On the specific nuance of ghosa

Pali has a rich vocabulary of words for speaking and the voice. Many of these are used so commonly that they can only be read in a generic sense. However, ghosa, while usually simply translated as “voice” or “speech”, is quite rare, and used in a limited set of contexts. I will collect the characteristic phrases here.

  • MN 43, on the causes of right view:
  • parato ca ghoso, yoniso ca manasikāro
  • the ghosa of another and rational focus
  • MN 84, on the sectarian claims of the brahmins:
    • Ghosoyeva kho eso, mahārāja, lokasmiṃ
    • Great king, that’s only a ghosa in the world
  • SN 8.6, on Sāriputta’s teaching voice:
    • Sāḷikāyiva nigghoso
  • His nigghosa, like a myna bird,
  • AN 3.80, on the Buddha’s manifesting of sound across the universe:
    • Yadā te sattā taṃ ālokaṃ sañjāneyyuṃ, atha tathāgato ghosaṃ kareyya saddamanussāveyya
    • When sentient beings saw the light, the Realized One would project his ghosa so that they’d hear the sound.
  • AN 4.65:
    • Rūpappamāṇo rūpappasanno, ghosappamāṇo ghosappasanno, lūkhappamāṇo lūkhappasanno, dhammappamāṇo dhammappasanno
    • There are those whose estimation of and confidence in others is based on appearance, on ghosa, on mortification, and on principle.
  • Thag 19.1:
    • Mahindaghosatthanitābhigajjino
    • Greeting the thunder, Mahinda’s ghosa

That’s not all the occurrences in the suttas, but it’s most of them. It seems the use of ghosa is typically rather more potent than ordinary speech. It’s used in contexts that emphasize the persuasive quality of a voice, or its far-reaching power. While we might not be able to capture this exactly in English, perhaps “call” would be a step in the right direction. In MN 84 the sense comes close to “propaganda”.

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@sujato

Interesting pasages, thanks. Actually I like ‘voice’ as it seems to specify something a bit more emphatic, potent or specific (specific as in associated with a specific individual or group) than speech. I see why you suggest ‘call’ though I find it less evocative and when I try to use it in the passages you site, it doesn’t seem to work as well, at least not for all of them.

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Yes, voice can have a potent sense, as well. I’m not really sure what to use, but at least I’m a little clearer about what I want it to mean.

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I don’t know if this will be of any use but in Sinhala ghōṣāva means loud noise and ghōṣākārī means noisy.

In the case of the cause of right view, you can think of the voice of a noble one proclaiming the Dhamma being authoritative, a lions roar.

In Thai, if I recall correctly, khosanā means “advertisement”.

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Indeed!

โฆษณา: announcement, advertisement.
http://dict.longdo.com/mobile/?search=โฆษณา

โฆษก: announcer, communicator.
http://dict.longdo.com/mobile/?search=โฆษก

not sure, bhante, if you’re asking for suggestions here, but i will offer one just in case

enunciation

MN 43,
parato ca ghoso,
the speech of another

MN 84, on the sectarian claims of the brahmins:
Ghosoyeva kho eso, mahārāja, lokasmiṃ
Great king, that’s only one voice in the world

SN 8.6, on Sāriputta’s teaching voice:
Sāḷikāyiva nigghoso
His enunciation, like a myna bird,

AN 3.80, on the Buddha’s manifesting of sound across the universe:
Yadā te sattā taṃ ālokaṃ sañjāneyyuṃ, atha tathāgato ghosaṃ kareyya saddamanussāveyya
When sentient beings saw the light, the Realized One would project his voice so that they’d hear the sound.

AN 4.65:
Rūpappamāṇo rūpappasanno, ghosappamāṇo ghosappasanno, lūkhappamāṇo lūkhappasanno, dhammappamāṇo dhammappasanno
There are those whose estimation of and confidence in others is based on appearance, on eloquence, on mortification, and on principle.

Thag 19.1:
Mahindaghosatthanitābhigajjino
Greeting the thunder, Mahinda’s voice - is that a human being or a peacock? :slight_smile: if it’s the latter ‘call’ would be better.

With metta