Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure
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List of Abbreviations

# papani parivajjeti sa muni tena so muni

# yo munati ubho loke muni tena pavuccati

# (DhP 269)

Sentence Translation:

The sage who avoids evil is called a sage because of that.
One, who understands both worlds, is called a sage on account of that.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

papani parivajjeti sa muni tena so muni
| | | | | | |
N.n. V.act.caus. Pron.m. N.m. Pron. Pron.m. N.m.
Acc.Pl. 3.Sg.pres. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Ins.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|__________| |________| |______|________|
|_________________| |___|
|________________________|

List of Abbreviations

yo munati ubho loke muni tena pavuccati
| | | | | | |
Rel.Pron.m. V.act.in. Adj.m. N.m. N.m. Pron. V.pas.in.
Nom.Sg. 3.Sg.pres. Acc.Du. Acc.Pl. Nom.Sg. Ins.Sg. 3.Sg.pres.
| | |_______| | |_______|
| |___________| |__________|
|___________________| |
|_______________________________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

papani: papa-, Adj.: evil, wrong. As an N.n.: evil, wrong doing. Acc.Pl. = papani.

parivajjeti, V.: avoids, keeps away from. The verb root is vajj- (to avoid) with the prefix pari- (all around). 3.Sg.act.caus.pres. = parivajjeti.

sa: tad-, Pron.n.: it. Nom.Sg.m. = sa (the more usual form is so).

muni: muni-, N.m.: sage, a wise man (originally one who keeps the vow of silence). Nom.Sg. = muni. The form muni is sometimes used in poetry.

tena: tad-, Pron.: it. Ins.Sg.n. = tena (by it, because of it).

so: tad-, Pron.n.: it. Nom.Sg.m. = so.

muni: see above.

List of Abbreviations

yo: yad-, Rel.Pron.: that which. Nom.Sg.m. = yo.

munati, V.: knows, understands. The etymology of this word is doubtful. It is probably derived from the word muni- (see above). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = munati.

ubho: ubha-, Adj.: both. Acc.Du.m. = ubho. This is a rare remnant of dual in Pali.

loke: loka-, N.m.: world. Acc.Pl. = loke.

muni: see above.

tena: see above.

pavuccati, V,: is called. It is a passive form of the verb root vac- (to say), with the strengthening prefix pa-. 3.Sg.pas.in.pres. = pavuccati.

List of Abbreviations

This verse consists of two syntactically separate sentences. They are:
1) papani parivajjeti sa muni tena so muni (the sage who avoids evil is called a sage because of that). This can be further analysed into two parts:
a) papani parivajjeti sa muni (the sage who avoids evil). There are two subjects, the pronoun so (he, nominative singular) and the noun muni (sage, nominative singular). The verb is parivajjeti (avoids, 3rd person, singular, active, causative, present tense). The object is the noun papani (evils, accusative plural).
b) tena so muni (is called a sage because of that). The subject is the pronoun so (he, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". It has an attribute, the pronoun tena (because of that, instrumental singular). The object is the noun muni (sage, nominative singular).
2) yo munati ubho loke muni tena pavuccati (one, who understands both worlds, is called a sage on account of that). This sentence can be further analysed into two parts:
a) yo munati ubho loke (one, who understands both worlds). The subject is the relative pronoun yo (who, nominative singular). The verb is munati (understands, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). The object is the noun loke (worlds, accusative plural). It has an attribute, the adjective ubho (both, accusative dual).
b) muni tena pavuccati (is called a sage on account of that). The subject is omitted; the verb implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb is pavuccati (is called, 3rd person, singular, passive, indicative, present tense). The object is the noun muni (sage, nominative singular).

Commentary:

The story for this verse is identical with the one for the previous verse (DhP 268).
Silence does not necessarily mean wisdom. Sometimes one can keep silent only because one has nothing to say, or out of stupidity and not understanding what is going on. One who understands the reality of this world and the next one, who does not cling to anything and has discarded evil, can be truly called a sage.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

papani
parivajjeti
sa
muni
tena
so
yo
munati
ubho
loke
pavuccati