AN 3.70 is the sutta I’m speaking of and the similes contained therein.
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Thanks! Do you know where I can find his pdfs?
This is used with double meaning in suttas
Buddha:
Know ignorance as “head”,
gnosis as that which “splits the head”,
with mindfulness, meditation, faith
by determination, effort too.
How much meaning can come out of this?
The seer has crossed the abyss,
with it’s one root, two whirlpools,
Three stains, five extensions,
An ocean with twelve eddies.
From Samyutta
Well here’s the commentary, in case anyone can read Pāli 
Uposathasuttavaṇṇanā
Dasame tadahuposatheti tasmiṃ ahu uposathe taṃ divasaṃ uposathe, pannarasikauposathadivaseti vuttaṃ hoti. Upasaṅkamīti uposathaṅgāni adhiṭṭhāya gandhamālādihatthā upasaṅkami. Handāti vavassaggatthe nipāto. Divā divassāti divasassa divā nāma majjhanho, imasmiṃ ṭhite majjhanhike kāleti attho. Kuto nu tvaṃ āgacchasīti kiṃ karontī vicarasīti pucchati. Gopālakuposathoti gopālakehi saddhiṃ upavasanauposatho. Nigaṇṭhuposathoti nigaṇṭhānaṃ upavasanauposatho. Ariyuposathoti ariyānaṃ upavasanauposatho. Seyyathāpi visākheti yathā nāma, visākhe. Sāyanhasamayesāmikānaṃ gāvo niyyātetvāti gopālakā hi devasikavetanena vā pañcāhadasāhaaddhamāsamāsachamāsasaṃvaccharaparicchedena vā gāvo gahetvā rakkhanti. Idha pana devasikavetanena rakkhantaṃ sandhāyetaṃ vuttaṃ – niyyātetvāti paṭicchāpetvā ‘‘etā vo gāvo’’ti datvā. Itipaṭisañcikkhatīti attano gehaṃ gantvā bhuñjitvā mañce nipanno evaṃ paccavekkhati. Abhijjhāsahagatenāti taṇhāya sampayuttena. Evaṃ kho, visākhe, gopālakuposatho hotīti ariyuposathova ayaṃ, aparisuddhavitakkatāya pana gopālakauposathaṭṭhāne ṭhito. Na mahapphaloti vipākaphalena na mahapphalo. Na mahānisaṃsoti vipākānisaṃsena na mahānisaṃso. Na mahājutikoti vipākobhāsena na mahāobhāso. Na mahāvipphāroti vipākavipphārassa amahantatāya na mahāvipphāro.
Samaṇajātikāti samaṇāyeva. Paraṃ yojanasatanti yojanasataṃ atikkamitvā tato paraṃ. Tesu daṇḍaṃ nikkhipāhīti tesu yojanasatato parabhāgesu ṭhitesu sattesu daṇḍaṃ nikkhipa, nikkhittadaṇḍo hohi. Nāhaṃ kvacani kassaci kiñcanatasminti ahaṃ katthaci kassaci parassa kiñcanatasmiṃ na homi. Kiñcanaṃ vuccati palibodho, palibodho na homīti vuttaṃ hoti. Na ca mama kvacani katthaci kiñcanatatthīti mamāpi kvacani anto vā bahiddhā vā katthaci ekaparikkhārepi kiñcanatā natthi, palibodho natthi, chinnapalibodhohamasmīti vuttaṃ hoti. Bhogeti mañcapīṭhayāgubhattādayo. Adinnaṃyeva paribhuñjatīti punadivase mañce nipajjantopi pīṭhe nisīdantopi yāguṃ pivantopi bhattaṃ bhuñjantopi te bhoge adinneyeva paribhuñjati. Na mahapphaloti nipphalo. Byañjanameva hi ettha sāvasesaṃ, attho pana niravaseso. Evaṃ upavutthassa hi uposathassa appamattakampi vipākaphalaṃ iṭṭhaṃ kantaṃ manāpaṃ nāma natthi. Tasmā nipphalotveva veditabbo. Sesapadesupi eseva nayo.
