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@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

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On Friday, September 12th, 2025 at 4:31 PM, François Patte via INDOLOGY <indology@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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