[INDOLOGY] meaning of tantu

[Buchta, David]

Hi,

The first part of the sentence you quoted (guṇas tv āvṛtti-tantuṣu) is from
a lexicon, though I am not sure immediately which one. So, rather than
āvṛtti and tantu being coordinated meanings like "warp" and "weft," they
are simply two unrelated meanings in which the word *guṇa* occurs, namely
"repetition," i.e. "multiplication" (āvṛtti) and "thread" (tantu), with no
particular specificity in the latter case of which kind of thread in a
woven fabric.

"Thread" is, of course, a simple sense of *guṇa*, and one sees in
mathematical literature that *guṇa* is the word used for multiplication.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Dave
--
David Buchta, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit
Department of Classics
Brown University


On Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 10:55 AM Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear colleague,
>
> I believe that the tantu should be the warp of a woven textile and
> the āvṛtti the weft; the thread, guṇa "referred to in this case" atra being
> the latter.
>
> but perhaps others will have a better understanding of it,
> Matthew
>
> Matthew T. Kapstein
> Professor emeritus
> Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, PSL Research University, Paris
>
> Associate
> The University of Chicago Divinity School
>
> Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
>
> https://ephe.academia.edu/MatthewKapstein
>
> https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/
>
>
> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1
>
>
> https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1
>
> https://brill.com/edcollbook/title/60949
>
> Sent with Proton Mail <https://proton.me/mail/home> secure email.
>
> On Friday, September 12th, 2025 at 4:31 PM, François Patte via INDOLOGY <
> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>
> Bonjour,
>
> Is there a technical meaning for the word "tantu"? I came accross this
> word in this sentence:
>
> guṇas tv āvṛttitantuṣv ity abhidhānād guṇaśabdo 'trāvṛttau vartate
>
> Thank you.
>
> François Patte
>
>
>
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