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tasā

tasa

masc nom pl of tasa (adj); fem nom sg of tasa (adj); fem nom pl of tasa (adj); nt nom pl of tasa (adj); …

1. tasa (adj): moving; mobile; (comm) with craving; lit. shaking
2. tasanta (prp): trembling
3. tasi (aor): trembled

Built from

• tas — root · shake, tremble
  The bare root denoting physical trembling or agitation. In nominative plural with zero-grade, it shifts to describe any mobile or agile quality, including the metaphorical restlessness of mind driven by craving.
• ā — ending · nominative plural
  The long-vowel nominative plural ending for all genders here. It marks the word as attributive—applying to multiple entities or an abstract plural state.

Etymology. Root √tas (to shake, tremble). Cognate with Sanskrit tasati (trembles), Latin tactus (touched, from *tag- to touch), and English touch, tack. The primary image is tactile disturbance—something that shakes or moves under stimulus. In the doctrine, tasa describes the restlessness of craving (taṇhā), the constant movement of desire.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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