adjective noun wonderful, surprising strange, marvellous DN.ii.155; MN.i.79; MN.iii.118, MN.iii.125, MN.iii.144 (an˚); SN.iv.371; AN.i.181; Mil.28, Mil.253; Dhp-a.iii.171; Pv-a.121; Vv-a.71 (an˚). As nt. often in exclamations how wonderful! what a marvel! Ja.i.223, Ja.i.279; Ja.iv.138 Ja.vi.94 (a. vata bho); Dhp-a.iv.51 (aho a.); Vv-a.103 (aho ti acchariyatthena nipāto). Thus freq. combd. with abbhutaṃ = how wonderful & strange, marvellous, beyond comprehension, e.g. DN.i.2, DN.i.60, DN.i.206, DN.i.210; DN.ii.8; and in phrase acchariyā abbhutā dhammā strange & wonderful things, i.e. wonderful signs, portents marvels, MN.iii.118 MN.iii.125; AN.iv.198; Mil.8; also as adj. in phrase acchariyaabbhuta-(citta-)jātā with their hearts full of wonder and surprise Dhp-a.iv.52; Pv-a.6, Pv-a.50
■ See also acchera accheraka.
cp. Sk. āścarya since Upanishads of uncertain etym
■ The conventional etym. of Pāli grammarians connects it with accharā1 (which is prob. correct & thus reduces Sk. āścarya to a Sanskritisation of acchariya) viz. Dhammapāla: anabhiṇha-ppavattitāya accharāpaharaṇa-yoggaṃ that which happens without a moment’s notice, at the snap of a finger; i.e. causally unconnected (cp. Goth. silda-leiks in similar meaning) Vv-a.329; and Buddhaghosa: accharā-yoggan ti acchariyaṃ accharaṃ paharituṃ yuttan ti attho DN-a.i.43