Evaṃ me sutaṃ

Let us translate a few sentences adopted from the Suttas, which contain various declined forms of past participles.

1. Evaṃ me sutaṃ.

Translation : Thus was heard by me.

Please Note :
• The translation given above is the literal translation of this sentence. The sentence is in passive voice, and it does not contain a verb. The past participle sutaṃ acts as a verb in the sentence.
• Mostly, the simpler translation – Thus I have heard – is used while translating the Suttas.

Evaṃ me sutaṃ is the most common opening sentence of the Suttas. It’s a part of narration by Ven. Ānanda who recited all the discourses of the Buddha at the time of their compilation in the first Buddhist Council.

2. Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandunti.

idamavoca = idaṃ + avoca
avoca = (he) said,
attamana = delighted, pleased, glad;
bhagavato = of the Blessed one,
bhāsita (pp from bhāsati) = spoken, speech (words, statement etc);
abhinandunti = abhinanduṃ + (i)ti
abhinanduṃ (PT third per, p of abhinandati) = (they) rejoiced, delighted, approved of

Translation : This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, the bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One’s statement.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Please Note :
• The word abhinandunti is a sandhi. The verb abhinanduṃ is in the Past Tense and ending ti indicates the end of the Sutta (end of recitation)

This line with some of its variations forms a very common ending to the Suttas. When Buddha or some other senior monk has expounded on the Dhamma, the listeners often rejoice in it, and express their gladness, which is indicated by this line.

3. Subhāvitā me asubhasaññā … pattaṃ me bhāvanābalaṃ.

subhāvita = su + bhāvita
bhāvita (pp from bhāveti) = developed, cultivated;
me = by me,
asubhasaññā = perception of foulness / unattractiveness,
patta (pp from pāpuṇāti / pappoti) = reached, attained;
bhāvanābala = power / fruit of cultivation / meditation

Translation : I have developed the perception of unattractiveness; … I have attained the fruit of development.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Please Note :
• The literal translation of the above line will be – The perception of unattractiveness is well developed by me … the power of cultivation (meditation) is reached / attained by me.
• The most common word used in the Suttas for ‘meditation’ is bhāvanā.

4. Ayamassa paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā hoti; avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno.

ayamassa = ayaṃ + assa
assa = tassa = his, for him;
paṭhama = first,
vijjā = knowledge,
adhigata (pp from adhigacchati) = acquired, attained;
avijjā = ignorance,
vihata = (pp from vihanati) = removed, dispelled;
uppanna (pp from uppajjati) = arisen,
tamo = darkness,
āloka = light

Translation : This is the first true knowledge attained by him. Ignorance is dispelled, true knowledge has arisen; darkness is dispelled, light has arisen.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Please note the adjectives (pp) vihata and uppanna in the above sentence. With feminine nouns (vijjā and avijjā) they take up the feminine forms – vihatā, uppannā; while with masculine nouns (tamo, āloko) they take up the masculine forms – vihato, uppanno.

5. ‘Yaṃ taṃ jātaṃ bhūtaṃ saṅkhataṃ palokadhammaṃ, taṃ vata mā palujjī’ti – netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati.

yaṃ = which,
taṃ = that,
jāta (pp from jāyati) = arisen, born;
bhūta (pp from bhavati) = become, produced;
saṅkhata (pp from saṅkharoti) = put together, conditioned;
palokadhamma = subject to dissolution, disintegration;
vata = indeed,
mā = do not, may not;
palujjīti = palujji + ti
palujjati = breaks down, crumbles, disintegrates;
netaṃ = na + etaṃ
ṭhāna = place, state, condition;
vijjati = exists,
etaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati = it is possible,
netaṃ (na + etaṃ) ṭhānaṃ vijjati = it is not possible

Translation : ‘May what is born, come to be, conditioned, and subject to disintegration not disintegrate!’ – That is impossible.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Please Note : etaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati = it is possible,
and
netaṃ (na + etaṃ) ṭhānaṃ vijjati = it is not possible
are frequently used phrases in the Suttas indicating possibility of any event / state / condition.

6. Ānāpānassatiṃ, rāhula, bhāvanaṃ bhāvehi. Ānāpānassati, rāhula, bhāvanā bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṃsā.

