| Gāthā | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure |
| Vocabulary&Grammar | Commentary | Pronunciation |
One is not a Brahmin because of matted hair, lineage or
birth.
In whom there is truth and the Dharma, he is pure, he
is a Brahmin.
na jaṭāhi
na gottena na jaccā
hoti brāhmaṇo
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neg. N.f. neg. N.n.
neg. N.f. V.act.in. N.m.
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Ins.Sg. | Ins.Sg. 3.Sg.pres. Nom.Sg.
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List of Abbreviations
yamhi
saccaṃ ca dhammo
ca so
sucī
so ca brāhmaṇo
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Rel.Pron.m. N.n. conj.
N.m. conj. Pron.m. Adj.m. Pron.m. conj.
N.m.
Loc.Sg. Nom.Sg.
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Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. | Nom.Sg.
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na, neg.: not.
jaṭāhi: jaṭā-, N.f.: matted hair (worn by ascetics). Ins.Pl. = jaṭāhi.
na, neg.: not.
gottena: gotta-, N.n.: ancestry, lineage. Ins.Sg. = gottena.
na, neg.: not.
jaccā: jāti-, N.f.: birth. It is derived from the verb root jan- (to be born). Ins.Sg. = jaccā.
hoti, V. is. The verb root is bhū- (to be). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = bhavati or hoti.
brāhmaṇo: brāhmaṇa-, N.m.: Brahmin, a holy man. Nom.Sg. = brāhmaṇo.
yamhi: yat-, Rel.Pron.: that, which. Loc.Sg.m. = yamhi.
List of Abbreviations
saccaṃ: sacca-, N.n.: truth. Nom.Sg. = saccaṃ.
ca, conj.: and.
dhammo: dhamma-, N.m.: Buddha's Teaching. The Law. Derived from the verb dha-, to hold. Thus dhamma "holds the world together". Nom.Sg. = dhammo.
ca, conj.: and.
so: tad-, Pron.n.: it. Nom.Sg.m. = so (he).
sucī: suci-, Adj.: clear, pure. Nom.Sg.m. = suci. The form sucī is sometimes used in poetry.
so: see above.
ca, conj.: and.
brāhmaṇo: see above.
List of Abbreviations
This verse consists of two syntactically
separate sentences. They are:
1) na jaṭāhi
na gottena na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo
(one is not a Brahmin because of matted hair, lineage or birth). The subject
is omitted; the verb implies the third person singular pronoun. The verb
is hoti (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative,
present tense). It is negated by three negative particles na (not).
The verb has three attributes, the nouns jaṭāhi
(by matted hair, instrumental singular), gottena (by lineage, instrumental
singular) and jaccā (by birth, instrumental
singular). The object is the noun brāhmaṇo
(Brahmin, nominative singular).
2) yamhi saccaṃ
ca dhammo ca so sucī so ca brāhmaṇo
(in whom there is truth and the Dharma, he is pure, he is a Brahmin). This
can be further analysed into three related sentences:
a) yamhi saccaṃ
ca dhammo ca (in whom there is truth and the Dharma). There are two
subjects, the nouns saccaṃ (truth,
nominative singular) and dhammo (Dharma, nominative singular). They
are connected by two conjunctions ca (and). The verb is omitted,
implying the verb "to be". The relative pronoun yamhi (in whom,
locative singular) connects this sentence to the two following ones).
b) so sucī
(he is pure). The subject is the pronoun so (he, nominative singular).
The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is the adjective
sucī (pure, nominative singular).
c) so ca brāhmaṇo
(he is a Brahmin). The subject is the pronoun so (he, nominative
singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to be". The object is
the noun brāhmaṇo
(Brahmin, nominative singular). The conjunction ca (and) connects
this sentence to the previous one.
A certain Brahmin heard the Buddha
to call his disciples "Brahmins". He asked the Buddha if they were truly
Brahmins by birth. The Buddha replied that one ought not to be called "a
Brahmin" because of birth, lineage or matted hair. Only someone who comprehends
the truth and knows the Dharma can be called "a Brahmin".
Word pronunciation:
na
jaṭāhi
gottena
jaccā
hoti
brāhmaṇo
yamhi
saccaṃ
ca
dhammo
so
sucī