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the word 'Dhamma' needs to be untranslated, here's why, and it's funny

In AN 10, vaggas 12-15,


The noble eightfold path, + 2 more factors right freedom and right knowledge, are referred to as "10 dharmas" several times in these 30 suttas.

Now the funny thing is, B. Sujato translates 'dhamma' 4 different ways in these 4 vaggas, all referring to those same 10 factors, within a span of a few suttas from each other.


112. Dutiyaasekhasutta
 112. An Adept (2nd)
“Dasayime, bhikkhave, asekhiyā dhammā.
 “monks, there are ten qualities of an adept.
Katame dasa?
 What ten?
Asekhā sammādiṭṭhi, asekho sammāsaṅkappo, asekhā sammāvācā, asekho sammākammanto, asekho sammāājīvo, asekho sammāvāyāmo, asekhā sammāsati, asekho sammāsamādhi, asekhaṃ sammāñāṇaṃ, asekhā sammāvimutti—
 An adept's right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right rememberfulness, right undistractible-lucidity, right knowledge, and right freedom.
ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa asekhiyā dhammā”ti.
 These are the ten qualities of an adept.”    

122. Āsavakkhayasutta
 122. The Ending of Defilements
“Dasayime, bhikkhave, dhammā bhāvitā bahulīkatā āsavānaṃ khayāya saṃvattanti.
 “monks, these ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements.
Katame dasa?
 What ten?
Sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati, sammāsamādhi, sammāñāṇaṃ, sammāvimutti—
 Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right rememberfulness, right undistractible-lucidity, right knowledge, and right freedom.
ime kho, bhikkhave, dasa dhammā bhāvitā bahulīkatā āsavānaṃ khayāya saṃvattantī”ti.
 These ten things, when developed and cultivated, lead to the ending of defilements.”    


135. Ariyadhammasutta
 135. The Teaching of the Noble Ones
“Ariyadhammañca vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi anariyadhammañca.
 “monks, I will teach you the teaching of the noble ones, and what is not the teaching of the noble ones. …
Taṃ suṇātha … pe …
katamo ca, bhikkhave, anariyo dhammo?
 And what is not the teaching of the noble ones?
Micchādiṭṭhi … pe … micchāvimutti—
 Wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong rememberfulness, wrong undistractible-lucidity, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom.
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anariyo dhammo.
 This is called what is not the teaching of the noble ones.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo dhammo?
 And what is the teaching of the noble ones?
Sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāvimutti—
 Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right rememberfulness, right undistractible-lucidity, right knowledge, and right freedom.
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyo dhammo”ti.
 This is called the teaching of the noble ones.”    


140. Sāvajjasutta
 140. Blameworthy
“Sāvajjañca vo, bhikkhave, dhammaṃ desessāmi anavajjañca.
 “I will teach you the blameworthy principle and the blameless principle. …
Taṃ suṇātha … pe …
katamo ca, bhikkhave, sāvajjo dhammo?
 And what is the blameworthy principle?
Micchādiṭṭhi … pe … micchāvimutti—
 Wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong rememberfulness, wrong undistractible-lucidity, wrong knowledge, and wrong freedom.
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sāvajjo dhammo.
 This is called the blameworthy principle.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, anavajjo dhammo?
 And what is the blameless principle?
Sammādiṭṭhi … pe … sammāvimutti—
 Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right rememberfulness, right undistractible-lucidity, right knowledge, and right freedom.
ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, anavajjo dhammo”ti.
 This is called the blameless principle.”    


It's not 'wrong' to translate it 4 ways like that, but...

there's a great English word in the dictionary for that, and it works much better.
The word is 'Dharma':

☸Dharma, dharma

(Oxford English Dictionary, curly brace{} comment added by me)
(1) {Dharma:} (in Indian religion) the eternal and inherent nature of reality, regarded in Hinduism as a cosmic law underlying right behaviour and social order.
(1.1) {☸Dharma:} (in Buddhism) the nature of reality regarded as a universal truth taught by the Buddha; the teaching of Buddhism.
(1.2) {dharma:} An aspect of truth or reality. ‘all dharmas are forms of emptiness’
Origin: Sanskrit, literally ‘decree or custom’.


There's already an accepted, widely used and understood English word, that straddles all 4 translations of 'principles, teachings, things, qualities', so why not use it?


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