bhikkhu

substantif (masculin) : “moine” bouddhiste (“mendiant”)

• déclinaison : thème en -u (voir ci-dessous)
• étymologie : skt. bhikṣu ⇐ bhikṣ désidératif de bhaj ; cf. bhajati
• commentaire : la traduction habituelle par “moine mendiant” ne semble guère appropriée si l'on se réfère à l'étymologie du terme. La racine bhaj évoque plutôt l'idée de recevoir en partage parce qu'il y a en suffisance. On pourrait en déduire que le bhikkhu est celui qui reçoit en offrande les “quatre nécessités” (nourriture, habillement, logement et médicaments) de la part de ceux qui possèdent suffisamment. L'idée de mendicité, en revanche, est formellement contraire aux prescriptions du Vinaya qui interdit au bhikkhu de rien demander mais de se contenter de ce qu'il reçoit.

bhikkhu [cp. later Sk. bhikṣu, fr. bhikṣ] an almsman, a mendicant, a Buddhist monk or priest.
‹-› Nom．sg．bhikkhu freq．passim; Vin．III，40 （vuḍḍhapabbajita）; A．I，78 （thera bh．，an elder bh．; and nava bh．a young bh．）; III，299 （id．）; IV，25 （id．）; Sn．276，360，411 sq．，915 sq．，1041，1104; Dh．31，266 sq．，364 sq．，378; Vv 801; Acc．bhikkhuṃ Vin．III，174; Dh．362，& bhikkhunaṃ Sn．87，88，513; Gen．Dat．bhikkhuno A．I，274; Sn．221，810，961; Dh．373; Pv．I，1010; & bhikkhussa A．I，230; Vin．III，175; Instr．bhikkhunā Sn．389．pl．Nom．bhikkhū Vin．II，150; III，175; D．III，123; Vism．152 （in sim．）; VbhA．305 （compared with amaccaputtā） & bhikkhavo Sn．384，573; Dh．243，283; Acc．bhikkhu Sn．p．78; M．I，84; Vv 2210; & bhikkhavo Sn．384，573; Gen．Dat．bhikkhūnaṃ Vin．III，285; D．III，264; Sn．1015; Pv．II，17; & bhikkhunaṃ S．I，190; Th．1，1231; Instr．bhikkhūhi Vin．III，175; Loc．bhikkhūsu A．IV，25，& bhikkhusu Th．1，241，1207; Dh．73; Voc．bhikkhave （a Māgadhī form of Nom．bhikkhavaḥ） Vin．III，175; Sn．p．78; VvA．127; PvA．8，39，166; & bhikkhavo Sn．280，385．
There are several allegorical etymologies (definitions) of the word bhikkhu, which occur frequently in the commentaries. All are fanciful interpretations of the idea of what a bhikkhu is or should be, and these qualities were sought and found in the word itself. Thus we mention here the foll. (a) bhikkhu=bhinnakilesa (“one who has broken the stains” i. e. of bad character) VbhA 328; VvA 29, 114, 310; PvA 51. ↔ (b) Another more explicit explnis “sattannaṃ dhammānaṃ bhinnattā bhikkhu” (because of the breaking or destroying of 7 things, viz. the 7 bad qualities, leading to rebirth, consisting of sakkāyadiṭṭhi, vicikicchā, sīlabbata – parāmāsa, rāga, dosa, moha, māna). This def. at Nd1 70=Nd2 477a. – © Whereas in a & b the first syllable bhi( – kkhu) is referred to bhid, in this def. it is referred to bhī (to fear), with the further reference of (bh – ) ikkh(u) to īkṣ (to see), and bhikkhu defined as “saṃsāre bhayaṃ ikkhati ti bh.” Vism 3, 16 (saṃsāre bhayaṃ ikkhaṇatāya vā bhinna – paṭa – dharaditāya vā). – A very comprehensive def. of the term is found at Vbh 245 – 246, where bhikkhu – ship is established on the ground of 18 qualities (beginning with samaññāya bhikkhu, paṭiññāya bh., bhikkhatī ti bh., bhikkhako ti bh., bhikkhācariyaṃ ajjhupagato ti bh., bhinna – paṭa – dharo ti bh., bhindati pāpake dhamme ti bh., bhinnattā pāpakānaṃ dhammānan ti bh. etc. etc.). – This passage is expld in detail at VbhA 327, 328. – Two kinds of bhikkhus are distinguished at Ps i.176; Nd1 465=Nd2 477b, viz. kalyāṇa[ – ka – ]puthujjana (a layman of good character) and sekkha (one in training), for which latter the term paṭilīnacara (one who lives in elimination, i. e. in keeping away from the dangers of worldly life) is given at Nd1 130 (on Sn 810).

bhikṣu [agt. bhikṣ] m. mendiant | soc. homme au 4e stade de la vie brâhmanique [āśrama], mendiant errant, ascétique; le puruṣārtha associé est mokṣa; cf. sannyāsin | bd. moine bouddhiste, vivant d'aumônes

bhikṣ [dés. bhaj] v. pr. md. (bhikṣate) pft. (bibhikṣe) pp. (bhikṣita) demander qqc. <acc. g.> à qqn. <acc. abl.> | mendier, quêter, demander l'aumône.