neuter
- seed, germ, semen, spawn. Used very frequently in figurative sense: see on similes J.P.T.S. 1907, 116
■ DN.i.135 (˚bhatta seed-corn food); DN.iii.44 (the five kinds: see below under ˚gāma) MN.i.457; SN.i.21, SN.i.134, SN.i.172, SN.i.227; SN.iii.54, SN.iii.91; SN.iv.315; AN.i.32 (ucchu˚), AN.i.135, AN.i.223, AN.i.229, AN.i.239; AN.iii.404; AN.iv.237, AN.v.213 (ucchu˚); Snp.77 (saddhā bījaṃ tapo vuṭṭhi, cp Snp-a.142 sq., where a detailed discussion on bīja is found), Snp.209, Snp.235 (khīṇa˚ adj. fig.); Ja.i.242 (tiṇa˚-ādīni grass and other seeds), Ja.i.281; Pv.i.1#1; Vism.555 (in simile); Kp-a.194 (on Snp.235, in another comparison) Sdhp.24, Sdhp.270 sq., Sdhp.318. nibbatta˚; (or nivatta˚) (adj.) that which has dropped its seed (hence a lawful food) Vin.i.215, cp. Vin.ii.109; Vin.iv.35. - element, in udaka˚; whose element is the water Ja.vi.160.
-gāma seed-group, seed-kingdom, seed-creation (opp bhūta-gāma). There are 5 kinds of seeds usually enumerated, e.g. at DN.i.5 (explained at DN-a.i.77, translation at Dial. i.6 and passim), viz. mūla˚, khandha˚, phalu˚, agga˚ bija˚, or plants propagated by roots, cuttings, joints buddings, shoots, seeds (Dial. iii.40: tubers, shoots berries, joints, seeds). The same set occurs at DN.iii.44 DN.iii.47; Vin.iv.34; Snp-a.144
■ Without ref. to the 5 kinds at MN.iii.34; SN.v.46; Mil.33. -jāta species of seed SN.iii.54. -bīja one of the 5 groups of edible or useful plants, falling under bījagāma. It is explained at Vin.iv.35 & DN-a.i.81 by the terms pubbaṇṇa (i.e. the seven dhaññāni or grains, sāli, vīhi, yava, godhūma, kangu varaka, kudrūsa) and aparaṇṇa (i.e. beans and other leguminous plants, and gourds such as mugga, māsa tila, kulattha, alābu, kumbhaṇḍa). -sakaṭa a cart (-load) of seeds Snp-a.137.
cp. Vedic bīja