Mahavastu [sanskrit verses and english]

by Émile Senart | 1882 | 56,574 words

This is the Sanskrit Mahavastu: a lengthy work on Buddhist teachings and narratives belonging to the school of early Buddhism (Mahasanghika). This edition only includes those metrical verses occuring in the various stories and Jatakas, as well as the corresponding English translation by J. J. Jones.

Verse 111.12

शून्यता व मे आख्यायन्ति दिशा पि मे नुचारिता ।
एवं मर्त्यजीवितं किंस्य परीत्तं च दुःखसंयुतं ॥ १२ ॥

śūnyatā va me ākhyāyanti diśā pi me nucāritā |
evaṃ martyajīvitaṃ kiṃsya parīttaṃ ca duḥkhasaṃyutaṃ || 12 ||

... These places which I used to haunt I now deem emptiness. So what, verily, is life but death, a mere fleeting moment full of ill? (12)

English translation by J. J. Jones (1949) Read online

Glossary of Sanskrit terms

Note: This extracts Sanskrit terms and links to English definitions from the glossary, based on an experimental segmentation of verse (111.12). Some terms could be superfluous while some might not be mentioned. Click on the word to show English definitions.

Shunyata, Asmad, Akhya, Ayat, Disha, Dish, Carita, Evam, Eva, Martya, Jivita, Kim, Sya, Paritta, Duhkha, Samyuta,

Analysis of Sanskrit grammar

Note: this is an experimental feature and only shows the first possible analysis of the Sanskrit text (Mahavastu Verse 111.12). If the system was successful in segmenting the sentence, you will see of which words it is made up of, generally consisting of Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Participles and Indeclinables. Click on the link to show all possible derivations of the word.

  • Line 1: “śūnyatā va me ākhyāyanti diśā pi me nucāritā
  • śūnyatā* -
  • śūnyatā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative plural], [vocative plural], [accusative plural]
    śūnyata (noun, masculine)
    [nominative plural], [vocative plural]
  • va -
  • va (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    va (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • me -
  • ma (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    ma (noun, neuter)
    [nominative dual], [vocative dual], [accusative dual], [locative single]
    (noun, feminine)
    [nominative dual], [vocative single], [vocative dual], [accusative dual]
    asmad (pronoun, none)
    [dative single], [genitive single]
  • ākhyā -
  • ākhya (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    ākhya (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    ākhyā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative single]
  • ayanti -
  • ayat (noun, neuter)
    [nominative plural], [vocative plural], [accusative plural]
  • diśā -
  • diśā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative single]
    diś (noun, feminine)
    [instrumental single]
  • Cannot analyse pi*me
  • me -
  • ma (noun, masculine)
    [locative single]
    ma (noun, neuter)
    [nominative dual], [vocative dual], [accusative dual], [locative single]
    (noun, feminine)
    [nominative dual], [vocative single], [vocative dual], [accusative dual]
    asmad (pronoun, none)
    [dative single], [genitive single]
  • nu -
  • nu (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    nu (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    nau (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
  • cāritā -
  • cāritā (noun, feminine)
    [nominative single]
    car -> cāritā (participle, feminine)
    [nominative single from √car]
  • Line 2: “evaṃ martyajīvitaṃ kiṃsya parīttaṃ ca duḥkhasaṃyutaṃ
  • evam -
  • evam (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    evam (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    eva (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    eva (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    evā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
  • martya -
  • martya (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    martya (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • jīvitam -
  • jīvita (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    jīvita (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    jīvitā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
    jīv -> jīvita (participle, masculine)
    [accusative single from √jīv class 1 verb]
    jīv -> jīvita (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √jīv class 1 verb], [accusative single from √jīv class 1 verb]
  • kiṃ -
  • kim (indeclinable interrogative)
    [indeclinable interrogative]
    kim (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
    kim (pronoun, neuter)
    [nominative single], [accusative single]
  • sya -
  • sya (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    sya (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
    (verb class 4)
    [imperative active second single]
  • parīttam -
  • parītta (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    parītta (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    parīttā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]
  • ca -
  • ca (indeclinable conjunction)
    [indeclinable conjunction]
    ca (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    ca (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • duḥkha -
  • duḥkha (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    duḥkha (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • saṃyutam -
  • saṃyuta (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [accusative single]
    saṃyuta (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    saṃyutā (noun, feminine)
    [adverb]

Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Mahavastu Verse 111.12

Cover of edition (1949)

The Mahavastu
by J. J. Jones (1949)

Translated from the Buddhist Sanskrit

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: