasupina-Jaataka]

YP: "What then, O great king, you had come very early?"

8. atippago, very early.

"Atha kho Bhagavato etad ahosi: Atippago kho taava Anupiyaaya pi.n.daaya caritu.m." [D.iii,1]

YP: And then, the Blessed One thought:

It is very early to go for alms in the town of Anupiya.

9. ativiya, extremely; excessively; too much.

(a) "Pa~ncanna.m maa.navaka-sataana.m antare ativiya aacariyassa upakaarako ahosi." [DhA.i,250]

(b) "Dasavassaayukesu, bhikkhave, manussesu dasakusalakammapathaa sabbena sabba.m antaradhaayissanti, dasa akusala-kammapathaa ativiya dippissanti." [D.iii,71]

When the life-span of human beings will be ten years, the ten moral courses of conduct will altogether disappear, and the ten immoral courses of action will flourish excessively.

10. atiiva, too much; exceedingly.

"Atiiva parihiina-gatto'smi; rattandhakaare gamissaamii ti." [Rasavaahinii]

My body is too much emaciated, therefore I will depart in the darkness at night.

11. atthi is the Present 3rd singular of as (its plural is santi). But when atthi is used in the plural sense it is to be taken as an indeclinable:-

(a) "Kim pana vo manussaa sabbe'va kukkure maarenti, udaahu mara.na.m alabhantaa pi atthii ti?" [J.i,176]

(b) "Iti pi n'atthi paro loko; n'atthi sattaa opapaatikaa." [D.ii,316]

ref: http://www.tipitaka.net/pali/synthesis/pali3.00.cdv

(to be continued...)