−−−⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑⏑−−¦⏑−⏑−
tad-vijñātum-imaṁ
dharmaṁ paramaṁ bhājanaṁ bhavān |
−−⏑⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦−−−−¦⏑−⏑−
jñāna-plavam-adhiṣṭhāya
śīghraṁ duḥkhārṇavaṁ tara || 12.9
12.9
To investigate this dharma, therefore,
You are a supremely fit person.
Climbing aboard the raft of knowing,
May you swiftly cross over the foaming
sea of suffering.
COMMENT:
EHJ cross-references today's verse to a
verse in the Mahā-bhārata (viii. 3551).
A google search for “raft of
knowledge” leads to the place in the Bhagavad-gita where Kriṣṇa
tells Arjuna:
Even if thou beest the greatest sinner among all that are sinful, thou shalt yet cross over (saṁtariṣyasi) all transgressions by the raft of knowledge (jñānaplavenaiva).
The first thought that occurs to me,
however, is to cross-reference today's verse to the Old Testament,
viz:
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
This might be a nice example of Jewish
epic poetry, translated in such a way, in the King James Version of
the Bible, as to be readily engraved in the memory:
I returned, and saw under the sun,
that the race is not to the swift...
The race is not to the swift.
How true.
And yet, today's verse seems to want to
remind us, hanging around until old age tempers our desire for
sensual pleasures – as recommended by the likes of King Bimbisāra
– is not always the wise option either.
In the 2nd pāda of today's verse paramam
could be taken (as each of the three professors took it) as
accusative agreeing with dharmam or could be taken (as I have taken
it, and PO also took it, in a double sense) as nominative neuter
agreeing with bhājanām.
I think Arāḍa's intention is not to
big up his teaching (EBC: this highest religion; EHJ: this, the
highest dharma; PO: this, the supreme dharma), but rather to express
his recognition that the bodhisattva-prince is evidently a person of
the highest order. Hence in tomorrow's verse Arāḍa will tell the
bodhisattva that he intends, in his case, to dispense with usual
preliminaries and to proceed -- swiftly -- to the elucidation of his
teaching.
So this is one meaning of śīghram,
“swiftly.” One meaning of swiftly is “while you are still
young, without waiting for old age.”
But today's verse also causes me to
reflect on FM Alexander's aphorism that “the conscious mind must be
quickened.”
In particular it may be because the
link between avidyā (ignorance) and saṁskārāḥ (doings), in the
twelvefold chain, is formed with such lightning swiftness, that the
conscious mind must be quickened.
Just now as I sat, as often naturally
happens when I am sitting, I found myself going through Alexander's
four directions. Just to think the words without letting doings arise
in response to those words, is a challenge in itself.
Many years from now people may read
this blog and see that this work was right at the beginning of the
connection being made between the discoveries of FM Alexander and the
Buddha's teaching of pratītya-samutpāda, Springing Up by going
back. Not that others before me didn't make the connection of course
– not least FM Alexander's niece Marjory Barlow. Marjory herself caused me to see the lightning rapidity with which doings
arise, in the ignorant one; Marjory also gave me a glimpse of
what it might mean to be the wise one. In that sense, this translation of
the closing verses of Nāgārjuna's MMK chapter 26 owes as much to
her as it does to me:
saṁsāra-mūlaṁ
saṁskārān avidvān saṁskaroty ataḥ |
avidvān
kārakas tasmān na vidvāṁs tattva-darśanāt ||MMK26.10||
The
doings which are the root of saṁsāra
Thus
does the ignorant one do.
The
ignorant one therefore is the doer;
The
wise one is not, because
of reality making itself known.
avidyāyāṁ
niruddhāyāṁ saṁskārāṇām asaṁbhavaḥ |
avidyāyā
nirodhas tu jñānasyāsyaiva bhāvanāt ||MMK26.11
In
the ceasing of ignorance,
There
is the non-coming-into-being of doings.
The
cessation of ignorance, however,
Is
because of the bringing-into-being of just this act of knowing.
tasya
tasya nirodhena tat-tan nābhipravartate |
duḥkha-skandhaḥ
kevalo 'yam evaṁ samyaṅ nirudhyate ||MMK26.12
By
the destruction of each,
Each
is discontinued.
This
whole edifice of suffering
Is
thus totally demolished.
VOCABULARY
tad:
ind. so, therefore
vijñātum
= inf. to distinguish , discern , observe , investigate , recognize ,
ascertain , know , understand
imam
(acc. sg. m.): this
dharmam
(acc. sg.): m. dharma
paramam
(acc. sg. m. / nom. sg. n.): mfn. (superl. of pára) most distant ,
remotest , extreme , last ; chief , highest , primary , most
prominent or conspicuous ; best, most excellent
bhājanam
(nom. sg.): n. (fr. Caus. bhaj) " partaker of " , a
recipient , receptacle , (esp.) a vessel , pot , plate , cup ; n.
(with gen. or ifc. with f(ā).) , a place or person in which anything
is collected or in whom any quality is conspicuous , any fit object
or clever or deserving person
bhavān
(nom. sg. m.): the gentleman present, you
jñāna-plavam
(acc. sg.): the raft of knowing
jñāna:
n. knowing , becoming acquainted with , knowledge , (esp.) the higher
knowledge
plava:
mfn. floating, swimming; mn. a float , raft , boat , small ship
adhiṣṭhāya
= abs. adhi-√sthā to stand upon , depend upon to inhabit abide to
stand over ; to ascend, mount
śīghram:
ind. quickly , rapidly
duḥkhārṇavam
(acc. sg.): the foaming sea of suffering
arṇava:
m. the foaming sea
tara =
2nd pers. sg. imperative tṛṛ: to pass across or over ,
cross over (a river) , sail across
觀汝深固志 堪爲正法器
當乘智慧舟 超度生死海
當乘智慧舟 超度生死海
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