pragraahakaM yan niyataM nimittam
layaM gate cetasi tasya kaalaH
kriyaa-samarthaM hi manas tathaa syaan
mandaayamaano 'gnir iva' endhanena
16.56
A stimulus ascertained to be garnering,
Has its time when one's mind is lifeless,
For thus the mind becomes fit for work,
Like a feebly-burning fire plied with fuel.
COMMENT:
What is under discussion here, it seems to me, is again neither meditation nor formalistic sitting practice. I understand "garnering" to mean the conscious garnering of a flow of energy in a certain direction.
"Just sit upright!" is, in my book, the primary instruction that stimulates such garnering of energy.
First thing in the morning or following an afternoon nap, for example, when the mind is refreshed and yet somehow low and dissipated, not quick, not really awake; in that state of mind, the practice of sitting upright in a full lotus, and wishing/allowing a flow of energy to be directed up along the spine, is how I understand, primarily, what it means for energy to be garnered.
But singing, chanting, or reading aloud are also activities that can be good for consciously garnering one's energy. Taking a dog for a walk (as opposed to being taken for a walk by a dog) can also be an excellent means of garnering one's energy. Lifting weights or swimming or playing a musical instrument or performing the set forms of a martial art, or any energetic and regulated activity that one loves doing, can be a means of consciously garnering one's energy.
All these activities can also be a means, however, for unconsciously leaking one's energy all over the place -- it all depends on how a person reacts to the particular "garnering" stimulus, and the way a person reacts to any stimulus depends very much on how the person uses himself. Hence the wisdom of the title of FM Alexander's third book, "The Use of the Self."
I remember reading somewhere, I think it may have been in Marjory Barlow's book "An Examined Life," the story of how FM Alexander was asked to help rehabilitate a young man whose vital energy had become dissolute. Drawing on his experience with horses, FM got the young man to walk uphill wearing a warm overcoat. That kind of walking was a garnering stimulus FM judged to be appropriate in that particular case.
They say that FM was very good at calming down nervous pupils, knowing how to put them instantly at ease. But confronted with this dissolute young bloke, he decided to put him to work like a horse in need of some steady exercise, in order to garner his vital energy.
In more formalistic sitting practice as advocated by Soto Zen Masters, it seems to me, the essence of the practice is unconscious reaction to the garnering stimulus "Just sit upright." If a person naturally uses himself well, this stimulus will not put the person wrong. But if a person's use of himself is poor, his unconscious reaction to the stimulus "Just sit upright" will have unfortunate results -- aches, pains, poor decisions, et cetera.
In the more extreme versions of formalism, moreover, there tends to be little or no recognition of what we are told in 16.53, that a "garnering" stimulus does not serve when the emotions are excited. So formalistic sitting is, in my experience, a one-sided kind of practice, tending to lead to various kinds of insecure and imbalanced behaviour.
Formalistic sitting, it seems to me, does not tend towards the true goal of formal sitting practice, which is mastery of the mind: rather, formalistic sitting arises out of group ignorance and conduces to group ignorance.
This is why, as I read this series of verses, Ashvaghosha took pains to begin his description of how the mind is mastered with the precautionary
verse 16.53.
EH Johnston:
It is when the mind is sluggish that it is the time for the subject of meditation prescribed for inducing energy; for thus the mind can become capable of action, like a sinking fire through fuel.
Linda Covill:
When the mind is depressed, it is time for the meditational technique prescribed for energy, for thus the mind, like a slow-burning fire plied with fuel, becomes useful.
