Dear Pali community, I laughed also quite happily at the reactions at my
little... facety :) - (this word is found only in special dictionaries).
It's just another facet of the sometimes silly mind within the body that
presently types this message. I've been watching for a while long
discussions about translation, sometimes heated discussions, I wanted to
contribute too... in an impermanent way.

Sorry if I distressed any one (but the reaction messages did not really
look like that... pfiuu), really sometimes I have to do a joke - islanders
tell me that I have a rather dark sense of humour - but no worries, they
say I'm straight too :)

John, cher ami, I had pretty much in mind yours and Nelly's reaction to
"senescence is ineluctable". You had already suggested "inevitable"...
Don't think I do not listen to wise friends...

And by the way: you had suggested "recollected" to be replaced with
"remembered", and "take their consequences" with "wear their consequences".
I'm sorry no one jumped on these two little ones, but one hit is not too
bad.

Now, back to more serious matters.

The English text I actually give at Buddhayatana to those interested is:

I am getting older by my very nature,
senescence is inevitable,
this must constantly be remembered.

I shall experience disease by my very nature,
disease does happen,
this must constantly be recollected.

I am going to die by my very nature,
death is inevitable,
this must constantly be remembered.

All that I cherish, all that matters to me
shall change and disappear,
this must constantly be remembered.

My deeds belong to me, I am accountable for them,
I spring from them, I am bound to them and they support me,
and whether good or bad
I shall wear their consequences;
this must constantly be remembered.

There is nothing wrong with "old age", but I seriously (yes) believe
"senescence" is more appropriate in the course of our own practice and our
own teaching. We put the accent, among other things, on sati of bodily
processes, here and now (hic et nunc - for those who better understand
Latin). Senescence is happening here and now, it's not just something that
might strike in the future if one lives long enough.

Contrary to rarer form "jarataa", which I understand is meant only for a
state, "jaraa" can mean both process and state. Please, philologists, tell
me if I'm wrong. Since process is what we have in mind in our teaching, and
decrepitude and decay are too negatively tainted, and not specific to
living beings -- hence the choice of senescence. By the way, I haven't met
many people who did not know the meaning of this word.

And even if it were uncommon, it's no drama - after all, it's not a book,
just a printed sheet used as a complement to the chantings and meditation
and teaching at our place. When people listen me talk in English, they
become very tolerant of my writings in this strange language...

Of course, my opinion on this jaraa matter is just that: and opinion. I do
not cling to it, but it's a very practical one, since it is based on the
necessity of practice.

Thank you all of you.

Mettaa-cittena.

Gabriel Jivasattha


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Jacqueline "Gotamî Jîvarakkhî" Bittar
Dr Gabriel "Ananda Jîvasattha" Bittar,
PhD University of Geneva
phone +61 8 8553 7442 , fax +61 8 8553 7444
mob. ph. +61 4 2743 5148

Institut Suisse de Bioinformatique
Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
http://www.isb-sib.ch/DEA/plan_etudes.html
email: bittar@...

À Bientôt Seayu Lodge, http://www.seayu.com
email: bittar@...

Buddhâyatana, http://www.buddhayatana.org
email: buddhayatana@...

4/5 Warawee road / 34 Falie court
PO box 281, American River, Kangaroo Island
South Australia 5221

GMT +9h30 (allow for +1h when "summer time" in SA)

a'niccâ vata san'khârâ
( a'niccaa vata san'khaaraa )
"impermanent are structural processes"
"instables sont les flux structurels"
Siddhârtha (Siddhaartha) Gautama Buddha
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