Question about the translation of pacchā in SN 51.11

[ahtisarw]

I was reading SN 51.11 and was wondering why the word “behind” was used there in the translation for “pacchā” - “as before, so behind; as behind, so before;” (for “yathā pure tathā pacchā, yathā pacchā tathā pure”) instead of “after”?

[Pasanna]

I asked a similar question a few years ago. Hopefully this discussion will help.

Pacchāpuresaññi- before and behind?

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

PS. Welcome to the forum. Thanks for refreshing my memory on this.

[ahtisarw]

Thank you ven @Pasanna for pointing to the earlier discussion.

I read the two previous discussions and it seems that by deciding it was in reference to spatial and not temporal, maybe we have constrained the words of the Buddha (through logic and not necessarily realization) in a way that prevents one from realizing the deeper meanings of the words of the Buddha. While I won’t comment more on this as I found the answer I was looking for, one example I can point out where the meaning is deeper than the words is yathā divā tathā rattiṁ, yathā rattiṁ tathā divā - one contemplating on this comes to the realization that dependent origination holds true in the past, present and future.

Luckily the pali wording is there for us to to use alongside any translation.