VOCABULARY:
pragraahakam (nom. sg. n.): seizing, garnering -- see 16.53
yat: [that] which
niyatam (nom. sg. n.): determined, established, ascertained
nimittam (nom. sg.): n. stimulus
layam (accusative): sluggishness, lethargy, mental inactivity
gate = loc. gata: gone to a state or condition
cetasi = locative of cetas: mind
tasya (gen.): of it
kaalaH (nom. sg.): is the time
kriyaa: doing , performing , performance , occupation with (in comp.) , business , act , action , undertaking , activity , work , labour; bodily action , exercise of the limbs' ; medical treatment or practice , applying a remedy , cure ; means, expedient
samartham (acc. sg.): suitable or fit for (gen. or comp.)
hi: for
manas (nom. sg.): n. mind
tathaa: thus
syaat (optative of as): may be, may become
mandaayamanaH = nom. sg. m. present participle mandaaya: to go slowly , linger , loiter; to be weak or faint
agniH (nominative, singular): m. fire
iva: like
indhanena = instrumental of indhana: kindling , lighting; fuel; wood , grass et cetera used for this purpose.
Showing posts with label use of the self. Show all posts
Showing posts with label use of the self. Show all posts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
SAUNDARANANDA 16.53: First What Not to Do
pragraahakam yat tu nimittam uktam
uddhanyamaane hRdi tan na sevyam
evaM hi cittaM prashamaM na yaati
[- - -]naa vahnir iv' eryamaaNaH
16.53
A "garnering" stimulus
Does not serve when the emotions are excited,
For thus the mind does not find peace
Like a fire being fanned by [the wind].
COMMENT:
To illustrate what I think is the meaning of this verse, following on from the discussion of strength and weakness in the previous verse, I will cite the example of a sensitive woman in a caring vocation -- for example, in medicine -- who has a bad back. Her sensitivity and compassion can be regarded as strengths. But her bad back is a symptom of weakness.
Let us say that the compassionate nurse with a bad back comes for a series of Alexander lessons to address the misuse of herself -- a fundamental weakness -- that is causing her back pain. If the teacher adopts a more direct approach, his first instinct might be to tell the nurse to care less for others and more for the integrity of her own spine; and to teach her how to strengthen her spine, by garnering her energy in an upward direction during the acts of sitting and standing.
First instincts are generally direct and interventionist: our first instinct when confronted with any problem tends to be to do something, in a hurry. But such instinctive interventions have a tendency to turn out badly, to do more harm than good.
So I see it as significant that Buddha/Ashvaghosha's detailed explanation of the means whereby afflictions are given up, is begun with a negative direction, i.e., a preventive direction. The primary thing, Buddha/Ashvaghosha seems to be saying, is not learning what to do. The primary thing is learning, in a given situation, what not to do. Thus, when there is already undue excitement in one's energetic system, which for most of us there generally is, the first thing is not to do anything that might pour fuel on the flames.
So the Alexander teacher in the above example, confronted with the nurse with the bad back, will do well to inhibit his first instinct to read her the riot act and get her immediately going "up." He might be wise not to do anything until having listened for a while with hands, ears, and eyes, to what is really going on. It may well transpire that the nurse's fear reflexes are unduly excited, in which case the best starting point, before trying to teach her anything, might be to draw the nurse's attention to stimuli that will tend to calm her system down.
Pertinent here is a passage that FM Alexander wrote in the preface (1941) to The Use of the Self:
Those who have written asking for help in teaching themselves are obviously almost wholly occupied with the idea of learning 'to do it right'. In reply I would refer them to the first chapter of this book, where I put down as exactly as possible what I did and (what was still more important in the end) what I did not do in teaching myself... At the beginning of my experimentation I found that I must not concern myself primarily with 'doing' as I then understood 'doing', but with preventing myself from doing.
In the first line nimittam literally means "a cause." I have given the translation of this word considerable thought since Linda Covill's translation "meditational technique" rattled my cage a few months ago. In this verse I considered translating nimittam as "starting point," and in future verses I intend to translate nimittam as "antidote."
In the end, however, "stimulus" seemed to fit best: here: it carries a medical connotation, like a needle for sitting-dhyana; it includes the sense of a causal factor; and it ties in very neatly with the teaching of FM Alexander, who saw the act of living as basically a matter of constantly reacting (directly, unconsciously, emotionally) or responding (indirectly, consciously, reasonably) to stimuli.
