Evaṃ me sutaṃ

Let us study and translate a few sentences adopted from the Suttas, which contain various conjugated forms of verbs in the Future Tense.

1. So ahaṃ vicarissāmi gāmā gāmaṃ purā puraṃ.

• vicarati (v) = wanders,
• vicarissāmi (fut., first person, s) = I will wander,
• gāma (n) = village,
• gāmā (abl. s) = from a village,
• gāmaṃ (acc. s) = to a village,
• pura (n) = town, city;
• purā (abl. s) = from a town,
• puraṃ. (acc. s) = to a town

Translation : (that) I will wander from village to village (and) from town to town.

• In Pali Suttas third person pronouns are often used to indicate (point to) oneself. Thus we often come across phrases such as :
sohaṃ (so + ahaṃ) = that me (masc. singular),
esāhaṃ (esā + ahaṃ) = this me (fem. singular),
ete mayaṃ = these we / us (masc. plural)

2. Mayampi sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā apacitā piṇḍāya carissāma.

• mayampi (mayaṃ + api) = we too,
• sakkata (adj) = honoured,
• sakkatā (adj, m, nom. p) = honoured,
• garukata (adj) = respected,
• garukatā (adj, m, nom. p) = respected,
• mānita (adj) = revered,
• mānitā (adj, m, nom. p) = revered,
• pūjita (adj) = worshipped,
• pūjitā (adj, m, nom. p) = worshipped,
• apacita (adj) = esteemed,
• apacitā (adj, m, nom. p) = esteemed,
• piṇḍa (m) = lump of food, alms;
• piṇḍāya (m, dat. s) = for alms;
• carati (v) = walks,
• carissāma (fut., first person, p) = we will walk

Translation : We too will walk for alms (being) honoured, respected, revered, esteemed and worshipped.
OR
We too (who are) honoured, respected, revered, esteemed and worshipped; will walk for alms.

3. Bhikkhū uppannāya taṇhāya ponobhavikāya na vasaṃ gacchissanti.

• bhikkhū (m, nom. p) = monks,
• uppanna (adj) = arisen,
• uppannāya (adj, f, gen. s) = of the arisen …
• taṇhā (f) = craving,
• taṇhāya (f, gen. s) = of the craving,
• ponobhavika (adj) = leading to rebirth,
• ponobhavikāya (adj, f, gen. s) = of (that) leading to rebirth …
• na (ind) = no, not;
• vasa (m) = control, authority, power, influence;
• vasaṃ gacchati = goes in control of, goes / comes under influence of;
• gacchissanti (fut, third person, p) = (they) will go

Translation : The monks will not go in the control / power of the arisen craving leading to rebirth. (The monks will not come under influence of the arisen craving, which leads to rebirth.)

4. Sveva sāriputtamoggallānappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso veḷukaṇḍakaṃ āgamissati.

• sve (adv, ind) = tomorrow,
• eva (emphatic particle),
• sveva (sve + eva) = tomorrow itself,
• pamukha (adj) = foremost, headed by;
• sāriputtamoggallānappamukho (adj, m, nom. s) = headed by Sariputta and Moggallana,
• bhikkhusaṅgho (m, nom. s) = order of monks,
• akata (adj) = not done,
• pātarāsa (m) = morning meal,
• akatapātarāso (adj, m, nom. s) = (who) has not partaken of morning meal,
• veḷukaṇḍakaṃ (acc. s) = to Velukanda / Velukandaka (a city)
• āgacchati (v, ā + √gam) = comes,
• āgamissati (fut, third person, s) = will come

Translation : Tomorrow morning itself the order of monks headed by Sariputta and Moggallana will come to (arrive at) Velukandaka before meal.

• The word akatapātarāso is used as an adjective of the order of monks – the sangha which has not had the morning meal. This implies that the sangha should be offered a meal at Velukandaka. Hence, we have used a simple translation – ‘before meal’.

5. Ahaṃ te etaṃ pañhaṃ byākarissāmi.

• ahaṃ (pron, nom. s) = I,
• te (pron – tvaṃ, gen. s) = your,
• etaṃ (pron, acc. s) = this,
• pañhaṃ (m, acc. s) = question,
• byākaroti / vyākaroti (v) = explains, answers;
• byākarissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will answer.

Translation : I will answer this question of yours.

