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List of Abbreviations

# etaj kho saranaj khemaj etaj saranam uttamaj

# etaj saranam agamma sabbadukkha pamuccati

# (DhP 192)

Sentence Translation:

This refuge is safe; this refuge is supreme.
Having come to such a refuge, one will be free from all suffering.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

etaj kho saranaj khemaj etaj saranam uttamaj
| | | | | | |
Pron.n. part. N.n. Adj.n. Pron.n. N.n. Adj.n.
Nom.Sg. | Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|_________| | | |_______| |
|__________| | |___________|
|_____________|

List of Abbreviations

etaj saranam agamma sabba+dukkha pamuccati
| | | | | |
Pron.n. N.n. V.ger. Adj. N.n. V.pas.in.
Acc.Sg. Acc.Sg. | | Abl.Sg. 3.Sg.pres.
|__________| | |______| |
|____________| |__________|
|____________________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

etaj: etad-, Pron.: this. Neuter: etaj. Nom.Sg. = etaj.
Euphonic combination: na + etaj = n'etaj.

kho, part.: indeed.

saranaj: sarana-, N.n.: refuge. Nom.Sg. = saranaj.

khemaj: khema-, N.n.: safe, calm, peaceful. Nom.Sg.n. = khemaj.

etaj: see above.

saranam: see above (saranaj).

uttamaj: uttama-, Adj.: highest, supreme. Nom.Sg.n. = uttamaj.

List of Abbreviations

etaj: see above. Here Acc.Sg.

saranam: see above. Here Acc.Sg.

agamma, V.ger.: having come. The verb root is gam- (to go) with the prefix a- (towards).

sabbadukkha: sabbadukkha-, N.n.: all suffering. It is a compound of:
sabba-, Adj.: all.
dukkha-, N.n.: sorrow, pain, suffering.
Abl.Sg. = sabbadukkha.

pamuccati, V.: to be released, to be freed. The verb root is muc- (to be released) with the strengthening prefix pa-. 3.Sg.pas.in.pres. = pamuccati.

List of Abbreviations

This verse consists of three syntactically separate sentences. They are:
1) etaj kho saranaj khemaj (this refuge is safe). The subject is the noun saranaj (refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaj (this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is the adjective khemaj (safe, nominative singular). The particle kho (indeed) serves mainly for metrical purposes.
2) etaj saranam uttamaj (this refuge is supreme). The subject is the noun saranam (refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaj (this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is the adjective uttamaj (supreme, nominative singular).
3) etaj saranam agamma sabbadukkha pamuccati (having come to such a refuge, one will be free from all suffering). This can be further analysed into the main sentence b) and the clause a):
a) etaj saranam agamma (having come to such a refuge). The subject is omitted; the verb pamuccati from the main sentence implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb is in the gerund, agamma (having come). The object is the noun saranam (to the refuge, accusative singular) with its attribute, the pronoun etaj (to this, accusative singular).
b) sabbadukkha pamuccati (one will be free from all suffering). The subject is omitted; the verb implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb is pamuccati (is freed, 3rd person, singular, passive, indicative, present tense). The verb has an attribute, the compound sabbadukkha (from all suffering, ablative singular).

Commentary:

The story for this verse is identical with the one for the preceding verses (DhP 188, DhP 189, DhP 190, DhP 191).
Because the Buddha is free from the round of rebirths, his teaching can lead us in the same direction. And in the community of his followers we can help each other to reach this goal. Then we will be able to see the Four Noble Truths and lead our lives according to the Noble Eightfold Path. If we mindfully strive for the highest goal, surely we will reach it.
Therefore, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are the highest possible refuge, because by following them, we can attain the Awakenment and reach freedom from suffering and the round of rebirths.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

etaj
kho
sara n a j
khemaj
uttamaj
agamma
sabbadukkha
sabba
dukkha
pamuccati