Sign. From the Latin signum, the term originally meant a verbal signal. The medieval philosopher William of Occam distinguished conventional signs, i.e., words as presented to us in speech or writing, from natural signs, i.e., those signs the meanings of which relate to the effects that objects have on us. The American philosopher Charles Peirce distinguished many kinds of signs, primarily dividing them into three main kinds: (1) icons, which carry their meaning with them; (2) indices, which call attention to their meaning; and (3) symbols, upon the meaning of which we arbitrarily agree in advance. Usage, however, varies. See also Symbol.

Geddes MacGregor, Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy, New York: Paragon House, 1989

sign : (nt.) lakkhaṇa; lañchana; abhiññāṇa; iṅgita; viññāpana. (f.) viññatti. (m.) visesadhaja. (v.i.) 1. hatthalañchaṃ patiṭṭhāpeti. (v.t.) viññāpeti; saññaṃ deti. (pp.) patiṭṭhāpitahatthalañca; viññapita; dinnasañña.

A.P. Buddhadatta Mahathera, Concise Pali-English and English-Pali Dictionary [available as digital version from Metta Net, Sri Lanka]

rtags

[tenses]

• brtag
• rtog
• brtags
• rtags

[translation-san] {LCh,C,MSA} liṅga

[translation-san] {L} nimitta

[translation-eng] {Hopkins} verb: to examine noun: reason; sign; conceptuality; thought; conceptual consciousness; imputation; logical mark

[translation-eng] {C} characteristic; token; mark; {GD:697} evidence

example

• [bod] rtags ma grub
• [eng] the reason is not established

example

• [bod] don sgrub kyi rtags
• [eng] sign proving the meaning

Jeffrey Hopkins' Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Dictionary

ltas

[translation-san] {LCH} nimitta

[translation-eng] {Hopkins} directed; sign; omen

Jeffrey Hopkins' Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Dictionary