meanings of dhamma, no 8


no 8.
The Saddaniti mentions further on more meanings of dhamma. some of them have
been classified already and some of them not yet:

<Atha vaa dhammasaddo
pariyatti-sacca-samaadhi-pa~n~naa-pakati-pu~n~na-apatti-~neyya-adiisu

And then the word dhamma means: scriptures, truth, concentration, wisdom,
nature, merit, disciplinary offense, what can be known, and so on.

bahuusu atthesu di.t.thappayogo.
Its application is seen in many meanings.>

N: words:
payoga (m): means, undertaking, practice.
di.t.tha: seen, understood.
The Saddaniti explains dhamma as scriptures:

<Tathaa hi "idha bhikkhu dhamma.m pariyaapu.naatii"ti-aadiisu pariyattiya.m
dissati.
Thus, in a passage as ³Here a monk learns the dhamma thoroughly², the word
dhamma means the scriptures. >

Words: tathaa: thus.
idha: here.
pariyaapu.naati: to master, learn thoroughly.
dissati: it seems, appears.

The Saddaniti explains dhamma as sacca, truth:

<"Di.t.thadhammo pattadhammo"ti-aadiisu sacce.
In such passages as ³The dhamma that is understood, the dhamma that is
realized², dhamma means truth. >

Word: patta : p.p. of paapu.nati: to attain.
The Commentary to the ³Muulapariyaayasutta², Discourse on the Synopsis of
fundamentals, (M I, 1, translated by Ven. Bodhi as ³The root of Existence²,
B.P.S., several meanings of dhamma are explained. sacca, truth is explained
in a similar passage: <³He saw the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma² (D. 13)
-in the sense of the (four noble) Truths.>

The word dhamma as samaadhi, concentration is explained:

<"Eva.mdhammaa te bhagavanto ahesun"ti-aadiisu samaadhimhi.
In the passage of ³Those Exalted Ones had (were with) such dhamma² dhamma
refers to concentration.>

The same explanation is given in the Commentary to the
³Muulapariyaayasutta², and here is a reference to D. 13.
The Saddaniti explains dhamma as pa~n~naa, wisdom in the same way as above,
classified under the four virtues of a householder:

<"Sacca.m dhammo dhiti caago"ti evamaadiisu pa~n~naaya.m.
In a passage as ³truth, dhamma, courage and generosity² dhamma refers to
wisdom.>

The Saddaniti explains dhamma as nature (pakati):

<"Jaatidhammaana.m bhikkhave sattaanan"ti evamaadiisu pakatiya.m.
In such passages as ³Living beings, monks, are of a nature to be born²,
dhamma thus means nature.>
The Commentary to the ³Muulapariyaayasutta² states about dhamma as nature:
³Of a nature to be born, of a nature to grow old, of a nature to die² (D.
22.)
****
Nina.