bhante
Bhante，[would correspond either to Sk．*bhavantaḥ （with ending °e as Māgadhism for °aḥ）=bhavān，or to P．bhadanta．In both cases we have a contraction．The expln bhante=bhadante （bhadantaḥ） is advocated by Pischel，Prk．Gr．§§ 165，366b，intimated also by Weber，Bhagavatī 156 n．3 （unable to explain --e）; the expln bhante=bhavantah （see bhavaṁ） by Geiger，P．Gr．983; hinted at by Weber Loc．cit．（bhavantaḥ=bhagavantaḥ）] Voc．of polite address：Sir，venerable Sir，used like bhadante．Either abs．as Voc．：Vin．I，76; D．II，154，283; J．II，111; III，46; Miln．19; or with another Voc．：Miln．25; or with other oblique cases，as with Nom．D．I，179; DhA．I，62．with Gen．D．I，179．（Page 498）