Gatha Sentence Translation Sentence Structure
Vocabulary&Grammar Commentary Pronunciation
                          List of Abbreviations

akase padaj natthi samano natthi bahire

savkhara sassata natthi natthi buddhanam ibjitaj

(DhP 255)




Sentence Translation:

There are no tracks in the sky. There is not a true monk outside of this teaching.
There are no conditioned things that are eternal. There is no instability in the Buddhas.




Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

akase     padaj   na     atthi       samano   na     atthi     bahire
|                  |        |          |              |          |          |           |
N.m.        N.n.   neg. V.act.in.     N.m.    neg.  V.act.in.  Adv.
Loc.Sg. Nom.Sg.  |    3.Sg.pres. Nom.Sg.   |    3.Sg.pres.    |
|                  |        |______|             |          |______|           |
|__________|________|                  |                |_________|
         |_____|                                 |______________|

List of Abbreviations

savkhara sassata  na       atthi     na      atthi buddhanam  ibjitaj
|                  |         |           |         |          |             |              |
N.m.        Adj.m. neg. V.act.in.  neg. V.act.in.    N.m.       N.n.
Nom.Pl.  Nom.Pl.  |    3.Sg.pres.  |    3.Sg.pres. Gen.Pl.  Nom.Sg.
|                   |        |______|         |______|             |              |
|                   |________|                    |                  |________|
|_______________|                           |_______________|




Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

akase: akasa-, N.m.: air, sky, space. Loc.Sg. = akase.

padaj pada-, N.n.: track, path. Nom.Sg. = padaj.

na, neg.: not.

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

samano: samana-, N.m.: a recluse, a wandering ascetic, a monk (not only a Buddhist monk).
Nom.Sg. = samano.

natthi: see above (na + atthi).

bahire, Adv.: outside. It is the word bahira-, Adj.: external. Loc.Sg. = bahire. Here as an Adv.

List of Abbreviations

savkhara: savkhara-, N.m.: conditioned thing, world of phenomena. The meaning of this word is very wide, here we will use "conditioned thing". It comprises the entire world around us, including ourselves. Nom.Pl. = savkhara.

sassata: sassata-, Adj.: eternal, perpetual. Nom.Pl.m. = sassata.

natthi: see above (na + atthi). We would expect the plural form here (na santi), but in order to maintain the pattern (four times natthi), the singular form is used instead.

buddhanam: buddha-, Adj.: awakened. It is a p.p. of the verb root budh- (to awaken). As an N.m.: Awakened One, Enlightened One, a being who has attained the Nirvana. Gen.Pl. = buddhanaj.

ibjitaj: ibjita-, Adj.: shaken, moved. It is a p.p. of the verb root ibj- (to shake). As an N.n.: shaking, movement, vacillation. Nom.Sg. = ibjitaj.

List of Abbreviations

    This verse consists of four sentences. They are:
1) akase padaj natthi (there are no tracks in the sky). The subject is the noun padaj (track, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The verb has an attribute, the noun akase (in the sky, locative singular).
    2) samano natthi bahire (there is not a true monk outside [of this teaching]). The subject is the noun samano (monk, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The verb has an attribute, the adverb bahire (outside).
    3) savkhara sassata natthi (there are no conditioned things that are eternal). The subject is the noun savkhara (conditioned things, nominative plural). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The object is the adjective sassata (eternal, nominative plural).
    4) natthi buddhanam ibjitaj (there is no instability in the Buddhas). The subject is the adjective/noun ibjitaj (shaking, instability; nominative singular). It has an attribute, the noun buddhanam (of the Buddhas, genitive plural). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).




Commentary:

    The story for this verse is identical with the one for the previous verse (DhP 254).
    The Buddhas, Awakened Ones have no "shaking". The meaning of this is that there is no instability, no wavering or unsteadiness of their minds. They have reached the highest Awakenment and their minds are truly firm and steady.




Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

akase
padaj
na
atthi
samano
bahire
savkhara
sassata
buddhanam
ibjitaj