bh¬ta: [pp of bhavati...] grown, become; born, produced; nature as the result of becoming. -- The (exegetical) definition by Bdhgh of the word bh¬ta is interesting. He (at MA I.31) distingishes the foll. 7 meanings of the term: (1) animate Nature as principle, or the vital aggregates (the 5 Khandhas), with ref. M I.260 (2) ghosts (amanuss¤) Sn 222; (3) inanimate Nature as principle, or the Elements (the 4 dh¤tus) S III.101 (mah¤bh¬t¤); (4) all that exists, physical existence in general (vijjam¤na¸) Vin IV.25 (bhªta¸); (5) what we should call a simple predicative use, is exemplified by a typical dogmatic example. viz. "k¤laghaso bh¬to," where bh¬ta is given as meaning kh¨n¤sava (Arahant) J. II.260; (6) all beings or specified existence, animal kingdom (satt¤) D II.157; (7) the vegetable kingdom, plants, vegetation (rukkh'¤dayo) Vin Iv34 (as bh¬ta-g¤ma). -- Meanings: 1. bh¬t¤ and bh¬t¤ni (pl) beings, living beings, animate Nature Sn 35 (...tas¤ and th¤var¤...moveable and immovable (MO, meaning able to move and unable to move, mobile and immobile) S. II.47 mind and body as come-to-be; M I.2(MO: ? no explanation, meaning root concept?); The pl. nt. bh¬t¤ni is used as pl. to meaning 2; viz. inanimate Nature, elements, usually enumerated under term mah¤-bh¬t¤ni; 2. (nt.) nature, creation, world M 1.2 (bh¬te bh¬tato as¾j¤n¤ti; recognises the beings from nature, i.e. from the fact of being nature); 3. (nt. adj.) that which is, i.e. natural, genuine, true; nt. truth; neg. abh¬ta falsehood, lie; 4. a supernatural being, ghost, demon, Yakkha; pl. bh¬t¤ guardian genii (of a city) J. IV.245; 5. pp. in predicative use (cp. on this meaning Bdhgh's meaning No. 5 above) (a) what has been or happened; viz. m¤tu-bh¬ta¸ having been his mother...abh¬tapubba bh¬ta¸ what has never happened before happened (now); (b) having become such and such, being like, acting as, being qu¢si (as it' were), consisting of, e.g. andha° blind, as it were J. VI.139...
Bh¬: being, creature, living being
Bh¬² [fr. bh¬, otherwise bh¬mi] the earth