masculine; a+khaṇa · akkhaṇa 1 · akkhaṇa 2
Akkhaṇa [a + khaṇa, BHS akṣaṇa Avś I 291 = 332] wrong time, bad luck, misadventure, misfortune. There are 9 enumerated at D III 263; the usual set consists of 8; thus D III 287; Vv-a 193; Saddh 4 f. See also khaṇa. -vedhin (adjective/noun) a skilled archer, one who shoots on the moment, i.e. without losing time, explained as one who shoots without missing (the target) or as quickly as lightning (akkhaṇa = vijju). In various combinations; mostly as durepātin a. A I 284 (+ mahato kāyassa padāletā); II 170 f. (the same), 202; IV 423, 425; Ja II 91 (explained as either "avirādhita-vedhī" or "akkhaṇaṃ vuccati vijju": one who takes and shoots his arrows as fast as lightning), III 322; IV 494 (commentary explains aviraddha-vedhino vijju-ālokena vijjhana-samattha page 497). In other combination at Ja I 58 (akkhaṇavedhin + vālavedhin); V 129 (the 4 kinds of archers: a., vālavedhin, saddavedhin and saravedhin). In BHS we find akṣuṇṇavedha (a Sanskritised Pāli form, cf. Mathurā kṣuṇa = Sanskrit kṣaṇa) at Divy 58, 100, 442 (always with dūrevedha), where mss however read akṣuṇa°; also at Lal 178. See Divy index, where translation is given as "an act of throwing the spear so as to graze the mark" (Schiefner gives "Streifschuss"). Note: The explanations are not satisfactory. We should expect either an etymology bearing on the meaning "hitting the centre of the target" (i.e. its "eye") (cf. English bull's eye), in which case a direct relation to akkha = akkhi eye would not seem improbable (cf. formation ikkhana) or an etymology like "hitting without mishap", in which case the expression would be derived directly from akkhaṇa (see preceding) with the omission of the negative an-; akkhaṇa in the meaning of "lightning" (Ja II 91 commentary) is not supported by literary evidence.
the wrong time, the wrong moment; especially an inopportune moment to be born as a man, birth in unfavorable circumstances (when one cannot take advantage of a Buddha being in the world)
【陽】 不適當的時間。akkhaṇā,【陰】 閃電。~vedhī,【陽】射箭快如閃電，或所射出之箭只輕擦目標的箭手。
(masc, masc) target; mark; butt
(masc, masc, from na khaṇa) inappropriate time; wrong moment; inopportune occasion inappropriate time; wrong moment; in-opportune time Construction: na > a + khaṇa