Thank you for the commentary - it is most clear and helpful. I appreciate your wisdom.
Here is AN 6.8.6 and AN 6.8.7 (I sent 6.8.6 some time ago, but for the sake of order, here it is again.)
In AN 6.8.6, there is the phrase "kusalesu dhammesu uttari ca pataareti". The word pataareti is given to mean "to make go forth, to bring over or through" (PED), but taareti, closely related, can also mean "make haste". Since the meaning given in pataareti doesn't exactly fit the sentence, I rendered it here as: "and makes haste for more in regards to wholesome dhammas." Any comments?
With 6.8.7, one problem I had was the phrase "yathaabhata'm nikkhitto eva'm niriye", where bhata is in a different form from nikkhitta. It is almost as though they refer to different objects? I rendered it as "one is dropped as though carried there, yea, in heaven." But wouldn't that be "yathaabhato nikkhito...?" Please explain.
/with six/oh monks/with dhammas/endowed/a monk/verily, in no long time/greatness/ vastness/attains to/in regards to dhammas/
With six, oh monks, dhammas endowed, a monk, verily, in no long time, attains to greatness, vastness, in regards to dhammas.
Katamehi chahi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu aalokabahulo ca hoti yogabahulo ca
vedabahulo ca asantu.t.thibahulo ca anikkhittadhuro ca kusalesu dhammesu uttari ca pataareti.
/With which six?/Here/oh monks/a monk/abundant in brightness/and/abundant in striving/and/abundant in (religious) feeling/and/abundant in relentlessness/and/unceasing in duties/and/in regards to wholesome dhammas/more/makes haste/
With which six? Here, oh monks, a monk is abundant in brightness, abundant in striving, abundant in feeling (veda), abundant in relentlessness, unceasing in duties, and makes haste for more in regards to wholesome dhammas.
/with six/oh monks/with dhammas/endowed/as though carried/one is dropped/yea/in hell/
With six, oh monks, dhammas endowed, one is dropped as though carried there, yea, in hell.
Katamehi chahi? Paa.naatipaatii hoti, adinnaadaayii hoti, kaamesumicchaacaarii hoti, musaavaadii hoti, paapiccho ca, micchaadi.t.thi ca.
/ with which six? / a killer of living beings / he is / a taker of that not given/ he is / a wrong-doer in sexual pleasures / he is / a speaker of lies / he is / of evil wishes / and / one of wrong view / and /
With which six? He is a killer of living beings, he is a taker of that not given, he is a wrong-doer in sexual pleasures, he is a speaker of lies, a of evil wishes and one of wrong view.
/with six/oh monks/with dhammas/endowed/as though carried/one is dropped/yea/in heaven/
With six, oh monks, dhammas endowed, one is dropped as though carried there, yea, in heaven.
Katamehi chahi? Paa.naatipaataa pa.tivirato hoti, adinnaadaanaa pa.tivirato hoti, kaamesumicchaacaaraa pa.tivirato hoti, musaavaadaa pa.tivirato hoti, appiccho ca, sammaadi.t.thi ca.
/with which six?/the killing of living beings/one who abstains from/he is/the taking of that not given/one who abstains from/he is/the wrong-doing in sexual pleasures/one who abstains from/he is/the telling of lies/one who abstains from/he is/of few wishes/and/one of right view/ and/
With which six? He is one who abstains from the killing of living beings, he is one who abstains from the taking of that not given, he is one who abstains from the wrong-doing in sexual pleasures, he is one who abstains from the telling of lies, of few wishes, and one of right view.