1.10
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 1. Pratyaya (प्रत्यय) / 1.10
भावानां निःस्वभावानां न सत्ता विद्यते यतः सतीदमस्मिन् भवतीत्येतन् नैवोपपद्यते
bhāvānāṃ niḥsvabhāvānāṃ na sattā vidyate yataḥ satīdam asmin bhavatīty etan naivopapadyate
The line
Since existence is not found for things without own-nature, this does not fit at all: 'when this is, that comes to be.'
नेपालीमा
स्वभाव नभएका चीजको सत्ता नपाइने हुँदा यो हुँदा त्यो हुन्छ भन्ने पटक्कै मिल्दैन।
Where it sits
Verse 1.9 left the immediate condition unfit. Verse 1.10 brings in the formula people mean by dependent arising, and ties it to verse 1.3: no svabhāva (स्वभाव), so no sattā (सत्ता) of that kind. Verse 1.11 says the fruit is not in the conditions, separately or together.
Split: bhāvānām (भावानाम्) + niḥsvabhāvānām (निःस्वभावानाम्) + na (न) + sattā (सत्ता) + vidyate (विद्यते) + yatas (यत) + sati (सति) + idam (इदम्) + asmin (अस्मिन्) + bhavati (भवति) + iti (इति) + etat (एतत्) + na (न) + eva (एव) + upapadyate (उपपद्यते)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| bhāvānām (भावानाम्) | genitive plural, masculine | of existing things. |
| niḥsvabhāvānām (निःस्वभावानाम्) | genitive plural, masculine | of those without svabhāva (स्वभाव). Agrees with bhāvānām (भावानाम्). |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| sattā (सत्ता) | nominative singular, feminine | existence, being-ness. |
| vidyate (विद्यते) | present, third person singular, middle | is found. |
| yatas (यत) | indeclinable | since. |
| sati (सति) | locative singular, neuter | when this is. The locative absolute of sat (सत्). |
| idam (इदम्) | nominative singular, neuter | this. The file joins satīdam (सतीदम्). |
| asmin (अस्मिन्) | locative singular, neuter | when that is present. The standard formula is asmin sati idam bhavati (अस्मिन् सति इदम् भवति), 'this being, that becomes.' |
| bhavati (भवति) | present, third person singular | it becomes. Joined bhavatīty (भवतीत्य्) with iti (इति). |
| iti (इति) | indeclinable | thus, quoting the formula. |
| etat (एतत्) | nominative singular, neuter | this saying. |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not. |
| eva (एव) | indeclinable | at all. |
| upapadyate (उपपद्यते) | present, third person singular, middle | fits. |
The phrases
The formula of dependent arising, in the short sūtra (सूत्र) form asmin sati idam bhavati (अस्मिन् सति इदम् भवति), is quoted with iti (इति). The verse says it does not fit, yataḥ (यतः) there is no sattā (सत्ता) of bhāvas (भाव) that lack svabhāva (स्वभाव).
This is not a refusal of dependent arising. The homage called the Buddha the teacher of pratītyasamutpāda (प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद). What fails is reading that formula as a story about things that exist by their own nature.
Sanskrit in this line
The quoted formula is asmin sati idam bhavati (अस्मिन् सति इदम् भवति). Learn it as a quotation. iti (इति) is what makes it a quotation. naivopapadyate (नैवोपपद्यते) is the verdict on the quotation, under the yataḥ (यतः) clause.
Say it back
What formula is quoted, and why does the verse say it fails?