−−⏑−¦−−−−¦¦−⏑−−¦⏑−⏑− mavipulā
te copatasthur dṣṭvātra
bhikṣavas taṁ mumukṣavaḥ |
−−⏑⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦−⏑−−¦⏑−⏑−
puṇyārjita-dhanārogyam
indriyārthā iveśvaram || 12.92
12.92
Those beggars saw him
there
And, desiring
liberation, came up to him
As sensory objects
answer to the capable one
Whose material riches,
and freedom from disease, are earned on merit.
COMMENT:
In the metaphor which
forms the 2nd half of today's verse, the verb upatasthur
is understood from the first half, where it literally means “they
came up to him,” or “they placed themselves near him,” but with
a connotation of being ready to serve, or attending on, or accruing
to.
What
is the point of the metaphor, then? What kind of relation does
upa-√sthā (to attend on, to serve) suggest between indriyārthāḥ (sensory ojects) and īśvaram (the capable one)?
And
why did Aśvaghoṣa choose that particular metaphor? Because the
metaphor illustrates well the relation between beggars and
bodhisattva? Or, conversely, because the relation between beggars and bodhisattva
illustrated well a truth of the real world?
The
implicit theme running through yesterday's verse, today's verse and
tomorrow's verse, is the power of the senses. Indriya in its first
definition means the
quality which belongs especially to the mighty Indra ;
hence bodily
power, power of the senses;
and hence
sense, organ of sense.
In
today's verse it is hard to tranlate indriyārthāḥ any other way
besides “objects of the senses” (EBC) or “the objects of
sense” (EHJ/PO), but translating the
compound this way fails to convey the connotation which indriya originally
has of something materially powerful. And this connotation, of
the bodhisattva being naturally powerful, seems to be to the fore
in today's verse.
So
as examples of “sensory objects” that accrue to capable ones, I
think of sensory objects which represent power – cars with the most
powerful engines, for example, which in motor sport, tend to be made
answerable to the most capable drivers; or the most powerful fighter
plans which in warfare tend to fly in service of the most powerful
nations.
Every once in a while when I am sitting outside by the forest in France, the silence is massively interrupted by fighter planes flying low and fast overhead. I literally have to cover my ears with my hands. The planes serve as a kind of reminder that France is still a military power to be reckoned with. Some say, on the other hand, that France's financial position is not far different from that of Greece, due to too much reliance on debt, combined with the inability todebase print its own currency.
And so, as another sensory object with links to power, I think of physical gold which throughout human history – long before the invention of the combustion engine allowed oil to be converted into zillions of horse-power – has always tended to accrue to the most capable. I am now reading a book titled “Lords of Finance” which describes how during the First World War (even after the invention of the combustion engine) the U.S. was able to amass huge gold reserves while the powers of the old world weakened themselves by fighting each other.
Every once in a while when I am sitting outside by the forest in France, the silence is massively interrupted by fighter planes flying low and fast overhead. I literally have to cover my ears with my hands. The planes serve as a kind of reminder that France is still a military power to be reckoned with. Some say, on the other hand, that France's financial position is not far different from that of Greece, due to too much reliance on debt, combined with the inability to
And so, as another sensory object with links to power, I think of physical gold which throughout human history – long before the invention of the combustion engine allowed oil to be converted into zillions of horse-power – has always tended to accrue to the most capable. I am now reading a book titled “Lords of Finance” which describes how during the First World War (even after the invention of the combustion engine) the U.S. was able to amass huge gold reserves while the powers of the old world weakened themselves by fighting each other.
The
MW dictionary defines īśvaram, as a masculine noun, as master,
lord, prince, king. At
the same time, as an adjective īśvara means able or capable, and
EHJ translates it in more general terms as “a lordly man.” So
translating īśvaram as “the capable one” or “the powerful
one” allows greater scope for understanding the metaphor that Aśvaghoṣa used in today's verse. For example we
can think that the really capable one, or the really powerful one,
for the last 100 years and counting, has been the United States of
America.
In
conclusion, I think Aśvaghoṣa's
suggestion is that it was only natural for the five bhikṣus to
approach the bodhisattva as they did – as natural as a presidential
jet being at the service of a president, or as natural as an ancient
city's teeming mass of horses, elephants, chariots all being
answerable to one capable king.
At the same time, Aśvaghoṣa's intention, conversely, might have been to remind us that everything in the real world has got its energetic or economic basis.
"Religious problems," my Zen teacher used to say, "are economic problems."
From where I sit, religious problems are not real problems. But economic problems are very real.
At the same time, Aśvaghoṣa's intention, conversely, might have been to remind us that everything in the real world has got its energetic or economic basis.
"Religious problems," my Zen teacher used to say, "are economic problems."
From where I sit, religious problems are not real problems. But economic problems are very real.
In any event, for those of us who lack the conspicuous sporting talent of a Lewis
Hamilton, or who have failed to show the kind of right stuff that is naturally entrusted with the management of major economic resources, we may have to settle for being attended –
during our more capable moments -- by sights like the moon and sounds
like singing of wild birds.
VOCABULARY
te
(nom. pl. m.): they
ca:
and
upatasthuḥ
= 3rd pers. pl. perf. upa- √ sthā: to stand or place
one's self near , be present ; to place one's self before (in order
to ask) , approach , apply to; to stand near in order to serve ,
attend , serve ; to serve with , be of service or serviceable by ,
attend on
dṛṣṭvā
= abs. dṛś: to see
atra:
ind. in this matter ; in this place , here at this time , there ,
then
bhikṣavaḥ
(nom. pl.): m. beggars
tam
(acc. sg. m.): him
mumukṣavaḥ
(nom. pl. m.): desiring liberation
puṇyārjita-dhanārogyam
(acc. sg. m.): having earned by good works wealth and health
puṇya:
n. the good or right , virtue , purity , good work , meritorious act
, moral or religious merit
arjita:
mfn. acquired , gained , earned
dhana:
n. any valued object , (esp.) wealth , riches , (movable) property ,
money , treasure
ārogya:
n. (fr. a-roga) , freedom from disease , health
indriyārthāḥ
(nom. pl. m.): an object of sense (as sound , smell , &c ) ,
anything exciting the senses ;
indriya:
n. power , force , the quality which belongs especially to the mighty
indra ; n. bodily power , power of the senses ; n. faculty of sense ,
sense , organ of sense
iva:
like, as
īśvaram
(acc. sg.): m. master , lord , prince , king ; mfn. able to do ,
capable of
五比丘知彼 精心求解脱
盡心加供養 如敬自在天
盡心加供養 如敬自在天
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