Translation
Let us translate a few Pali sentences, adopted from the Suttas, which contain various declined forms of the ‘sabba’ and other pronouns.
1. “Sabbe sattā, mahārāja, maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṃ anatītā”ti.
sabbe (masc, nom. p of sabba) = all,satta = being, creature;
mahārāja = great king,
maraṇadhamma = subject to death, of the nature of dying;
pariyosāna = end, conclusion, result;
anatītā”ti = anatītā + ti
anatīta = not beyond, not past;
Translation : O great king! All beings are subject to death, they terminate in death, they are not beyond dying.
2. ‘Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānābhāvo vinābhāvo’ti abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
sabbehi (masc / neut, abl. p of sabba) = from all,
me = my,
piya = dear,
manāpa = pleasing,
nānābhāva = separation,
vinābhāva = separation, parting;
abhiṇhaṃ = frequently,
paccavekkhitabba = should be reflected / considered / pondered;
gahaṭṭha = householder,
pabbajita = one who has gone forth
Translation : A woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth, should often reflect thus: ‘I must be parted and separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to me.
(By Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)
3. Ṭhito ahaṃ aṅgulimāla sabbadā
Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṃ
ṭhita (adj) = standing, stopped;
sabbadā = always, forever;
sabbesu (masc / neut, loc. p of sabba) = among all,
bhūta = being,
nidhāya (gerund of nidahati) = having deposited, having laid down / aside;
daṇḍa = stick, staff, punishment;
Translation : Angulimāla, I have stopped forever;
Having laid down my staff (I stand) among all beings.
The above is the literal translation of the verse that the Buddha said to Angulimāla. It refers to the Buddha’s nature of non-harming (compassion) towards all the creatures.
Hence, we can follow the alternate translation :
Angulimāla, I have stopped forever,
I abstain from violence towards living beings
(By Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)
4. Yāni kānici bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.
yāni kānici = whatever, whichever;bhaya = fear, dread;
uppajjati = arise,
sabbāni (neut, nom. p of sabba) = all,
tāni = those,
bālato = from / due to a fool,
no = not,
paṇḍitato = from / due to a wise person
Translation : Whatever perils arise all arise on account of the fool, not on account of the wise person.
(By Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)
5. Aniccasaññā, bhikkhave, bhāvitā bahulīkatā sabbaṃ kāmarāgaṃ pariyādiyati, sabbaṃ bhavarāgaṃ pariyādiyati, sabbaṃ avijjaṃ priyādiyati, sabbaṃ asmimānaṃ samūhanati.
aniccasaññā = perception of impermanence,
bhāvita = having developed, having cultivated;
bahulīkata = having developed, having cultivated;
sabbaṃ (masc / fem, acc. s of sabba) = all,
kāmarāga = sensual desire / craving,
pariyādiyati = overpowers, exhausts, eliminates;
bhavarāga = desire / craving for existence,
avijjā = ignorance,
asmimāna = the conceit ‘I am’,
samūhanati = removes, uproots, abolishes
Translation : Bhikkhus, the perception of impermanence when developed and cultivated, eliminates all sensual desire, eliminates all desire for existence, eliminates all ignorance and uproots all conceit ‘I am.’
Note : The word sabbaṃ in the above sentence is used as an adjective to the nouns – kāmarāga, bhavarāga, asmimāna, all of which are masculine nouns and avijjā, which is a feminine noun. However, all the nouns are in accusative singular, hence the pronoun / adjective sabba also takes up accusative singular form, sabbaṃ, which is same across all the genders. (masculine, feminine and neuter accusative singular of sabba = sabbaṃ)
6. “Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā, vineyya hadaye daraṃ;
Upasanto sukhaṃ seti, santiṃ pappuyya cetaso”ti.
sabbā (fem, nom. p of sabba) = all,
āsatti = attachment,
chetvā (ger of chindati) = having cut,
vineyya (ger of vineti) = having removed,
hadaya = heart,
dara = fear, sorrow, pain, anguish;
upasanta = peaceful, calm;
sukhaṃ = with ease,
seti = sleeps,
santi = peace,
pappuyya (ger. of pappoti) = having reached / attained,
cetaso = of mind
Translation :
Having cut off all attachments,
having removed anguish in the heart,
the peaceful one sleeps well,
having attained peace of mind
(By Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)
7. Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā … sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā … sabbe dhammā anattā
sabbe (masc, nom. p of sabba) = all,
saṅkhāra = compounded thing, conditioned phenomenon;
anicca = impermanent,
dukkha = unsatisfactory,
dhamma = thing, phenomenon;
anatta = non-self, devoid of self
Translation : All conditioned things / phenomena are impermanent … all conditioned things / phenomena are unsatisfactory … all things / phenomena are non-self.
8. Pañcimāni bhikkhave nīvaraṇāni. Katamāni pañca?
pañcimāni = pañca + imāni
pañca = five,
imāni (neut, nom. p of ima) = these,
nīvaraṇa = hindrance, obstacle;
katamāni (neut, nom. p of katama) = what, which
Translation : Bhikkhus, these are the five hindrances. What / which five?
9. “Sīlavā samaṇo gotamo paramena sīlakkhandhena samannāgato”ti.
sīlavā = virtuous,
samaṇa = monk, recluse;
paramena (masc, inst. s of parama) = by the excellent / supreme,
sīlakkhandha = the aggregate of virtue,
samannāgata = endowed with, possessed of;
Translation : “The recluse Gotama is virtuous, he is endowed with (he possesses) the supreme aggregate of virtue.”
10. Therā bhikkhū vīriyaṃ ārabhanti appattassa pattiyā anadhigatassa adhigamāya asacchikatassa sacchikiriyāya. Tesaṃ pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṃ āpajjati.
therā bhikkhū = elder monks,
vīriya = energy,
vīriyaṃ ārabhati = arouses energy, strives;
appatta = unattained,
patti = attainment,
anadhigata = un-achieved,
adhigama = achievement,
asacchikata = unrealised,
sacchikiriyā = realisation,
tesaṃ = their,
pacchimā (fem, nom. s of pacchima) = latter, next, following;
janatā = people, gathering, congregation;
diṭṭhānugati = following (what is seen)
diṭṭhānugatiṃ āpajjati = following an example
Translation : The elder bhikkhus arouse energy for the attainment of the as-yet-unattained, for the achievement of the as-yet-unachieved, for the realization of the as-yet-unrealized. [Those in] the next generation follow their example.
(By Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi)