Re: Suttanipata Comy on word aparam

Dear Ven. Bodhi,

The alternative Burmese reading seems to be clearer:

assavanassa puna savanaṃ ādhāraṇad …

“Because of supporting the hearing again for one [ that is, the assembly] who didn’t hear.

Based on this, the compound in question assavana-sussavana-ādhāraṇa-daḷhī-karaṇādīni is an overall tappurisa with a subordinate dvanda and tappurisa within:

“In order to strengthen and support etc., (dvanda), the good news (Childers, 490; accusative tappurisa) for one who hasn’t heard (it)” (gen. or dat. tappurisa), the whole compound modifying the late-coming group.

This seems to make sense, at least to me,

Mettā

Bryan

From: "Bhikkhu Bodhi venbodhi@... [palistudy]" <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
To: palistudy@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 1:31 PM
Subject: [palistudy] Suttanipata Comy on word aparam

Dear Pali Friends,

Can someone help me with the following passage from Paramattha-jotikā II, p. 398, commenting on the word aparaṃ in the Subhāsitasutta. It occurs in the stock phrase: Idaṃ vatvāna sugato athāparaṃ etadavoca satthā ("Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: ...").

Tattha aparanti gāthābandhavacanaṃ sandhāya vuccati. Taṃ duvidhaṃ hoti – pacchā āgataparisaṃ assavanasussavanaādhāraṇadaḷhīkaraṇādīni vā sandhāya tadatthadīpakameva ca. Pubbe kenaci kāraṇena parihāpitassa atthassa dīpanena atthavisesadīpakañca ‘‘purisassa hi jātassa, kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe’’ tiādīsu (su. ni. 662) viya. Idha pana tadatthadīpakameva.

Here is my tentative translation:

Here, the word “further” (aparaṃ) is used with reference to the statement that connects the verse [to the prose]. That is done in two ways: (1) With reference to an assembly that has arrived late, as the confirmation and reinforcement, etc., of what has not been heard and what has been well heard, and (2) as illustrating its meaning. And “illustrating a particular meaning” [is achieved] by illustration of a meaning that for some reason has previously been omitted, as in the case of the verse, “When a person has taken birth an axe is born inside his mouth” and so forth (Sn 657).

I'm particularly stumped by the expression assavanasussavanaādhāraṇadaḷhīkaraṇādīni vā sandhāya. Is the long compound to be taken as a four-term dvanda (assavana + sussavana + ādhāraṇa + daḷhīkaraṇādīni)? Or is there a tappurisa relationship between assavanasussavana and ādhāraṇadaḷhīkaraṇādīni (which is how I have tentatively rendered it)? And what exactly is the role here of assavanasussavana, "non-hearing" and "well-hearing"?

As I understand it, the reference to the verse about the axe in the mouth is brought in to show that what is missing in the prose (the parihāpita attha) is an explicit condemnation of slanderous speech. In the prose the Buddha only warns Kokaliya not to malign Sariputta and Moggallana, but he does not draw a general principle from this. The verses bring out the general principle. Of course, I could be completely off base here.

I welcome any comments. Thank you in advance.

Best wishes,

-- 
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