Gaṇa
Gaṇa,[Vedic gaṇa; *ger to comprise,hold,or come together,cp.Gr.a]gεiρw to collect,a)gorά meeting,Lat.grex,flock,Sk.jarante “conveniunt” (see Wackernagel,Altind.Gr.I.193).Another form of this root is grem in Sk.grāma,Lat.gremium; see under gāma]--1.(a) in special sense:a meeting or a chapter of (two or three) bhikkhus,a company (opposed both to saṅgha,the order & puggala,the individual) Vin.I,58,74,195,197; II,170,171; IV,130,216,226,231,283,310,316,317; V,123,167.-- (b) in general:a crowd,a multitude,a great many.See cpds.-- 2.as --°:a collection of,viz.,of gods,men,animals or things; a multitude,mass; flock,herd; host,group,cluster.-- (a) deva° J.I,203; DhA.III,441; PvA.140 (°parivuta); pisāca° S.I,33; tidasa° Sn.679.-- (b) amacca° suite of ministers J.I,264; ariya° troup of worthies J.VI,50; naranarī° crowds of men & women Miln.2; dāsi° a crowd of servants J.II,127; tāpasa° a group of ascetics J.I,140 (°parivuta); bhikkhu° J.I,212 (°parivuta).-- (c) dvija° J.I,152; dija° Pv.II,124; sakuṇa°,of birds J.I,207; II,352; go°,of cows A.I,229; V,347,359; J.II,128; kākola°,of ravens Sn.675; bhamarā°,of bees J.I,52; miga° of beasts J.I,150.-- (d) taru° a cluster of trees PvA.154; tāra°,a host of stars A.I,215; Pv.II,967; with ref.to the books of the Canon:Suttantika° & Ābhidhammika° Vism.93.
--âcariya “a teacher of a crowd,” i.e.a t.who has (many) followers.Always in phrase saṅghī ca gaṇī ca ganācariyo ca,and always with ref.either to Gotama:D.I,116; M.II,3; or to the 6 chief sectarian leaders,as Pūraṇa Kassapa,etc.:D.I,47,163; S.I,68; IV,398; M.I,198,227,233; II,2; Sn.p.91; cp.DA.I,143.In general:Miln.4.--ārāma (adj.) & --ārāmatā in phrase gaṇārāmo gaṇarato gaṇārāmataṁ anuyutto:a lover of the crowd A.III,422 sq.; M.III,110=Nd2 on Sn.54.--gaṇin the leader of many,Ep.of Bhagavā Nd2 307.--(ṁ)gaṇupāhanā (pl.) shoes with many linings Vin.I,185,187; cp.Vin.Texts II.14.See also Bdhgh.on aṭaliyo (q.v.under aṭala).--pūraka (adj.) one who completes the quorum (of a bhikkhus chapter) Vin.I,143 sq.; --bandhana in °ena dānaṁ datvā to give by co-operation,to give jointly DhA.II,160; --bhojana food prepared as a joint meal Vin.II,196; IV,71; V,128,135,205; --magga in °ena gaṇetuṁ to count by way of batches Vin.I,117; --vassika (adj.) through a great many years Sn.279; --saṅganika (adj.) coming into contact with one another DhA.I,162.(Page 240)