Re: meaning of lakkhana at Pj II 386

Dear Ven. Bodhi,

I wonder here if lakkhaṇa means “metaphor” or “comparison” (see Renou, Terminologie Grammaticale du Sanskrit, 263, s.v. lākṣaṇika). Then the commentary would read

nadiṃ Neraṅjaraṃ patī ti, “This is pointing out a metaphor, for the Nerañjarā river is a metaphor for the state of the padhāna-pahita-atta- (for which Buddhaghosa gives two possible translations, “a mind directed towards nibbāna” or he “whose existence as an individual [individuality] has been rejected”; nibbānatthāya pesitacittaṃ pariccattaattabhāvaṃ vā) and therefore here it is in the accusative case [because it modifies padhānapahitattaṃ, also in the accus.], but the meaning is ‘on/by the Nerañarā river’, ‘on the banks of the Nerañjarā river’ – that is what it means”.

In this case then paṭi (< S prati) would not mean “near” as Norman has it but "like"; prati before nouns expresses likeness or comparison per MW.

Mettā,

Bryan

From: "Bhikkhu Bodhi venbodhi@... [palistudy]" <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
To: palistudy@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2015 4:53 AM
Subject: [palistudy] meaning of lakkhana at Pj II 386

Dear Pali Group Members,

In the commentary to the Padhana Sutta of the Suttanipata (commenting on verse 425), we find the following:

Nadiṃ nerañjaraṃ patīti lakkhaṇaṃ niddisati. Lakkhaṇañhi padhānapahitattāya nerañjarā nadī. Teneva cettha upayogavacanaṃ. Ayaṃ panattho ‘‘nadiyā nerañjarāyā’’ ti, nerañjarāya tīreti vuttaṃ hoti.

This is in Paramattha-jotika II p. 386 of the PTS edition. It seems the word 'lakkhaṇaṃ' is being used here in a specialized sense. The usual meanings, as "characteristic, mark," etc., don't fit very well. Would anyone know the specific way the word is being used in this context?

The verse itself says:

Taṃ maṃ padhānapahitattaṃ, nadiṃ nerañjaraṃ pati;

Viparakkamma jhāyantaṃ, yogakkhemassa pattiyā.

Thank you in advance.

-- 
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
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