VOCABULARY:
pragraahakam (nom. sg. n.): seizing , taking , bearing , carrying; a rein , bridle
graahaka: one who seizes or takes captive; one who seizes (the sun or moon) , who eclipses; one who receives or accepts; m. a hawk, falcon
yat (nom. sg. n.): [that] which
tu: but
nimittam (nom. sg.): n. a butt, mark, target; the point, the aim; sign, omen; cause, motive, ground, reason; (in philosophy) instrumental or efficient cause (opposed to upaadaana, the operative or material cause)
uktam = nom. sg. n. ukta (past participle of √vac): spoke, said; called; declared, promised
uddhanyamaane = locative of present passive participle ud- √han: to move or push or press upwards or out, lift up, throw away; to root up or out
hRdi = locative of hRd: the heart (as the seat of feelings and emotions) , soul , mind
tat (correlative of yat): it, that
na: not
sevyam = nom. sg. n. sevya: mfn. to be resorted to, followed, practised etc.
evam: thus, in this manner
hi: for
cittam (non. sg.): mfn. "noticed"; n. thinking, the thinking mind, the mind
prashamam (acc. sg.): m. calmness , tranquillity (esp. of mind) , quiet , rest , cessation , extinction , abatement
na: not
yaati = 3rd person singular yaa: to go , proceed ; go to, come to; find out, discover
[- - -]naa: [3 missing syllables] + inst. ending?
vahniH = nom. sg. vahni: m. the conveyer or bearer of oblations to the gods (esp. said of agni , " fire "); fire
iva: like
iiryamaaNaH: nom. sg. m. present passive participle √iir: to agitate , elevate , raise (one's voice); to excite ; to cause to rise ; to bring to life
EH Johnston:
But when the soul is excited, he should not resort to the subject of meditation known as 'inducing energy'; for thus the mind does not reach tranquillity, as fire fanned by (the wind) does not die down.
Linda Covill:
The meditational technique known to promote energy should not be practiced when one's spirits are excited, for thus the mind, like a fanned fire [- - -], does not become peaceful.
uddhanyamaane hRdi tan na sevyam
evaM hi cittaM prashamaM na yaati
[- - -]naa vahnir iv' eryamaaNaH
16.53
A "garnering" stimulus
Does not serve when the emotions are excited,
For thus the mind does not find peace
Like a fire being fanned by [the wind].
COMMENT:
To illustrate what I think is the meaning of this verse, following on from the discussion of strength and weakness in the previous verse, I will cite the example of a sensitive woman in a caring vocation -- for example, in medicine -- who has a bad back. Her sensitivity and compassion can be regarded as strengths. But her bad back is a symptom of weakness.
Let us say that the compassionate nurse with a bad back comes for a series of Alexander lessons to address the misuse of herself -- a fundamental weakness -- that is causing her back pain. If the teacher adopts a more direct approach, his first instinct might be to tell the nurse to care less for others and more for the integrity of her own spine; and to teach her how to strengthen her spine, by garnering her energy in an upward direction during the acts of sitting and standing.
First instincts are generally direct and interventionist: our first instinct when confronted with any problem tends to be to do something, in a hurry. But such instinctive interventions have a tendency to turn out badly, to do more harm than good.
So I see it as significant that Buddha/Ashvaghosha's detailed explanation of the means whereby afflictions are given up, is begun with a negative direction, i.e., a preventive direction. The primary thing, Buddha/Ashvaghosha seems to be saying, is not learning what to do. The primary thing is learning, in a given situation, what not to do. Thus, when there is already undue excitement in one's energetic system, which for most of us there generally is, the first thing is not to do anything that might pour fuel on the flames.
So the Alexander teacher in the above example, confronted with the nurse with the bad back, will do well to inhibit his first instinct to read her the riot act and get her immediately going "up." He might be wise not to do anything until having listened for a while with hands, ears, and eyes, to what is really going on. It may well transpire that the nurse's fear reflexes are unduly excited, in which case the best starting point, before trying to teach her anything, might be to draw the nurse's attention to stimuli that will tend to calm her system down.
