On Sat, Apr 25, 2009 at 5:13 PM, Ong Yong Peng <palismith@...> wrote:

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> I do find the style and language of Saddaniti obscure and difficult, but I
> hope with some assistance I will soon overcome these difficulties and make
> better translations of the text. I make another attempt.
>

Dear Ong Yong Pen and Nina,
:

> I would like to clarify my earlier comment, which you will find below:

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> vidahanti viduno etaaya saddanipphatti.m aya-loha-aadi-maya.m ayalohaadi-dhaatuuhi
> viya
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> iti-pi dhaatu.
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> In this sentence there is a comparison, as we can see from the word viya
> (like). The comparison is between finished metallic objects and finished
> words. Skilled persons form finished objects with the �raw elements� like
> iron and copper. Similarly persons with language skills form finished words
> with �roots�. For both �elements� and �roots�, the Pali word is �dhaatu�.
> For �form the Pali word in this sentence is �vidahanti�. �vidahati� is from
> the root DHAA with the prefix VI. So the author surmises that the word
> DHAATU can be derived from this root. That is etymologically, according to
> this opinion, DHAATU means �what froms� or �what is used to form�.
>
>
>
> Note 1) The root DHAA is a very versatile root. The word VIDAHATI that
> comes from it has the Sanskrit equivalent VIDADHAATI. PTS Dictionary gives
> the meanings of VIDAHATI as �arrange, appoint, assign, provide, practice�
> etc. Monier-Williams Skt Dictionary gives a lot more possible meanings for
> VIDADHAATI (many of which are equally applicable to Pali). Among them are
> �put in order, arrange, prepare, make ready, ordain, form, create, build,
> establish, effect, produce, cause, occasion, make�. (In both Pali and Skt
> the Creator is VIDHAATAA (Nom, sg from Skt vidhaat.r and Pali vidhaatu). So
> we can say that vidahanti in this context has a meaning like � form/make/
> produce/ effect�. This seems better than my earlier suggestion �ordain�,
> though I don�t think that is wrong..
>
>
>
> (2).We can translate: As (viya) skilled persons (viduno) form (vidaahanti)
> an object made of iron, copper etc. (ayalohaadimaya.m), with elements such
> as iron , copper etc. (so also skilled persons form) with this (i.e. a
> �root�) the production of words.For this reason too (iti pi), (it is called)
> dhaatu.
>
>
>
> (3) �viya� is translated above �as .. so�; �viduno vidahanti� is taken as
> �understood in the second instance, referring to (linguistically) skilled
> persons; �sadda-nipphatti� is translated as �production of words�,
> �nipphatti� being the noun derived from �nipphaadeti: bring forth, produce,
> as in PTSD).
>

(4) iti pi dhaatu: this is the typical end of an an explanatory statement.

Mahinda

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