Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure
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List of Abbreviations

# na silabbatamattena bahusaccena va pana

# atha va samadhilabhena vivittasayanena va

# (DhP 271)

Sentence Translation:

Not by mere rules and rituals, nor by great knowledge,
nor by attaining concentration, nor by having a solitary dwelling,
[continued in DhP 272]

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

na sila+bbata+mattena bahu+saccena va pana
| | | | | | | |
neg. N.n. N.m. Adj.n. Adj. Adj.n. conj. part.
| |_____| Ins.Sg. | Ins.Sg. |____|
| |________| |______| |
| |_____________| |
| |________________|
| |____________________________________
|__________________________________________|
|__________________________________[continued in DhP 272]

List of Abbreviations

atha va samadhi+labhena vivitta+sayanena va
| | | | | | |
Adv. conj. N.m. N.m. Adj. N.n. conj.
|______| | Ins.Sg. | Ins.Sg. |
| |_______| |_______| |
|___________| |_________|
|________________________|
_____________________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

na, neg.: not.

silabbatamattena: silabbatamatta-, Adj.: only rules and rituals. It is a compound of:
sila-, N.n.: rule, virtue.
bata-, N.m.: religious duty, ritual, precept.
matta-, Adj.: measure, just only, mere.
Euphonic combination: sila- + bata- = silabbata-.
Ins.Sg.n. = silabbatamattena.

bahusaccena: bahusacca-, N.n.: great learning, profound knowledge. It is derived from the word bahusacca-, Adj.: of great learning. This word is derived from:
bahu-, Adj.: large, much, very.
sacca- or suta-, Adj.: heard. It is a p.p. of the verb root su- (to hear).
Ins.Sg. = bahusaccena.

List of Abbreviations

va, conj.: or.

pana, part.: indeed.

atha, Adv.: and also, and then.

va: see above.

samadhilabhena: samadhilabha-, N.m.: attaining of concentration of mind. It is a compound of:
samadhi-, N.m.: concentration, firmness of mind. It is derived from the verb root dha-, to put, with the prefixes saj-, together and a-, towards.
labha-, N.m.: gain, possession.
Ins.Sg. = samadhilabhena.

List of Abbreviations

vivittasayanena: vivittasayana-, N.n.: solitary dwelling. It is a compound of:
vivitta-, Adj.: separate, solitary, secluded. It is a p.p. of the verb root vic- (to separate) with the prefix vi- (away, from).
sayana-, N.n.: bed, couch.
Ins.Sg. = vivittasayanena.

va: see above.

List of Abbreviations

This verse contains only attributes to the verb of the following sentence (see DhP 272). This verb is negated by the negative particle na (not) in this sentence. The attributes are:
1) silabbatamattena (by mere rules and rituals, instrumental singular).
2) bahusaccena va pana (or by great knowledge). The attribute is the compound bahusaccena (by great knowledge, instrumental singular). It is connected to the other attributes by the conjunction va (or) and the particle pana (indeed).
3) atha va samadhilabhena (or by attaining concentration). The attribute is the compound samadhilabhena (by attaining concentration, instrumental singular). It is connected to the other attributes by the conjunction va (or) and the adverb atha (and then).
4) vivittasayanena va (or by having a solitary dwelling). The attribute is the compound vivittasayanena (by having a solitary dwelling, instrumental singular). It is connected to the other attributes by the conjunction va (or).

Commentary:

There were many monks who were practicing the Dharma. Not all of them had reached the Awakenment quickly. Once a group of monks came to see the Buddha. Some of them had observed the rules perfectly and were very virtuous. Others studied a lot of the Buddha's discourses and yet others were good in meditation.
The Buddha asked them if they had attained the Awakenment. They replied that they did not but that it should be easy, since they had achieved so much already. The Buddha replied with this verse (and the following one, DhP 272).

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

na
silabbatamattena
sila
bata
mattena
bahusaccena
bahu
saccena
va
pana
atha
samadhilabhena
samadhi
labhena
vivittasayanena
vivitta
sayanena