| Gāthā | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure |
| Vocabulary&Grammar | Commentary | Pronunciation |
This refuge is safe; this refuge is supreme.
Having come to such a refuge, one will be free from all
suffering.
etaṃ
kho saraṇaṃ
khemaṃ etaṃ
saraṇam uttamaṃ
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Pron.n. part. N.n.
Adj.n. Pron.n. N.n.
Adj.n.
Nom.Sg. | Nom.Sg.
Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.
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List of Abbreviations
etaṃ
saraṇam āgamma
sabba+dukkhā pamuccati
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Pron.n. N.n.
V.ger. Adj. N.n.
V.pas.in.
Acc.Sg. Acc.Sg.
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Abl.Sg. 3.Sg.pres.
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etaṃ: etad-,
Pron.: this. Neuter: etaṃ. Nom.Sg.
= etaṃ.
Euphonic combination: na + etaṃ
= n'etaṃ.
kho, part.: indeed.
saraṇaṃ: saraṇa-, N.n.: refuge. Nom.Sg. = saraṇaṃ.
khemaṃ: khema-, N.n.: safe, calm, peaceful. Nom.Sg.n. = khemaṃ.
etaṃ: see above.
saraṇam: see above (saraṇaṃ).
uttamaṃ: uttama-, Adj.: highest, supreme. Nom.Sg.n. = uttamaṃ.
List of Abbreviations
etaṃ: see above. Here Acc.Sg.
saraṇam: see above. Here Acc.Sg.
āgamma, V.ger.: having come. The verb root is gam- (to go) with the prefix ā- (towards).
sabbadukkhā: sabbadukkha-,
N.n.: all suffering. It is a compound of:
sabba-, Adj.: all.
dukkha-, N.n.: sorrow, pain,
suffering.
Abl.Sg. = sabbadukkhā.
pamuccati, V.: to be released, to be freed. The verb root is muc- (to be released) with the strengthening prefix pa-. 3.Sg.pas.in.pres. = pamuccati.
List of Abbreviations
This verse consists of three syntactically
separate sentences. They are:
1) etaṃ
kho saraṇaṃ khemaṃ
(this refuge is safe). The subject is the noun saraṇaṃ
(refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaṃ
(this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to
be". The object is the adjective khemaṃ
(safe, nominative singular). The particle kho (indeed) serves mainly
for metrical purposes.
2) etaṃ
saraṇam uttamaṃ
(this refuge is supreme). The subject is the noun saraṇam
(refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaṃ
(this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to
be". The object is the adjective uttamaṃ
(supreme, nominative singular).
3) etaṃ
saraṇam āgamma
sabbadukkhā pamuccati (having come to
such a refuge, one will be free from all suffering). This can be further
analysed into the main sentence b) and the clause a):
a) etaṃ
saraṇam āgamma
(having come to such a refuge). The subject is omitted; the verb pamuccati
from the main sentence implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb
is in the gerund, āgamma (having come).
The object is the noun saraṇam (to
the refuge, accusative singular) with its attribute, the pronoun etaṃ
(to this, accusative singular).
b) sabbadukkhā
pamuccati (one will be free from all suffering). The subject is omitted;
the verb implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb is pamuccati
(is freed, 3rd person, singular, passive, indicative, present
tense). The verb has an attribute, the compound sabbadukkhā
(from all suffering, ablative singular).
The story for this verse is identical
with the one for the preceding verses (DhP 188, DhP 189, DhP 190, DhP 191).
Because the Buddha is free from the
round of rebirths, his teaching can lead us in the same direction. And
in the community of his followers we can help each other to reach this
goal. Then we will be able to see the Four Noble Truths and lead our lives
according to the Noble Eightfold Path. If we mindfully strive for the highest
goal, surely we will reach it.
Therefore, the Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha are the highest possible refuge, because by following them, we can
attain the Awakenment and reach freedom from suffering and the round of
rebirths.
Word pronunciation:
etaṃ
kho
saraṇaṃ
khemaṃ
uttamaṃ
āgamma
sabbadukkhā
sabba
dukkhā
pamuccati