Re: Give one's life for a friend - in Paali

>Hi All, long time no see/hear/read :-}
>
>On a discussion list I am part of the idea of giving one's life for a
>friend has come up and I said both the Buddha (DN 31} and Jesus {John
>15:13} taught about it.
>
>This is the relevant phrase in the Paali:
>jiivitam.pissa [= jiivitam. - pi - assa] - atthaaya - pariccattam.
>[paricca-t-tam.?] - hoti
>
>Life even his - for the sake of - would sacrifice it? - it/he is
>
>Noun.neut.-a.nom.sing. - indeclinable emphatic -
>pronoun.masc.-a.poss.sing. - noun.masc.-a.dat.sing. - verb.sing.? -
>pron.neut.acc.sing.? - sing.3rd.person simple present
>
>I am trying to translate and parse it. Could you help? It is mainly
>parriccattam. that I'm having problems with. I get that it is from the
>verb pariccajati, but is it would-sacrifice + it or what and what is the
>form of the verb?
>

pariccatta is given by the PED as the ppp (past passive participle)
form of pariccajati.


Here's what Buddhaghosa says about the passage in question:

"jiivitam pi 'ssa atthayaa" ti attano jiivitam pi tassa sahaayassa
atthaaya pariccattam eva hoti. Jiivita.m aga.netvaa pi tassa kicca.m
karoti yeva.

Tr. "Even life for his sake" (means) even one's own life for that
friend's sake is abandoned. Even not reckoning life, he performs that
one's service.

--Suma.ngalavilaasinii Vol III, ed. Stede, p950.

I'm not entirely sure if it's saying the friend abandons his life for
the listener, or if the listener abandons his life for the friend.
It's a slightly odd passage to me, Buddhaghosa isn't always right,
and I'm in a bit too much haste to think it over. But I hope this
extra info helps. If you solve it, please post the answer.

best regards,

/Rett