Evaṃ me sutaṃ

Now let us translate a few Pali sentences adopted from the Suttas, which contain various forms of the causative verbs.

1. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohantā sīhavighāsaṃ passitvā pacāpetvā paribhuñjiṃsu.

tena kho pana samayena = at that time,
sambahula = many,
gijjhakūṭa pabbata = vulture’s peak mountain (a hill near Rājagaha)
orohanta (Pr P from orohati) = descending,
vighāsa = remains of food, leftover;
sīhavighāsa = meat left over from a lion’s kill / prey,
pacāpetvā (caus. ger. from pacati) = having got (the food) cooked,
paribhuñjati = eats, consumes

Translation : At that time, a number of monks descending from the Vulture’s Peak mountain, saw left over from a lion’s kill, got it cooked and consumed it.

Please Note : We have simplified the translation from literal – having seen (passitvā) having got it cooked (pacāpetvā)

2. Vihāraṃ saṅghassa kāresiṃ, ambehi parivāritaṃ.

vihāra = monastery,
kāresiṃ (caus. PT, 1st P, s from karoti) = I got (it) made / built,
amba = mango tree,
parivārita = surrounded

Translation : I got a monastery built for the Sangha, (which was) surrounded by mango trees.

3. Gopālako tesaṃ pāyāsaṃ dāpetvā sayaṃ bhuñjituṃ ārabhi.

gopālaka = cowherd,
tesaṃ = to them,
pāyāsa = rice porridge,
dāpetvā (caus. ger. from dadāti) = having caused to give,
sayaṃ = by oneself,
bhuñjituṃ ārabhi = started to eat

Translation : The cowherd, having given the rice gruel to them, started eating it himself.

Please Note : For simplifying the English sentence, we have used the translation ‘having given’ (instead of – having caused to give) for pali word ‘dāpetvā’. We can interpret the causative in this way – the cowherd gave the rice gruel through someone (an agent) / he asked someone to give the rice gruel to the recipients.

4. Sāpi tatheva te bhikkhū nisīdāpetvā bhojesi.

sāpi = sā + api = she too,
tatheva = similarly, in the same manner;
te bhikkhū = those monks,
nisīdāpetvā (caus. ger. from nisīdati) = having caused to sit (having offered a seat),
bhojesi (caus. PT, 3rd P, s from bhuñjati) = caused to eat (fed / served)

Translation : Similarly, she too offered seats to those monks and served food to them.

5. Bandhumā rājā vipassissa kumārassa tayo pāsāde kārāpesi, ekaṃ vassikaṃ ekaṃ hemantikaṃ ekaṃ gimhikaṃ.

tayo = three,
pāsāda = palace, mansion;
kārāpesi (caus. PT, 3rd P, s from karoti) = got (something) made / built,
eka = one,
vassika = belonging to / related to rainy season / monsoon,
hemantika = belonging to / related to autumn,
gimhika = belonging to / related to summer

Translation : King Bandhuma got three mansions built for the boy Vipassi – one for monsoon, one for autumn and one for the summer.

6. Sace kho me tvaṃ, brāhmaṇa, vihāraṃ kārāpetukāmo, pāṭaliputte saṅghassa upaṭṭhānasālaṃ kārāpehi.

sace = if,
me = for me,
kārāpetukāma (adj) = wishing to get (something) made / built,
pāṭaliputta = name of a town,
upaṭṭhānasālā = hall for attendance, assembly hall;
kārāpehi (caus. Imp, 2nd P, s from karoti) = you get (something) made / built

Translation : Brahmin! If you wish to get a monastery made for me, get an assembly hall made / built for the Sangha at Pataliputta.

7. “Ahaṃ kho imasmiṃ vanasaṇḍe kammantaṃ kārāpento ramāmi. Ayaṃ samaṇo gotamo kiṃ kārāpento ramatī”ti?

imasmiṃ = in this,
vanasaṇḍa = jungle thicket, forested area;
kammanta = work, business;
kārāpenta (caus. Pr P from karoti) = getting (something / work) done,
ramati = delights,
ayaṃ = this,
kiṃ = what,
ramatī”ti = ramati + ti

Translation : “I take delight in getting work done in this woodland thicket. What does this ascetic Gotama take delight in getting done?”