Gāthā | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure |
Vocabulary&Grammar | Commentary | Pronunciation |
Who has been formerly negligent, but later is not,
illuminates this world like a moon freed from cloud.
yo
ca pubbe pamajjitvā pacchā
so na ppamajjati
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Rel.Pron.m. conj. Adj. V.ger.
Adv. Pron.m. neg. V.act.in.
Nom.Sg.
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List of Abbreviations
so
imaṃ lokaṃ
pabhāseti abbhā
mutto va candimā
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Pron.m. Pron.m. N.m. V.act.caus.
N.n. Adj.m. part. N.m.
Nom.Sg. Acc.Sg. Acc.Sg. 3.Sg.pres. Abl.Sg. Nom.Sg.
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yo: yad-, Rel.Pron.: that which. Nom.Sg.m. = yo.
ca, conj.: and.
pubbe: pubba-, Adj.: previous, former. Loc.Sg. = pubbe (before, formerly, previously).
pamajjitvā, V.ger.: having been careless, having neglected. The verb root is mad- (to be intoxicated) with the strengthening prefix pa-.
pacchā, Adv.: afterwards, after that, later.
so: tad-, Pron.n.: it. Nom.Sg.m. = so.
na, neg.: not.
pamajjati, V.: is careless, neglects. The verb
root is mad- (to be intoxicated) with the strengthening prefix pa-.
3.Sg.act.in.pres. = pamajjati.
Euphonic combination: na + pamajjati =
na ppamajjati.
List of Abbreviations
so: see above.
imaṃ: idaṃ, Pron.: this. Acc.Sg.m. = imaṃ.
lokaṃ: loka-, N.m.; world.
pabhāseti, V.: illumines, enlighten. The verb root is bhās- (to shine) with the strengthening prefix pa-. 3.Sg.act.caus.pres. = pabhāseti.
abbhā: abbha-, N.n.: cloud. Abl.Sg. = abbhā.
mutto: mutta-, Adj.: freed, released. It is a p.p. of the verb muc- (to release). Nom.Sg.m. = mutto.
va: a contracted form of eva, part.: just, only.
candimā: candimā-, N.m.: moon. Nom.Sg. = candimā.
List of Abbreviations
This verse consists of two sentences.
They are:
1) yo ca pubbe pamajjitvā
pacchā so na ppamajjati (who has been
formerly negligent, but later is not). This can be further analysed into
two segments:
a) yo ca pubbe pamajjitvā
(who has been formerly negligent). The subject is the relative pronoun
yo (who, nominative singular). The verb is in the gerund, pamajjitvā
(having been negligent). It has an attribute, the adjective pubbe
(in the past, formerly; locative singular). The conjunction ca serves
mainly for metrical purposes.
b) pacchā
so na ppamajjati (but later dos not neglect). The subject is the pronoun
so (he, nominative singular). The verb is pamajjati (neglects,
3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It
is negated by the negative particle na (not). It has an attribute,
the adverb pacchā (later).
2) so imaṃ
lokaṃ pabhāseti
abbhā mutto va candimā
(illuminates this world like a moon freed from cloud). This contains the
main sentence a) and the clause b):
a) so imaṃ
lokaṃ pabhāseti
(illuminates this world). The subject is the pronoun so (he, nominative
singular). The verb is pabhāseti (illuminates,
3rd person, singular, active, causative, present tense). The
object is the noun lokaṃ (world, accusative
singular) with its attribute, the pronoun imaṃ
(this, accusative singular).
b) abbhā
mutto va candimā (like a moon freed from
cloud). The subject is the noun candimā
(moon, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the past participle mutto
(freed, nominative singular) with its attribute, the noun abbhā
(from cloud, ablative singular). The particle va (as, like) connects
the clause to the main sentence.
There was a monk named Sammunjjani.
He spent most of his time inside the monastery, sweeping the premises.
Venerable Revata was staying at the same monastery, practicing meditation.
Sammunjjani thought Revata to be very lazy and one day confronted him and
asked him if he did not think it would be proper for him to help him to
sweep the monastery. Revata replied, that a monk should sweep for a short
time in the morning and then should practice meditation and try to perceive
the true nature of things in order to reach Awakenment. Sammunjjani closely
followed this advice and in a very short time he became an Arahant.
Some other monks then asked him why
he did not sweep as much as before. Sammunjjani replied that when he was
negligent, he was sweeping all the time, but now he was mindful and so
does not sweep so often. The monks went to the Buddha and reported to him,
that Sammunjjani claims to be an Arahant. The Buddha confirmed, that Sammunjjani
indeed reached the Awakenment and added this verse for the benefit of others.
Word pronunciation:
yo
ca
pubbe
pamajjitvā
pacchā
so
na
pamajjati
imaṃ
lokaṃ
pabhāseti
abbhā
mutto
va
candimā