Dear Dimitry,

>RE> 3) I am doubtful about translating "sammappa~n~naaya da.t.thabba.m" as
>RE> "should be regarded *for the sake of* perfect wisdom".
>
>RE> Most translations of this phrase take sammappa~n~naaya as being
>RE> instrumental rather than dative, i.e. it is *by* wisdom that one sees, not
>RE> *for* wisdom.

Dimitry:

>The choice of dative is based on the Commentary:
>Sammappa~n~naaya passatoti sammaapa~n~naa naama savipassanaa
>maggapa~n~naa, taaya passantassaati attho.
>(Nidanavagga-Atthakatha 2.32)

But how does this gloss support a dative reading? Isn't 'taaya' a feminine
demonstrative pronoun in the instrumental (or perhaps ablative) case,
standing here for sammappa~n~naaya?

Best wishes,

Robert