Hi, Nina,
Thank you for this -- I always find it hard to go first, much easier
to have your draft as a starting point!
> > katame ca pana braahma.na-kara.naa dhammaati?
> and moreover, which are the things (dhammas) that make one a
> brahman?
That's an interesting reading of it -- dhammaa as "things."
I had read it as "in what way" (katame) are "a brahmin's actions"
(braahma.na-kara.naa) "morally good" (dhammaa). So, dhamma in the
sense of "in accordance with the good," "morally good," "virtuous."
Anyone else have a view on this one?
> udaana: exclamation of knowledge and joy (Masefield: euphoria)
I hadn't picked up on the idea that "udaana" had a sense of joy about
it. Maybe "joyous exclamation"
> > "Yo braahma.no baahita-paapa-dhammo nihu.mhu"nko
> > nikkasaavo yatatto vedantaguu vuusita-brahma-cariyo
> A brahman who has abandoned defilements,
"abandoned defilements" for the more literal "rejected sinful things"?
> who is not a grumbler,
> free from impurity, self-restrained,
> who excels in the vedas
I had vedantaguu as something liked "of highest wisdom."
> and lives the brahman life,
For vuusita-brahma-cariyo I thought maybe "perfected in the holy
life" or "perfected in celibacy"
Comments invited on all of the above.
Derek.