Upakkiliṭṭhassa cittassāti idaṃ kasmā āha? Saṃkiliṭṭhena hi cittena upavuttho uposatho na mahapphalo hotīti dassitattā visuddhena cittena upavutthassa mahapphalatā anuññātā hoti. Tasmā yena kammaṭṭhānena cittaṃ visujjhati, taṃ cittavisodhanakammaṭṭhānaṃ dassetuṃ idamāha . Tattha upakkamenāti paccattapurisakārena, upāyena vā. Tathāgataṃ anussaratīti aṭṭhahi kāraṇehi tathāgataguṇe anussarati. Ettha hi itipi so bhagavāti so bhagavā itipi sīlena, itipi samādhināti sabbe lokiyalokuttarā buddhaguṇā saṅgahitā. Arahantiādīhi pāṭiyekkaguṇāva niddiṭṭhā. Tathāgataṃ anussarato cittaṃ pasīdatīti lokiyalokuttare tathāgataguṇe anussarantassa cittuppādo pasanno hoti.
Cittassa upakkilesāti pañca nīvaraṇā. Kakkanti āmalakakakkaṃ. Tajjaṃ vāyāmanti tajjātikaṃ tadanucchavikaṃ kakkena makkhanaghaṃsanadhovanavāyāmaṃ. Pariyodapanā hotīti suddhabhāvakaraṇaṃ hoti. Kiliṭṭhasmiṃ hi sīse pasādhanaṃ pasādhetvā nakkhattaṃ kīḷamāno na sobhati, parisuddhe pana tasmiṃ pasādhanaṃ pasādhetvā nakkhattaṃ kīḷamāno sobhati, evameva kiliṭṭhacittena uposathaṅgāni adhiṭṭhāya uposatho upavuttho na mahapphalo hoti, parisuddhena pana cittena uposathaṅgāni adhiṭṭhāya upavuttho uposatho mahapphalo hotīti adhippāyena evamāha. Brahmuposathaṃ upavasatīti brahmā vuccati sammāsambuddho, tassa guṇānussaraṇavasena ayaṃ uposatho brahmuposatho nāma, taṃ upavasati. Brahmunā saddhiṃ saṃvasatīti sammāsambuddhena saddhiṃ saṃvasati. Brahmañcassaārabbhāti sammāsambuddhaṃ ārabbha.
Dhammaṃ anussaratīti sahatantikaṃ lokuttaradhammaṃ anussarati. Sottinti kuruvindakasottiṃ. Kuruvindakapāsāṇacuṇṇena hi saddhiṃ lākhaṃ yojetvā maṇike katvā vijjhitvā suttena āvuṇitvā taṃ maṇi kalāpapantiṃ ubhato gahetvā piṭṭhiṃ ghaṃsenti, taṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ – ‘‘sottiñca paṭiccā’’ti. Cuṇṇanti nhānīyacuṇṇaṃ. Tajjaṃ vāyāmanti ubbaṭṭanaghaṃsanadhovanādikaṃ tadanurūpavāyāmaṃ. Dhammuposathanti sahatantikaṃ navalokuttaradhammaṃ ārabbha upavutthattā ayaṃ uposatho ‘‘dhammuposatho’’ti vutto. Idhāpi pariyodapanāti pade ṭhatvā purimanayeneva yojanā kātabbā.
Saṅghaṃ anussaratīti aṭṭhannaṃ ariyapuggalānaṃ guṇe anussarati. Usmañca paṭiccāti dve tayo vāre gāhāpitaṃ usumaṃ paṭicca. Usañcātipi pāṭho, ayamevattho . Khāranti chārikaṃ. Gomayanti gomuttaṃ vā ajalaṇḍikā vā. Pariyodapanāti idhāpi purimanayeneva yojanā kātabbā. Saṅghuposathanti aṭṭhannaṃ ariyapuggalānaṃ guṇe ārabbha upavutthattā ayaṃ uposatho ‘‘saṅghuposatho’’ti vutto.
