Alternate translation/interpretation of AN 3.136

Another thing I forgot to mention, was that I really liked the two different uses of the word tathāgata in the sutta, one as a taddhita affixed noun meaning “the one who realises” which I have translated as “realisation” and the second usage is as an epithet referring to the Buddha. Another great example of the Buddha’s skilful use of language.

@sujato did reference “taddhita nouns” in class once, which I understood and appreciated, but I wasn’t sure others recognised the term, since it is seldom explained in Pali grammar books written in English. A taddhita-affixed noun is a noun made from other nouns by attaching various affixes. In English there is a similar concept: we attach affixes like -ly, -ion, -er to words creating new words. So I am quite comfortable in translating tathāgatānaṁ as “realisation”

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