Gatha Sentence Translation Sentence Structure
Vocabulary&Grammar Commentary Pronunciation
                          List of Abbreviations

na tena pandito hoti yavata bahu bhasati

khemi averi abhayo pandito ti pavuccati

(DhP 258)




Sentence Translation:

One is not called wise because one speaks a lot.
One, who is peaceful, without hatred and fearless, is called "wise".




Sentence Structure:
List of Abbreviations

na     tena     pandito      hoti       yavata   bahu   bhasati
|           |            |              |             |           |           |
neg. Pron.n.   N.m.     V.act.in.  Rel.Adv. Adv.  V.act.in.
|       Ins.Sg. Nom.Sg. 3.Sg.pres.      |           |     3.Sg.pres.
|______|_______|________|             |           |______|
           |       |___|                            |_________|
           |______|                                       |
                |_________________________|

List of Abbreviations

khemi      averi     abhayo   pandito     ti   pavuccati
|                  |             |             |           |          |
Adj.m.     Adj.m.   Adj.m.     N.m.    part. V.pas.in.
Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg. Nom.Sg.   |    3.Sg.pres.
|__________|_______|             |______|           |
                         |                          |_________|
                         |___________________|




Vocabulary and Grammar:
List of Abbreviations

na, neg.: not.

tena: tad-, Pron.: it. Ins.Sg.n. = tena (by it, because of it).

pandito: pandita-, N.m.: wise man, learned man. Nom.Sg. = pandito.

hoti, V. is. The verb root is bhu- (to be). 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = bhavati or hoti.

yavata, Rel.Adv.: as far as, because.

bahu, Adv.: much, a lot. It is derived from the word bahu-, Adj.: large, much, very.

bhasati, V.: speaks. The verb root is bhas-. 3.Sg.act.in.pres. = bhasati.

khemi: khemin-, Adj.: peaceful, tranquil, calm. It is the word khema-, N.n.: peace, calmness, with the possessive suffix -in. Nom.Sg.m. = khemi.

List of Abbreviations

averi: averin-, Adj.: not hating, without hatred. It is the word verin-, Adj. (hating, bearing hostility. It is derived from the word vera-, N.n.: hatred, enmity; with the possessive suffix -in) negated by the negative prefix a-. Nom.Sg.m. = averi.

abhayo: abhaya-, Adj.: having no fear, fearless. It is the word bhaya-, N.n.: fear, with the negative prefix a-. Nom.Sg.m. = abhayo.

pandito: see above.

ti, part.: a particle, symbolizing the end of direct speech. In English this is expressed by quotation marks. Sometimes it is written as iti.

pavuccati, V,: is called. It is a passive form of the verb root vac- (to say), with the strengthening prefix pa-. 3.Sg.pas.in.pres. = pavuccati.

List of Abbreviations

    This verse consists of two syntactically separate sentences. They are:
    1) na tena pandito hoti yavata bahu bhasati (one is not called wise because one speaks a lot). This can be further analysed into two parts:
    a) na tena pandito hoti (one is not called wise). The subject is omitted; the verb implies the third person singular. The verb is hoti (is, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It is negated by the negative particle na (not). The object is the noun pandito (wise one, nominative singular). The pronoun tena (by that, because of; instrumental singular) connects this segment to the following one.
    b) yavata bahu bhasati (because one speaks a lot). The subject is omitted; the verb implies the third person singular. The verb is bhasati (speaks, 3rd person, singular, active, indicative, present tense). It has an attribute, the adverb bahu (a lot). The relative adverb yavata (as far as) connects this segment to the previous one.
    2) khemi averi abhayo pandito ti pavuccati (one who is peaceful, without hatred and fearless, is called "wise"). There are three subjects, the adjectives khemi (peaceful, nominative singular), averi (without hatred, nominative singular) and abhayo (fearless, nominative singular). The verb is pavuccati (is called, 3rd person, singular, passive, indicative, present tense). The object is the noun pandito (wise one, nominative singular). It is modified by the particle ti (in place of quotation mark).




Commentary:

    A group of monks always caused troubles in the monastery. Wherever they went, some problems occurred. Once they boasted in front of some novices, saying only they were wise and intelligent.
    When the Buddha heard about this, he replied with this verse, saying that one should not be called wise only because one talks a lot. Only one who is peaceful and free from hate can be called wise.




Sentence pronunciation:

Sentence pronunciation

Word pronunciation:

na
tena
pandito
hoti
yavata
bahu
bhasati
khemi
averi
abhayo
ti
pavuccati