Lesson 20

Imperative Mood (part 2) and selected passages

TheGentleLaw

Pali:
Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṃ...

Translation:
"Go forth, monks, on a journey..."

Grammatical Analysis:

• Caratha = 2nd person plural imperative of carati ("to walk, to go, to travel").

• bhikkhave = vocative plural of bhikkhu ("monk") → addressing the monks.

• cārikaṃ = accusative singular of cārika ("walking tour," "wandering," "journey").

Notes:

• Imperative mood: the Buddha is giving an instruction.

• Vocative: directly calling the monks.

---

2.

Pali:
Kullūpamaṃ vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi nittharaṇatthāya, no gahaṇatthāya. Taṃ suṇātha, sādhukaṃ manasikarotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

Translation:
"I will teach you, monks, a Dhamma comparable to a raft, for the purpose of crossing over, not for grasping. Listen to it, attend carefully to it, and I will speak."

Grammatical Analysis:

• Kullūpamaṃ = kulla ("raft") + upama ("simile, comparison") → "like a raft," accusative singular (object).

• vo = dative/possessive plural pronoun ("to you").

• bhikkhave = vocative plural ("monks").

• dhammaṃ = accusative singular of dhamma ("teaching, doctrine").

• desessāmi = 1st person singular future of deseti ("to teach").

• nittharaṇatthāya = dative singular compound: nittharaṇa ("crossing over, liberation") + attha ("purpose") → "for the purpose of crossing over."

• no = negative particle ("not").

• gahaṇatthāya = dative singular compound: gahaṇa ("grasping, seizing") + attha ("purpose") → "for the purpose of grasping."

• taṃ = accusative singular pronoun ("it").

• suṇātha = 2nd person plural imperative of suṇāti ("to listen").

• sādhukaṃ = adverb ("carefully, well").

• manasikarotha = 2nd person plural imperative of manasikaroti ("to attend to, to pay attention").

• bhāsissāmi = 1st person singular future of bhāsati ("to speak").

Notes:

• Future tense used for promises or declarations ("I will teach").

• Imperatives to listen and attend.

---

3.

Pali:
Ehi bhikkhu...

Translation:
"Come, monk..."

Grammatical Analysis:

• Ehi = 2nd person singular imperative of eti ("to come").

• bhikkhu = vocative singular ("monk").

Notes:

• Short and direct call or invitation.