16.4
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 16. Bandhanamokṣa (बन्धनमोक्ष) / 16.4
संस्काराणां न निर्वाणं कथं चिदुपपद्यते सत्त्वस्यापि न निर्वाणं कथं चिदुपपद्यते
saṃskārāṇāṃ na nirvāṇaṃ kathaṃ cid upapadyate sattvasyāpi na nirvāṇaṃ kathaṃ cid upapadyate
The line
Of a compounded thing, not release, how, some. cit before a voiced sound, fits, of the bright strand even, not release, how, some. cit before a voiced sound, fits.
Where it sits
In Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (मूलमध्यमककारिका), chapter 16. Bandhanamokṣa (बन्धनमोक्ष). Bondage and release. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: saṃskārāṇāṃ (संस्काराणां) + na (न) + nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) + kathaṃ (कथं) + cid (चिद्) + upapadyate (उपपद्यते) + sattvasya (सत्त्वस्य) + api (अपि) + na (न) + nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) + kathaṃ (कथं) + cid (चिद्) + upapadyate (उपपद्यते)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| saṃskārāṇāṃ (संस्काराणां) | genitive plural | a compounded thing |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | release |
| kathaṃ (कथं) | indeclinable | how |
| cid (चिद्) | indeclinable | some. cit before a voiced sound |
| upapadyate (उपपद्यते) | present, third person singular | fits |
| sattvasya (सत्त्वस्य) | genitive singular | the bright strand |
| api (अपि) | indeclinable | also, even |
| na (न) | indeclinable | not |
| nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) | nominative or accusative singular, neuter | release |
| kathaṃ (कथं) | indeclinable | how |
| cid (चिद्) | indeclinable | some. cit before a voiced sound |
| upapadyate (उपपद्यते) | present, third person singular | fits |
The phrases
saṃskārāṇāṃ (संस्काराणां) is a compounded thing. It stands as genitive plural. na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) is release. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. kathaṃ (कथं) is how. It stands as indeclinable. cid (चिद्) is some. cit before a voiced sound. It stands as indeclinable. upapadyate (उपपद्यते) is fits. It stands as present, third person singular. sattvasya (सत्त्वस्य) is the bright strand. It stands as genitive singular.
api (अपि) is also, even. It stands as indeclinable. The line joins it on as sattvasyāpi (सत्त्वस्यापि). na (न) is not. It stands as indeclinable. nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं) is release. It stands as nominative or accusative singular, neuter. kathaṃ (कथं) is how. It stands as indeclinable. cid (चिद्) is some. cit before a voiced sound. It stands as indeclinable. upapadyate (उपपद्यते) is fits. It stands as present, third person singular.
Sanskrit in this line
saṃskārāṇāṃ (संस्काराणां) is genitive plural. That ending is the work an English preposition would do. The line joins it on as sattvasyāpi (सत्त्वस्यापि).
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss saṃskārāṇāṃ (संस्काराणां) and nirvāṇaṃ (निर्वाणं).