gacchāmi is the main verb for the omitted object ‘I’. It is to be followed by an accusative case. buddhaṃ is the object of gacchāmi.
What is the function of saraṇaṃ? Is it an apposition of buddhaṃ? (apposition = the use of a noun phrase immediately after or before another noun phrase that refers to the same person or thing)
Actually, Dheerayupa, that’s not quite right. ‘I’ is the subject (not object) of this sentence, and it’s not really omitted - it’s there within the -āmi ending of the verb gacchati. That’s why Pāli doesn’t need to use a personal pronoun. It has them (ahaṃ = I) but only uses them for emphasis.
It is to be followed by an accusative case. buddhaṃ is the object of gacchāmi.
Correct.
What is the function of saraṇaṃ? Is it an apposition of buddhaṃ
Yes. Thus saraṇaṃ ia also in the accusative being a second object of gacchāmi (that is, in apposition).
Thus the sentence can be read literally as either:
“I go to the Buddha (who is) a refuge” or “I go to a refuge (which is) the Buddha.”
Hello! I have a question. On page 8, the relative pronoun “ya-“ is discussed. How do you know when to use the masculine form “yo” and when to use the neuter form “yaṃ”? Is it determined by the gender of the ideas that it is connecting?
Hi Monty,
Good question. We will discuss this during our next lesson.
Whether the relative pronoun takes masculine or neuter form (or even feminine yā, not shown in Lesson 1) depends simply on the noun that it is referring to.
The man who sees me … masc yo.
The woman who talks to him … fem yā.
The refuge that is over the hill … neut yaṃ.
And, thanks to this G&K Lesson 1 reading, I now know the source for this metaphor in the suttas. I share this lovely image from a “faux” thangka on my office wall – a true inspiration for my meditation practice. (Whitish-looking spot is glare from my window.)
I shall not forget the meaning of adanta & danta now.
Dameti Dameti [Sk. damayati, caus. to dāmyati of *dam to bring into the house, to domesticate; Gr. δαμάω, δμητός; Lat. domare; Oir. dam (ox); Goth. tamjan=Ohg. zemman=Ags. temian=E. tame; to *demā of dama house, see dampati] to make tame, chastise, punish, master, conquer, convert Vin ii.196 (daṇḍena); M ii.102; Dh 80, 305 (attānaŋ); It 123 (ppr. [danto] damayataŋ seṭṭho [santo] samayataŋ isi); Miln 14, 386; PvA 54 (core d.=converted).
Is there a typo here? I assume bhiyyobhāva is masculine based on the word bhāva and bhiyyobhāvāya is supposed to be right inflection for dative masculine noun with -a ending.
Yes, in grammar explanation #9 the masculine dative case ending is missing the macron. (bar above the a)
The reading itself, #4 on page 2, has it correct.
Your explanation of the gender and cases is right, good work!