Not if you're still interested in this, John. But anyway, Ven. Buddhadasa dictionary gave "inferior" as one of the meanings of du.t.thulla.

I think the translator finds it somewhat inadequate a translation in the context of the sutta (Upakkilesa - Imperfections, of concentration), and so referred to the commentary for a more definite idea of it.

The PED, which was compiled when Pali study in the English world was still relatively young, is still not a complete dictionary. That's why it's good to have Ven. Buddhadasa's dictionary as a supplement.

Taking into account the meaning "inferior", the commentary's explanation (as posted by Nina), and the context of the sutta, I think the meaning "inertia" is quite justified.

Happy New Year, everyone! (Can you imagine that I forgot that today's is a new year's day until a devotee at my pindapat told me?)

metta,
Kumaara

At 06:42 AM 25-12-02, you wrote:

>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?
>
>John