One who pacifies all evils, small and great — by pacifying evils, one is called an ascetic.

Yo ca sameti pāpāni aṇuṃ thūlāni sabbaso — one who pacifies all evils, small and great: sameti is to pacify, calm. Aṇu is small; thūla is large. Pacification must be complete, leaving no residue.

Samitattā hi pāpānaṃ samaṇoti pavuccati — by pacifying evils, one is called an ascetic: the popular etymology of samaṇa (ascetic) derives from samita (pacified, calmed). The true ascetic is one who has pacified impurities, not one who has adopted an external appearance.

This etymological redefinition is a frequent pedagogical device in the Pāli canon. By connecting the word with its deep meaning, the text corrects superficial understanding.