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List of Abbreviations

# utthanen' appamadena sajyamena damena ca

# dipaj kayiratha medhavi yaj ogho n'abhikirati

# (DhP 25)

Translation:

By exertion, conscientiousness, self-control and moderation,
a wise should make an island, that a flood can not overwhelm.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

utthanena a+ppamadena sajyamena damena ca
| | | | | |
N.n. neg. N.m. N.m. N.n. conj.
Ins.Sg. | Ins.Sg. Ins.Sg. Ins.Sg. |
|________|_____|__________|_________| |
|__________________|
|______________________________________

List of Abbreviations

dipaj kayiratha medhavi yaj ogho na abhikirati
| | | | | | |
N.m. V.med. N.m. Rel.Pron. N.m. neg. V.act.in.
Acc.Sg. 3.Sg.opt. Nom.Sg. Acc.Sg. Nom.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres.
|___________| | | | |_______|
______| | | |__________|
|________________| |_____________|
|______________________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

utthanena: utthana-, N.n.: exertion, zeal, energy (derived from the verb tha-,to stand, with the prefix ud-, up). Ins.Sg. = utthanena.

appamadena: appamada-, N.m.: conscientiousness, non-negligence. A negated (by the negative prefix a-) word pamada-, N.m.: negligence. Doubled p is due to the euphonic combination (a + pamada = appamada). Ins.Sg. = appamadena.

sajyamena: sajyama-, N.m.: restraint, self-control. Derived from the verb yam- (to restrain, to become tranquil) with the prefix sam- (together). Ins.Sg. = sajyamena.

damena: dama-, N.n.: moderation, self-command. Derived from the verb dam- (to tame). Ins.Sg. = damena.

ca, conj.: and

List of Abbreviations

dipaj: dipa-, N.m.: island. Acc.Sg. = dipaj.

kayiratha, V.: let do. The verb kar- (to do). 3.Sg.med.opt. = kayiratha.

medhavi: medhavin-, N.m.: intelligent person, wise one.Nom.Sg. = medhavi.

yaj: yat-, Rel.Pron.: that, which. Acc.Sg.m.: yaj.

ogho: ogha-, N.m.: flood. Nom.Sg. = ogho.

na, neg.: not.

abhikirati, V.: to cover over, to overwhelm. The proper form of the verb is abhikirati (the form found in this verse is due to metric requirements). The verb kir- (to scatter) with the prefix abhi- (all over). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = abhikirati (or, as here, abhikirati).

List of Abbreviations

The subject of this sentence is the word medhavi (wise ones, nominative singular). The verb is kayiratha (you should do, 3rd person singular, medium, optative). The object is the word dipaj (island, accusative singular).
The verb has four attributes, all of which are in instrumental singular. They are: utthanena (by exertion), appamadena (by conscientiousness), sajyamena (by self-control) and damena (by moderation). The conjunction ca (and) connects them all together.
There is a subordinated clause, introduced by a relative pronoun, yaj (that, which, accusative singular). This refers to the object of the sentence, the word dipaj. The subject in the clause is the word ogho (flood, nominative singular) and the verb abhikirati (covers, overwhelms, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense) negated by the negative particle na (not).

Commentary:

With this verse is associated the famous story of Culapanthaka. There were two brothers, Mahapantkaha and Culapanthaka. Both become monks, but Culapanthaka was not very clever and he was not able to learn the Buddha's Teachings. Mahapantkaha on the other hand was very bright and he soon became an arahant.
The Buddha once gave a clean piece of cloth to Culapantkaha and told him to rub it while repeating the words "taking on impurity". Culapanthaka then did as instructed and soon the cloth became dirty. The Buddha then told him, that our mind is very similar to that piece of cloth, becoming dirty with the "dust of passion, hatred and delusion. Attaining of arahantship is not very different from cleaning the piece of cloth - we have to "wash" our minds of this dust diligently.
Culapanthaka realized this and practiced meditation accordingly. Soon, he too became an arahant, as his elder brother.
The Buddha then spoke this verse, telling us that only by diligence, self-control and applying energy we can make an island in ourselves which the flood of passion, hatred and delusion will not be able to overwhelm.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

utthanena
appamadena
sajyamena
damena
ca
dipaj
kayiratha
medhavi
yaj
ogho
na
abhikirati