pali what-cha-ma-callit (sandhi rules): example: bodhi and bojjhanga

Sandhi is a necessary evil that unfortunately makes it harder for pali novices break down compound words into their originals. 

Example of a sandhi in English:

"what you might call that"  = "whatchamacallit." (slang). 

"forget about it." = "fuggitaboutit." 

1. Example of a sandhi in Pali: 

bodhi (awakening) + anga (factor) = bojjhanga.

You might recognize 'anga' (factor) already from other words in your vocabulary.

Such as aryio atth-ang-iko magga = noble eight-factored path.

Bodhi is just a conjugated form of Buddha, which everyone knows is an awakenend/enlightened being.

So what looks like some alien new word, "bojjhanga", because of the sandhi rules, is actually made of words you probably already know. 

Bodhi¹ (f.) [fr. budh, cp. Vedic bodhin -- manas having an attentive mind; RV v.75, 5; viii.82, 18] (supreme knowledge, enlightenment, the knowledge possessed by a Buddha (see also sambodhi & sammā -- sambodhi) M ;i.356; ii.95=D iii.237 (saddho hoti, saddahati Tathāgatassa bodhiŋ); D iii.159 (anuttaraŋ pappoti bodhiŋ) 165 (id.); S i.103, 196; v.197 sq.; A ii.66; VbhA 310 (def.). Bodhi consists of 7 elements called bojjhangā or sambojjhangā, and is attained by the accomplishment of the perfections called bodhi 

Buddha¹ (adj.) [med. -- pass. pp. of bujjhati, cp. Epic Sk. buddha] (a) understood S i.35=60 (su -- dub -- buddha very difficult to understand). -- (b) having attained enlightenment, wise A iv.449; PvA 16 (buddh' ādayo) 60 (=ariya). Usually appl^d to the Bhagavant (Gotama)

Bujjhati [budh, y -- formation, corresp. to Sk. budhyate for the usual bodhate. The sense is that of a Med., but is also used as Act. with acc. of object, e. g. saccāni bujjhi he recognised the truths Vism 209. -- The Dhtp (414) and Dhtm (652) explain budh by "avagamane (understanding, see ogamana), Dhtm (242) also by "bodhane" (awakening). Bdhgh's explⁿ of the meaning is "kilesa -- santāna -- niddāya uṭṭhahati cattāri vā ariyasaccāni paṭivijjhati Nibbānam eva vā sacchikaroti" DhsA 217, cp. trslⁿ at Expos. 294 "to rise from the slumber of the continuum of the lower nature, or a penetrating the Ariyan Truths, or a realizing Nibbāna"] to be awake, to be enlightened in (acc.), to perceive, to know, recognise, understand D ii.249 S i.74, 198; Dh 136, 286; Th 1, 146; J iii.331; iv.49 425; Miln 165, 348 (pot. bujjheyya); Dpvs i.14 (with gen.) KhA 219 (so attho sukhaŋ b.). 3^rd pl. bujjhare Th 2, 453; Bu ii.183. imper. bujjhassu Bu ii.183. <-> fut. bujjhissati Bu ii.65; aor. abujjhi Bu ii.211, and bujjhi J iv.425; Vism 209; pret. 3^rd sg. abujjhatha Bu vii.22. -- ppr. bujjhamāna Sn 395; Bu vii.22 DhA i.93. -- pp. buddha (q. v.). -- Caus. I. bodheti (q. v.). -- Caus. II. bujjhāpeti to lead to knowledge or recognition J i.407. Two infinitives formed fr. bodh but belonging to budh are bodhuŋ J v.341, and boddhuŋ Th 1, 167.

 

buddha, bodhi, bujjhati, all based on the root word of waking up from sleep

(from AN 8.1, benefits of doing metta)

Sukhaṃ supati,	1. Pleasurably (you) sleep.
sukhaṃ paṭi-bujjhati,	2. Pleasurably (you) wake.
na pāpakaṃ supinaṃ passati,	3. No evil (in your) dreams (do you) see,

Also notice the relationship between the word for 'sleep' and 'dream': 

2. another example:  ajjhatta = adhi + atta

Ajjhatta (adj. -- n.) [cp. Sk. adhyātma, cp. attā], that which is personal, subjective, arises from within (in contrast to anything outside, objective or impersonal); as adv. & ˚interior, personal, inwardly 

Antonym (opposite meaning): 

(opp. ;bahiddhā bāhira etc outward, outwardly);

'adhi' is a common prefix. 

'atta' you already know as 'self'. an-atta = not-self.

So again, like with bojjhanga, ajjhatta is actually composed of parts you probably already know, but was obscured by the sandhi rules. 

Adhi [Vedic adhi; base of demonstr. pron. a˚ + suffix -- dhi, corresponding in form to Gr. e)/n -- qa "on this" = here, cp o(/qi where, in meaning equal to adv. of direction Gr. de/ (toward) = Ohg. zuo, E. to].
A. Prep. and pref. of direction & place: (a) as direction denoting a movement towards a definite end or goal up to, over, toward, to, on (see C 1 a). -- (b) as place where (prep. c. loc. or abs.) = on top of, above, over in; in addition to. Often simply deictic "here" (e. g. ajjhatta = adhi + ātman "this self here" (see C 1 b).

3. More details on how sandhi rules work in pali

https://rukkhamula.wordpress.com/pali-tutorial/basic-pa%E1%B8%B7i-3-2/