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DN 9: B. Sujato criminal translation of rupa


DN 9 from B. Sujato suttacentral

“Furthermore, a mendicant, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. 
“Puna caparaṃ, poṭṭhapāda, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṃ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṃ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṃ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. 

 The perception of luminous form that they had previously ceases. 
Tassa yā purimā rūpa-saññā, sā nirujjhati. 


frankk comment: 

That 'luminous' is not in the pali. Normally, as far as I know, in that standard formula for base of infinite space, B. Sujato just translates 'rupa' as 'form'. Here, he inserts a spurious 'luminous', purely based on his own wrong interpretation of the 4 jhanas.

Here is a detailed analysis, pali and english audit, glossing the keywords in the formula with absolute unequivocal evidence that the 'rupa' being referred to, is the physical anatomical body
http://lucid24.org/sted/8aam/8samadhi/smd5/index.html

B. Sujato's spurious translation of 'luminous form' is not only wrong, it's criminal. 
He probably translated it that in the sutta in reaction to B. Thanissaro's translation of the same DN 9 passage:

And then, with the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity,

frank k comment: 

Note that B. Thanissaro has 'physical' in square brackets, to indicate he's inserting a qualifying comment that doesn't come from the pali text. His interpretation as shown in the detailed article linked, is well supported. And probably, B. Thanissaro added the 'physical' as a reaction to Abhidhamma and Ajahn Brahm promulgating their interpretation of 4 jhanas which contradicts standard EBT accepted definition and interpretation.

The audacity of B. Sujato's translation is truly disturbing. That one is willing to just insert extraneous words to support one's personal interpretations shows a lack of basic integrity and honesty as a translator, as a teacher, as a practitioner. One willing to commit such fraud will not go far in their spiritual practice.

One day, hopefully sooner than later, the Buddhist community will have their 'me too' movement and bring offenders to justice.




Comments

  1. ArkaJanuary 27, 2020 at 1:22 PM

    Thanks frank for your detailed work. The fact is I like Thanissaro Bhikkhu's no nonsense approach on taking stands even though people make a villain out of him. When I read "Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond", it was all about blissing out and when I read Ajahn Brahm's rendition of Anapanasati sutta in that book , I was very dumbfounded and misguided, since the Buddha was not talking about lights and other stuff, when I read 'With Each and Every Breath', it was much more accessible and practical and the method to me seemed quite close to that of the Anapanasati sutta. Ajahn Brahm goes against the advices of all thai forest masters , who talk about not looking for nimittas and stuff, his own teacher and also Ajahn Thate, who he mentions often in his talks. I remember Ajahn Sujato talks about jhanas not matching AJahn Brahm's definition as banana jhana. I don't know what would they say about guys like Ajahn Lee, who had genuine jhana mastery and also psychic powers(as per Thanissaro Bhikkhu). One of my favourite quotes about Thanissaro bhikkhu about seeing lights is can you make them disappear and then reappear? I really liked that. See hear is a post from the buddhist society of Western Australia:
    He was probably practising Banana Jhanas. Banana Jhana refers to a series of meditative states which don't even reach first jhana. In the article you can spot a few red flags, including the practitioner being a follower of Ayya Khema, and the jhanas lasting less than 2 minutes.
    "
    In real jhanas it is quite likely that all brain activity would cease entirely, which would probably be regarded as too freaky to publish .
    Metta,
    Bhante Nandiya ".

    I admire your honesty and approach regarding these mistranslations which are mistranslated for a particular purpose.
    Thanks a lot,
    Arka.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. frankkJanuary 28, 2020 at 3:46 PM

      Thanks for your feedback Arka. At some point in the near future, I'm planning to setup a blog page with a petition where comments like yours can start a 'me too' movement and lobby B. Sujato and B. Brahmali on suttacentral to use proper and ethical translation practices on important fundamental terms like kāya, vitakka, etc.

      Delete
  2. alaberApril 6, 2020 at 5:23 AM

    Dear Frank
    Between your many postings on SuttaCentral (that you have stopped for a while as I did too) and your blog, I believe you will not succeed converting A. Brahms, Sujato and Brahmali that they are doing and promoting the wrong jhanas. Although I believe that what they say is jhana is in fact Cessation of Perception and Feelings where body and mind are shut down, there is no chance to convince these people to change their established practice and their trying by twisting the translations, to make their wrong practice fits the suttas.
    On another topic, I believe there is too much focus on meditation and jhanas which are the End of the Path not the beginning. What about the only real job we have to do which is to eradicate tanha or the three poisons, or the five hindrances or the asavas (all about transforming ourselves) which is not done by meditating but by using the 1st 6 components of the 8FP to "dry up the remain of the past" (Snp).
    With Metta
    Alain

    ReplyDelete
  3. alaberApril 6, 2020 at 6:30 AM

    Add the 5 fetters to the list.
    And then when you have eliminated tanha then jhana does you instead of you having to do them (samadhi is the result of developing the 1st 7 components of the 8FP - see AN 7.45, SN 45.28, MN 117, DN 18, DN 33 in the same way sati is the result of developing the 1st 6 components). Which means that the end of the Path is when you enter and dwell in jhana as soon as you sit on your cushion without having anything to "do" including focusing on the breath.

    ReplyDelete

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