op 24-12-2002 23:42 schreef John Kelly op palistudent@...:

> Dear Nina and Gabriel,
> Thank you both for your responses to my question about
> "du.t.thulla.m".
> I find the commentary very interesting, but still not
> very clear. Are you saying that the meaning of the
> word is "the excitement associated by wickedness, that
> causes one to get stuck"? Thus, inertia in the sense
> used in physics, whereby a body in motion will remain
> in motion, or a body at rest will remain at rest,
> until some force acts upon it; rather than the common
> English meaning of laziness?

Dear John,
The du indicates something negative. It is under the heading of upakilesa:
kilesa: it makes the accompanying dhammas impure. Upa: what about this
prefix, is it an reinforcement?
I liked Gabriel's elaboration. And think of the lute that is overstrung
(Sona).
The Commentary (in Thai) I quoted, elaborates further about the endeavour
which is too much and states that the Bhikkhu applies endeavour enew. He
thinks about it that excitement makes his endeavour slack, and thus what is
bad can arise. He realizes that when he makes a strong effort it is like
that, and when he causes his endeavour to be slack weak endeavour arises.
Nina.