Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure
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List of Abbreviations

# te jhayino satatika niccaj dalhaparakkama

# phusanti dhira nibbanaj yogakkhemaj anuttaraj

# (DhP 23)

Translation:

Those meditating perseveringly, constantly with strong effort,
those clever ones touch the Nirvana, the highest peace from bondage.

Sentence Structure:

te jhayino satatika niccaj dalha+parakkama
| | | | | |
Pron. Adj.m. Adj.m. Adv. Adj. N.m.
Nom.Pl. Nom.Pl. Nom.Pl. | | Nom.Pl.
|___________| | | |_______|
|_____________| |__________|
|___________________|
|____________________________________________

phusanti dhira nibbanaj yoga+kkhemaj an+uttaraj
| | | | | | |
V.act.in. N.m. N.n. N.m. N.n. neg. Adj.n.
3.Pl.pres. Nom.Pl. Acc.Sg. | Acc.Sg. | Acc.Sg.
| | | |_______| |______|
| | | |____________|
| | |________________|
|___________|________________|
|______|
________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:

te: tat-, Pron.: that. Masculine form sa. Nom.Pl. = te.

jhayino: jhayin-, Adj.m.: meditating. Derived from the verb jhe- (to meditate).
Nom.Pl. = jhayino.

satatika: satatika-, Adj.: persevering. Derived from the word satata-, Adj.: continual. Nom.Pl. = satatika.

niccaj, Adv.: perpetually, constantly.

dalhaparakkama: dalhaparakkama-, N.m.: having strong effort. A compound of:
dalha-, Adj.: strong, firm, solid.
parakkama-, N.m.: exertion, effort.
Nom.Pl. = dalhaparakkama.

phusanti, V.: touch. Verb root phus- (to touch). 3.Pl.in.act.pres. = phusanti.

dhira: dhira-, Adj.: wise, clever. Nom.Pl.m. = dhira.

nibbanaj: nibbana-, N.n.: Nirvana, the goal of Buddhism. Acc.Sg. = nibbanaj.

yogakkhemaj: yogakkhema-, N.n :peace from bondage.
yoga-, N.m.: bond, yoke.
khema-, N.n.: shelter, peace.
The doubled k is due to the euphonic combination (yoga + khema = yogakkhema).
Acc.Sg. = yogakkhemaj.

anuttaraj: anuttara-, Adj.: highest. Literally: "to which there is no higher". It is composed of the word uttara- (uttara-, Adj.: higher) which is preceded by the negative prefix an-. Acc.Sg.n. = anuttaraj.

This verse forms one sentence. Its subject is the pronoun te (they, those, nominative plural). It has many attributes, which agree with it in case and number. They are: 1) jhayino (meditators, nominative plural), 2) satatika (perseverant, nominative plural), 3) dalhaparakkama (with strong effort, nominative plural) with its own attribute niccaj (constantly) and 4) dhira (wise ones, clever ones, nominative plural). The verb is phusanti (touch, 3rd person, plural, active, indicative, present tense). The object is nibbanaj (Nirvana, accusative singular), with the attribute yogakkhemaj (peace from bondage, accusative singular). This word itself has an attribute, the adjective anuttaraj (highest, accusative singular).

Commentary:

Continuing the line of reasoning from previous verses (DhP 21 and DhP 22), if one knows, that conscientiousness is the key to reaching of the Nirvana, one maintains a high level of it. Applying this conscientiousness to the practice of meditation, one has to persevere, constantly and with strong effort. By this, we are able to reach Nirvana, to really "touch" it here and now. Thus, we obtain the highest peace from bondage, the only true peace and freedom available.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

te
jhayino
satatika
niccaj
dalhaparakkama
phusanti
dhira
nibbanaj
yogakkhemaj
anuttaraj