−−−−¦⏑−−−¦¦−−⏑⏑¦⏑−⏑−
evaṁ
tā dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa nāryo dadṛśur-eva
tam |
−−−−¦⏑⏑⏑−¦¦⏑−−−¦⏑−⏑− navipulā
na
vyājahrur-na jahasuḥ prabhāveṇāsya yantritāḥ || 4.7
4.7
Thus, with the full
extent of their mind's eyes,
The women did nothing
but behold him:
They did not speak and
did not laugh,
Held spellbound by his
power.
COMMENT:
In the present series
of verses, as is becoming more apparent verse by verse, a prince's
entrancing influence on a group of enchanted young women is a
metaphor for the captivating influence of the Buddha's teaching on
people who -- if only for a moment -- are receptive to that teaching.
That being so, every
pāda of today's verse, as I read it, alludes to the practice of just
sitting still in silence.
In the 1st
pāda dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa, though
it ostensibly means “simply by looking,” might also carry many
other possible meanings, due to the multiplicity of meanings of
dṛṣṭi, which in its plural form was translated in yesterday's
verse as “glances,” but which also means seeing, mind's eye,
view, theory, and eye. Even as an expression of the mental aspect of
sitting, dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa might be translated in a number of
ways, but “using the full measure of the mind's eye” seems to me to
be as good as any alternative.
The
2nd
pāda can be read as antithetical to the first, in its implicit
negation of the activity of anything so subjective as “a mind's
eye” or “a view.” When fish are swimming like fish, and birds
and flying like birds, “a mind's eye” or “a view” does not
get a look in. Again, when women are sitting like women, and buddha
is sitting like buddha, the point might be that every woman is doing
nothing but meeting buddha.
The
3rd
pāda, as I read it, describes the action of just sitting in terms of
actions that it is not. “What is just sitting?” is a question
that nobody can answer in words. But “Is it to speak?” and “Is
it to laugh?” are questions that can be answered with a word. And
the word is no.
The
4th
pāda is very reminiscent of two phrases that Dogen used in two versions of his rules of sitting-zen for everybody.
In his first draft of these rules (Fukan-zazengi Shinpitsu-bon), he wrote of being
被自礙 (Jap: JI NI SAERARU), “obstructed/restricted/caught by the self.”
被自礙 (Jap: JI NI SAERARU), “obstructed/restricted/caught by the self.”
In his revised edition Dogen wrote:
“In general, in this world and in other worlds, in India and in China, all equally maintained the Buddha-seal, and solely indulged in the fundamental custom: they simply devoted themselves to sitting, and were 被礙兀地 (Jap: GOCCHI NI SAERARU), obstructed/restricted/caught/held spellbound by the still state.”
In the lineage of the buddha-ancestors, evidently, what is valued most highly is not the ability to talk a good talk. Because Aśvaghoṣa belongs to this lineage, when he describes himself as mahā-vādinaḥ, a talker of the great talk, or a great talker, I think we should understand that a deal of ironic self-deprecation was at play.
VOCABULARY
evam:
ind. thus , in this way , in such a manner
tāḥ
(nom. pl. f.): they, those
dṛṣṭi-mātreṇa
(inst. sg.): simply by seeing ; with the whole of the mind's eye ;
using the totality of theory
dṛṣṭi:
f. seeing , viewing , beholding (also with the mental eye); sight ,
the faculty of seeing; the mind's eye , wisdom , intelligence ; view
, notion ; theory , doctrine , system; eye , look , glance
mātra:
n. the full or simple measure of anything , the whole or totality ,
the one thing and no more , often = nothing but , entirely , only
nāryaḥ
(nom. pl.): f. woman
dadṛśur
= 3rd pers. pl. perf. dṛś: to see , behold , look at ,
regard , consider
eva:
(emphatic)
tam
(acc. sg. m.): him
na:
not
vyājahrur
= 3rd pers. pl. perf. vy-ā- √ hṛ: to utter or
pronounce a sound , speak ; to utter inarticulate sounds , cry
na:
not
jahasuḥ
= 3rd pers. pl. perf. has: to laugh , smile
prabhāveṇa
(inst. sg.): m. might , power , majesty , dignity , strength ,
efficacy
asya
(gen. sg.): his
yantritāḥ
(nom. pl. f.): mfn. restrained , curbed , bound , fettered , confined
(lit. and fig.); subject to , compelled by , depending on (instr.
abl. , or comp.); bandaged , placed in splints
更互相顧視 抱愧寂無言
No comments:
Post a Comment