I’ve had this transient thought cyclically reoccurring in my mind recently that depending on craving for suchness to be other than suchness, only suffering arises. Is this familiar to anyone? Does anyone have a sutta reference that expresses something similar regarding suchness? Is this just a transient hallucination that I’m having? Maybe I’m mistakenly thinking that it is from a dhamma teaching whereas in actuality it is just a figment of my imagination?
I’ve located this sutta which may be read in such a way? I’m looking for pali experts to help:
Craving is a person’s partner
Taṇhā dutiyo puriso,
as they transmigrate on this long journey.
dīghamaddhāna saṁsaraṁ;
They go from this state to another,
Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
but don’t escape transmigration.
saṁsāraṁ nātivattati.An 4.9
My question is the translation of Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ here? This seems like a difficult phrase to translate. I think it literally breaks down like this?
- Ittha (thus)
- Bhāva (being)
- Aññathā (otherwise)
- Bhāva (being)
Where is the connotation ‘they go’ or ‘state’ come from the pali?
Could this verse be alternatively translated as:
Craving is a person’s partner
Taṇhā dutiyo puriso,
as they transmigrate on this long journey.
dīghamaddhāna saṁsaraṁ;
Wishing for what is thus to be otherwise,
Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
they don’t escape transmigration.
saṁsāraṁ nātivattati.
Now, the question is if this alternative translation above can be justified from the Pali experts. It is a pleasing translation to my mind at least. Thank you Pali experts!
