The suffix -to and MN 64 (MN ii 133) grammar help

[Lordvectivus]

MN ii 133 reads
cānanda, maggo, katamā paṭipadā pañcannaṃ orambhāgiyānaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ pahānāya? Idhānanda, bhikkhu upadhivivekā akusalānaṃ
dhammānaṃ pahānā sabbaso kāyaduṭṭhullānaṃ paṭippassaddhiyā vivicceva kāmehi vivicca
akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṃ
vedanāgataṃ saññāgataṃ saṅkhāragataṃ
viññāṇagataṃ te
dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato
sallato
aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato
anattato samanupassati.

How does this suffix -to change declension
What does it mean for the text’s translation
I’ve read all the pali dictionaries I could and still I don’t know what the suffix -to means

[Leon]

Hi,

It’s a marker of the ablative singular, here meaning ‘as…’.

[Lordvectivus]

So it takes up the place that yathā would through the use of periphrasis

[Leon]

@Lordvectivus

So it takes up the place that yathā would through the use of periphrasis

I understand where you’re coming from, but really it is just one of the special functions of the to- form of the ablative in constructions with the verb samanupassati.

Cf. SN 22.44 rūpam attato samanupassati ‘she regards form as Self (attato)’.

I hope that’s clear.

[karl_lew]

@Leon

to- form of the ablative in constructions with the verb samanupassati .

It’s also interesting to note that the focused expulsion of breath required to say “toh!” is used as a kiai when poking an opponent with a wooden staff in Aikido. I had to look up ablative and realized that poking someone is quite the ablative action.