Sīlānīti gahaṭṭho gahaṭṭhasīlāni, pabbajito pabbajitasīlāni. Akhaṇḍānītiādīnaṃ attho visuddhimagge (visuddhi. 1.21) vitthāritova. Vālaṇḍupakanti assavālehi vā makacivālādīhi vā kataṃ aṇḍupakaṃ. Tajjaṃvāyāmanti telena temetvā malassa tintabhāvaṃ ñatvā chārikaṃ pakkhipitvā vālaṇḍupakena ghaṃsanavāyāmo. Idha pariyodapanāti pade ṭhatvā evaṃ yojanā kātabbā kiliṭṭhasmiñhi ādāse maṇḍitapasādhitopi attabhāvo olokiyamāno na sobhati, parisuddhe sobhati. Evameva kiliṭṭhena cittena upavuttho uposatho na mahapphalo hoti, parisuddhena pana mahapphalo hotīti. Sīluposathanti attano sīlānussaraṇavasena upavuttho uposatho sīluposatho nāma. Sīlena saddhinti attano pañcasīladasasīlena saddhiṃ. Sīlañcassa ārabbhāti pañcasīlaṃ dasasīlañca ārabbha.
Devatā anussaratīti devatā sakkhiṭṭhāne ṭhapetvā attano saddhādiguṇe anussarati. Ukkanti uddhanaṃ. Loṇanti loṇamattikā. Gerukanti gerukacuṇṇaṃ. Nāḷikasaṇḍāsanti dhamananāḷikañceva parivattanasaṇḍāsañca. Tajjaṃ vāyāmanti uddhane pakkhipanadhamanaparivattanādikaṃ anurūpaṃ vāyāmaṃ. Idha pariyodapanāti pade ṭhatvā evaṃ yojanā veditabbā – saṃkiliṭṭhasuvaṇṇamayena hi pasādhanabhaṇḍena pasādhitā nakkhattaṃ kīḷamānā na sobhanti, parisuddhasuvaṇṇamayena sobhanti. Evameva saṃkiliṭṭhacittassa uposatho na mahapphalo hoti, parisuddhacittassa mahapphalo. Devatuposathanti devatā sakkhiṭṭhāne ṭhapetvā attano guṇe anussarantena upavutthauposatho devatuposatho nāma. Sesaṃ imesu buddhānussatiādīsu kammaṭṭhānesu yaṃ vattabbaṃ siyā, taṃ sabbaṃ visuddhimagge (visuddhi. 1.123 ādayo) vuttameva.
Pāṇātipātanti pāṇavadhaṃ. Pahāyāti taṃ pāṇātipātacetanāsaṅkhātaṃ dussīlyaṃ pajahitvā. Paṭiviratāti pahīnakālato paṭṭhāya tato dussīlyato oratā viratāva. Nihitadaṇḍā nihitasatthāti parūpaghātatthāya daṇḍaṃ vā satthaṃ vā ādāya avattanato nikkhittadaṇḍā ceva nikkhittasatthā cāti attho. Ettha ca ṭhapetvā daṇḍaṃ sabbampi avasesaṃ upakaraṇaṃ sattānaṃ vihiṃsanabhāvato satthanti veditabbaṃ. Yaṃ pana bhikkhū kattaradaṇḍaṃ vā dantakaṭṭhavāsiṃ vā pipphalakaṃ vā gahetvā vicaranti, na taṃ parūpaghātatthāya. Tasmā nihitadaṇḍā nihitasatthātveva saṅkhaṃ gacchanti. Lajjīti pāpajigucchanalakkhaṇāya lajjāya samannāgatā. Dayāpannāti dayaṃ mettacittataṃ āpannā. Sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampīti sabbe pāṇabhūte hitena anukampakā, tāya eva dayāpannatāya sabbesaṃ pāṇabhūtānaṃ hitacittakāti attho. Ahampajjāti ahampi ajja. Imināpi aṅgenāti imināpi guṇaṅgena. Arahataṃ anukaromīti yathā purato gacchantaṃ pacchato gacchanto anugacchati nāma, evaṃ ahampi arahantehi paṭhamaṃ kataṃ imaṃ guṇaṃ pacchā karonto tesaṃ arahantānaṃ anukaromi. Uposatho ca me upavuttho bhavissatīti evaṃ karontena mayā arahatañca anukataṃ bhavissati, uposatho ca upavuttho bhavissati.
