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Upajāti (Upendravajrā)
na
cājihīrṣīd-balim-apravttaṁ na
cācikīrṣīt-para-vastv-abhidhyām
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na
cāvivakṣīd-dviṣatām-adharmaṁ na cādidhakṣīdd-hdayena
manyum || 2.44
2.44
No inclination did he have
to raise tax (or pay tribute) that had
not accrued,
To covet what belonged to others,
To discuss the wrongness of hateful
foes,
Or to ignite anger in his own heart.
COMMENT:
Not doing wrong,
Allowing the right thing to do itself,
Purifying one's own mind,
Is the teaching of the buddhas.
If 2.42 is read as an introductory
consideration, carried out with reason and balance, of wrongness; and
if 2.43 is read as affirmation of being wrong as an objective fact,
then today's verse has a more practical emphasis, being an expression
of not being inclined to do wrong actions and wrong reactions.
A difficulty in translating the 1st
pāda is that balim hṛ generally means not “to raise tax,”
but rather “to present an offering" or "to pay a tribute.” The dictionary gives
a-pravartin as “not due, unjust (as
taxes),” but a-pra-vṛttam, another word from the root √vṛt,
to act (see especially BC2.40), could be interpreted as meaning “one
who does not act” or “one who is not engaged in action.” On the
surface then, the meaning is that the king had no inclination to levy
unjust tax, but is there also a hidden meaning which negates the
giving of offerings or paying of tributes to those who, for example,
wear the uniform but lack the real dignity of acting buddhas?
Again,
the 2nd
pāda on the surface has a material emphasis, refering to the
coveting of others' property or wealth, but if I failed in my mind to give credit where credit was due, that lack of acknowledgement of the other might also be included in "coveting what belonged to others."
The 3rd
pāda, as I read it, expresses understanding of the mirror principle,
by which I use the hateful other as a mirror in which to criticize tendencies
that I hate or fear in myself.
In the 4th pāda, EHJ notes
that the verb is uncertain but avivakṣīt, from vah (to bear,
carry), corresponds fairly with the Tibetan translation and is the
soundest paleographically -- hence EHJ: "nor did he wish to bear wrath in his heart." The Old Nepalese manuscript has
avidhakṣīt. EBC's manuscripts had adidhakṣīt, presumably from
dah (to burn) -- hence EBC: “nor did he wish to fan wrath in his heart.”
Today's verse is the same as
yesterday's in that the 4th pāda, whatever its original
verb was, points right back to the reality of work on the self --
Not doing wrong,
Allowing the right thing to do itself,
Purifying one's own mind,
Is the teaching of the buddhas.
In the 1st phase,
philosophically thinking, the approach of a follower of the buddha to
the problem of wrongness ought to be in the middle way – so that
the administration of criminal justice, for example, should be
neither too liberal nor too draconian; and so that, at the individual
level, we should neither beat ourselves up about, or expect to be
absolved for, past mistakes.
In the 2nd phase, we look
the bugger in the eye. We neither try nor expect to be right. We
affirm the fact that we are wrong. We take ownership of our own
greed, hatred, and delusion.
What today's verse is saying, at the
3rd phase, is that being wrong is no excuse for doing
wrong.
To take ownership of anger is one
thing, part of being wrong. To have the will or inclination to ignite or inflame anger in one's heart is another thing
altogether, an intentional violation of the principle of not doing wrong.
Whatever the Buddha meant by “purify
your own heart/mind,” he did not mean that.
VOCABULARY
na: not
ca: and
ajihīrṣīt
= 3rd pers. sg. aorist desid. hṛ: to wish to take to
one's self or appropriate
√ hṛ:
to offer , present (esp. with balim)
balim
(acc. sg.): tribute , offering , gift , oblation (in later language
always with √ hṛ); tax , impost , royal revenue ; any offering or
propitiatory oblation (esp. an offering of portions of food , such as
grain , rice &c , to certain gods , semi-divine beings ,
household divinities , spirits , men , birds , other animals and all
creatures including even lifeless objects ; it is made before the
daily meal by arranging portions of food in a circle or by throwing
them into the air outside the house or into the sacred fire )
apravttam
(acc. sg. m.): mfn. not acting , not engaged in ; not commenced , not
instigated
pra-
√vṛt: to be set in motion; to come forth , issue , originate ,
arise , be produced , result , occur , happen , take place ; to hold
good , prevail ; to be , exist
a-pravartin:
mfn. not due, unjust (as taxes),
na: not
ca: and
acikīrṣīt
= 3rd pers. sg. aorist desid. kṛ: to wish to make or do
, intend to do , design , intend , begin , strive after
para-vastv-abhidhyām
(acc. sg. f.): coveting of another's property
para:
m. another
vastu:
n. any really existing or abiding substance or essence , thing ,
object ; goods , wealth , property
abhidhyā:
f. wish , longing for , desire.
na: not
ca: and
avivakṣīt
= 3rd pers. sg. aorist desid. vac: to desire to say or
speak or recite or proclaim or declare
dviṣatām
= gen. pl. dviṣat: mfn. (pres. part. of √dviṣ) hating or
detesting , hostile , unfriendly , foe , enemy
adharmam
(acc. sg.): m. unrighteousness , injustice , irreligion , wickedness;
demerit, guilt
na: not
ca: and
avivakṣīt = 3rd pers. sg. aorist
desid. vah: to desire to carry
adidhakṣīt = 3rd pers. sg. aorist
desid. dah [?]: to burn
hṛdayena (inst. sg.): n. the
heart
manyum
(acc. sg.): m. spirit; high spirit or temper , ardour , zeal ,
passion ; rage , fury , wrath , anger , indignation
主匠修明徳
率土皆承習
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