Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure
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List of Abbreviations

# akase padaj natthi samano natthi bahire

# papabcabhirata paja nippapabca tathagata

# (DhP 254)

Sentence Translation:

There are no tracks in the sky. There is not a true monk outside of this teaching.
Mankind delights in obsession. The Buddhas are free of obsession.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

akase padaj na atthi samano na atthi bahire
| | | | | | | |
N.m. N.n. neg. V.act.in. N.m. neg. V.act.in. Adv.
Loc.Sg. Nom.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres. Nom.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres. |
| | |______| | |______| |
|__________|________| | |_________|
|_____| |______________|

List of Abbreviations

papabca+abhirata paja nippapabca tathagata
| | | | |
N.m. Adj.f. N.f. Adj.m. N.m.
| Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Pl. Nom.Pl.
|___________| | |________|
|_____________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

akase: akasa-, N.m.: air, sky, space. Loc.Sg. = akase.

padaj: pada-, N.n.: track, path. Nom.Sg. = padaj.

na, neg.: not.

atthi, V.: is. The verb root is as- (to be). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = atthi.
Euphonic combination: na + atthi = natthi.

samano: samana-, N.m.: a recluse, a wandering ascetic, a monk (not only a Buddhist monk).
Nom.Sg. = samano.

natthi: see above (na + atthi).

bahire, Adv.: outside. It is the word bahira-, Adj.: external. Loc.Sg. = bahire. Here as an Adv.

List of Abbreviations

papabcabhirata: papabcabhirata-, Adj.: delighting in obsession. It is a compound of:
papabca-, N.m.: obsession, hindrance to spiritual progress.
abhirati-, N.f.: delight, content.
Euphonic combination: papabca- + abhirata- = papabcabhirata-.
Nom.Sg.f. = papabcabhirata.

paja: paja-, N.f.: beings, people, mankind. Nom.Sg. = paja.

nippapabca: nippapabca-, Adj.: without obsession, free of spiritual hindrances. It is the word papabca-, N.m. (see above) with the prefix ni- (without). Nom.Pl.m. = nippapabca.

tathagata: tathagata-, N.m.: an epithet of the Buddha. Lit. "thus gone", one who has reached Awakenment in this way (that is according to the Dharma). It is a compound of:
tatha, Adv. thus, in such way.
gata-, Adj.: gone. It is a p.p. of the verb gam- (to go).
Nom.Pl. = tathagata.

List of Abbreviations

This verse consists of four sentences. They are:
1) akase padaj natthi (there are no tracks in the sky). The subject is the noun padaj (track, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The verb has an attribute, the noun akase (in the sky, locative singular).
2) samano natthi bahire (there is not a true monk outside [of this teaching]). The subject is the noun samano (monk, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The verb has an attribute, the adverb bahire (outside).
3) papabcabhirata paja (mankind delights in obsession). The subject is the noun paja (mankind, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is the compound papabcabhirata (delighting in obsession, nominative singular).
4) nippapabca tathagata (the Buddhas are free of obsession). The subject is the noun tathagata (the Buddhas, nominative plural). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is the compound nippapabca (free of obsession, nominative plural).

Commentary:

The Buddha passed away in the town of Kusinara. At that time the ascetic named Subhadda stayed at Kusinara. He went to many religious teachers but none could satisfy his doubts and Subhadda did not become their pupil. Just before the Buddha died, Subhadda approached him and asked him some questions. The Buddha answered them in this verse (and the following one, DhP 255). Subhadda became a monk and later attained the Awakenment. He was the last direct pupil of the Buddha.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

akase
padaj
na
atthi
samano
bahire
papabcabhirata
papabca
abhirata
paja
nippapabca
tathagata
tatha
gata