ānāpānassati = mindfulness of breathing,
bhāvanā = cultivation, development, meditation;
bhāveti = cultivates, developes;
bhāvita (pp from bhāveti) = cultivated, developed;
bahulīkata (pp from bahulīkaroti) = practised a lot, increased, taken up seriously;
mahapphala = giving great fruit,
ānisaṃsa = benefit, advantage;
mahānisaṃsa = of great benefit

Translation : “Rāhula, develop mindfulness of breathing. When mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated, it is of great fruit and great benefit.”
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

7. “Yampidaṃ diṭṭhaṃ sutaṃ mutaṃ viññātaṃ pattaṃ pariyesitaṃ anuvicaritaṃ manasā tampi niccaṃ vā aniccaṃ vā”ti. “Aniccaṃ, bhante.”

yampidaṃ = yaṃ + pi + idaṃ
diṭṭha (pp from passati) = seen;
suta (pp from suṇāti) = heard;
muta (pp from munāti) = known, sensed;
viññāta (pp from vijānāti) = cognized, perceived;
patta (pp from pappoti) = attained,
pariyesita (pp from pariyesati) = sought,
anuvicarita (pp from anuvicāreti) = thought over, pondered;
manasā = by (one’s) mind,
tampi = taṃ + pi
nicca = permanent,
vā = or,
anicca = impermanent

Translation : That which is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and ranged over by the mind: is that permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, venerable sir.”
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

8. Katamā cāvuso ajjhattikā tejodhātu? ... yena ca santappati, yena ca jīrīyati, yena ca pariḍayhati, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchati ...

katama = which, what;
cāvuso = ca + āvuso
ajjhattika = internal,
tejodhātu = fire element,
yena = by which,
santappati = is heated,
jīrīyati = grows old, ages;
pariḍayhati = is burned,
asita (pp from asnāti) = eaten,
pīta (pp from pivati) = drunk,
khāyita (pp from khādati) = eaten, chewed;
sāyita (pp from sāyati) = tasted,
sammā = properly,
pariṇāma = change, alteration;

Translation : What is the internal fire element? … that by which one is warmed, ages, and is consumed, and that by which what is eaten, drunk, consumed, and tasted gets completely digested…
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Please Note :
• The above sentence is a part of the description of internal fire element.
• The adjectives asita pīta khāyita sāyita are frequently used in the Suttas while referring to food / sense objects of tongue (jivhā).

9. Buddho so bhagvā bodhāya dhammaṃ deseti, danto so bhagavā damathāya dhammaṃ deseti, santo so bhagavā samathāya dhammaṃ deseti, tiṇṇo so bhagavā taraṇāya dhammaṃ deseti, parinibbuto so bhagavā parinibbānāya dhammaṃ deseti.

buddha (pp from bujjhati) = enlightened, awakened;
bodha = knowledge, enlightenment;
danta (pp from dameti) = tamed,
damatha = taming, subduing;
santa (pp from sammati) = calmed,
samatha = calm,
tiṇṇa (pp from tarati) = crossed over,
taraṇa = crossing over,
parinibbuta (pp from parinibbāti) = totally cooled, completely released, extinguished;
parinibbāna = total release from dukkha, complete emancipation, liberation

Translation : The Blessed One is enlightened and he teaches the Dhamma for the sake of enlightenment. The Blessed One is tamed and he teaches the Dhamma for taming oneself. The Blessed One is at peace and he teaches the Dhamma for the sake of peace. The Blessed One has crossed over and he teaches the Dhamma for crossing over. The Blessed One has attained Nibbāna and he teaches the Dhamma for attaining Nibbāna.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

10. Yaṃ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṃ, taṃ pajahatha. Taṃ vo pahīnaṃ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Kiñca, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṃ? Rūpaṃ, bhikkhave, na tumhākaṃ, taṃ pajahatha. Taṃ vo pahīnaṃ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Vedanā na tumhākaṃ, taṃ pajahatha. Sā vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissati. Saññā na tumhākaṃ ... Saṅkhārā na tumhākaṃ, te pajahatha. Te vo pahīnā hitāya sukhāya bhavissanti. Viññāṇaṃ na tumhākaṃ, taṃ pajahatha. Taṃ vo pahīnaṃ hitāya sukhāya bhavissati.

yaṃ = that which, whatever;
tumhākaṃ = yours,
taṃ = that,
pajahatha (Imperative 2nd P, p) = (you all) abandon,
vo = by you,
pahīna (pp from pajahati) = abandoned,
hita = welfare,
sukha = happiness,
kiñca = kiṃ + ca
kiṃ = what,
rūpa = form,
vedanā = feeling,
saññā = perception,
saṅkhāra = volitional formation,
viññāṇa = consciousness

Translation : Bhikkhus, whatever is not yours, abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. And what is it, bhikkhus, that is not yours? Form is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. Feeling is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. Perception is not yours … Volitional formations are not yours: abandon them. When you have abandoned them, that will lead to your welfare and happiness. … Consciousness is not yours: abandon it. When you have abandoned it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness.
(By Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi)

• Please Note the declined forms of the past participle (adj) pahīna in the above sentence. They correspond to the nouns they modify, in gender number and case. Thus we have the following noun – adjective pairs :

~ rūpaṃ – pahīnaṃ (neu nom. s)
~ vedanā – pahīnā (fem nom. s)
~ saṅkhārā – pahīnā (masc nom. p)
~ viññāṇaṃ – pahīnaṃ (neu nom. s)