6. Tvaṃ rāgassa pahānā dosassa pahānā mohassa pahānā yaṃ akusalaṃ na taṃ karissasi, yaṃ pāpaṃ na taṃ sevissasi.

• tvaṃ (pron, nom. s) = you,
• rāgassa (m, gen. s) = of greed / passion / lust;
• dosassa (m, gen. s) = of hatred,
• mohassa (m, gen. s) = of delusion,
• pahāna (n) = abandoning, giving up, rejection;
• pahānā (n, abl. s) = (from) due to abandoning / giving up;
• yaṃ (pron, acc. s) = (that) which, - showing relation
• akusalaṃ (n, acc. s) = unwholesome,
• na (ind) = no, not;
• taṃ (pron, acc. s) = that,
• karoti (v) = does, performs;
• karissasi (fut, second person, s) = you will do / perform,
• pāpaṃ (n, acc. s) = evil, bad, wicked;
• sevati (v) = associates / resorts to;
• sevissasi (fut, second person, s) = you will associate / resort to

Translation : Due to abandoning / giving up of greed, hatred and delusion; you will not perform that which is unwholesome (and) not associate with evil / wicked.

7. Bhikkhu ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvessati ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulikarissati.

• bhikkhu (m, nom. s) = monk,
• ariyaṃ (adj, m, acc. s) = noble,
• aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ (adj, m, acc. s) = eight-fold,
• maggaṃ (m, acc. s) = path,
• bhāveti (v) = develops, cultivates;
• bhāvessati (fut, third person, s) = (he) will develop / cultivate,
• bahulikaroti (v) = increases, makes much of, practises (frequently);
• bahulikarissati (fut, third person, s) = (he) will practise (frequently)

Translation : The monk will cultivate the noble eightfold path (and) he will practise frequently the noble eightfold path.

8. Paṭiccasamuppādaṃ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi vibhajissāmi.

• paṭiccasamuppādaṃ (m, acc. s) = dependent origination;
• vo (pron – tvaṃ, dat. s) = to you,
• bhikkhave (m, voc. p) = O monks!
• deseti (v) = teaches,
• desessāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will teach,
• vibhajati (v) = divides, dissects, goes into detail (explains in detail),
• vibhajissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will explain in detail

Translation : O monks! I will teach and explain in detail the dependent origination to you. (I will teach you dependent origination and explain it in detail.)

9. Anupubbiṃ kathaṃ kathessāmi.

• anupubba / anupubbi (adj) = gradual / graduated;
• anupubbiṃ (adj, f, acc. s) = gradual / graduated;
• kathā (f) = talk, speech;
• kathaṃ (f, acc. s) = talk (teaching),
• katheti (v) = speaks,
• kathessāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will speak

Translation : I will speak (about) gradual teaching.

• We often come across this phrase in the Suttas – anupubbikathā – which is translated as ‘gradual teaching’. It refers to the form of teaching adopted by the Buddha while teaching Dhamma to the lay people. The gradual teaching started with teaching about dāna, proceeding to sīla, sagga (heavenly realms) … to the ‘benefits of renunciation’. If the person’s mind was by then ready to accept / understand deep Dhamma teaching, the Buddha would teach them the four noble truths.

10. Dhammaṃ vo desayissāmi.

• vo (pron) = to you,
• deseti / desayati (v) = teaches,
• desayissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will teach

Translation : I will teach the Dhamma to you. (I will teach you the Dhamma.)

11. Ahaṃ vo kathayissāmi, sāmaṃ diṭṭhaṃ padaṃ mama.

• ahaṃ (pron) = I,
• vo (pron) = to you,
• katheti / kathayati (v) = speaks, talks;
• kathayissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will speak / talk;
• sāmaṃ (ind) = oneself, by oneself;
• diṭṭha (adj) = seen,
• diṭṭhaṃ (adj, n, acc. s) = seen,
• padaṃ (n, acc. s) = place, position, thing, element
• mama (pron – from ‘ahaṃ) = me, mine, to me

Translation : I will speak to you about a place / thing seen by me. (I will tell you about a place / element which I have experienced myself – here the ‘pada’ is referring to nibbāna.)

• Please note :
The sentences 8 & 9 use the e-ending forms of verbs (deseti, katheti), whereas sentences 10 & 11 use aya-ending forms of these verbs (desayati, kathayati)

12. Sāriputtoti nāmena hessati aggasāvako.

• Sāriputtoti (Sāriputto + ti) = as Sariputta, ‘Sariputta’ (ti is used to show quotation marks);
• nāma (n) = name,
• nāmena (n, inst. s) = by name (so and so),
• hoti (v) = is,
• hessati (fut, third person, s) = (he) will be,
• agga (adj) = highest, topmost, chief;
• sāvaka (m) = disciple,
• aggasāvako (adj, m, nom. s) = the chief disciple

Translation : The chief disciple will be (known) by the name – Sariputta.

• A common way of denoting someone’s name in the Pali suttas is the use of word – nāmena. It’s similar to the English expression – so and so will be a King / sage / monk.

