Hi Kare, Rett.
op 23-03-2005 13:41 schreef Kåre A. Lie op alberlie@...:

> In a discussion of how to translate "sara.na.m gacchaami" the question
> arose: How do the early Chinese translations treat this expression?

... In what other contexts - buddhist or

> non-buddhist - does the word appear, and what is the meaning of the word in
> those contexts?

N: I find the Co. to the Khuddakapaatha, The Three Refuges (Illustrator of
Ultimate Meaning, PTS) very beautiful: <...when people have gone for refuge,
then by that very going for refuge it combats, dispels, carries off, and
stops, their fear, anguish, suffering, [risk of] unhappy destination [on
rebirth], and defilement...The going for refuge is the arising of cognizance
with confidence therein and giving preponderance thereto, from which
defilement is eliminated and eradicated, and which occurs in the mode of
taking that as the highest value, whether or not someone else is a condition
for so doing...>
We read that one may say:<This is my refuge, this is my highest value.>
The Co refers to Tapassu and Bhallukaa who took refuge. And to Mahaa Kassapa
who said:<Venerable Sir, the Blessed One is my teacher, I am his disciple.>
I only quote parts, it is a long passage.
By saying sara.na.m gacchaami one expresses one's confidence.
Nina.