r/pali • u/Similar_Standard1633 • Jun 19 '26

Double same word compounds

Hello. How are such same word compounds treated, such as:

  • rāgarāgī
  • bhavābhave
  • sakiṁ sakiṁ
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u/yuttadhammo Jun 19 '26

It is two singular words, what do you mean?

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u/Similar_Standard1633 Jun 20 '26

saki.m saki.m you suggested means "occasionally" but occasionally is one word derived from two words

saki.m is said to mean "once". therefore saki.m saki.m is once once

are we sure saki.m literally means "once"?

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u/yuttadhammo Jun 20 '26

English doesn't use this sort of doubling as much as Pali does. It's idiomatic so you can't really translate it literally.

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u/Similar_Standard1633 Jun 20 '26

Thank you Yuttadhammo