Re: Dhp 23

Dear Jim,

I find these translators use strange terms... I wonder if they know
something I don't.  I'm especially thinking of the words
"daḷhaparakkamā" and "yogakkhemaṃ".

The commentary has this to say:

niccaṃ daḷhaparakkamā ti yaṃ taṃ purisathāmena purisavīriyena
purisaparakkamena pattabbaṃ, na taṃ apāpuṇitvā vīriyassa saṇṭhānaṃ
bhavissatīti evarūpena vīriyena antarā anosakkitvā niccappavattena
daḷhaparakkamena samannāgatā.

...

yogakkhemaṃ anuttara nti ye cattāro yogā mahājanaṃ vaṭṭe osīdāpenti,
tehi khemaṃ nibbhayaṃ sabbehi lokiyalokuttaradhammehi seṭṭhattā
anuttaranti.

I would think "strong effort" and "freedom from bondage" to be closer
than either of the translations given.  Sorry, Norman's "firm effort" is
actually fairly clear... but think "rest from exertion" is a stretch for
yogakkhema.  yoga comes from yuga = yoke, so I guess it has something to
do with exertion in an oblique sense.  khema comes from khetta (?) =
field, or maybe dwelling place (ie refuge)? The sense accepted by the
commentery seems to fit here much better, hence "freedom (maybe safety)
from bondage". 

Sincerely,

Yuttadhammo

On Thu, 2009-08-13 at 09:29 -0400, Jim Anderson wrote:
>  
> Dhammapadaṃ, 2. Appamādavaggo (Carefulness), Verse 23
>
> te jhāyino sātatikā | niccaṃ daḷhaparakkamā ||
> phusanti dhīrā nibbānaṃ | yogakkhemaṃ anuttaraṃ || 23 ||
>
> 1)
>
> 23. These wise people, meditative, steady, always
> possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvâna,
> the highest happiness.
>
> -- Translation by F. Max Müller from The Dhammapada, p. 9,
> Vol. X of The Sacred Books of the East, 1881
>
> 2)
>
> 23. Meditating, persevering, constantly making a firm effort,
> those wise ones attain nibbāna, supreme rest from exertion.
>
> -- Translation by K.R. Norman from The Word of the Doctrine, p. 4,
> The Pali Text Society, 2000
>
> -- posted on the day of the Last Quarter, August 13, 2009
>
>
>
>
>