I'm happy many of you like PROBE. Further to my suggestion regarding it, I
would like to suggest the following to make the lessons easier and more fun:
(7) The facilitator (lesson-giver) may give the literal translation/s of
the passage if s/he likes.
(8) For convenient reference (for discussions, criticism, etc.) each lesson
should be numbered by "the facilitator's name (abbreviated) and lesson
number". For example, "Piya 1".
(9) Students may check any word up in a good Pali dictionary and not take
any spelling or translation for granted.
(10) It is suggested that you keep hard copies of each lesson, as new words
would usually have their translations and explanations listed only on their
first occurrence.
SUTTA NIPATA (Sn)
I think I will draw my lessons for you from the Sutta Nipata for the
following reasons:
(1) It contains the oldest texts in the Canon.
(2) For self-tutoring, I have attempted a complete translation of the whole
Sn over a decade ago at the same time as K.R. Norman, Saddhatissa and others.
(3) Yes, the gaathaa passages are said to be difficult. So some of you
might like to contribute simpler (prose?) lessons, then we have various
levels of difficulties to choose and learn from. (Anyway, the difficulties
are lessened by the literal translations provided.)
So let's begin:
Piya 1 (Week 1):
SUTTA NIPAATA = "Book of Discourses". Uraga,vagga (The Snake Chapter),
Uraga Sutta = "The Snake Discourse")
[Sn references are given in verses, e.g. Sn 1 = verse 1; others it will be
Sn p15 = page 15 (of the PTS ed.).]
Yo uppatita.m vineti kodha.m
visata.m sappavisa.m va osadhehi
so bhikkhu jahaati orapaara.m
urago ji.n.na.m iva taca.m puraa.na.m (Sn 1)
LITERAL TRANSLATION
Yo = whoever, one
uppatita.m = that has arisen
vineti = curbs, drives away
kodha.m = anger
visata.m = that has spread
sappa,visa.m = sappa (snake) + visa.m (venom)
va = indeed (emphatic; sometimes left untranslated; may use exclamation mark!)
osadhehi [fr. osadha, "medicine"] with herbs.
so [fr. ta.m, "he, that"] = that (person), he
bhikkhu = monk
jahaati = abandons, leaves
ora,paara.m = ora (here) + paara.m (beyond), adj. neut. [fr. para].
ora.paara.m = here and beyond
urago = ura (chest, belly) + ga [fr gacchati, "goes"] = "that which goes on
its belly" = snake
ji.n.na.m = old, worn out
iva = like
taca.m = skin
puraa.na.m = old
Have fun, friends!
P.
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