Re: pa.tikaroti

To: Jayarava
From DC

I refer to the following in your e-m:
"Thanissaro follows PED and reads it as "making amends". Did Rhys Davids and Walsh just get this wrong do you think? Any comments greatly appreciated "

Here is how we understand the meaning of the 'pa.tikarosi'. It is formed from the verb karoti and the prefix 'pa.ti'-prefix having the meanings; against; opposite, towards, in opposition to. [Buddhadatta] Really the sense of pa.tikaroti is to make corrections or to act in order to correct. There are number of words derived from this: pa.tikaara, pa.tikamma etc., they all have that meaning. Both these words are used extensively to indicate treatement of a sickness or in general to correct things. The Sanskrit 'pratikaroti' gives these meanings very clearly. [Monier Williams] In my own vernacular, 'Sinhala', the words are used extensively in the above senses. It is a standard word used to indicate a reaction in our language. The word 'confession' is a complete misunderstanding.

You can understand the meaning of the word by reading the whole sutta and placing it in context. The king visited the Buddha because he was worried because he killed his further and the King felt that it was wrong and an evil act. So the king was a worried man. At the end of the Buddha's discourse, the king requested the Buddha to accept the following: "Please accept me as an upaasaka (a lay disciple). I killed ... my righteous father. Please, Ven. Sir, accept it as an evil (unrighteous or blameable, unskilled ) act done from a lapse (accayato) in order for me not to do such things in the future (aayati sa.mvara). Please note the following sentence: "tassa me bhante, bhagavaa accaya.m accayato pa.tiga.nhaatu aayati.m sa.mvaraayaa'ti."

Now a very imprtant point: This is the principle on which the whole of Vinaya rests. If a monk breaks a rule he must inform the assembly of the monk on an uposatha day with the determination not to do it in the future. It is not a confession in any sense of the word. Nobody can forgive and evil act. It is to make a determination with renewed vigour to keep the precepts. It is as if a bhikkhu making a progress report about his training (sikhaa). In our traditional practice, we, at the end of the worshiping of the Buddha say the following: "kaayena vaacaa cittena, pamaadena mayaa kata.m, accaya.m khama me bhante, bhuuripa~n~na tathaagata" --Any lapse of mine, by deed, word, or mind, may the Lord accept (forbear) it with compassion (khama). When we say this, we don't confess, nor we ask for forgiveness. We only acknowledge that what we have done is akusala and make a determination not to do it in the future. This is how we progress in the Buddha's
dispensation of Dhamma. [See the last paragraph of the sutta].

Now one last word: All the translations that you have quoted are Western Christian (theistic) interpretations. It is not possible to express certain Buddhist concepts in English. I am sure that you know Rhys Davids did not accept the kamma thoery or even the enlightenment of the Buddha. About Thanissaro, there was in the DSG a very interesting discussion; really, a total waste of time; on 'anattaa strategy'-a theory of Thanissaro. These two are among the hundreds of interpretations given to the the Teaching of the Buddha after Mahaaparinibbana (extinction without remainder). You can see some of the latest ones in the DSG. There is only one way to understand the Dhamma. For a lay-person, observe the five precepts, but perfectly, then understanding will dawn. It is a causal process. It will just happen when you perfect your siila.

Sukhii hotu

DC

Any comments greatly appreciatedD. G. D. C. Wijeratna

----- Original Message ----
From: jayarava <jayarava@...>
To: Pali@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 5:42:37 PM
Subject: [Pali] pa.tikaroti

At the end of the Saama~n~naphala Sutta (DN 2) King Ajaatasattu tells

the Buddha that he has killed his father. (PTS D i.85) The buddha

accepts his "confession" - according to Rhys Davids and Walsh. Only,

when I look at the Pali there is no word that can be construed as

meaning confession.

The king : accaya.m accayo disvaa

- sees his trangression as a transgression, and he

yathaadhamma. m pa.tikarosi

- makes amends according to the dhamma.

Dhamma can be interpreted in various ways but the context suggests

that it simply in this case means whatever rules apply - ie the local

morality.

It seems as though both RD and Walsh are reading pa.tikaroti as

meaning "confession" but PED suggests: to redress, repair, make amends

for a sin [sic, but presumably meaning accayo], expiate. Buddhadatta

agrees.

Thanissaro follows PED and reads it as "making amends". Did Rhys

Davids and Walsh just get this wrong do you think?

Any comments greatly appreciated

Jayarava







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