−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Upajāti
(Buddhi)
taṁ
nyāyato nyāya-vidāṁ variṣṭhaṁ sametya papraccha ca
dhātu-sāmyam |
⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−
sa
cāpy-avocat-sadśena sāmnā n-paṁ manaḥ-svāsthyam-an-āmayaṁ
ca || 10.20
10.20
Having come, in a proper way,
into the presence of the best of
knowers of a proper way,
The king asked after the balance of his
bodily humours;
And he also, in a suitably equable
manner, spoke
To a protector of men,
of mental well-being and freedom from disease.
of mental well-being and freedom from disease.
COMMENT:
On the surface today's verse is not
saying much. The bodhisattva and the king of Magadha exchanged verbal
pleasantries.
PO notes:
According to Manu 2.127, the polite
way to greet a kshatriya is to ask about his health (an/āmaya).
Aśvaghoṣa is following this custom in his composition.
Below the surface, I suspect, Aśvaghoṣa
is following a different tradition altogether.
The way to greet a man who regards
himself as a kshatriya?
How about: “All right there, you
snob. How are you doing? Still haven't dropped off your kshatriya
body and mind yet, by the looks of it.”
No. The deeper meaning of today's
verse, as I read it, might have to do with how any bodhisattva –
like me or you– should speak to any protector of men, and not
necessarily in words.
Our aim might be, when speaking truth
to power, and not necessarily in words, always to express mental
well-being and freedom from disease.
The best way of speaking like that
might be to keep our mouths shut and to demonstrate in practice, with
our legs crossed in the full lotus posture, the ultimate meaning of
pratītya-samutpāda, or a Springing Up Together, grounded in
direction.
Having said that, pratītya-samutpāda
as causality (“grounded arising”?) as set out by the Buddha in a
twelvefold chain, is not a thing to think light of.
There have been not a few days this year, I must admit, when my health has been such that I have been in no condition to manifest any kind of springing up, and have instead remained most of the day in bed.
Good and bad karma makes itself felt,
Dogen reminded us, in three times – over the short, medium and very
long term. Now Max Clifford, for one, is well placed to know what Dogen was talking
about.
VOCABULARY
tam
(acc. sg. m.): him
nyāyataḥ:
ind. in a fitting manner , as is fit or proper , according to right
or justice
nyāya:
that into which a thing goes back i.e. an original type , standard ,
method , rule , (esp.) a general or universal rule , model , axiom ,
system , plan , manner , right or fit manner or way , fitness ,
propriety
nyāya-vidām
(gen. pl.): m. one who knows what is fit or proper
variṣṭham
(acc. sg. m.): mfn. (superl. vara) the most excellent or best , most
preferable among (gen. or comp.)
sametya
= abs. sam-ā-√i: to come together , approach together , meet
papraccha
= 3rd pers. sg. perf. prach: to ask, inquire into
ca: and
dhātu-sāmyam
(acc. sg.): n. equilibrium of the bodily humours , good health ;
dhātu:
a constituent element or essential ingredient of the body (distinct
from the 5 mentioned above and conceived either as 3 humours [called
also doṣa] phlegm , wind and bile BhP. [cf. purīṣa , māṁsa
, manas , ChUp. vi , 5 , 1] ; or as the 5 organs of sense ,
indriyāṇi).
sāmya:
n. equality , evenness , equilibrium , equipoise , equal or normal
state
sa
(nom. sg. m.): he
ca: and
api:
also
avocat
= 3rd pers. sg. aorist vac: to speak , say , tell , utter
, announce , declare , mention , proclaim , recite , describe
sadṛśena
(inst. sg. n.): mfn. like, resembling ; conformable , suitable , fit
, proper , right , worthy
sāmnā
= inst. sg. sāman: n. calming , tranquillizing , (esp.) kind or
gentle words for winning an adversary , conciliation ( instr. sg. and
pl. , " by friendly means or in a friendly way , willingly ,
voluntarily ")
nṛ-pam
(acc. sg.): m. 'protector of men'; king
manaḥ-svāsthyam
(acc. sg.): n. health of mind, Bcar.
svāsthyam:
n. (fr. sva-stha) self-dependence , sound state (of body or soul) ,
health , ease , comfort , contentment , satisfaction
an-āmayam
(acc. sg.): n. freedom from disease ; health
ca: and
歛容執禮儀 敬問彼和安
菩薩詳而動 隨順反相酬
菩薩詳而動 隨順反相酬
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