Adinnādānanti adinnassa parapariggahitassa ādānaṃ, theyyaṃ corikanti attho. Dinnameva ādiyantīti dinnādāyī. Cittenapi dinnameva paṭikaṅkhantīti dinnapāṭikaṅkhī. Thenetīti theno, na thenena athenena. Athenattāyeva sucibhūtena. Attanāti attabhāvena, athenaṃ sucibhūtaṃ attabhāvaṃ katvā viharantīti vuttaṃ hoti.
Abrahmacariyanti aseṭṭhacariyaṃ. Brahmaṃ seṭṭhaṃ ācāraṃ carantīti brahmacārī. Ārācārīti abrahmacariyato dūrācārī. Methunāti rāgapariyuṭṭhānavasena sadisattā methunakāti laddhavohārehi paṭisevitabbato methunoti saṅkhaṃ gatā asaddhammā. Gāmadhammāti gāmavāsīnaṃ dhammā.
Musāvādāti alikavacanā tucchavacanā. Saccaṃ vadantīti saccavādī. Saccena saccaṃ saṃdahanti ghaṭṭentīti saccasandhā, na antarantarā musā vadantīti attho . Yo hi puriso kadāci musāvādaṃ vadati, kadāci saccaṃ. Tassa musāvādena antaritattā saccaṃ saccena na ghaṭīyati. Tasmā na so saccasandho. Ime pana na tādisā, jīvitahetupi musā avatvā saccena saccaṃ saṃdahantiyevāti saccasandhā. Thetāti thirā, ṭhitakathāti attho. Eko puggalo haliddirāgo viya thusarāsimhi nikhātakhāṇu viya assapiṭṭhe ṭhapitakumbhaṇḍamiva ca na ṭhitakatho hoti. Eko pāsāṇalekhā viya indakhīlo viya ca ṭhitakatho hoti, asinā sīsaṃ chindantepi dve kathā na katheti. Ayaṃ vuccati theto. Paccayikāti pattiyāyitabbakā, saddhāyikāti attho. Ekacco hi puggalo na paccayiko hoti, ‘‘idaṃ kena vuttaṃ, asukena nāmā’’ti vutte ‘‘mā tassa vacanaṃ saddahathā’’ti vattabbataṃ āpajjati. Eko paccayiko hoti, ‘‘idaṃ kena vuttaṃ, asukenā’’ti vutte ‘‘yadi tena vuttaṃ, idameva pamāṇaṃ, idāni paṭikkhipitabbaṃ natthi, evamevaṃ ida’’nti vattabbataṃ āpajjati. Ayaṃ vuccati paccayiko. Avisaṃvādakālokassāti tāya saccavāditāya lokaṃ na visaṃvādentīti attho.
Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānanti surāmerayamajjānaṃ pānacetanāsaṅkhātaṃ pamādakāraṇaṃ. Ekabhattikāti pātarāsabhattaṃ sāyamāsabhattanti dve bhattāni. Tesu pātarāsabhattaṃ antomajjhanhikena paricchinnaṃ, itaraṃ majjhanhikato uddhaṃ antoaruṇena. Tasmā antomajjhanhike dasakkhattuṃ bhuñjamānāpi ekabhattikāva honti. Taṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ – ‘‘ekabhattikā’’ti. Rattibhojanaṃ ratti, tato uparatāti rattūparatā. Atikkante majjhanhike yāva sūriyatthaṅgamanā bhojanaṃ vikālabhojanaṃ nāma, tato viratattā viratā vikālabhojanā.
Sāsanassa ananulomattā visūkaṃ paṭāṇibhūtaṃ dassananti visūkadassanaṃ, attanā naccananaccāpanādivasena naccañca gītañca vāditañca, antamaso mayūranaccanādivasenāpi pavattānaṃ naccādīnaṃ visūkabhūtaṃ dassanañcāti naccagītavāditavisūkadassanaṃ. Naccādīni hi attanā payojetuṃ vā parehi payojāpetuṃ vā payuttāni passituṃ vā neva bhikkhūnaṃ, na bhikkhunīnaṃ vaṭṭanti.
