[Buddha-l] 9. Attadiipaa Sutta (Joy Vriens)

[Joy Vriens]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your support of heresy. Heretics of All Countries, Unite!

Language is not logical, sure, especially when it becomes more and
more idiomatic. The logical structure behind the language is already
clearer. I jokingly mentioned "Me Tarzan, you Jane", "you this, me
that", "work more, earn more" (our friend Sarkozy's sutta). Metaphors
aside, if you look at the simplicity of the sutta under discussion, it
is obvious to me that the structure and the thought behind it is
simple one. It's an aphorism, it's brief,  it's meant to strike hard
and to leave a clear mark. "atta dipa, dhamma dipa". In any
translation with island thus far, I haven't seen a single one that
renders the simplicity of this structure and the idea behind it.
Commentaries are no proof. I have read quite a lot of them and I have
seen for myself what they can do with/to the original versions and
their argument is often one of authority. Because of the structural
simplicity, atta is something and dhamma is the very same something.
On the other hand, because of the structural logic "Atta dipa, dipa
dhamma" would have been a different case. We could have translated:
(one)self is an island, (that) island is dhamma. But here atta and
dhamma have exactly the same function and therefore dhamma can be
taken as a precision, or another aspect or view of atta. Without even
talking about the meaning of dipa. In the case of the island
translation, I would like to see in what way the Dhamma/dhamma is an
island and what Dhamma/dhamma is that island.

Images change, the way images were once perceived change too as you
point out. The Buddha was talking about rivers, the current of a
river, going against the current. Mahayana Buddhism talks about the
ocean, crossing the ocean of samsara. Indian society had changed too.
Everyone experience images from their own point of view. As a Dutchman
Robert logically come us up with a lighthouse. It's an excellent
compromise between the lamp and the island. Worth a new commentary,
perhaps Robert would like to write it? :-)

Joy

1. Ma anussavena
2. Ma paramparaya
3. Ma itikiraya
4. Ma Pitakasampadanena
5. Ma takkahetu
6. Ma nayahetu
7. Ma akaraparivitakkena
8. Ma ditthinijjhanakkhantiya
9. Ma bhabbarupataya
10. Ma samano no garu ti

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