Dear Ma Vajira,
Thanks, and welcome back from your long retreat. I'll ask the person about
the meaning. I think the context would be similar to the following (taken
from the web):
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is
everything. What we think we become."
I don't agree that the mind is everything without also including the mental
factors, materiality, and the unconditioned element. Regarding your
suggested translation, I think I'd still prefer the present form bhavāmi.
Doesn't become or come to be already have an element of futurity in its
meaning? My taṃ can be taken as neuter nominative in agreement with an
intransitive or akammaka verb.
Best wishes,
Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ma Vajira" <vajiranani@...>
To: <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 7:21 PM
Subject: Re: [palistudy] translation help
Dear Jim,
Since the verb 'to be' is akammaka, you should ask the person to be
more specific about what he means. How about ya.m cintemi so
bhavissaami?
with metta,
Ma Vajira
On 1/18/13, Jim Anderson <jimanderson.on@...> wrote:
> Dear List-members,
>
> As list-owner, I occasionally get an email from a non-member requesting
> help
> with a Pali matter, often as a result of a referral by the Pali Text
> Society
> in response. Not sure if this is one of them. Anyway, someone by the name
> of
> Chris Hyde wants a Pali translation of the following:
>
> "What I think, I become."
>
> which I would translate as:
>
> yaṃ cintemi, taṃ bhavāmi.
>
> Does anyone have a problem with it or can you come up with something
> better?
>
> Can bhavāmi take an accusative taṃ?
>
> The expression reminds me of the first two verses of the Dhammapada about
> the mind preceding mental phenomena (manopubbaṅgamā dhammā).
>
> Best wishes to all in the New Year,
>
> Jim
>
>
>
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