Mālādīsu mālāti yaṃkiñci pupphaṃ. Gandhanti yaṃkiñci gandhajātaṃ. Vilepananti chavirāgakaraṇaṃ. Tattha piḷandhanto dhāreti nāma, ūnaṭṭhānaṃ pūrento maṇḍeti nāma, gandhavasena chavirāgavasena ca sādiyanto vibhūseti nāma. Ṭhānaṃ vuccati kāraṇaṃ, tasmā yāya dussīlyacetanāya tāni mālādhāraṇādīni mahājano karoti, tato paṭiviratāti attho. Uccāsayanaṃ vuccati pamāṇātikkantaṃ, mahāsayanaṃ akappiyattharaṇaṃ, tato paṭiviratāti attho.
Kīvamahapphaloti kittakaṃ mahapphalo. Sesapadesupi eseva nayo. Pahūtarattaratanānanti pahūtena rattasaṅkhātena ratanena samannāgatānaṃ, sakalajambudīpatalaṃ bheritalasadisaṃ katvā kaṭippamāṇehi sattahi ratanehi pūritānanti attho. Issariyādhipaccanti issarabhāvena vā issariyameva vā ādhipaccaṃ, na ettha sāhasikakammantipi issariyādhipaccaṃ. Rajjaṃ kāreyyāti evarūpaṃ cakkavattirajjaṃ kāreyya. Aṅgānantiādīni tesaṃ janapadānaṃ nāmāni. Kalaṃ nāgghati soḷasinti ekaṃ ahorattaṃ upavutthauposathe puññaṃ soḷasabhāge katvā tato ekaṃ bhāgañca na agghati. Ekarattuposathassa soḷasiyā kalāya yaṃ vipākaphalaṃ, taṃyeva tato bahutaraṃ hotīti attho. Kapaṇanti parittakaṃ.
Abrahmacariyāti aseṭṭhacariyato. Rattiṃ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojananti uposathaṃ upavasanto rattibhojanañca divāvikālabhojanañca na bhuñjeyya. Mañce chamāyaṃva sayetha santhateti muṭṭhihatthapādake kappiyamañce vā sudhādiparikammakatāya bhūmiyaṃ vā tiṇapaṇṇapalālādīni santharitvā kate santhate vā sayethāti attho. Etaṃ hi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathanti evaṃ pāṇātipātādīni asamācarantena upavutthaṃ uposathaṃ aṭṭhahi aṅgehi samannāgatattā aṭṭhaṅgikanti vadanti. Taṃ pana upavasantena ‘‘sve uposathiko bhavissāmī’’ti ajjeva ‘‘idañca idañca kareyyāthā’’ti āhārādividhānaṃ vicāretabbaṃ. Uposathadivase pātova bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā dasasīlalakkhaṇaññuno upāsakassa vā upāsikāya vā santike vācaṃ bhinditvā uposathaṅgāni samādātabbāni. Pāḷiṃ ajānantena pana ‘‘buddhapaññattaṃ uposathaṃ adhiṭṭhāmī’’ti adhiṭṭhātabbaṃ. Aññaṃ alabhantena attanāpi adhiṭṭhātabbaṃ, vacībhedo pana kātabboyeva . Uposathaṃ upavasantena parūparodhapaṭisaṃyuttā kammantā na vicāretabbā, āyavayagaṇanaṃ karontena na vītināmetabbaṃ, gehe pana āhāraṃ labhitvā niccabhattikabhikkhunā viya paribhuñjitvā vihāraṃ gantvā dhammo vā sotabbo, aṭṭhatiṃsāya ārammaṇesu aññataraṃ vā manasikātabbaṃ.
