AN 6.43 and KN Thag 15.2 (verse section): ambiguities in Sujato's translation

 

AN 6.43 and KN Thag 15.2 are essentially the same, with very minor differences that are probably unintentional oral transmission errors.

Thag (Thera-gātha, verses of the Elders) contain only verses, whereas AN 6.43 has a little narrative that sets the context. Without that context, Thag 15.2 is a little confusing, because 'Nāga' can mean many things, and the verses of both suttas use a few of those meanings within the same passage.

Sujato consistently translating 'nāga' as 'giant' all the way through both suttas is one correct approach, not wrong, except it's a little tough to follow what 'giant' is referring to, especially with Thag 15.2 which doesn't explain the setting like AN 6.43 does. The ambiguity is built into the pāḷi.

Nāga in this sutta, can be one of 4 things: 

1. The Buddha, 

2. an Arahant (any arahant), 

3. the Arahant Udāyi who the Buddha is talking to,  

4. A royal elephant being used as a simile by Udāyi 

Here's my translation of AN 6.43, it's mostly Sujato's, but I add some square [ ] bracket comments to resolve the ambiguities. I highlight ambiguous parts and any other special line of interest.

One word Sujato didn't consistently translate here, is 'rato', which means to delight in, or enjoy. He rendered in at least 3 different ways ('loving', 'delighting',...) and I tried to stick with one (delight). 

https://lucid24.org/an/an06/an06-v01/index.html#s43

AN 6.43 Nāga: The Giant

43. Nāgasutta	43. The Giant
Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.	At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṃ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṃ piṇḍāya pāvisi.	Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Sāvatthiyaṃ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṃ ānandaṃ āmantesi:	Then, after the meal, on his return from alms-round, he addressed Venerable Ānanda:
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.	“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother for the day’s meditation.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.	“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṃ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami.	So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṃ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṃ ānandaṃ āmantesi:	In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda:
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti.	“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.	“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṃ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṃ.	So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe.
Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.	When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying himself.
Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati.	Now, at that time King Pasenadi had a giant bull elephant called “White”. It emerged from the eastern gate to the beating and playing of musical instruments.
Apissu taṃ jano disvā evamāha:	When people saw it they exclaimed:
“abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti.	“The royal giant is so handsome! The royal giant is so good-looking! The royal giant is so lovely! The royal giant has such a huge body!”
Evaṃ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:	When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha:
“hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ kāyupapannaṃ jano disvā evamāha:	“Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body that people exclaim:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṃ brahantaṃ kāyupapannaṃ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti?	‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with huge, formidable bodies?”
“Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ kāyupapannaṃ jano disvā evamāha:	“Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body people exclaim:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti.	‘A giant, such a giant!’
Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ … pe …	And also when they see a horse with a huge, formidable body …
goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ … pe …	When they see a bull with a huge, formidable body …
uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ … pe …	When they see a snake with a huge, formidable body …
rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ … pe …	When they see a tree with a huge, formidable body …
manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṃ brahantaṃ kāyupapannaṃ jano disvā evamāha:	And when they see a human being with such a huge, formidable body people exclaim:
‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti.	‘A giant, such a giant!’
Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṃ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṃ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.	But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a ‘giant’ in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”
“Acchariyaṃ, bhante, abbhutaṃ, bhante.	“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!
Yāva subhāsitañcidaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā—	How well said this was by the Buddha:
api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṃ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṃ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti.	‘But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a “giant” in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’
Idañca panāhaṃ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṃ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—	And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:

(verse)

