tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post2655670870308750022..comments2024-02-06T22:19:13.028-08:00Comments on Mining Aśvaghoṣa's Gold: BUDDHACARITA 1.70: The Raft of KnowingMike Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-65151604570497472242012-07-10T05:02:06.074-07:002012-07-10T05:02:06.074-07:00Dubious etymology, you say?
OK, fair enough. I a...Dubious etymology, you say? <br /><br />OK, fair enough. I am sorry that I misjudged the whole situation. I was wrong. So, yes, you can come in. I've changed my mind. But just this once. And please don't tell anybody.Mike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-25186310335188723852012-07-10T04:40:40.782-07:002012-07-10T04:40:40.782-07:00Hi Mike,
A thought or two about the suggestion th...Hi Mike,<br /><br />A thought or two about the suggestion that the etymology of prajñā shows that the word specifically refers to intuition, or some form of preconceptual understanding.<br /><br />Monier-Williams clarifies that 'pra', when prefixed to a verb - primarily a verb of motion – means 'before, forward, in front, on, forth' etc, but its use is not confined to that sense. When prefixed to adjectives (and so perhaps, by extension, when prefixed to substantives/nouns) it can, and usually does, act as an intensive meaning 'excessively/very/much'. So 'pracaNDa' (from the root 'caND', meaning to be 'fierce, cruel') means excessively violent, furious; 'pramatta' (from the root 'mad', meaning to gladden, exhilarate) means 'drunken, intoxicated, insane'. This is the ‘pre’ of ‘pre-eminent’ – an eminence that is to the fore, in front of, meaning chief, principal, best (similar to the use of ‘ – mukha’ in compounds). And so the translation of prajñā as 'wisdom', 'intelligence’, ‘discrimination’, ‘judgement' - with all the ambigious baggage those terms carry – seem to me perfectly acceptable.<br /><br />Of course, it's very possible to argue that wisdom is a form of intuition or preconceptual understanding - and vice-versa - but I think it's a mistake to support that argument with what is, in this case I think, dubious etymology. <br /><br />I’m not sure why this bee is in my bonnet, but it is and has been for a while!<br /><br />MalcolmMalcolm Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07695792204679760604noreply@blogger.com