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
在 | zài | at |
舍衛 | Shèwèi | |
國 | 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” |
大 | dà | big, great |
與 | yǔ | together, with |
比丘 | bǐqiū | bhikṣu |
眾 | zhòng | assembly |
千 | qiān | thousand |
二 | èr | two |
百 | bǎi | hundred |
五 | wǔ | five |
十 | shí | ten |
人 | rén | man, men, people |
俱 | jū | together |
Example 2.2
唯 | wéi | only; (a sentence-opening particle with no translatable meaning) |
無上尊 | wúshàngzūn | without superior, exalted one |
為 | wèi | to be, is |
最 | 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
入 | rù | to enter |
於 | yú | (preposition) in, at |
涅槃 | nièpán | nirvana |
斷 | duàn | to cut off |
結使 | jiéshǐ | lit. “bounds and manipulations”; afflictions |
消滅 | xiāomiè | to destroy, to dispense with |
戱 | xì | funny, playful, absurd, fanciful, frivolous |
論 | lùn | discourse, discussion, theory, deliberations |
Again, once the subject (諸佛) is understood, it is not necessary to repeat it for the following
phrases.
Example 2.4
戒 | jiè | precepts; morality; (Skt. śīla) |
慧 | huì | Wisdom, insight |
After describing the qualities of a Buddha, the text concludes:
Example 2.5
世尊 | Shìzūn | World-Honored One |
閑靜 | xiánjìng | peaceful and quiet |
處 | chù | place |
天耳 | tiāněr | divine ear (one of the supernormal powers of a buddha) |
清淨 | qīngjìng | pure |
作 | zuò | to do, to make |
議 | yì | discussion, argument, opinion |
After describing a discussion among the Buddha's disciples when the Buddha was
not present, the text continues:
Example 2.6
諦 | dì | carefully |
聽 | tīng | to listen |
善 | shàn | well |
思念 | sīniàn | think on, contemplate |
之 | zhī | it |
The verbs in quotations could, grammatically, refer to the Buddha himself. We know they are
commands from the context.
Example 2.7
成 | chéng | to complete, to accomplish |
最正覺 | zuìzhèngjué | Lit. “most correct awakening,” Skt. abhisaṃbuddha |
Review 2
Page updated on 2019-02-09