^{(The same verse with extremely minor variation appears in KN Thag 15.2 )}

Manussabhūtaṃ sambuddhaṃ,	A person who has become awakened as a human being,
attadantaṃ samāhitaṃ;	Self-tamed, undistractible and lucid,
Iriyamānaṃ brahmapathe,	following the spiritual path,
cittassūpasame rataṃ.	delighting in calmness of mind.
Yaṃ manussā namassanti,	Revered by people,
sabbadhammāna pāraguṃ;	gone beyond all dharmas,
Devāpi taṃ namassanti,	even the gods revere him;
iti me arahato sutaṃ.	so I’ve heard from the perfected one.
Sabbasaṃyojanātītaṃ,	He has transcended all fetters,
vanā nibbanamāgataṃ;	and escaped from entanglements.
Kāmehi nekkhammarataṃ,	Delighting in the renunciation of sensual pleasures,
muttaṃ selāva kañcanaṃ.	he’s freed like gold from stone.
Sabbe accarucī nāgo,	That giant [, a perfected Arahant,] outshines all,
himavāññe siluccaye;	as the Himalaya outshines other mountains.
Sabbesaṃ nāganāmānaṃ,	Of all those named ‘giant’,
saccanāmo anuttaro.	He is truly named, and unsurpasssable.
Nāgaṃ vo kittayissāmi,	I will enthusiastically praise the ‘giant’ [, a perfected Arahant, by comparing him with a ‘giant’ royal elephant].
na hi āguṃ karoti so;	for he does nothing monstrous.
Soraccaṃ avihiṃsā ca,	Gentleness and harmlessness
pādā nāgassa te duve.	are two feet of the giant.
Tapo ca brahmacariyaṃ,	Austerity and celibacy
caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare;	are his two other feet.
Saddhā-hattho mahā-nāgo,	Earned-trust [in the Buddha] is the great giant’s trunk,
Upekkhā-seta-dantavā.	and equanimous-observation his white tusks.
Sati gīvā siro paññā,	remembrance [of Dharma] is his neck, his head is discernment—
vīmaṃsā dhammacintanā;	discrimination and thinking about Dharma.
Dhamma-kucchi-sam-ātapo,	the Dhamma sits in the digestive heat of his belly [, nourishment ready to be absorbed],
viveko tassa vāladhi.	and his tail is judicious-seclusion.
So jhāyī assāsarato,	His is a jhāna meditator [doing jhāna in all four postures], delighting in breath,
ajjhattaṃ susamāhito;	Internally he is undistractible-&-lucid;
Gacchaṃ samāhito nāgo,	The giant is undistractible-&-lucid when walking,
ṭhito nāgo samāhito.	the giant is undistractible-&-lucid when standing,
Seyyaṃ samāhito nāgo,	the giant is undistractible-&-lucid when lying down,
nisinnopi samāhito;	and when sitting, the giant is undistractible-&-lucid.
Sabbattha saṃvuto nāgo,	The giant is restrained everywhere:
esā nāgassa sampadā.	this is the accomplishment of the giant.
Bhuñjati anavajjāni,	He eats blameless things,
sāvajjāni na bhuñjati;	he doesn’t eat blameworthy things.
Ghāsamacchādanaṃ laddhā,	When he gets food and clothes,
sannidhiṃ parivajjayaṃ.	he avoids storing them up.
Saṃyojanaṃ aṇuṃ thūlaṃ,	Having severed all bonds,
sabbaṃ chetvāna bandhanaṃ;	fetters large and small,
Yena yeneva gacchati,	wherever he goes,
anapekkhova gacchati.	he goes without concern.
Yathāpi udake jātaṃ,	A white lotus,
puṇḍarīkaṃ pavaḍḍhati;	fragrant and delightful,
Nupalippati toyena,	sprouts in water and grows there,
sucigandhaṃ manoramaṃ.	but the water doesn’t cling to it.
Tatheva loke sujāto,	Just so the Buddha is born in the world,
buddho loke viharati;	and lives in the world,
Nupalippati lokena,	but the world doesn’t stick to him,
toyena padumaṃ yathā.	as the water does not stick to the lotus.
Mahāginīva jalito,	A great blazing fire
anāhārūpasammati;	dies down when the fuel runs out.
Saṅkhāresūpasantesu,	When the coals have gone out
nibbutoti pavuccati.	it’s said to be ‘nirvana'd’.
Atthassāyaṃ viññāpanī,	This simile is taught by the discerning
upamā viññūhi desitā;	to express the meaning clearly.
Viññassanti mahānāgā,	Great giants will understand
nāgaṃ nāgena desitaṃ.	what the giant [Buddha] taught the giant [Arahant].
Vītarāgo vītadoso,	Free of greed, free of hate,
Vītamoho anāsavo;	free of delusion, undefiled;
Sarīraṃ vijahaṃ nāgo,	the giant, giving up his body,
Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti.	will become nirvana'd without asinine-inclinations.”