Sudassanāti sundaradassanā. Obhāsayanti obhāsayamānā. Anupariyantīti vicaranti. Yāvatāti yattakaṃ ṭhānaṃ. Antalikkhagāti ākāsaṅgamā. Pabhāsantīti jotanti pabhā muñcanti. Disāvirocanāti sabbadisāsu virocamānā. Atha vā pabhāsantīti disāhi disā obhāsanti. Virocanāti virocamānā. Veḷuriyanti maṇīti vatvāpi iminā jātimaṇibhāvaṃ dasseti. Ekavassikaveḷuvaṇṇañhi veḷuriyaṃ jātimaṇi nāma. Taṃ sandhāyevamāha. Bhaddakanti laddhakaṃ. Siṅgīsuvaṇṇanti gosiṅgasadisaṃ hutvā uppannattā evaṃ nāmakaṃ suvaṇṇaṃ. Kañcananti pabbateyyaṃ pabbate jātasuvaṇṇaṃ. Jātarūpanti satthuvaṇṇasuvaṇṇaṃ. Haṭakanti kipillikāhi nīhaṭasuvaṇṇaṃ. Nānubhavantīti na pāpuṇanti. Candappabhāti sāmiatthe paccattaṃ, candappabhāyāti attho. Upavassuposathanti upavasitvā uposathaṃ. Sukhudrayānīti sukhaphalāni sukhavedanīyāni. Saggamupenti ṭhānanti saggasaṅkhātaṃ ṭhānaṃ upagacchanti, kenaci aninditā hutvā devaloke uppajjantīti attho. Sesamettha yaṃ antarantarā na vuttaṃ, taṃ vuttānusāreneva veditabbanti.
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I can’t read, Pali, although I plan on starting with Bikkhu Bodhi’s online Pali course that starts tonight. And thanks for the suggestion. The commentaries may help!
Didn’t Buddha say that his Teaching was neither aloof, nor exclusive?
Blockquote
"I’ve taught the Dhamma, having hold the Teaching neither aloof, nor exclusive. The Realized One doesn’t have the closed fist of a teacher when it comes to the teachings.
Desito mayā dhammo anantaraṃ abāhiraṃ karitvā. Natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi. "
SN 47.9
-Antara = aloof
(antaraṁ karoti = to keep away from, or at a distance - to hold aloof. PTS)
-Bāhira, from Sankrit: bahis (bahí s) = expel , banish , exclude.
.
Also, if there are different meanings, shouldn’t one look for them?
For instance, anicca (a-nitya) has two meanings: 1. impermanent, and 2. not one’s own (nitya, opp. to araṇa).
So for instance, the khandhas are both impermanent and not one’s own (a.k.a. natumhāka).
There are some other words in the sutta that have these interesting double meanings.
And there are also words, whose other meanings are far more appropriate.
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Yes. We are recommended to search the deep meaning of a discourse. As was said Ananda was good in that. Many disciples for that reason found their own way to explain Dhamma.
This is a good one
Herein, monks, some foolish men master Dhamma : the Discourses in prose, in prose and verse, the Expositions, the Verses, the Uplifting Verses, the ‘As it was Saids,’ the Birth Stories, the Wonders, the Miscellanies. These, having mastered that Dhamma , do not test the meaning of these things by intuitive wisdom; and these things whose meaning is untested by intuitive wisdom do not become clear; they master this Dhamma simply for the advantage of reproaching others and for the advantage of gossiping, and they do not arrive at that goal for the sake of which they mastered Dhamma . These things, badly grasped by them conduce for a long time to their woe and sorrow. What is the reason for this? Monks, it is because of a wrong grasp of things.
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Thanks, Snowbird…!
We’ve seen above, that bahira could mean “external” and also “exclusive”.
Let’s take Jhāna now.
For there is a word play with Jhāna, that is seldomly taken into consideration.
Jhāna comes from jhāyati - and jhāyati has two roots.
- Jhāna (from jhāyati) - Sk. kṣāyati (root kṣi) = to be diminished, decrease, waste away.
- Jhāna (from jhāyati) - Sk. dhyāyati (root dhī) = to perceive, think upon, meditate over).
The former is the one that is never taken into consideration.
Look at this summary for Jhāna: JHĀNA
For instance - before one can get into the first jhāna, one has to decrease (even waste away) his sensual pleasures and unskilfull qualities (unproper states).
Then one can get into the absorption of the first jhāna, where one perceives, thinks upon and/or meditate upon the ensuing states.
Before one can get into the second jhāna, one has to waste the pleasure born of seclusion away; then decrease (to the minimum) vitakka & vicara. Etc.
So in JHĀNA , what is “to be diminished”, is bolded and strukthrough.
These “decreases” (root kṣi), lead to the ensuing states, which are the absorptions (root dhī) — namely the absorptions as jhāna (from jhāyati) - Sk. dhyāyati (root dhī) = to perceive, think upon, meditate over).
