Abyayībhāva-samāsa or Adverbial Compounds
Abyayībhāva-samāsa or Adverbial Compounds¶
(indeclinable-nature-compounds)
Kaccāyana 319. upasagga-nipāta-pubbako abyayībhāvo.
preposition or indeclinable particle in front (is an) indeclinable-nature (compound)
- the first member of these compounds is an adverb or preposition or other indeclinable particle.
e.g. yāva. ind, prep. as long as, as far as
- the second member is generally a noun or adjective
e.g. jīva. m. life
- The resulting compound is most commonly an adverb ending in an accusative case.
e.g. yāvajīvaṃ. ind, adv. as long as life lasts, for whole life
yāvajīvaṃ > yāva + jīva + aṃ
Some abyayībhāva compounds¶
| anu | following | vassa | year | anuvassaṃ | adv | annually, yearly |
| pacchā | after | bhatta | meal | pacchābhattaṃ | adv | after the meal |
| tato | from | nidāna | source | tatonidānaṃ | adv | on account of that |
| tiro | across | pākāra | rampart | tiropākāraṃ | adv | through a rampart |
| tiro | across | pabbata | mountain | tiropabbataṃ | adv | through a mountain |
| yathā | like, as | bala | power | yathābalaṃ | adv | according to one’s strength |
| yathā | like, as | dhamma | teaching | yathādhammaṃ | adv | according to the teaching |
| yathā | like, as | kamma | action | yathākammaṃ | adv | according to one’s actions |
| yathā | like, as | bhūta | become | yathābhūtaṃ | adv | as it is, lit. as it has become |
| yāva | as far as | tatiya | third | yāvatatiyaṃ | adv | up to the third time |
Sometimes the original case ending is maintained¶
| pura | before | aruṇā | from dawn | purāruṇā | adv7 | before dawn |
| ajja | today | aṇho | day | ajjaṇho | adv | this day |
| anu | following | pubbena | with previous | anupubbena | adv | gradually |
| antarā | between | magge | on road | antarāmagge | adv | along the road, on the way |
some grammatical books take them just as adjectives used adverbially in context
Some prefixes and indeclinables used in abyayībhāva compounds¶
| abhi- | very, high, most |
| adhi- | up, towards |
| ajja | today |
| antarā | inside, in-between |
| anto | into, inside, within |
| anu- | along, following, behind |
| apara | further, more, following |
| ati- | too much, superiority |
| bhiyyoso | even more |
| heṭṭhā | underneath, below |
| kiṃ | what, which |
| kudā | when |
| nir- | without, not |
| oraṃ | below, underneath, less |
| pacchā | afterwards |
| paccūsa | early |
| pari- | all around, completely |
| pati- | against, back, towards |
| pure | before |
| sammā | completely, thoroughly |
| tato | from that |
| tena | because of that |
| tiro | across, through |
| ubhaya | both |
| upa- | near, towards |
| upari | on top of |
| yathā | like, as |
| yattha | where |
| yāva | as long as |
| yena | where |
What makes a compound an abyayībhāva?