Nimitta
					
					Nimitta,(nt.) [cp.Sk.nimitta,to mā,although etym.uncertain] 1.sign,omen,portent,prognostication D.I,9 (study of omens=n.satthaṁ DA.I,92,q.v.for detailed expln); J.I,11 (caturo nimitte nâddasaṁ); Miln.79,178.Esp.as pubba° signs preceding an event,portents,warnings,foreshadowings S.V,154,278,442; It.76 (cp.Divy 193,of the waning of a god); J.I,48,50 (32 signs before birth,some at DA.I,61),59; Miln.298; Vism.577.‹-› 2.outward appearance,mark,characteristic,attribute,phenomenon (opp.essence) D.III,249; A.I,256; III,319,375 sq.; IV,33,418 sq.; J.I,420; Ps.I,60,91 sq.,164,170; II,39,64; Vbh.193 sq.-- Mental reflex,image (with ref.to jhāna) Vism.123,cp.DhsA.167.-- Specified e.g.as foll.:oḷārika S.V,259; pasādaniya S.V,156; paccavekkhana° D.III,278; Vbh.334; bahiddhā-saṅkhārā° Ps.I,66 sq.; bāla° (opp.paṇḍita°) M.III,163; A.I,102; mukha° (=face) D.I,80; S.III,103; V,121; A.V,92,97 sq.,103; rūpa°,sadda° etc.S.III,10; M.I,296; Ps.I,92,112; samatha° D.III,213; samādhi° etc.A.I,256 sq.; subha° (& asubha°) S.V,64,103 sq.; A.I,3 sq.,87,200; V,134; Vism.178 sq.nimittaṁ gaṇhāti to make something the object of a thought,to catch up a theme for reflection Vin.I,183,cp.S.V,150 sq.(°ṁ uggaṇhāti); M.I,119 (=five sorts of mental images); Nd2 659; DhsA.53 (=ākāra).See below n-gāhin & animitta.‹-› nimittaṁ parivajjeti to discard the phenomenal S.I,188; Sn.341.-- 3.mark,aim:in nimittaṁ karoti to pick out the aim,to mark out J.V,436; Nd2 235,1d; Miln.418.‹-› 4.sexual organ (cp.lakkhaṇa) Vin.III,129 (n.& a°,as term of abuse); see also kāṭa & koṭacikā.-- 5.ground,reason,condition,in nimittena (Instr.) and nimittaṁ (Acc.) as adv.=by means of,on account of DhA.III,175 (Instr.) PvA.8,97 (jāti-nimittaṁ),106 (kiṁ n°ṁ=kissa hetu),242 (yaṁ n°ṁ=yato nidānaṁ).gahita-nimittena “by means of being caught” Vism.144=DhsA.116 (read trsln 154 accordingly!).adj.nimitta (-°) caused by,referring to PvA.64 (maraṇa-nimittaṁ rodanaṁ).-- animitta free from marks or attributes,not contaminated by outward signs or appearance,undefiled,unaffected,unconditioned (opp.sa°) S.I,188; IV,225 (phassa),268,360 (samādhi); M.I,296 (cetovimutti); A.I,82; III,292; IV,78; Vin.III,129; Th.1,92; D.III,219,249; Dh.92; Sn.342; Ps.I,60,91; II,36,59 sq.(vimokha),65 sq.,99; Dhs.530 (read a° for appa°); Vism.236; DhsA.223 (absence of the 3 lakkhaṇas); Miln.333,413; DhA.II,172; ThA.50.See also Cpd.199,2115.sanimitta S.V,213 sq.; A.I,82.
  --ânusārin following outward signs (=°gāhin) A.III,292; Nett 25; --kamma prognostication,prophecy Vin.V,172; Vbh.353; --karaṇa=gāhin S.IV,297; --gāhin “taking signs,” enticed or led away by outward signs,entranced with the general appearance,sensuously attracted D.I,70 (cp.Dialogues I.80); III,225; S.IV,104,168; A.II,16; III,99; V,348; Pug.20,24,58; Dhs.1345; Miln.367,403.Cp.Vism.151,209.(Page 367)