gaṇā

1. in special sense: a meeting or a chapter of (two or three bhikkhus, a company (opposed both to sangha, the order & puggala, the individual) Vin.i.58, Vin.i.74, Vin.i.195, Vin.i.197 Vin.ii.170, Vin.ii.171; Vin.iv.130, Vin.iv.216, Vin.iv.226, Vin.iv.231, Vin.iv.283, Vin.iv.310, Vin.iv.316, Vin.iv.317 Vin.v.123, Vin.v.167
2. in general: a crowd, a multitude, a great many. See compounds
as-˚: a collection of, viz. of gods, men, animals or things; a multitude, mass flock, herd; host, group, cluster
1. deva˚ Ja.i.203; Dhp-a.iii.441; Pv-a.140 (˚parivuta); pisāca˚ SN.i.33 tidasa˚ Snp.679
2. amacca˚ suite of ministers Ja.i.264; ariya˚ troup of worthies Ja.vi.50; naranarī˚ crowds of men & women Mil.2; dāsi˚ a crowd of servants Ja.ii.127; tāpasa˚ a group of ascetics Ja.i.140 (˚parivuta) bhikkhu˚ Ja.i.212 (˚parivuta)
3. dvija˚ Ja.i.152 dija˚ Pv.ii.12#4; sakuṇa˚, of birds Ja.i.207; Ja.ii.352; go˚ of cows AN.i.229; AN.v.347, AN.v.359; Ja.ii.128; kākola˚, of ravens Snp.675; bhamarā˚, of bees Ja.i.52; miga˚ of beasts Ja.i.150
4. taru˚ a cluster of trees Pv-a.154; tāra˚ a host of stars AN.i.215; Pv.ii.9#67; with ref. to the books of the Canon: Suttantika˚ & Ābhidhammika˚ Vism.93.

-ācariya “a teacher of a crowd,” i.e. a t. who has (many) followers. Always in phrase sanghī ca gaṇī ca ganācariyo ca, and always with ref. either to Gotama DN.i.116; MN.ii.3; or to the 6 chief sectarian leaders, as Pūraṇa Kassapa, etc.: DN.i.47, DN.i.163; SN.i.68; SN.iv.398; MN.i.198, MN.i.227, MN.i.233; MN.ii.2; Snp.p.91; cp. DN-a.i.143. In general: Mil.4.
-ārāma (adj.) &
-ārāmatā in phrase gaṇārāmo gaṇarato gaṇārāmataṃ anuyutto: a lover of the crowd AN.iii.422 sq.; MN.iii.110 = Nd ii.on Snp.54
-gaṇin the leader of many, epithet of Bhagavā Cnd.307
-(ṃ)gaṇupāhanā (pl.) shoes with many linings Vin.i.185 Vin.i.187; cp. Vin. Texts ii.14. See also Bdhgh. on aṭaliyo (q.v. under aṭala).
-pūraka (adj.) one who completes the quorum (of a bhikkhus chapter) Vin.i.143 sq.

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