⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Upajāti
(Kīrti)
sa
rāja-vatsaḥ pthu-pīna-vakṣās-tau
havya-mantrādhiktau vihāya |
−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−
uttīrya
gangāṁ pracalat-taraṅgāṁ śrīmad-ghaṁ rājaghaṁ
jagāma || 10.1
10.1
The king's beloved boy, whose
chest was broad and full,
After he had got rid of
those two,
the heads of havya
and mantra, oblations and
machinations,
Crossed
the billowing Ganges
And
went to Rāja-gṛha, “Kingsbury,” with its splendid residences.
COMMENT:
I came across Kingsbury
as an English translation of Rāja-gṛha in a book called The
Historical Buddha, translated into English from the German by the
late Maurice Walsh. That was nearly 30 years ago, but I liked the
translation at the time and remembered it. I think I liked it because
it made a Sanskrit place name sound less exotic, and more like
somewhere from middle England.
Middle England is where
I come from. Every day on the bus to school I used to go past
Sarehole Mill, which was a childhood haunt of JRR Tolkein and supposedly part of the
inspiration for his writings.
Yes, it is a pity that none of
Tolkein's literary genius rubbed off on me. I was never very good at
writing English, or at appreciating literature, whether English or
foreign. I preferred economics and saw myself as maybe becoming a big
man of the world, a do-gooder with financial clout to back up good
intentions, a major philanthropist, somebody to rival George Soros. Don't
laugh. That's why I studied Accounting & Financial Management at
university. After I graduated, I thought I would look first into Zen
enlightenment, before beginning to make money in earnest. So here I
am thirty-odd years later, starting to feel my age, and still not
having arrived conclusively even at first base, let alone made any serious money.
Along the way, however, whether for my sins or in spite of them I don't know, I have come to see the essence of sitting-Zen as getting rid of two
things and coming back to four.
I think the duality to be got rid of
might be symbolized in today's verse by havya and mantra,
oblations and machinations, standing for religious belief and political science.
The Pope or Richard Dawkins?
You can keep them both!
The Pope or Richard Dawkins?
You can keep them both!
The
four I come back to, as I have been formulating them to myself
over the past few days, are namely:
1.
The motivational,
2.
The gravitational,
3.
The having no gap in the middle,
4.
This present state of being in overall command.
These,
as I see them, are the four cornerstones of direction (there is no
fifth). They correspond to FM Alexander's four primary directions,
and at the same time to four primitive vestibular reflexes.
It
is getting rid of the two and coming back to these four, I venture to
submit, that causes a person's chest to become again like the chest
of a healthy baby – released; not held but expansive; broad and
full.
If I am ever able conclusively to master this truth, not only in principle but in practice, as FM Alexander evidently mastered it, then it might be time for me to move onto second base, in which case George Soros had better watch out. But progress to date has been very far from rapid, so please let nobody hold their breath.
VOCABULARY
sa
(nom. sg m.): he
rāja-vatsaḥ
(nom. sg. m.): the young of the king, the prince
pṛthu-pīna-vakṣāḥ
(nom. sg m.): with expansive and full chest
pṛthu:
mfn. broad , wide , expansive , extensive , spacious , large
pīna:
mfn. swelling , swollen , full , round , thick , large , fat ,
fleshy , corpulent muscular
vakṣas:
n. breast, chest
tau
(acc. dual): those two
havya-mantrādhikṛtau
(acc. dual): charged with oblations and consultations
havya:
n. anything to be offered as an oblation , sacrificial gift or food
mantra:
m. , " instrument of thought " , speech , sacred text or
speech , a prayer or song of praise ; consultation , resolution ,
counsel
adhikṛta:
mfn. placed at the head of , appointed
adhi-
√ kṛ: to place at the head , appoint ; to superintend , be at
the head of (loc.)
vihāya
= abs. vi- √ hā : to leave behind , relinquish , quit ; to get rid
of or free from (acc.)
uttīrya
= abs. ud- √tṝ: to cross (a river)
gangām
(acc. sg.): f. the Ganges
pracalat-taraṅgām
(acc. sg. f.): with its trembling waves
pracalat:
mfn. moving , trembling , shaking
taraṁga:
m. " across-goer " , a wave , billow
śrīmad-gṛham
(acc. sg. n.): with its splendid houses
śrīmat:
mfn. beautiful , charming , lovely , pleasant , splendid , glorious
rāja-gṛham
(acc. sg.): n. a king's house , palace ; N. of the chief city in
magadha
jagāma
= 3rd pers. sg. perf. gam: to go
太子辭王師 及正法大臣
冒浪濟恒河 路由靈鷲巖
冒浪濟恒河 路由靈鷲巖
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