Dear Nina,

thanks again for your explanation. Now, I understand that upadhi does
not mean attachment or clinging (which is one meaning of the word).
According to the commentary, the word means basis, foundation or
substratum.

This is a much deeper meaning to the sutta, which I did not think of
initially.

At first, I thought the sutta is comparing between (1) a lay person
trying to support the Sangha while struggling to make end meet, and
(2) a person to renounce all attachments and worldly pleasures, and
take up the robes.

After your explanation, I think the sutta is comparing between (1) a
lay person trying to support the Sangha while struggling to make end
meet, and (2) a monk/nun struggling to be free from Samsara.

In that case, pa.tinissagga does not mean renunciation as we usually
understand, i.e. becoming a monk/nun. It is stronger, probably to
relinquish, to forsake, to break away from the upadhis. This is the
commentary's interpretation.

We can probably leave upadhi untranslated, as an option. What do you
think?

metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Nina van Gorkom wrote:

As to upadhi, here the English translation loses the richness of the
Pali. Choices have to be made. According to PED attachment to rebirth
is not wrong, it says that here upadhi is similar to tanhaa. But as to
upadhi of abhisankhaara it is strange. Ignorance conditions
abhisankhaara, the performing of kusala kamma, akusala kamma and
imperturbable kamma (aruupajhaana). Do you like substratum? Also, as
to upadhi of khandhas, it is more than attachment to the khandhas: at
the passing away of an arahat there are no conditions anymore for the
arising of the khandhas at rebirth. Personally I would prefer
substratum, but you may prefer attachment.