Gatha | Sentence Translation | Sentence Structure |
Vocabulary&Grammar | Commentary | Pronunciation |
There is no fire like passion. There is no evil like hatred.
There is no suffering like the Aggregates of existence.
There is no happiness higher than tranquility.
na atthi
raga+samo
aggi na atthi
dosa+samo kali
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
|
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 khandha+sama
dukkha na
atthi santi+paraj
sukhaj
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
neg. V.act.in. N.m. Adj.m.
N.m. neg. V.act.in. N.f. Adj.n.
N.n.
| 3.Sg.pres. |
Nom.Pl. Nom.Pl. | 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.
ragasamo:
ragasama-, Adj.: equal to passion,
like passion. It is a compound of:
raga-,
N.m.: passion, lust. It is derived from the verb raj- (to color).
sama-, Adj.: same, just like,
equal.
Nom.Sg.m. = ragasamo.
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.
kali: kali-, N.m.: evil, wrong deed, demerit. Nom.Sg. = kali.
natthi: see above (na and atthi).
khandhasama: khandhasama-,
Adj.: equal to the Aggregates of existence, like the Aggregates of existence.
It is a compound of:
khandha-, N.m.: aggregate,
group. There are five aggregates that constitute any living being. They
are: rupa (form, body, matter), vedana
(feeling), sabba (perception), savkhara
(mental formations) and vibbana (consciousness).
sama-, Adj.: same, just like,
equal.
Nom.Pl.m. = khandhasama.
List of Abbreviations
dukkha: dukkha-,
Adj.: painful, unpleasant, causing suffering. As an N.m.: suffering.
Nom.Pl. = dukkha.
natthi: see above (na and atthi).
santiparaj: santipara-,
Adj.: higher than tranquility. It is a compound of:
santi-, N.f.: tranquility,
peace.
para-, Adj.: beyond, over,
higher than.
Nom.Sg.n. = santiparaj.
sukhaj: sukha-, N.n.: happiness. Nom.Sg. = sukham.
List of Abbreviations
This verse consists of four syntactically
separate sentences. They are:
1) natthi ragasamo
aggi (there is no fire like passion). The subject is the noun aggi
(fire, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound ragasamo
(like passion, nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd
person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by
the negative particle na (not).
2) natthi dosasamo kali (there
is no evil like hatred). The subject is the noun kali (evil, nominative
singular). It has an attribute, the compound dosasamo (like hatred,
nominative singular). The verb is atthi (is, 3rd person,
singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative
particle na (not).
3) natthi khandhasama
dukkha (there is no suffering like the
Aggregates of existence). The subject is the noun dukkha
(sufferings, nominative plural). The word dukkha is usually a neuter
and its declension in masculine is highly unusual. It has an attribute,
the compound khandhasama (like the
Aggregates of existence, nominative plural). The verb is atthi (is,
3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). We
would rather expect the plural form here, but for the sake of the meter
the singular was used. The verb is negated by the negative particle na
(not).
4) natthi santiparaj
sukhaj (there is no happiness higher than
tranquility). The subject is the noun sukhaj
(happiness, nominative singular). It has an attribute, the compound santiparaj
(higher than tranquility, nominative singular). The verb is atthi
(is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense).
It is negated by the negative particle na (not).
Once the Buddha was invited for almsfood
to a house on the day the daughter of the family was getting married. Her
bridegroom was very excited when he was observing her bringing almsfood
and as a result he was not able to pay any attention to what the Buddha
said.
The Buddha knew both the bride and
the bridegroom were very close to realizing the Dharma and so he willed
for the bridegroom not to see the bride and vice versa. Both young people
then were able to pay attention to the Buddha's words. He told them this
verse.
Reflecting on the meaning of the verse
both the bride and the bridegroom realized the Dharma and became lay followers
of the Buddha.
Word pronunciation:
na
atthi
ragasamo
raga
samo
aggi
dosasamo
dosa
kali
khandhasama
khandha
sama
dukkha
santiparaj
santi
paraj
sukhaj