(based on Sujato trans.)
KN Snp 5.8 Nanda-māṇava-pucchā: The Questions of Nanda
“Santi loke munayo, | “ ’There are sages in the world.’ |
(iccāyasmā nando) | (said Venerable Nanda,) |
Janā vadanti tayidaṁ kathaṁsu; | People say this, but how is this so? |
Ñāṇ-ūpapannaṁ no muniṁ vadanti, | Is someone called a sage because of their knowledge, |
Udāhu ve jīviten-ūpapannaṁ”. | or because of their way of life?” |
Sujato translated following correct grammar using meaning 1 of santi (atthi), present tense nominative.
atthi 1
pr. (+nom) there is; there exists [√as + ti] ✓
But the use of 'santi' with the meaning 'peaceful'
santi 1.1
fem. peace; calm; tranquillity [√sam + ti] ✓
occurs frequently in Snp 5, talking about sages, brahmins, arahants, jhāna meditators, abiding peacefully.
I think the Buddha is making a pun there, and the correct translation incorporating the pun should be:
KN Snp 5.8 Nanda-māṇava-pucchā: The Questions of Nanda
“Santi loke munayo, | “ ’There are [peaceful] sages in the world.’ |
(iccāyasmā nando) | (said Venerable Nanda,) |
Janā vadanti tayidaṁ kathaṁsu; | People say this, but how is this so? |
Ñāṇ-ūpapannaṁ no muniṁ vadanti, | Is someone called a sage because of their knowledge, |
Udāhu ve jīviten-ūpapannaṁ”. | or because of their way of life?” |
I've noticed puns frequently don't get translated in verse by most translators, in the suttas.
For example, in Snp 5.14, this sutta is talking about 4 jhānas, very clearly indicating 5 hindrances, 4th jhāna preceded by Dhamma vitakka of first jhāna.
The pun happens with nivārana (hindrance). In the verse, nivārana, rather than grammatically referring to 5 hindrances, is referring to the hindrance of restlenessness/regret being hindered.
All the translations I've seen (except mine) just translate according to grammar, and the pun on nivārana is lost. I add parenthetical translation to retain the important piece of information that
KN Snp 5.14 Udaya-māṇava-pucchā: The Questions of Udaya
“Jhāyiṁ virajamāsīnaṁ, | To the one sitting in jhāna— without dust, |
(iccāyasmā udayo) | (said Venerable Udaya,) |
Katakiccaṁ anāsavaṁ; | Done the task, [an arahant with] no more asinine-inclinations. |
Pāraguṁ sabba-dhammānaṁ, | Gone beyond all dharmas— |
Atthi pañhena āgamaṁ; | I’ve come here with a question. |
Aññāvimokkhaṁ pabrūhi, | Please speak about the emancipation of final knowledge, |
Avijjāya pabhedanaṁ”. | ignorance breaking up. |
“Pahānaṁ kāmacchandānaṁ, | the abandoning of both sensual-desires |
(udayāti bhagavā) | (replied the Buddha), |
Domanassāna cūbhayaṁ; | and distressed mental states, |
Thinassa ca panūdanaṁ, | Dispelling of Sloth, |
Kukkuccānaṁ nivāraṇaṁ. | regrets being warded off. [These are referencing the five hindrances] |
Upekkhāsatisaṁsuddhaṁ, | [fourth jhāna is] equanimous observation, Remembering-and-applying-☸Dharma purified, |
dhammatakkapurejavaṁ; | with ☸Dharma-thoughts [of first jhāna] preceding that. |
Aññāvimokkhaṁ pabrūmi, | this is the final knowledge emancipation that I speak of, |
avijjāya pabhedanaṁ”. | ignorance breaking-up.. |
“Kiṁsu saṁyojano loko, | what fetters the world? |
kiṁsu tassa vicāraṇaṁ; | With what is it examined? |
Kissassa vippahānena, | with what being abandoned |
nibbānaṁ iti vuccati”. | is nirvana spoken of? |
“Nandisaṁyojano loko, | delight fetters the world. |
vitakkassa vicāraṇaṁ; | with [wrong] thoughts [delight] is explored, with directed-thought [of first jhāna, the nature of wrong thought] is examined. |
Taṇhāya vippahānena, | Through craving’s abandoning |
nibbānaṁ iti vuccati”. | nirvana is spoken of. |
“Kathaṁ satassa carato, | how is Remembering-and-applying-☸Dharma conducted, |
viññāṇaṁ uparujjhati; | for consciousness to halt? |
Bhagavantaṁ puṭṭhumāgamma, | We’ve come to the Blessed One with a question. |
taṁ suṇoma vaco tava”. | Let us hear your words. (speech fabrications are thought and evaluation) |
“Ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca, | internally [in this body and mind], and externally, |
Vedanaṁ nābhinandato; | not delighting in sensations [using jhāna through progressive cessation of sensations (see SN 36.11)] |
Evaṁ satassa carato, | Conducting Remembering-and-applying-☸Dharma in this way, |
Viññāṇaṁ uparujjhatī”ti. | consciousness is halted. |
Udaya-māṇava-pucchā terasamā. | (end of sutta⏹️) |
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