Pertinent here is a passage that FM Alexander wrote in the preface (1941) to The Use of the Self:
Those who have written asking for help in teaching themselves are obviously almost wholly occupied with the idea of learning 'to do it right'. In reply I would refer them to the first chapter of this book, where I put down as exactly as possible what I did and (what was still more important in the end) what I did not do in teaching myself... At the beginning of my experimentation I found that I must not concern myself primarily with 'doing' as I then understood 'doing', but with preventing myself from doing.
In the first line nimittam literally means "a cause." I have given the translation of this word considerable thought since Linda Covill's translation "meditational technique" rattled my cage a few months ago. In this verse I considered translating nimittam as "starting point," and in future verses I intend to translate nimittam as "antidote."
In the end, however, "stimulus" seemed to fit best: here: it carries a medical connotation, like a needle for sitting-dhyana; it includes the sense of a causal factor; and it ties in very neatly with the teaching of FM Alexander, who saw the act of living as basically a matter of constantly reacting (directly, unconsciously, emotionally) or responding (indirectly, consciously, reasonably) to stimuli.
VOCABULARY:
pragraahakam (nom. sg. n.): seizing , taking , bearing , carrying; a rein , bridle
graahaka: one who seizes or takes captive; one who seizes (the sun or moon) , who eclipses; one who receives or accepts; m. a hawk, falcon
yat (nom. sg. n.): [that] which
tu: but
nimittam (nom. sg.): n. a butt, mark, target; the point, the aim; sign, omen; cause, motive, ground, reason; (in philosophy) instrumental or efficient cause (opposed to upaadaana, the operative or material cause)
uktam = nom. sg. n. ukta (past participle of √vac): spoke, said; called; declared, promised
uddhanyamaane = locative of present passive participle ud- √han: to move or push or press upwards or out, lift up, throw away; to root up or out
hRdi = locative of hRd: the heart (as the seat of feelings and emotions) , soul , mind
tat (correlative of yat): it, that
na: not
sevyam = nom. sg. n. sevya: mfn. to be resorted to, followed, practised etc.
evam: thus, in this manner
hi: for
cittam (non. sg.): mfn. "noticed"; n. thinking, the thinking mind, the mind
prashamam (acc. sg.): m. calmness , tranquillity (esp. of mind) , quiet , rest , cessation , extinction , abatement
na: not
yaati = 3rd person singular yaa: to go , proceed ; go to, come to; find out, discover
[- - -]naa: [3 missing syllables] + inst. ending?
vahniH = nom. sg. vahni: m. the conveyer or bearer of oblations to the gods (esp. said of agni , " fire "); fire
iva: like
iiryamaaNaH: nom. sg. m. present passive participle √iir: to agitate , elevate , raise (one's voice); to excite ; to cause to rise ; to bring to life
EH Johnston:
But when the soul is excited, he should not resort to the subject of meditation known as 'inducing energy'; for thus the mind does not reach tranquillity, as fire fanned by (the wind) does not die down.
Linda Covill:
The meditational technique known to promote energy should not be practiced when one's spirits are excited, for thus the mind, like a fanned fire [- - -], does not become peaceful.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
SAUNDARANANDA 16.35: Balance Holds Faults At Bay
kleshaaMs tu viShkambhayate samaadhir
vegaan iv' aadrir mahato nadiinaaM
sthite samaadhau hi na dharShayanti
doshaa bhujaMgaa iva mantra-baddhaaH
16.35
Then balance repels afflictions
Like a mountain the mighty torrents of rivers;
For, as long as a man remains in balance,
faults do not venture to attack him:
The faults, like charmed snakes, are spellbound.
COMMENT:
What is emerging clearly from this Canto is that the teaching of the four noble truths, for Ashvaghosha, all comes down to (1) preventing the growth of, (2) defending stoutly against, and (3) setting out to destroy, the faults like greed, anger, and ignorance that all begin with thirsting.
My head is befuddled this morning and my immune system is struggling -- whether against a virus or against tree pollen, or against a combination of both, I do not even know. But even in this befuddled state I cannot fail to notice the relevance of the order in which Ashvaghosha presents his strategy for combating the faults: (1) prevent, (2)defend, and (3) attack. The order of this progression seems to me, as I write this now, to be of very great importance.