13. Indriyesu guttadvārā bhavissāma bhojane mattaññuno jāgariyaṃ anuyuttā.

• indriya (n) = faculty, sense, sense organ;
• indriyesu (n, loc. p) = in senses,
• guttadvāra (adj) = with / having guarded door,
• guttadvārā (adj, m, nom. p) = (ones) with guarded doors,
• indriyesu guttadvārā = with / having doors of senses guarded, with guarded senses / sense doors;
• bhavati (v) = is,
• bhavissāma (fut, first person, p) = we will be,
• bhojana (n) = food,
• bhojane (n, loc. s) = in food (with respect to food),
• mattaññū (adj, m) = knowing the measure or limit, moderate;
• mattaññuno (m, nom. p) = moderate;
• jāgariyā (f) = keeping awake, watchfulness, wakefulness;
• jāgariyaṃ (f, loc. s) = in wakefulness,
• anuyutta (adj) = intent on / upon, attending to, engaged in;
• anuyuttā (adj, m, nom. p) = intent upon, engaged in.

Translation : We will be with guarded senses (sense doors), moderate in food and intent on / engaged in / attending to wakefulness.

14. Bhavissati, bhikkhave, so samayo yā ayañcevimassa pabbatassa samaññā antaradhāyissati, ime ca manussā kālaṃ karissanti, ahañca parinibbāyissāmi.

• bhavissati (fut, third person, s) = will be,
• bhikkhave (m, voc. p) = O monks!
• so (pron, m, nom. s) = that,
• samayo (m, nom. s) = time,
• yā (pron, f, nom. s) = (that) which – showing relation,
• ayañcevimassa = ayaṃ + ca +eva + imassa
• ayaṃ (pron, f, nom. s) = this,
• ceva = and (with emphasis), as well as, also;
• imassa (pron, m, gen. s) = of this,
• pabbatassa (m, gen. s) = of the mountain,
• samaññā (f, nom. s) = name, designation;
• anatadhāyati (v) = disappears,
• antaradhāyissati (fut, third person, s) = will disappear,
• ime (pron, m, nom. p) = these,
• ca (ind) = and,
• manussā (m, nom. p) = men, people;
• kāla (m) = time,
• kālaṃ karoti = dies (fulfils one’s time),
• kālaṃ karissanti (fut, third person, p) = (they) will die;
• ahañca = ahaṃ + ca = I too,
• parinibbāyati (v) = attains parinibbāna (final release), dies without being reborn;
• parinibbāyissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will attain parinibbāna (final release)

Translation : O monks! There will be a time (when) this designation (name) of this mountain will also disappear, these men will also die and I too will attain parinibbāna (final release).

• This sentence is from Vepullapabbatasutta (SN 15.20). Here the Buddha points out to the monks the impermanence inherent in all compounded things; narrating to them previous era pertaining to different Buddhas, people living at the time and the names of the mountain Vepulla during that period. He emphasises that all these previous Buddhas, people and designations have passed away and the same will happen to us all in future, hence it is a duty of a monk to exert for achieving the final goal.

15. Kammassakomhi kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo. Yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi – kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā – tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi.

• kammassakomhi = kammassako + amhi,
• kamma (n) = deed, action;
• kammassako (adj, m, nom. s) = one whose property is (their) kamma, owner of one’s kamma (action);
• amhi (v, √as, present tense, first person, s) = I am,
• dāyāda (m) = inheritance, (adj) = one who inherits, heir;
• kammadāyādo (adj, m, nom. s) = heir of one’s kamma,
• yoni (f) = cause, origin;
• kammayoni (adj, m, nom. s) = one with kamma as one’s origin (born out of / due to one’s kamma);
• bandhu (m) = relation, relative;
• kammabandhu (adj) = one with kamma as their relative,
• paṭisaraṇa (n) = shelter, protection, refuge;
• kammapaṭisaraṇo (adj, m, nom. s) = one with kamma as their refuge,
• yaṃ (pron, n, acc. s) = (that) which, whatever;
• kammaṃ (n, acc. s) = deed, action;
• karissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will do / perform,
• kalyāṇa (adj) = beautiful, auspicious, good, beneficial;
• kalyāṇaṃ (adj, n, acc. s) = beneficial, good;
• vā (ind) = or,
• pāpaka (adj) – bad, wicked, sinful;
• pāpakaṃ (adj, n, acc. s) = wicked, bad;
• tassa (pron, n, gen. s) = of it, of that;
• dāyādo (adj, m, nom. s) = heir;
• bhavissāmi (fut, first person, s) = I will be

Translation : I am the owner of my kamma, heir of my kamma, with kamma as my origin (born out of my kamma), with kamma as my relative (and) kamma as my refuge. Whatever action that I (will) perform – good or bad – I will be an heir of that (action).

• We come across this stock passage – which expresses the law of kamma – again and again in the suttas. It is also one of the five frequent recollections / contemplations to be undertaken by everyone. (SN 5.57)