18.1
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā / 18. Ātman (आत्मन्) / 18.1
आत्मा स्कन्धा यदि भवेदुदयव्ययभाग् भवेत् स्कन्धेभ्योऽन्यो यदि भवेद् भवेदस्कन्धलक्षणः
ātmā skandhā yadi bhaved udayavyayabhāg bhavet skandhebhyo 'nyo yadi bhaved bhaved askandhalakṣaṇaḥ
The line
The self, an aggregate of matter, if, would be. bhavet before a voiced sound, udayavyayabhāg (उदयव्ययभाग्), would be, skandhebhya (स्कन्धेभ्य), another, if, would be. bhavet before a voiced sound, would be. bhavet before a voiced sound, a compound: aska (अस्क), ndha (न्ध), and a mark.
Where it sits
In Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (मूलमध्यमककारिका), chapter 18. Ātman (आत्मन्). The self. The chapter the āstika (आस्तिक) books are arguing with. The words of this line are the ones to keep. A shorter line after this one may leave them unsaid.
Split: ātmā (आत्मा) + skandhā (स्कन्धा) + yadi (यदि) + bhaved (भवेद्) + udayavyayabhāg (उदयव्ययभाग्) + bhavet (भवेत्) + skandhebhyo (स्कन्धेभ्यो) + anyaḥ (अन्यः) + yadi (यदि) + bhaved (भवेद्) + bhaved (भवेद्) + aska-ndha-lakṣaṇaḥ (अस्क-न्ध-लक्षणः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| ātmā (आत्मा) | nominative singular, masculine | the self |
| skandhā (स्कन्धा) | nominative singular, feminine, or instrumental singular | an aggregate of matter |
| yadi (यदि) | indeclinable | if |
| bhaved (भवेद्) | optative, third person singular | would be. bhavet before a voiced sound |
| udayavyayabhāg (उदयव्ययभाग्) | the form as the line writes it | this word, as the line writes it |
| bhavet (भवेत्) | optative, third person singular | would be |
| skandhebhyo (स्कन्धेभ्यो) | nominative singular, masculine | skandhebhya (स्कन्धेभ्य) |
| anyaḥ (अन्यः) | nominative singular, masculine | another |
| yadi (यदि) | indeclinable | if |
| bhaved (भवेद्) | optative, third person singular | would be. bhavet before a voiced sound |
| bhaved (भवेद्) | optative, third person singular | would be. bhavet before a voiced sound |
| aska-ndha-lakṣaṇaḥ (अस्क-न्ध-लक्षणः) | nominative singular, masculine | a compound: aska (अस्क), ndha (न्ध), and a mark. Read it from the end |
The phrases
ātmā (आत्मा) is the self. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. skandhā (स्कन्धा) is an aggregate of matter. It stands as nominative singular, feminine, or instrumental singular. yadi (यदि) is if. It stands as indeclinable. bhaved (भवेद्) is would be. bhavet before a voiced sound. It stands as optative, third person singular. udayavyayabhāg (उदयव्ययभाग्) is this word, as the line writes it. It stands as the form as the line writes it. bhavet (भवेत्) is would be. It stands as optative, third person singular.
skandhebhyo (स्कन्धेभ्यो) is skandhebhya (स्कन्धेभ्य). It stands as nominative singular, masculine. anyaḥ (अन्यः) is another. It stands as nominative singular, masculine. The apostrophe marks an a that was dropped. yadi (यदि) is if. It stands as indeclinable. bhaved (भवेद्) is would be. bhavet before a voiced sound. It stands as optative, third person singular. bhaved (भवेद्) is would be. bhavet before a voiced sound. It stands as optative, third person singular. aska-ndha-lakṣaṇaḥ (अस्क-न्ध-लक्षणः) is a compound: aska (अस्क), ndha (न्ध), and a mark. Read it from the end. It stands as nominative singular, masculine.
Sanskrit in this line
aska-ndha-lakṣaṇaḥ (अस्क-न्ध-लक्षणः) is one compound. The hyphen is a teaching mark. Only the last member wears the case. The apostrophe marks an a that was dropped.
Say it back
Cover the English. Gloss ātmā (आत्मा) and skandhā (स्कन्धा).