Pacchāpuresaññi- before and behind?

Discussion
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A question on @sujato’s translation of pacchāpuresaññi.

In the iddhipada samyutta eg SN51.12 we have instructions to develop the iddhipadas

And they meditate perceiving before and behind:
Pacchāpuresaññī ca viharati—

in this thread it seems you suggest that this is about continuity of practice. So, why ‘before and behind’ and not 'before and after?

thanks

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Yeah I also found that a bit awkward and am curious about it. Though even in Sanskrit, Pashchāt can mean both afterwards (later) or behind.

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A more recent comment on this can be found here.

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Thanks.
Search didn’t bring that one up.
I’m not sure I understand though. If it’s purely spatial, then why not ‘in front and behind’?
I know ‘before’ can be thought of in a spatial sense (my dictionary lists this as archaic), but it’s not a clear instruction.

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I found it by searching “before behind”, but I knew it must be somewhere.

I think the only person who can answer this is Bhante @sujato.

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