| Gatha | 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.
etaj
kho saranaj
khemaj etaj
saranam uttamaj
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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
etaj
saranam agamma
sabba+dukkha 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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etaj: etad-,
Pron.: this. Neuter: etaj. Nom.Sg.
= etaj.
Euphonic combination: na + etaj
= n'etaj.
kho, part.: indeed.
saranaj: sarana-, N.n.: refuge. Nom.Sg. = saranaj.
khemaj: khema-, N.n.: safe, calm, peaceful. Nom.Sg.n. = khemaj.
etaj: see above.
saranam: see above (saranaj).
uttamaj: uttama-, Adj.: highest, supreme. Nom.Sg.n. = uttamaj.
List of Abbreviations
etaj: see above. Here Acc.Sg.
saranam: see above. Here Acc.Sg.
agamma, V.ger.: having come. The verb root is gam- (to go) with the prefix a- (towards).
sabbadukkha: sabbadukkha-,
N.n.: all suffering. It is a compound of:
sabba-, Adj.: all.
dukkha-, N.n.: sorrow, pain,
suffering.
Abl.Sg. = sabbadukkha.
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) etaj
kho saranaj khemaj
(this refuge is safe). The subject is the noun saranaj
(refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaj
(this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to
be". The object is the adjective khemaj
(safe, nominative singular). The particle kho (indeed) serves mainly
for metrical purposes.
2) etaj
saranam uttamaj
(this refuge is supreme). The subject is the noun saranam
(refuge, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the pronoun etaj
(this, nominative singular). The verb is omitted, implying the verb "to
be". The object is the adjective uttamaj
(supreme, nominative singular).
3) etaj
saranam agamma
sabbadukkha 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) etaj
saranam agamma
(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, agamma (having come).
The object is the noun saranam (to
the refuge, accusative singular) with its attribute, the pronoun etaj
(to this, accusative singular).
b) sabbadukkha
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 sabbadukkha
(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:
etaj
kho
saranaj
khemaj
uttamaj
agamma
sabbadukkha
sabba
dukkha
pamuccati