It makes perfect sense -- of course it does -- that effort to maintain integrity, in using voice and body and in earning a living, belongs to the preventive stage, and that this stage should come first.
The progression to this verse is a progression from the preventive maintainance of integrity (shiila), a matter of use of the SELF, to the defensive allowing of balance (samaadhi), a condition of NATURE.
What is required of us in this verse, then, goes beyond our autonomous use of ourselves and enters into the area of allowing autonomic functioning, because that is what the balance or harmony of samaadhi basically is: a function of systems which operate wholly or mainly below the level of consciousness, in the cerebellar/vestibular system, in the action of stretch reflexes mediated at the level of the spinal chord, in the autonomic nervous system, in the endocrine/immune systems, and so on.
Part of the progression between the previous verse and this verse is less tolerance towards the faults. Still, the existence of balance, in the form of a mountain or in the form of a man abiding in samaadhi, does not preclude the co-existence of voilent rapids or of reptilian faults. The mountain/practitioner remains immune to the torrents/snakes, but the perilous rapids and poisonous snakes are still very much in the picture. The potentially harmful objects have no power to harm the subject who is defended and protected by his balanced state, but those dangerous objects still exist.
When autonomic functions related to balance are allowed to work, then, a practitioner becomes resilient to faults. But this resilience is not pro-active. No initiative is taken yet in the direction of setting out to destroy faults, which is the theme of the next verse.
Ashvaghosha thus seems to be guiding the reader to an understanding of what the Buddha's teaching requires of the practitioner, that I for one have never come across before so explicitly, either in Alexander work (where the emphasis is very much on restoring integrity through preventive means and thereby allowing the right thing to do itself), or in Zen practice as I was taught it (where everything was reduced to autonomic balance). Ashvaghosha's teaching seems to be on the point of affirming, in a definite order, not only (1) the preventive value of maintaining integrity and (2) the defensive value of allowing balance, but also (3) the destructive value of exercising aggressive intent towards the faults.
This threefold progression mirrors Nanda's progress in life, towards the exercise of greater initiative and assertiveness in his own combating of the faults. Ashvaghosha uses the military metaphor advisedly, because in the end Nanda's task is a destructive one -- requiring an aggressive attack on the obstacles to liberation. But before aggression there must be balance, and the proper route to balance is an indirect one, beginning with preventive means to maintain integrity in the use of the self.
If we take a direct approach to pursuing balance, for example, trying to keep "the correct posture" by doing this and that -- pulling the chin in, and the rest of it -- the whole enterprise will be doomed to failure. That much, brain befuddled or not, I really do know. I know because, very assiduously and zealously, for 13 years while living in Japan, I practised that mistake -- chest puffed up like a red-eyed bulldog. What my sitting practice in essence was, to tell the truth, was the very diligent practice of the fault of ignorance.
VOCABULARY:
kleshaan (accusative, plural): afflictions
tu: but, and, then
viShkambhayate = 3rd person, singular of viShkambh: to hurl, cast; escape
samaadhiH (nominative, singular): balance, coming together, union, harmony
vegaan = accusative, plural of vega: violent agitation; a stream , flood , current, torrent
iva: like
adriH = nominative, singular of adri: stone, rock, mountain
mahataH = accusative, plural of mahat: great, mighty
nadiinaam = genitive, plural of nadii: river
sthite = locative of sthita: standing, remaining, abiding
samaadhau = locative of samaadhi: balance
hi: for
na: not
dharShayanti = 3rd person plural of dhRSh: to dare or venture; to dare to attack, treat with indignity (acc.)
doShaaH: (nominative, plural): m. faults
bhujaMgaaH (nominative, plural): m. a serpent , snake , serpent-demon
iva: like
mantra: " instrument of thought " , speech , sacred text or speech , a prayer or song of praise;
a mystical verse or magical formula (sometimes personified) , incantation , charm , spell
baddhaaH (nom. pl. m): bound
EH Johnston:
But concentration of mind repels the vices like a mountain the mighty currents of rivers ; for the faults, like spellbound snakes, are unable to attack the man who abides in concentration of mind.
