Dear Bryan,
I asked Sayadaw A. Thitzana for help with the derivation of "nimitta" and
the folloing is the answer I got in his email response:
<< Here is answer regarding the word "nimitta"
Structural pattern of the word:
ni+mā+ta
"ni" is an upasagga(prefix). The root is"mā" which means to measure. "ta" is
a kita suffix which signifies past perfect tense. the vowel "ā" of the root
"mā" is changed into "i" while the suffix "ta" is augmented with consonant
"t".
The prefix "ni" has no specific meaning of modification which can affect the
meaning of the root. >>
J: All that's needed now is to find the rule about adding the augment t to
the
ta suffix to form -tta.
Best wishes,
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan Levman bryan.levman@... [palistudy]"
<palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
To: <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: September 29, 2016 4:11 PM
Subject: Re: [palistudy] Nimitta
Thanks Jim,
Yes we are not going to solve it and lexicographers have been guessing for
years (centuries?); to which we've added a few more guesses. So yes the
meanings are rūḷhiyaṃ, "by popular meaning", not according to the meaning of
the root, as no one knows what that is,
Best wishes, Bryan