--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, DC Wijeratna <dcwijeratna@...> wrote:

>
> To: Jayarava
> From DC
>
> Here is how we understand the meaning of the 'pa.tikarosi'...

Hi DC thanks for your comments and spelling out the background to the
term. A very useful discussion.

Re confession. I think you are overstating your objection to the term
when you say "The word 'confession' is a complete
misunderstanding." Although pa.tikaroti does not 'mean' confession, it
is obvious to any native English speaker that what Ajaatasattu is
doing is "confessing" in the dictionary sense of "acknowledgement of a
fault, wrongdoing, a sin" (OED Concise), but also (note Piya) he is in
that section making a "declaration of one's religious beliefs" or a
"statement of one's principles" (OED Concise) by going for refuge to
the Tiratana. Piya's use of "confession" in the subtitle to the
chapter is, then, quite acceptable as English, despite the small
possibility of being misunderstood by someone not well versed in
Buddhadhamma.

Although I agree that pa.tikaroti does not mean confession I am also
left with a question - which may be off topic for this group, but
let's file it under philology and me wanting to find out *why* a word
means what it does. In what way can telling the Buddha about killing
his father be seen to make amends? In what sense does talking about it
"correct" it, especially in the light of the Buddha's comments to the
Bhikkhus after Ajaatasattu leaves that "he is done for"?

Again any insights you can offer will be much appreciated.

mettaaya
Jayarava