Linda Covill:
But concentration casts off the defilements like a mountain casts off the mighty torrents of rivers; for the faults, like snakes transfixed by a magic formula, do not venture to attack a man who is fixed in concentration.
vegaan iv' aadrir mahato nadiinaaM
sthite samaadhau hi na dharShayanti
doshaa bhujaMgaa iva mantra-baddhaaH
16.35
Then balance repels afflictions
Like a mountain the mighty torrents of rivers;
For, as long as a man remains in balance,
faults do not venture to attack him:
The faults, like charmed snakes, are spellbound.
COMMENT:
What is emerging clearly from this Canto is that the teaching of the four noble truths, for Ashvaghosha, all comes down to (1) preventing the growth of, (2) defending stoutly against, and (3) setting out to destroy, the faults like greed, anger, and ignorance that all begin with thirsting.
My head is befuddled this morning and my immune system is struggling -- whether against a virus or against tree pollen, or against a combination of both, I do not even know. But even in this befuddled state I cannot fail to notice the relevance of the order in which Ashvaghosha presents his strategy for combating the faults: (1) prevent, (2)defend, and (3) attack. The order of this progression seems to me, as I write this now, to be of very great importance.
It makes perfect sense -- of course it does -- that effort to maintain integrity, in using voice and body and in earning a living, belongs to the preventive stage, and that this stage should come first.
The progression to this verse is a progression from the preventive maintainance of integrity (shiila), a matter of use of the SELF, to the defensive allowing of balance (samaadhi), a condition of NATURE.
What is required of us in this verse, then, goes beyond our autonomous use of ourselves and enters into the area of allowing autonomic functioning, because that is what the balance or harmony of samaadhi basically is: a function of systems which operate wholly or mainly below the level of consciousness, in the cerebellar/vestibular system, in the action of stretch reflexes mediated at the level of the spinal chord, in the autonomic nervous system, in the endocrine/immune systems, and so on.
Part of the progression between the previous verse and this verse is less tolerance towards the faults. Still, the existence of balance, in the form of a mountain or in the form of a man abiding in samaadhi, does not preclude the co-existence of voilent rapids or of reptilian faults. The mountain/practitioner remains immune to the torrents/snakes, but the perilous rapids and poisonous snakes are still very much in the picture. The potentially harmful objects have no power to harm the subject who is defended and protected by his balanced state, but those dangerous objects still exist.
When autonomic functions related to balance are allowed to work, then, a practitioner becomes resilient to faults. But this resilience is not pro-active. No initiative is taken yet in the direction of setting out to destroy faults, which is the theme of the next verse.
Ashvaghosha thus seems to be guiding the reader to an understanding of what the Buddha's teaching requires of the practitioner, that I for one have never come across before so explicitly, either in Alexander work (where the emphasis is very much on restoring integrity through preventive means and thereby allowing the right thing to do itself), or in Zen practice as I was taught it (where everything was reduced to autonomic balance). Ashvaghosha's teaching seems to be on the point of affirming, in a definite order, not only (1) the preventive value of maintaining integrity and (2) the defensive value of allowing balance, but also (3) the destructive value of exercising aggressive intent towards the faults.
This threefold progression mirrors Nanda's progress in life, towards the exercise of greater initiative and assertiveness in his own combating of the faults. Ashvaghosha uses the military metaphor advisedly, because in the end Nanda's task is a destructive one -- requiring an aggressive attack on the obstacles to liberation. But before aggression there must be balance, and the proper route to balance is an indirect one, beginning with preventive means to maintain integrity in the use of the self.
If we take a direct approach to pursuing balance, for example, trying to keep "the correct posture" by doing this and that -- pulling the chin in, and the rest of it -- the whole enterprise will be doomed to failure. That much, brain befuddled or not, I really do know. I know because, very assiduously and zealously, for 13 years while living in Japan, I practised that mistake -- chest puffed up like a red-eyed bulldog. What my sitting practice in essence was, to tell the truth, was the very diligent practice of the fault of ignorance.
