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

List of Abbreviations

# selo yatha ekaghano vatena na samirati

# evaj nindapasajsasu na samibjanti pandita

# (DhP 81)

Sentence Translation:

Just like a compact rock is not moved by the wind,
so the wise ones are not shaken by blame or praise.

Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

selo yatha eka+ghano vatena na samirati
| | | | | | |
N.m. Rel.Adv. Num. Adj.m. N.m. neg. V.act.in.
Nom.Sg. | | Nom.Sg. Ins.Sg. | 3.Sg.pres.
| | |_____| | |_____|
|_________|_________| |_______|
| |_________________|
|_____________|
|___________________________________________________

List of Abbreviations

evaj ninda+pasajsasu na samibjanti pandita
| | | | | |
Adv. N.f. N.f. neg. V.act.in. N.m.
| | Loc.Pl. | 3.Pl.pres. Nom.Pl.
| |_______| |______| |
| |_____________| |
| |_________________|
|_________________________|
_____________|

Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

selo: sela-, N.m.: rock. Nom.Sg. = selo.

yatha, RelAdv.: like, just as.

ekaghano: ekaghana-, Adj.: compact, of one solid mass. It is a compound of:
eka-, Num.: one.
ghana-, Adj.: solid, compact, massive.
Nom.Sg.m. = ekaghano.

vatena: vata-, N.m.: wind. Ins.Sg. = vatena.

na, neg.: not.

samirati, V.: to move. The verb root is ir- (to set in motion, to move) with the prefix sam- (completeness of the action). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = samirati.

List of Abbreviations

evaj, Adv.: thus, in this way.

nindapasajsasu: nindapasajsa-, N.f.: blame and praise. It is a compound of:
ninda-, N.f.: blame, reproach.
pasajsa-, N.f.: praise, applause.
Loc.Pl. = nindapasajsasu.

na, neg.: not.

samibjanti, V.: to be shaken. The verb root is ibj- (to shake) with the prefix sam- (completeness of the action). 3.Pl.act.in.pres. = samibjanti.

pandita: pandita-, N.m.: wise man, learned man. Nom.Pl. = pandita.

List of Abbreviations

This verse contains two related sentences. They form the first and second lines of the verse respectively.
In the first sentence, the subject is the noun selo (rock, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the adjective ekaghano (compact, nominative singular). The verb is samirati (is moved, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The verb has the noun vatena (by the wind, instrumental singular) as an attribute. The relative adverb yatha (just like) connects this sentence to the following one.
The subject of the second sentence is the noun pandita (wise ones, nominative plural). The verb is samibjanti (are shaken, 3rd person, plural, active, indicative, present tense) negated by the negative particle na (not). It has an attribute, the compound nindapasajsasu (in the blame or praise, locative plural). The adverb evaj (thus) connects this sentence to the previous one.

Commentary:

At the Jetavana monastery lived a monk named Bhaddiya. Because he was very short, other monks would often tease him. Younger monks would pull his nose or pat him on the head and ask, "Uncle, how are you? Are you bored with your life as a monk?"But Bhaddiya was extremely good-natured and he never retaliated in anger.
Somebody once mentioned Bhaddiya's patience in front of the Buddha. The Buddha replied by this verse and he added, that Arahants are like that - they never loose temper for whatever reason. They are like mountain rocks - unmovable by the "wind" of praise or blame. Only then did the other monks understand, that this funny short Bhaddiya was actually an Arahant.

Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

selo
yatha
ekaghano
eka
ghano
vatena
na
samirati
evaj
nindapasajsasu
ninda
pasajsasu
samibjanti
pandita