The Etymological Meaning of ‘paramita’

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  • paramita (波羅蜜) の語源・語義について
  • paramita ハラミツ ノ ゴゲン ゴギ ニ ツイテ

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Abstract

There have been three main etymological explanations of the important term ‘paramita’ in the Prajñaparamita literature among scholars, ancient and modern.<br>(1) param+i (<√i)+ta [to go to the further shore]<br>(2a) param+ita (pp.<√i)+ta; (2b) param+ita (pp.<√i)>f. [gone to, arrived at, reached the further shore]<br>(3a) parami (f.<parama)+ta; (3b) parami (<parama+in)+ta [highest state, perfection, completeness]<br>But such all meanings are not suitable for the Prajñaparamita's context. According to the Astasahasrika PP, ‘prajña-paramita’ is ‘mahayana’ which is a huge vessel leaving here for the goal. Therefore paramita indicates having the process to go through, and is not concerned with the goal only. The above meanings of ‘paramita’, (2) and (3), seem without any application to the real ‘paramita’ in that context.<br>In the Mahaprajñaparamitasastra (_??__??__??__??_) there is the etymology, _??__??_ (para)+_??_ (mi [-ta]). This is probably [para+mi (<√ma, to measure; to pass over)+ta]. [para+mi] is a vessel (ship) for passing over to the further shore. And according to Paramartha's (_??__??_) translation of the Abhidharmakosabhasya, [-ta] of ‘paramita’ seems a collective suffix [Panini, 4·2·43], not an abstract suffix.<br>Then ‘paramita’ must be a fleet of vessels passing over to the further shore, and in the context of the six paramitas (dana- p°. etc.) ‘paramita’ is a metaphor for the six from ‘dana’ to ‘prajña’.

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