Dear Bhante Sujato and group,

>
>> 2) Natthi jhaana.m apa~n~nassa, pa~n~naa natthi ajhaayato,
>> Yamhi jhaana~n ca pa~n~na~n ca sa ve nibbaanasantike.
>>
>> There is no meditation without wisdom,
>> No wisdom without meditation,
>> One who has both wisdom and meditation
>> Is close to peace and emancipation.
>
>Dhp 372. There is an exact Sanskrit version at the end of the
>Lokuttaravada Vinaya (together with many other beautiful verses found
>also in the Dhp, etc.). I often wonder why we coyly avoid using the
>word 'jhana' (or 'absorption', etc.) in this translation?

Perhaps 'rapture' would be a good English translation of Jhana. I
like how the above verse sounds if you use rapture instead of
meditation. The latter gives the wrong impression of thought-based
contemplative exercises. On the positive side, 'meditation' gives the
impression of including the factor of sober equanimity. Rapture, as
in Catholic ecstatic visions, gives the impression of including the
factors of aloofness from the senses, one-pointedness, and joy. Even
if it's not a perfect match it perhaps is a bit closer to the idea of
jhana.

I agree that the word jhana is best left untranslated in serious
translations for Buddhists and for scholars. But for inspirational
translations we might want to stick to English words as far as
possible (and revalue them if necessary). After all, the Pali
Buddhist technical vocabulary consists to a certain degree of
revaluations of Indian concepts.

best regards,

/Rett