Potthaka
/ˈpɒt.tʰə.kə/noun
A book or manuscript, especially a Buddhist manuscript or palm-leaf text.
Did you know?In Buddhist manuscript traditions, a potthaka could be more than something to read: preserving and venerating the text itself was treated as a religious act.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
pustaka
“A book, writing, or manuscript; the likely source of the later Indo-Aryan forms.”
Middle Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
potthaya
“A manuscript or book, reflecting regular sound changes from Sanskrit pustaka.”
Ancient Buddhist India
Pali
potthaka
“A book, manuscript, or written text.”
Medieval South Asia
Pali/Sinhala
potthaka
“A religious manuscript, often associated with palm-leaf textual culture.”
Modern English
English
potthaka
“A specialized scholarly loanword for a Buddhist or South Asian manuscript.”