Primer

A Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings

Volume One: Foundations

Lessons in Grammar - Lesson 2: The Implicit Subject

We saw in the last lesson that Chinese sentences can usually be divided into a subject and a predicate. However, the subject is often unexpressed in declarative sentences when it can be understood from context. The preceding example (智慧增益) comes close since it is understood from context that it is the mother's wisdom that increases. In the examples below the subject is entirely implicit.

Example 2.1

Vocabulary
zài at
舍衛 Shèwèi
guó kingdom
祇樹 Qíshù An abbreviation of 祇樹給孤獨園 (Skt. Jetavana Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma)
花林窟 Huālínkū (Skt.) Kareri-kuṭikā; literally “Flower-copse Cave”
big, great
together, with
比丘 bǐqiū bhikṣu
zhòng assembly
qiān thousand
èr two
bǎi hundred
five
shí ten
rén man, men, people
together
Note that in this passage, the preposition (“with”) works with the verb (“together”).

Example 2.2

Vocabulary
wéi only; (a sentence-opening particle with no translatable meaning)
無上尊 wúshàngzūn without superior, exalted one
wèi to be, is
zuì most
奇特 qítè special, remarkable
神通 shéntōng lit. “divine perspicacity”; Skt. abhijñā, divine powers, supernormal powers, supernormal cognitions.
遠達 yuǎndá far reaching
威力 wēilì authority, power, might
弘大 hóngdà great, expansive
Note here that, in addition to dropping the subject in the second part of the sentence, no copula (verb like “to be”) is necessary in the second part of the sentence either.

Example 2.3

Vocabulary
to enter
(preposition) in, at
涅槃 nièpán nirvana
duàn to cut off
結使 jiéshǐ lit. “bounds and manipulations”; afflictions
消滅 xiāomiè to destroy, to dispense with
funny, playful, absurd, fanciful, frivolous
lùn discourse, discussion, theory, deliberations
Again, once the subject () is understood, it is not necessary to repeat it for the following phrases.

Example 2.4

Vocabulary
jiè precepts; morality; (Skt. śīla)
huì Wisdom, insight
After describing the qualities of a Buddha, the text concludes:

Example 2.5

Vocabulary
世尊 Shìzūn World-Honored One
閑靜 xiánjìng peaceful and quiet
chù place
天耳 tiāněr divine ear (one of the supernormal powers of a buddha)
清淨 qīngjìng pure
zuò to do, to make
discussion, argument, opinion
After describing a discussion among the Buddha's disciples when the Buddha was not present, the text continues:

Example 2.6

Vocabulary
carefully
tīng to listen
shàn well
思念 sīniàn think on, contemplate
zhī it
The verbs in quotations could, grammatically, refer to the Buddha himself. We know they are commands from the context.

Example 2.7

Vocabulary
chéng to complete, to accomplish
最正覺 zuìzhèngjué Lit. “most correct awakening,” Skt. abhisaṃbuddha

Review 2

Page updated on 2019-02-09

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