[Buddha-l] A vocabulary question for Stephen and Lance (oranyoneelse)

[Stephen Hodge]

L.S. Cousins wrote:

>But what is meant is something more like contemplating dhamma(s) as 
>impermanent, etc. It's not any kind of objective analysis.
Are you alluding here to pa~n~na or to pravicaya ?  In Tibetan sources, 
undoubtedly based on Indic material, one reads that praj~naa discriminates 
and investigates the qualities and defects of an object under consideration 
by means of the four yuktis (reasoning).  I think Dan has already mentioned 
this.

>But again, to be specific, pavicaya as part of the definition of paññaa  or 
>in related contexts is found in four of the seven books of the 
>abhidhamma-pit.aka and in related works such as Nidd, Pat.is, Pet. and 
>Nett.
Thanks for this pointer.  I'll have a look at these references.

> This kind of verse can get widely circulated. I wonder if it is found in 
> Chinese ?
Doesn't ring a bell, but that doesn't mean anything.

>The problem in translating is that we have no verb 'to wisdom' in English 
>and so you have to use 'understand' instead in some contexts.
True.  It would be nice to have verbs for a number of Buddhist terms.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge