adjective noun
- (adj.)
- of time: the first, foremost Dpvs.iv.13 (saṅgahaṃ first collection). See cpds
- of space: the highest, topmost, Ja.i.52 (˚sākhā)
- of quality: illustrious, excellent, the best, highest, chief Vin.iv.232 (agga-m-agga) most excellent, DN.ii.4: SN I.29 (a sattassa Sambuddha); AN.ii.17 = Pv.iv.3#47 (lokassa Buddho aggo [A: aggaṃ] pavuccati); Iti.88, Iti.89; Snp.875 (suddhi) Pv-a.5. Often combd. with seṭṭha (best), e.g. DN.ii.15; SN.iii.83, SN.iii.264.
- (nt.) top, point.
- lit.: the top or tip (nearly always-˚); as ār˚; point of an awl Snp.625 Snp.631; Dhp.401; kus˚; tip of a blade of grass Dhp.70; Sdhp.349; tiṇ˚; id Pv-a.241; dum˚; top of a tree Ja.ii.155 dhaj˚; of a banner SN.i.219; pabbat˚; of a mountain Sdhp.352; sākh˚; of a branch Pv-a.157; etc
- fig. the best part, the ideal, excellence, prominence, first place often to be trsl. as adj. the highest, best of all etc. SN.ii.29 (aggena aggassa patti hoti: only the best attain to the highest); Mhvs.7, Mhvs.26. Usually as-˚; e.g. dum˚; the best of trees, an excellent tree Vv.35#41 (cp. Vv-a.161) dhan˚; plenty DN.iii.164; madhur˚; SN.i.41, SN.i.161, SN.i.237; bhav˚ the best existence SN.iii.83; rūp˚; extraordinary beauty Ja.i.291; lābh˚; highest gain Ja.iii.127; sambodhi-y-agga highest wisdom Snp.693 (= sabbaññuta-ñāṇan Snp-a.489 the best part or quality of anything, in enumn of the five “excellencies” of first-fruits (panca aggāni, after which the N. Pañcaggadāyaka), viz. khettaggan rās˚ koṭṭh˚ kumbhi bhojan˚ Snp-a.270. sukh˚; perfect bliss Sdhp.243. Thus freq. in phrase aggaṃ akkhāyati to deserve or receive the highest praise, to be the most excellent DN.i.124; SN.iii.156, SN.iii.264; AN.ii.17 (Tathāgato); Iti.87 (id.); Cnd.517 D (appamādo); Mil.183.
- Cases as adv.: aggena (instr.) in the beginning, beginning from, from (as prep.) by (id.) Vin.ii.167. (aggena gaṇhāti to take from, to subtract, to find the difference; Kern Toev. s. v. unnecessarily changes aggena into agghena), Vin.ii.257 (yadaggena at the moment when o