This stage of absorption is both, the paṭisaṃvedī … sikkhati of ānāpānasati [ viz. the desire to be able to (desiderative of śak,) have an accurate knowledge of the particulars of something (pratisaṃvid)] — plus — the experience itself of that thing; generated by the perception and thinking upon that thing (e. g. pītipaṭisaṃvedī … sikkhati — namely the desire to understand, then to have the knowledge of pīti; then to experience it) .
To summarize, one has first to decrease or waist something away [root kṣi] — then — one has to perceive and think upon (have the knowledge of) something - plus - meditate upon that thing (contemplate and/or experience the result) [root dhī] .
This seems to be the wordplay with Jhāna.
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Interesting, thank you!
We’ve seen above that:
- Bahira has both the meanings of “external” and “exclude”.
- Anicca has both the meanings of "impermanent " and “not one’s own”.
- Jhāna has both the meanings of "to be diminished " and “absorption”.
Let’s see now the two meanings of sati. One of which is never used.
The first meaning comes from smṛti, which means “thinking upon”, “calling to mind”; (usually translated as “mindful”).
It can be being mindful of (thinking upon) the breath. Or being mindful of not letting the external akusala get in, etc.
In Chinese, it is written as 想 (ideation) — as in “mindfulness of death” (死想) [EA 40.8/AN 6.19]
The second meaning, that is never used, comes from sati = sāti = santi
https://www.sanskritdictionary.com/sati/247861/1
http://sanskritdictionary.com/sāti/258979/1
which means “gaining”, “obtaining”.
In Chinese, it is written as 念 (settled recollection/sthāpana) — as in 安那般那念 = Ānāpānasati = settled recollection (obtention) of in & out breath.
So for instance, Ānāpānasati should not be read as “mindfulness of breathing”.
Instead one should read “obtention through breathing”.
Obtention of what? — “obtention” of the establishment (samadhi/定).
Establishment of what? — “establishment” of citta (= liberation from ceto, the tainted citta).
And sati-paṭṭhānā (sati-prasthāna) should be read as “the way to attain-the obtention”.
… satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā. So sato’va assasati. Sato passasati.
… having looked after the obtention (sati = sāti), mindful (sati=smṛti), he breathes in, mindful he breathes out (SN 54.13).
>Note: In the case of the verbs assasanto & passasanto, the Sanskrit considers dīgha (दीर्घ dīrgha) and rassa (ह्रस्व hrasva [hras-va]), as adverbs - whose translation is lofty & low - and not long & short (as it would be, in the case of an adjective ).
To summarize, sati is a recollection, a calling to mind (smṛti).
But sati is also about that settled recollection (sāti/念/sthāpana) - where sthāpana is the agent causative of sthā - an agent on which one “whishes to stand” (sthā) back [the obtention, the acquisition)]. An agent from which a dhamma “arises from” (sthā), and gets actualized in the sphere of senses (saḷāyatana). But most of all, an agent that should from now on, “stand still” (sthā), once the actualized dhamma has been properly experienced through “the insight from knowledge according to what has become” (yathābhūtañāṇadassana).
That obtention (sāti) of the settled recollection, is what one should look after, and arrive at. Namely the settled recollection of a state, prior to the actualization of dhammas - which by now, should also include the proper knowledge (dukkha & anicca,) of what has come to be.
There is hidden meaning in all this, only when these double meanings are kept hidden by the corrupters of the Teaching. Aren’t they?
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Who are these “corrupters” of the teaching suci1/vinc… I mean Jean?
Not sure if meanings are intentionally hidden by certain people. However, it seems that the Buddha instilled in some of his teachings some meanings that are literal, and some that are more subtle.
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Sorry to bring up something from earlier in the thread. I don’t think that the arahant killing the insects is in any way a twist. The connection to the verse is because of the monks who accused the arahant asked the Buddha how it could be that someone who became an arahant could also be someone who became blind. Then the Buddha reveals the action he did in a previous life (blinding someone else) as something that followed him along to this life. It’s quite clear and direct.
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Yes that’s also in there, yet you cannot deny the potent situational irony.