VOCABULARY:
kleshaan (accusative, plural): afflictions
tu: but, and, then
viShkambhayate = 3rd person, singular of viShkambh: to hurl, cast; escape
samaadhiH (nominative, singular): balance, coming together, union, harmony
vegaan = accusative, plural of vega: violent agitation; a stream , flood , current, torrent
iva: like
adriH = nominative, singular of adri: stone, rock, mountain
mahataH = accusative, plural of mahat: great, mighty
nadiinaam = genitive, plural of nadii: river
sthite = locative of sthita: standing, remaining, abiding
samaadhau = locative of samaadhi: balance
hi: for
na: not
dharShayanti = 3rd person plural of dhRSh: to dare or venture; to dare to attack, treat with indignity (acc.)
doShaaH: (nominative, plural): m. faults
bhujaMgaaH (nominative, plural): m. a serpent , snake , serpent-demon
iva: like
mantra: " instrument of thought " , speech , sacred text or speech , a prayer or song of praise;
a mystical verse or magical formula (sometimes personified) , incantation , charm , spell
baddhaaH (nom. pl. m): bound
EH Johnston:
But concentration of mind repels the vices like a mountain the mighty currents of rivers ; for the faults, like spellbound snakes, are unable to attack the man who abides in concentration of mind.
Linda Covill:
But concentration casts off the defilements like a mountain casts off the mighty torrents of rivers; for the faults, like snakes transfixed by a magic formula, do not venture to attack a man who is fixed in concentration.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
SAUNDARANANDA 16.31: Mastery of One's Actions
vaak-karma samyak saha-kaaya-karma
yathaavad aajiiva-nayash ca shuddhaH
idaM trayaM vRtta-vidhau pravRttaM
shiil'aashrayaM karma-parigrahaaya
16.31
Using the voice and using the body well
And making one's living in a pure and suitable manner:
These three, forming the protocol on conduct,
Are for the mastery, based on integrity, of one's actions.
COMMENT:
To sit well on a round cushion is to recover one's fundamental integrity. The great difficulty then is not to lose it.
This verse can be seen as the second in a series of four verses in which Ashvaghosha enumerates the eight branches of the noble path.
Verse 16.30 describes all eight branches of the path as having to do with the awakening of CONSCIOUSNESS.
From the opposite standpoint of 16.31, human life may be seen objectively as nothing but A SERIES OF CONCRETE ACTIONS, in which the practitioner either does or does not maintain a certain integrity in the alignment of the head, neck and back -- in (1) using the voice, (2) using the body, and (3) all the activities of living.
The standpoint of 16.32, as I read it, is that of the moment of the present, i.e, a moment of action itself, in which THE MIND HERE & NOW is required (4) to be insightful, (5) to think straight, and (6) to show initiative.
The theme of 16.33 is that which provides the ultimate standard for the whole eightfold path; namely, the FORMAL SITTING PRACTICE whose elements are (7) true mindfulness, and (8) true balance.
VOCABULARY:
vaac: speech , voice , talk , language
karma = nominative, singular of karman: action, performance, work, activity
samyaJc: going along with or together, turned together or in one direction, combined, united; entire, whole, complete, all; lying in one direction, forming one line (as foot steps); correct, accurate, proper, true, right
saha: together with, along with, and; in common , in company , jointly , conjointly , in concert (often used as a prefix in compounds, expressing "community of action")
kaaya: body
karma: action
yathaavat: duly , properly , rightly , suitably , exactly
aajiiva: livelihood
nayaH = nominative, singular of naya: leading (of an army);conduct , behaviour
ca: and
shuddhaH = nominative, singular of shuddha: cleansed , cleared , clean , pure , clear; cleared , acquitted , free from error , faultless , blameless , right , correct , accurate , exact , according to rule
idam (nom. sg. n.): this
trayam (nom. sg.): n. triad, threesome
vRtta: conduct
vidhau = locative of vidhi: a rule, formula, direction, et cetera; [protocol]
pravRttam (nom. sg. n.): circulated; arisen, produced; set out
shiila: moral conduct, integrity, rules of discipline, self-restraint
aashrayam (nom. sg. n.): that to which anything is annexed or with which anything is closely connected or on which anything depends or rests
karman: action
parigrahaaya = dative of parigraha: laying hold of on all sides; comprehending; getting , attaining , acquisition , possession , property (ifc. " being possessed of or furnished with ")
EH Johnston:
Right actions of voice and body and right livelihood, these three, based on discipline, should be practised in the department of conduct for the mastery of the actions.
