Dear Nina (Lennart and Bryan),
you wrote:
N: It would make it easier if you indicate the context of your text: "Our teacher teaches the subduing of passion and desire."
> ["chandaraagavinayakkhaayii kho no, aavuso, satthaa"]
Who is the teacher, the Buddha? If so it influences our translation. Akkhaayii, this is a possessive adjective, it is an attribute or
property of the teacher. What is he proclaining? The dispelling or destruction of passionate desire. Only the Buddha, no other teachers,
taught the way leading to the destruction of defilements. This is unique of him.
Perhaps the text will be more understandable in this way: our teacher, friend, is someone who really (indeed) proclaims the
destruction of passionate desire.
D: you are right , I should have provided the context as well .. one may not automatically assume Teacher= Buddha , and - not less important-the individuals involved.
SN 22.2 excerpt (T.B.): Friends, in foreign lands there are wise nobles & priests, householders & contemplatives - for the people there are wise & discriminating - who will question a monk: 'What is your teacher's doctrine? What does he teach?' Have you listened well to the teachings - grasped them well, attended to them well, considered them well, penetrated them well by means of discernment - so that in answering you will speak in line with what the Blessed One has said, will not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is unfactual, will answer in line with the Dhamma, and no one whose thinking is in line with the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing you?"
"We would come from a long way away to hear the explication of these words in Ven. Sariputta's presence. It would be good if Ven. Sariputta himself would enlighten us as to their meaning."
Ven. Sariputta said: "Friends, in foreign lands there are wise nobles & priests, householders & contemplatives - for the people there are wise & discriminating - who will question a monk: 'What is your teacher's doctrine? What does he teach?'"Thus asked, you should answer, 'Our teacher teaches the subduing of passion & desire.'
snip ....
Having thus been answered, there may be wise nobles & priests, householders & contemplatives... who will question you further, 'And seeing what benefit does your teacher teach the subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for perception... for fabrications. Seeing what benefit does your teacher teach the subduing of passion & desire for consciousness?'
"Thus asked, you should answer, 'When one is free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for form, then with any change & alteration in that form, there does not arise any sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or despair. When one is free from passion... for feeling... for perception... for fabrications... When one is free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for consciousness, then with any change & alteration in that consciousness, there does not arise any sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or despair. Seeing this benefit, our teacher teaches the subduing of passion & desire for form... for feeling... for perception... for fabrications. Seeing this benefit our teacher teaches the subduing of passion & desire for consciousness."
Pali text:
http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/3Samyutta-Nikaya/Samyutta3/21-Khandha-Samyutta/01-01-Nakulapituvaggo-p.html
Clear,the Buddha is meant ..as you say "Only the Buddha, no other teachers,taught the way leading to the destruction of defilements."
and the point is "When one is free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for .. (5 khandhas).. there does not arise any sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, or despair. "
"chandaraagavinayakkhaayii " is written in one word, so I wonder whether it is an often used expression, addressed to the monks supposed to spread the teaching.(?)
No entry in PTS dictionary , but I would not be surprised to find this combination in other suttas too..
I.M.H.O. an 'elegant' translation is still missing ...
with Metta Dieter
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]