new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

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Cittasanto
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new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by Cittasanto »

here is Thich Naht Hanh "The Art of Power" interpretation of Dhammapada 183

The bad things, don't do them. The good things, try to do them Try to purify, subdue your own mind That is the teaching of all buddhas. From

and thanisaros translation

The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skilful, the cleansing of one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Awakened.

and from the dhammapada for contemplation
Cease to do evil, cultivate that which is good; purify the heart.
This is the Way of the Awakened Ones.

how good do you all think this interpretation is?
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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catmoon
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Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by catmoon »

Manapa wrote:here is Thich Naht Hanh "The Art of Power" interpretation of Dhammapada 183

The bad things, don't do them. The good things, try to do them Try to purify, subdue your own mind That is the teaching of all buddhas. From

and thanisaros translation

The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skilful, the cleansing of one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Awakened.

and from the dhammapada for contemplation
Cease to do evil, cultivate that which is good; purify the heart.
This is the Way of the Awakened Ones.

how good do you all think this interpretation is?
It's fine as far as creating intention goes, but gee where is the nuts and bolts? How does one purify, cultivate and cleanse?
Laurens
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Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by Laurens »

I think what he is trying to emphasize is compassion for one's self by using the words 'try to' it sounds less like a command. I think he makes it seem less forceful and giving room for mistakes - which can be helpful to the practicioner.

However, was it the teachings of all the Buddha's to 'try to'? I think thats probably where the contention lies.
"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"

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adeh
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Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by adeh »

Thich Naht Than's translation of the verse is a bit too free and "modern", and the verse mentions nothing about "trying to" nor "subduing" the mind.....it says: saccittapariyodapanam "purify [one's] own mind". Mark.
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Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by Reductor »

TNHs translation does seem awfully soft and accommodating to those that satisfied with a half-ass effort.
Very much, it seems, geared to the hobby Buddhist common in the west.

Another translation:
From http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
183. To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Do you have a link for the third one you quoted, the one from the dhammapada for contemplation?
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Cittasanto
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Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by Cittasanto »

thereductor wrote:TNHs translation does seem awfully soft and accommodating to those that satisfied with a half-ass effort.
Very much, it seems, geared to the hobby Buddhist common in the west.

Another translation:
From http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
183. To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Do you have a link for the third one you quoted, the one from the dhammapada for contemplation?
hi thereductor,
online version
http://aruno.org/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=80" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PDF
http://aruno.org/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=49" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Reductor
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2009 6:52 am
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: new interpretation of Dhammapada 183

Post by Reductor »

Manapa wrote: hi thereductor,
online version
http://aruno.org/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=80" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PDF
http://aruno.org/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=49" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thank you for the link. Sees to be very readable. :smile:
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