[Buddha-l] bodhi

[Dan Lusthaus]

Hi, Artur,

In a sense you are preaching to the already converted. As I mentioned I used 
to be one of those who assiduously tried to use "awaken" instead of 
"enlighten" for many years. I have relaxed that practice. So I agree with 
Collins -- he was not the first to point that out.

>phraseological complexes of the "having
obtained Enlightenment" sort,

Well, as disturbing as some of us may wish to view this sort of language --  
awakening as a possession, or something obtained -- as you no doubt are 
aware, that is precisely the sort of language the Pali and Sanskrit and 
Chinese, etc. texts use. The Path yields "fruits." From Pali, for instance:

adhigata [pp. of adhigacchati] got into possession of, conquered, attained, 
found;

Pattin (adj. n.) [fr. patta3, Sk. *prāptin] attaining, one who obtains or 
gains Sn 513 (kiŋ˚=kiŋ patta, adhigata SnA 425)

Ajjhagā [adhi + agā 3rd sg. pret. of adhigacchati (q. v. for similar forms) 
he came to, got to, found, obtained, experienced S i.12 (vimānaŋ); Sn 225 
(expld. at KhA 180 by vindi paṭilabhi), 956 (ratiŋ; expld. at Nd1 457...

Adhigacchati [adhi + gacchati] to get to, to come into possession of, to 
acquire, attain, find; fig. to understand D i.229 (vivesaŋ) M i.140 (anvesaŋ 
nɔ âdhigacchanti do not find); S i.22

[Note which meaning of adhigacchati is literal and which figurative]

One can do a e-search of the Pali canon to see how commonly and in which 
contexts such terms are used.

Even Nagarjuna, whom one would expect to be very careful with his use of 
language, concerned about words harboring hidden, unwanted implications, we 
find the Sanskrit equivalent:

vyavahāram anāśritya paramārtho na deśyate |
paramārtham anāgamya nirvāṇaṃ nādhigamyate || MMK_24,10

How would you carefully translate adhigamyate? (a present passive singular)

Readers will always imagine meanings that were never quite intended, ergo 
"hermeneutics." Because some modern readers might superimpose mistaken 
notions on the "light model" references, since they are unfamiliar with the 
ancient and medieval light models, does that mean we should avoid them? Or 
perhaps write up something that explains it to them?

>And: what kind of lexical problems you had in mind when you wrote:

I have actually published translations that used words like "awakenly" --  
need I say more?

cheers,
Dan



Dan