A Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings

Volume One: Foundations

Lessons in Grammar - Lesson 9: Grammatical Flexibility

Grammatical flexibility: nouns become verbs; verbs, nouns; verbs become adjectives, etc.

Example 9.1

Vocabulary
語	yǔ	words; language, speech
語	yù	to speak to
可	kě	to approve, to accept

Compare the word 語 in the following sentences. The first describes the Buddha's response to what the devas told him. In the second, he explains how it is that he knows of the lives of Buddhas of the distant past.

9.1.1 爾時，如來聞此天語，默然可之。
9.1.2 諸天來語，乃知此事。

Example 9.2

Vocabulary
設	shè	establish, make, set out; take
方便	fāngbiàn	expedience, Skt. upāya; measures
使	shǐ	to cause to
處	chǔ	to place
深	shēn	deep, profound
至	zhì	to, until
處	chù	place
恭敬	gōngjìng	to respect, venerate
四事	sìshì	“the four things” (i.e. the four basic necessities: clothing, food, bedding, medicine).
供養	gòngyǎng	to provide

Compare the word 處 in the following sentences. The first describes the actions of the Bodhisattva's father, intended to prevent him from becoming a wandering ascetic. The second describes the reception of the Buddha during his period of wandering.

9.2.1 當設方便，使處深宮。
9.2.2 從國至國。所至之處，無不恭敬，四事供養。

Example 9.3

Vocabulary
善枝	Shànzhī	(personal name) lit. Good Branch
安和	nhé	(personal name) lit. Peaceful Harmony (P.) Sotthija (Skt.) Svāstika
若	ruò	if
家	jiā	home, household
轉輪聖王	zhuǎnlún shèngwáng	Wheel-turning Sagely King, Skt. Cakravartin
天下	Tiānxià	lit. “All under heaven”; here: continent
王	wáng	/ wàng king / to be king of, to rule

Compare 王 in the following passages. In the first, the text describes the names of the parents of one of the buddhas of the past:

9.3.1 母名善枝。王名安和。
9.3.2 若在家者，當為轉輪聖王，王四天下。

Example 9.4

Vocabulary
樂	lè	happiness, pleasure; to please; to be happy
苦	kǔ	suffering
慼	qī	sadness, sorrow
遇	yù	to meet, to encounter
欣	xīn	to enjoy, to delight

Compare 樂 in the following sentences.

9.4.1 道逢老人。是以不樂。
9.4.2 逢苦不慼，遇樂不欣。
9.4.3 簡擇婇女以娛樂之。

Example 9.5

Notice the word 俱 in the following two sentences you have seen above.

9.5.1 一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
9.5.2 兩不相汙。二俱淨故。

Review 9

Page updated on 2019-02-09