1. Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

ekaṃ samayaṃ = on one occasion,
bhagavā (nom. s of bhagavantu) = the Blessed One

Translation : On one occasion, the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi, in Jeta’s grove, in the monastery of Anathapindika.

 

2. Ekamantaṃ ṭhito kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṃ etadavoca –

ekamantaṃ = on one side,
ṭhita (adj) = standing,
bhagavantaṃ (acc. s of bhagavantu) = to the Blessed One,
etadavoca = said thus

Translation : Standing on one side, Sahampati Brahma said thus to the Blessed One –

 

3. Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa

namo (ind) = an expression of respect, salutation, (my) homage to;
tassa = to him, that;
bhagavato (dat. s of bhagavantu) = to the Blessed One,
arahato = to the arahant,
sammāsambuddhassa = to the supremely / perfectly enlightened one

Translation : Homage to him (that) Blessed One, the arahant, the perfectly enlightened one!

Note : The indeclinable namo is used as an expression / exclamation of respect. It associates with nouns in dative case. Please note that all the word following namotassa, bhagavato, arahato, sammāsambuddhassa – are in dative case.

 

4. Svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo …

svākkhāta = su + akkhāta = well proclaimed / expounded / taught
bhagavatā (inst. s of bhagavantu) = by the Blessed One

Translation : The Dhamma has been well proclaimed by the Blessed One

 

5. Ekamantaṃ ṭhitā kho sā devatā bhagavato santike imaṃ gāthaṃ abhāsi.

= she, that;
devatā = goddess, deity;
bhagavato (gen. s of bhagavantu) = of the Blessed One
santika = near, vicinity, in presence of, before;
bhagavato santike = before / in presence of the Blessed One
imaṃ = this,
gāthā = verse,
abhāsi = said, uttered, recited

Translation : Standing on one side, that deity said this verse in the presence of the Blessed One –

 

6. Dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṃ bhagavati brahmacariyaṃ vussati.

pariññā = full understanding, comprehension, exact knowledge;
pariññatthaṃ = for complete understanding / knowledge;
bhagavati (loc. s of bhagavantu) = under the Blessed One / near / in presence of
brahmacariya = holy life,
vussati = passive of vasati = is lived

Translation : It is, friends, for the full understanding of suffering that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.
(by Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)

 

7. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ …

kāya = body,
anupassati = looks at, observes, contemplates;
anupassī (adj) = one who observes / contemplates;
kāyānupassī (adj) = one who contemplates the body;
viharati = dwells,
ātāpī = ardent,
sampajāna (adj) = clearly comprehending,
satimā (nom. s of satimantu) = mindful,
vineyya = having removed, having put away;
loka = world
abhijjhādomanassa = abhijjhā + domanassa
abhijjhā = greed, covetousness;
domanassa = displeasure, discontent

Translation : Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.
(by Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)

 

8. Idha mayaṃ, bhante, kāye kāyānupassino viharāma ātāpino sampajānā satimanto, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ …

satimanto (nom. p of satimantu) = mindful

Translation : Here, venerable sir, we dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having put away covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world.

Please Note : a bhikkhu (third person singular) is the subject of sentence no. 7 whereas in sentence no. 8 the subject is mayaṃ (first person plural). Thus, all the adjectives used to describe the subject, i.e. – kāyānupassī, ātāpī, sampajāna, satimantu – appear in singular forms in sentence no. 7 and in plural forms in sentence no. 8.

 

9. Etadaggaṃ, bhikkhave, mama sāvakānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ satimantānaṃ yadidaṃ ānando.

etadaggaṃ = etaṃ + aggaṃ
etaṃ = this,
agga = foremost, topmost, highest;
mama = my,
sāvaka = disciple,
satimantānaṃ (gen. p of satimantu) = of the mindful (people),
yadidaṃ = which is this, namely, that is;

Translation : The literal meaning of the sentence is – O monks! This is the highest (topmost / summit) of my bhikkhu disciples with good memory – that is Ānanda.
In case of such complicated sentence construction, often a simpler implied meaning is used while translating. Such as –
Bhikkhus, the foremost of my bhikkhu disciples with good memory is Ānanda.

Please Note that the word sati in this context is used for memory, Ven Ānanda is identified by the Buddha as the foremost among those with good memory.

 

10. Sīlavanto sīlavantehi saddhiṃ saṃsandanti samenti; paññavanto paññavantehi saddhiṃ saṃsandanti samenti.

sīlavanto (nom. p of sīlavantu) = virtuous,
sīlavantehi (inst. p of sīlavantu) = with the virtuous (people),
saṃsandati = fits, agrees, associates, unites;
sameti = comes together, meets;
paññavanto (nom. p of paññavantu) = wise, possessing wisdom,
paññavantehi (inst. p of paññavantu) = with the wise

Translation : Those who are virtuous come together, associate with the virtuous ones; wise come together and associate with the wise ones.

Last modified: Friday, 13 October 2023, 9:34 AM