neuter
- originally raw meat; hence prevailing notion of “raw unprepared, uncultivated”; thus -khāra raw lye Vin.i.206.
- “fleshy, of the flesh” (as opposed to mind or spirit), hence material, physical; generally in opposition to dhamma (see dhamma B 1a. and also next no.) thus at MN.i.12 (˚dāyāda); Iti.101 (id.); AN.i.91 = Iti.98 (˚dāna material gifts opp. to spiritual ones); Dhs.1344 (˚paṭisanthāra hospitality towards bodily needs, cp. Dhs trsl. 350).
- food, esp. palatable food (cp. E. sweetmeat); food for enjoyment, dainties Vin.ii.269 sq.; Ja.ii.6; Mil.413 (lok˚); DN-a.i.83 (˚sannidhi),
- bait SN.i.67 SN.iv.158; Ja.iv.57, Ja.iv.219; Ja.vi.416; DN-a.i.270.
- gain, reward, money, douceur, gratuity, “tip” Pv-a.36, Pv-a.46; esp in phrase -kiñcikkha-hetu for the sake of some (little gain SN.ii.234; AN.i.128; AN.v.265, AN.v.283 sq., AN.v.293 sq.; Pp.29; Pv.ii.8#3 (= kiñci āmisaṃ patthento Pv-a.107); Mil.93; Vv-a.241 (= bhogahetu).
- enjoyment Pv.ii.8#2 (= kāmāmise-laggacitto Pv-a.107).
- greed, desire, lust Vin.i.303 (˚antara out of greed, selfish, opp. mettacitto); AN.iii.144 (id.), AN.iii.184 (id.); AN.i.73 (˚garū parisā); Ja.v.91 (˚cakkhu); Pts.ii.238 (mār˚). See also compounds with nir˚ and sa˚.
der. fr. āma raw, q.v. for etym
■ Vedic āmis (m.); later Sk. āmiṣa (nt.), both in lit. & fig. meaning