Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure
Vocabulary&Grammar | Commentary | Pronunciation

List of Abbreviations

# natthi ragasamo aggi natthi dosasamo gaho

# natthi mohasamaj jalaj natthi tanhasama nadi

# (DhP 251)

Sentence Translation:

There is no fire like passion. There is no grasp like hatred.
There is no net like delusion. There is no river like thirst.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

na atthi raga+samo aggi na atthi dosa+samo gaho
| | | | | | | | | |
neg. V.act.in. N.m. Adj.m. N.m. neg. V.act.in. N.m. Adj.m. N.m.
| 3.Sg.pres. | Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres. | Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|_______| |_____| | |______| |_____| |
| |__________| | |__________|
|_________________| |________________|

List of Abbreviations

na atthi moha+samaj jalaj na atthi tanha+sama nadi
| | | | | | | | | |
neg. V.act.in. N.m. Adj.n. N.n. neg. V.act.in. N.f. Adj.f. N.f.
| 3.Sg.pres. | Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres. | Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|_______| |______| | |_____| |_____| |
| |__________| | |__________|
|__________________| |_________________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

na, neg.: not.

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

ragasamo: ragasama-, Adj.: equal to passion, like passion. It is a compound of:
raga-, N.m.: passion, lust. It is derived from the verb raj- (to color).
sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.m. = ragasamo.

aggi: aggi-, N.m.: fire. Nom.Sg. = aggi.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

List of Abbreviations

dosasamo: dosasama-, Adj.: equal to hatred, like hatred. It is a compound of:
dosa-, N.m.: ill-will, hatred, anger.
sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.m. = dosasamo.

gaho: gaha-, N.m.: seizing, grasping, an object having a hold upon people. It is derived from the verb root gah- (to grasp). Nom.Sg. = gaho.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

mohasamaj: mohasama-, Adj.: equal to delusion, like delusion. It is a compound of:
moha-, N.m.: delusion, bewilderment. Derived from the verb muh- (to get bewildered).
sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.n. = mohasamaj.

List of Abbreviations

jalaj: jala-, N.n.: snare, net. Nom.Sg. = jalaj.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

tanhasama: tanhasama-, Adj.: equal to thirst, like thirst. It is a compound of:
tanha-, N.f.: thirst, craving.
sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.f. = tanhasama.

nadi: nadi-, N.f.: river. Nom.Sg. = nadi.

List of Abbreviations

This verse consists of four syntactically separate sentences. They are:
1) natthi ragasamo aggi (there is no fire like passion). The subject is the noun aggi (fire, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound ragasamo (like passion, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
2) natthi dosasamo gaho (there is no grasp like hatred). The subject is the noun gaho (grasp, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound dosasamo (like hatred, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
3) natthi mohasamaj jalaj (there is no net like delusion). The subject is the noun jalaj (net, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound mohasama (like delusion, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
4) natthi tanhasama nadi (there is no river like thirst). The subject is the noun nadi (river, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound tanhasama (like thirst, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).

Commentary:

Once there were five lay followers listening to the Buddha's discourse. One of them was sleeping, the second one was scratching the ground with his hands, the third was shaking a tree and the fourth was looking up at the sky. But the fifth one listened carefully and respectfully. Ananda saw them and after the discourse was over he asked the Buddha about their behavior.
The Buddha explained that the first one was a snake in his previous life therefore he liked to sleep. The second one was a subterranean animal, the third was a monkey and the fourth one was an astrologer. But the fifth one was a learned man; therefore he was able to listen with attention.
Ananda then asked what things prevent people from listening and understanding the Dharma. The Buddha replied with this verse, saying it is passion, hatred, delusion and thirst.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

na
atthi
ragasamo
raga
samo
aggi
dosasamo
dosa
gaho
mohasamaj
moha
samaj
jalaj
tanhasama
tanha
sama
nadi