Acting like a newcomer = beginners mind?

I found this sentence in sutta interesting. How is the literal Pali translation? And is it like beginners mind? How do you explain this?

1 Like

The corresponding Pali is niccanavaka-, a compound comprised of nicca- (Skt. nitya-) ‘eternal’ and navaka-, a secondary formation from the base nava- which is related to English ‘new’, with the ka- suffix. So literally ‘one who is always new’.

In the context, I understand the passage as counselling monastics to approach families with the reserve of a typical newcomer to a group.

I don’t personally see an equation with the concept of ‘beginner’s mind’.

2 Likes

Yeah your right. Thank you. The word in Pali is interesting. How do we really know what it really meant in time of Buddha?

But for still since it’s taking of Mahakassapa it can be that his mind is already like that.

But as I understand beginners mind according to old tradition. Was to see everything fresh. For a monk to always be as new. Didn’t he had to train in seeing things in the moment, As only happening at that moment, So every experience is a new experience?

Also how does a monk or a householder that didn’t have a high attainments train his mind then, to be always like you said, even after seeing a family for the third time?

I guess it had to do with not being attached. But now the meaning of the Pali word made me more curious.

It me remember of Jim Carey movie: Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind.

Maybe that’s the reaction you need to do. As your mind is the the sun always shining on humanity.