Linda Covill:
Right verbal and bodily actions, and making one's living in a pure and suitable manner -- these three occur in the ordinance on behaviour, and are a basis for moral self-restraint in order that one's actions may be circumscribed.
yathaavad aajiiva-nayash ca shuddhaH
idaM trayaM vRtta-vidhau pravRttaM
shiil'aashrayaM karma-parigrahaaya
16.31
Using the voice and using the body well
And making one's living in a pure and suitable manner:
These three, forming the protocol on conduct,
Are for the mastery, based on integrity, of one's actions.
COMMENT:
To sit well on a round cushion is to recover one's fundamental integrity. The great difficulty then is not to lose it.
This verse can be seen as the second in a series of four verses in which Ashvaghosha enumerates the eight branches of the noble path.
Verse 16.30 describes all eight branches of the path as having to do with the awakening of CONSCIOUSNESS.
From the opposite standpoint of 16.31, human life may be seen objectively as nothing but A SERIES OF CONCRETE ACTIONS, in which the practitioner either does or does not maintain a certain integrity in the alignment of the head, neck and back -- in (1) using the voice, (2) using the body, and (3) all the activities of living.
The standpoint of 16.32, as I read it, is that of the moment of the present, i.e, a moment of action itself, in which THE MIND HERE & NOW is required (4) to be insightful, (5) to think straight, and (6) to show initiative.
The theme of 16.33 is that which provides the ultimate standard for the whole eightfold path; namely, the FORMAL SITTING PRACTICE whose elements are (7) true mindfulness, and (8) true balance.
VOCABULARY:
vaac: speech , voice , talk , language
karma = nominative, singular of karman: action, performance, work, activity
samyaJc: going along with or together, turned together or in one direction, combined, united; entire, whole, complete, all; lying in one direction, forming one line (as foot steps); correct, accurate, proper, true, right
saha: together with, along with, and; in common , in company , jointly , conjointly , in concert (often used as a prefix in compounds, expressing "community of action")
kaaya: body
karma: action
yathaavat: duly , properly , rightly , suitably , exactly
aajiiva: livelihood
nayaH = nominative, singular of naya: leading (of an army);conduct , behaviour
ca: and
shuddhaH = nominative, singular of shuddha: cleansed , cleared , clean , pure , clear; cleared , acquitted , free from error , faultless , blameless , right , correct , accurate , exact , according to rule
idam (nom. sg. n.): this
trayam (nom. sg.): n. triad, threesome
vRtta: conduct
vidhau = locative of vidhi: a rule, formula, direction, et cetera; [protocol]
pravRttam (nom. sg. n.): circulated; arisen, produced; set out
shiila: moral conduct, integrity, rules of discipline, self-restraint
aashrayam (nom. sg. n.): that to which anything is annexed or with which anything is closely connected or on which anything depends or rests
karman: action
parigrahaaya = dative of parigraha: laying hold of on all sides; comprehending; getting , attaining , acquisition , possession , property (ifc. " being possessed of or furnished with ")
EH Johnston:
Right actions of voice and body and right livelihood, these three, based on discipline, should be practised in the department of conduct for the mastery of the actions.
Linda Covill:
Right verbal and bodily actions, and making one's living in a pure and suitable manner -- these three occur in the ordinance on behaviour, and are a basis for moral self-restraint in order that one's actions may be circumscribed.
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