Re: Dakkhi.nodaka

At 20 Nov 2007 11:20:23 +0100 Ole Holten Pind wrote:
> If dakkhi.na denotes the right (hand) the compound must be a majjhimalopa
> cp.d.

Agreed: dakkhi.nahatthadhovanodaka

dakkhi.nahatthadhovana is cha.t.thi tappurisa

dakkhi.nahattha is visesanapubbapada kammadhaaraya

Seems a stretch, I suppose...

Given that Thailand seems to be the only place the word is still used (it is in my secular Thai-English dictionary), it might be worth to keep in mind they clearly consider it to be for the gift (ie as an instrument in dedicating merit of the gift of something else) rather than as a gift (or for the right hand).  The Cowell citation I quoted supports this.  Then the question is, what is done with the gift, if not to use in dedication?

Here's more quotes:

> Kammārajeṭṭhako dhītaraṃ pakkositvā tasmiññeva parisamajjhe ''ayaṃ kumārikā tuyhameva anucchavikāti *udakaṃ pātetvā adāsi*.
>
> JaatA 387

This shows clearly that pouring water is used to give away, at least, women... as for more valuable things like food, I can't say.

> Puna tacchasūkaro te pucchi ''aññepi vo amittā atthīti? sūkarā ''natthi, sāmīti vatvā ''taṃ abhisiñcitvā rājānaṃ karissāmāti udakaṃ pariyesantā jaṭilassa pānīyasaṅkhaṃ disvā taṃ dakkhiṇāvaṭṭaṃ saṅkharatanaṃ pūretvā udakaṃ abhiharitvā tacchasūkaraṃ udumbararukkhamūleyeva abhisiñciṃsu. Abhisekaudakaṃ āsittaṃ, sūkarimevassa aggamahesiṃ kariṃsu. Tato paṭṭhāya udumbarabhaddapīṭhe nisīdāpetvā dakkhiṇāvaṭṭasaṅkhena abhisekakaraṇaṃ pavattaṃ.
>
> JatA 492

Here the word dakkhi.na is clearly used otherwise than as a gift, but in connection with waterpouring, nonetheless.

> Evañca pana vatvā sīghameva kamaṇḍalunā udakaṃ āharitvā udakaṃ hatthe pātetvā piyabhariyaṃ brāhmaṇassa adāsi.
>
> JaatA 547

This one has a note in the Cowell Translation (v.6, p.293):

"As a symbol of donation, water was poured upon the right hand (dakkhi.nodaka.m)."

So here one must wonder... water poured over the dakkhi.na hand as a symbol of dakkhi.na ... which is it to be?  If we can indeed compare the giving away of women to brahmins with the giving away of food to monks (how apt!), I don't think there is doubt that gift water is for the giving, not as a gift.

> The dakkhi.nodaka seems to be presented as a gift before a meal, sometimes
> it is mentioned as a gift to the sangha or a vihaara in the same way as
> robes.

Can I impinge upon you for a citation?

Best wishes,

Yuttadhammo