−⏑−−¦⏑−−−¦¦−⏑−−¦⏑−⏑−
yad-api
syād-ayaṁ dhīraḥ śrī-prabhāvān-mahān-iti |
−−⏑⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑⏑−−¦⏑−⏑−
strīṇām-api
mahat-teja iti kāryo 'tra niścayaḥ || 4.15
4.15
Though he may prove to
be,
By his majestic light,
a mighty steadfast man,
Mighty also is the
efficacy of women --
In which matter
verification is to be carried out:
COMMENT:
Today's verse concludes
the introductory portion of Udāyin's speech and ushers in a series
of examples drawn from ancient Indian legends, several of which are
also quoted by the lamenting Nanda in the 7th canto of
Saundara-nanda. The gist of all the legends is to describe how some
ancient Indian worthy was distracted in his ascetic efforts by a
woman's charms.
Udāyin's intention,
then, is to emphasize that women also are powerful in their own
sphere, for which read, primarily, the bedroom – when in the 4th
pāda Udāyin says atra, “in this matter,” the matter he has in
mind is the seduction of the prince. Verification of the matter in
question, in that case, is to be done by means of finding
corroboration of women's sexual efficacy in ancient stories.
Following the strand of
hidden meaning, however, the matter in question is the practice of inhibition, or non-doing, and efficacy in practising the matter in question is
open to verification by means of individual practice – whether the
individual in question is (in Dogen's words) a man, a woman, or a
wild fox.
At the end of
Saundara-nanda, the Buddha tells Nanda:
Then, surely, when she hears of your steadfast mind with its chariots turned back from sundry objects, / Your wife following your example will also talk, to women at home, the talk of dispassion. // 18.59 //
This is a kind of
corroboration in an ancient text of the principle that an individual
woman can be mightily efficacious in the matter of inhibition. But what kāryaḥ niścayaḥ
really means is not this kind of intellectual corroboration.
Kāryaḥ niścayaḥ
literally means “ascertaining is to be done” or in other words
“verification is to be practised,” and whereas Udāyin's
intention is that corroboration is to be sought from a variety of
traditional sources, the real meaning (of which the likes of Udāyin
are strikingly unaware) is that verification is to be practised on
one round black cushion.
The last three characters of the Chinese translation reproduced below, incidentally, are
女人力, the three characters being 女, woman, 人, human being, and 力, power -- or for short 女力, "girl power."
Thinking about the meaning of the canto title in light of today's verse, the first meaning of strī-vighātanaḥ, "warding women away," is simply that the prince warded women away and opted instead for the solitude of the forest. At the same time, strī-vighātanaḥ, "dismissing women," can be read as describing the attitude of Udāyin. But going further, a verse like today's verse can also be read as in some sense dismissive of women, as also it is dismissive of men, and dismissive of wild foxes. It is dismissive of women, men, and wild foxes, because what it affirms is individual verification.
VOCABULARY
yad api: ind. even if,
though
syāt = 3rd
pers. sg. optative as: to be
ayam (nom. sg. m.):
this one
dhīraḥ (nom. sg.
m.): mfn. steady , constant , firm , resolute , brave , energetic ,
courageous , self-possessed , composed , calm , grave ;
well-conducted , well-bred
śrī-prabhāvāt (abl.
sg.): by the power of his radiance/majesty
śrī: f. light ,
lustre , radiance , splendour , glory , beauty; prosperity , welfare
, good fortune , success , auspiciousness , wealth , treasure ,
riches ; high rank , power , might , majesty , royal dignity
prabhāva: m. might ,
power , majesty , dignity , strength , efficacy ; (°vāt ind. by
means or in consequence of , through , by)
mahān (nom. sg. m.):
mfn. great ; high, eminent ; m. a great or noble man ; m. the leader
of a sect or superior of a monastery
iti: “...,” ; in
this manner , thus (in its original signification íti refers to
something that has been said or thought , or lays stress on what
precedes)
strīṇām (gen. pl.):
f. women
api: even, also (api
api as well as)
mahat (nom. sg. n.):
mfn. great
tejaḥ (nom. sg.): n.
(often pl.) the sharp edge (of a knife &c ) , point or top of a
flame or ray , glow , glare , splendour , brilliance , light , fire ;
fiery energy , ardour , vital power , spirit , efficacy , essence
iti: “...,” thus
itaḥ: ind. (fr. i
with affix tas , used like the abl. case of the pronoun idam) from
hence , hence , here ; from this point ; therefore
kāryaḥ (nom. sg.
m.): mfn. (fut. p.p. √kṛ) , to be made or done or practised ; n.
work or business to be done , duty , affair
atra: ind. (or Ved.
á-trā) (fr. pronominal base a ; often used in sense of loc. case
asmin) , in this matter , in this respect ; in this place ; then
niścayaḥ (nom. sg.):
m. inquiry , ascertainment , fixed opinion , conviction , certainty ,
positiveness ; resolution , resolve, fixed intention , design ,
purpose , aim
如何人王子 不能感其情
今此王太子 持心雖堅固
清淨徳純備 不勝女人力
清淨徳純備 不勝女人力
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