Looking into words

Vongagsorn, Kittipong (2026): Looking into words: etymology (nirutti/nibbacana) in Pali literature with a collection of Pali etymological analyses. Dissertation, LMU München: Fakultät für Kulturwissenschaften

Abstract

This dissertation presents a systematic investigation of the history, development, characteristics, and multifaceted functions of etymology (nirutti/nibbacana) in Pali literature. It primarily aims to challenge the scholarly tendency to dismiss indigenous etymological practices as merely fanciful, linguistically inaccurate, or marginal to Buddhist doctrine. Moving beyond the criteria of modern historical linguistics, I argue that Pali etymology is a deliberate and sophisticated hermeneutical, rhetorical, pedagogical, and soteriological instrument. This study first situates Buddhist etymology within the broader Indian context. From the earliest Vedic texts, where etymology served ritual and mystic purposes, to the systematization of etymology in vyākaraṇa and nirukta, Indian traditions developed a rich repertoire of etymological analysis. While there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether the Buddha directly drew on these Vedic texts and disciplines, the early Pali canonical texts reveal a familiarity with similar methods of etymologizing. There, etymology functions primarily as a rhetorical tool for the Buddha in debates and as a pedagogical tool to (re)define and explain important terms in the teachings. In later canonical and post-canonical works, particularly the commentaries (aṭṭhakathā), etymology shifts to a more exegetical role. Here, we also find that nirutti and its closely related term nibbacana are sometimes used as technical terms to refer to the method of word analysis. This method is clearly influenced by the Brahmanical tradition, particularly by Pāṇinian grammar. Beyond historical development, this dissertation explores the diverse functional applications of etymology through detailed case studies. It examines etymologies in Buddhist narratives, arguing that these etymologies are not mere scholarly amusement but a sophisticated literary device used to articulate Buddhist identity, critique rival traditions, and appropriate Brahmanical figures. Moreover, this study investigates the relationship between the etymology of names and the life stories of the name-bearers. This reveals how names in Pali literature function both as a result of past actions and as prophetic indicators of a character’s destiny. Etymologies in this case are used as a powerful narrative and mnemonic device, especially vital in the oral-aural culture. The most soteriologically significant function of etymology is explored through an analysis of buddhānussati in Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga. This chapter reveals how an etymological analysis of the Buddha’s epithets serves as a mnemonic key. It links the simple, recited formula to a vast network of doctrinal teachings, transforming the practice into a structured method of memory retrieval designed to evoke the living presence of the Buddha and to support the path to liberation. Finally, the second part of this dissertation provides an annotated collection of Pali etymological analyses. This resource presents selected examples with textual citations, translations, and philological notes. In conclusion, this work re-evaluates Pali etymology not as a flawed precursor to modern linguistics, but as a dynamic and essential literary device for Buddhist authors to interpret scripture, shape narrative, and advance soteriological goals in the Buddhist tradition.

• Dokumententyp: Dissertationen (Dissertation, LMU München)
• Keywords: Pali, nirvacana/nibbacana, nirukta/nirutti, etymology
• Themengebiete: 200 Religion ; 200 Religion > 290 Andere Religionen ; 400 Sprache ; 400 Sprache > 490 Andere Sprachen ; 800 Literatur ; 800 Literatur > 890 Literatur in anderen Sprachen
• Fakultäten: Fakultät für Kulturwissenschaften
• Sprache der Hochschulschrift: Englisch
• Datum der mündlichen Prüfung: 13. Januar 2026
• 1. Bericht­erstatter:in: Baums, Stefan