In reference to Piya's translation of M139, some
comments:

1) Doesn't the Buddha contradict his own teaching on
nonconflict, non praising and non disparaging in
teaching dhamma by explicitly calling out Subhuti at
the end and praising him for being one who practices
nonconflict? And at the beginning praises subhuti for
being the foremost among his disciples among
nonconflict? Rather high praise wouldn't you say?
Imagine the other disciples who become jealous and
resentful of Subhuti because of that praise :-)

2) I like how Piya uses the translation "dung-like"
for the description of sensual pleasures. Bhikhu Bodhi
uses "filty". What is the pali phrase in question
here? Is it literally "dung-like"? In light of how the
Buddha talks about using conventional language to
teach dhamma, I wonder how he would express the same
teaching today. "Dudes, sense pleasures are like a
shit sandwich."

3) If by some gross misfortune, I am not enlightened
by the time the next buddha appears in the world, I
vow to be named, "the foremost in obnoxiousness among
all of the buddha's disciples."

-fk


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