There is no fire like passion. There is no grasp like hatred.
There is no net like delusion. There is no river like thirst.

na      atthi     rāga+samo       aggi     na       atthi    dosa+samo        gaho
|            |          |         |             |         |           |          |        |              |
neg. V.act.in. N.m. Adj.m.     N.m.   neg.  V.act.in. N.m. Adj.m.     N.m.
|      3.Sg.pres.  |    Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.  |    3.Sg.pres.   |    Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|_______|         |_____|              |         |______|          |_____|             |
      |                      |__________|               |                    |__________|
      |_________________|                         |________________|

List of Abbreviations

na      atthi    moha+samaṃ    jālaṃ   na     atthi      taṇhā+samā       nadī
|            |           |          |            |         |         |            |         |             |
neg. V.act.in.  N.m.  Adj.n.     N.n.    neg. V.act.in.  N.f.   Adj.f.      N.f.
|      3.Sg.pres.   |    Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.  |   3.Sg.pres.    |   Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
|_______|          |______|            |         |_____|            |_____|             |
       |                      |__________|              |                     |__________|
       |__________________|                      |_________________|

na, neg.: not.

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

rāgasamo: rāgasama-, Adj.: equal to passion, like passion. It is a compound of:
    rāga-, N.m.: passion, lust. It is derived from the verb raj- (to color).
    sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.m. = rāgasamo.

aggi: aggi-, N.m.: fire. Nom.Sg. = aggi.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

List of Abbreviations

dosasamo: dosasama-, Adj.: equal to hatred, like hatred. It is a compound of:
    dosa-, N.m.: ill-will, hatred, anger.
    sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.m. = dosasamo.

gaho: gaha-, N.m.: seizing, grasping, an object having a hold upon people. It is derived from the verb root gah- (to grasp). Nom.Sg. = gaho.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

mohasamaṃ: mohasama-, Adj.: equal to delusion, like delusion. It is a compound of:
    moha-, N.m.: delusion, bewilderment. Derived from the verb muh- (to get bewildered).
    sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.n. = mohasamaṃ.

List of Abbreviations

jālaṃ: jāla-, N.n.: snare, net. Nom.Sg. = jālaṃ.

natthi: see above (na and atthi).

taṇhāsamā: taṇhāsama-, Adj.: equal to thirst, like thirst. It is a compound of:
    taṇhā-, N.f.: thirst, craving.
    sama-, Adj.: same, just like, equal.
Nom.Sg.f. = taṇhāsamā.

nadī: nadī-, N.f.: river. Nom.Sg. = nadī.

List of Abbreviations

    This verse consists of four syntactically separate sentences. They are:
    1) natthi rāgasamo aggi (there is no fire like passion). The subject is the noun aggi (fire, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound rāgasamo (like passion, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3^rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
    2) natthi dosasamo gaho (there is no grasp like hatred). The subject is the noun gaho (grasp, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound dosasamo (like hatred, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3^rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
    3) natthi mohasamaṃ jālaṃ (there is no net like delusion). The subject is the noun jālaṃ (net, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound mohasamā (like delusion, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3^rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
    4) natthi taṇhāsamā nadī (there is no river like thirst). The subject is the noun nadī (river, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound taṇhāsamā (like thirst, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3^rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not).

    Once there were five lay followers listening to the Buddha's discourse. One of them was sleeping, the second one was scratching the ground with his hands, the third was shaking a tree and the fourth was looking up at the sky. But the fifth one listened carefully and respectfully. Ānanda saw them and after the discourse was over he asked the Buddha about their behavior.
    The Buddha explained that the first one was a snake in his previous life therefore he liked to sleep. The second one was a subterranean animal, the third was a monkey and the fourth one was an astrologer. But the fifth one was a learned man; therefore he was able to listen with attention.
    Ānanda then asked what things prevent people from listening and understanding the Dharma. The Buddha replied with this verse, saying it is passion, hatred, delusion and thirst.

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

na
atthi
rāgasamo
rāga
samo
aggi
dosasamo
dosa
gaho
mohasamaṃ
moha
samaṃ
jālaṃ
taṇhāsamā
taṇhā
samā
nadī