Dear Piya,
Do you know read Ven. Nyananandas excellent "Nibbana sermons"? They
all start with this passage:
Etam santam, etaü paniitam, yadidam sabbasankhàrasamatho
sabbupadhipatinissaggo tanhakkhayo viràgo nirodho nibbànam.
"This is peaceful, this is excellent, namely the stilling of all
preparations, the relinquishment of all assets, the destruction of
craving, detachment, cessation, extinction".
http://www.beyondthenet.net/calm/clm_main1.asp
I think he delivered 18 sermons on the subject of Nibbana under the
"heading" of this fascinating "Theravada-Koan" which became quite
famous. You could say its the lengthiest commentary on the meaning of
this etam santam, etam paniitam ...
mettâya,
Lennart
--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Piya Tan <dharmafarer@...> wrote:
>
> My apologies, please disregard the message below: I misread the text.
> It's not a problem at all really.
>
> The phrase means "this is peaceful; this is sublime."
>
> I was thinking of the phrase "so tattha-t.,t.hito," which means "if
> he persist therein" or such like.
>
> P
>
>
> Friends in Dharma,
>
> The Mahaa Maalunkyaputta (M 64.10-15/1:436) and the Jhaana Sutta (A
> 9.36/4:423) has this Pali phrase:
>
> etam. santam. etam. pan.iitam.
>
> The context is
>
> etam. santam. etam. pan.iitam. yadidam.
sabbasan.khaarasamatho...nibbaanan ti
>
> Bhikkhu Bodhi's early translation is "If he is firm in this"
> (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, 235), and "if he is steady in
> that" (M:NB 541, ie N~aan.amoli & Bodhi's tr of Majjhima).
>
> The passage is about how the aggregates should be regarded in terms
> of the three characteristics even throught the 4 jhanas and the 3
> lower formless attainments.
>
> Any comments on these translations, or a better suggestion?
>
> Piya
>