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Fun Pali primer lesson 3: The word 'Dhamma' needs to be left untranslated, everywhere.


'dhamma' is a really important word, and how you treat it has many important implications to how you understand EBT, Buddhism, and Dharma.

First part of this lesson, I'll just present a few passages using the word dhamma, and let you read and think about it for a while, and chew over your own opinion on whether 'dhamma' should be translated according to each passage context into "teaching of buddha", "phenomena", "qualities", "things", "mental qualities", 'natural law', 'principle'.

AN 4.34 I had based my translation off of B. Thanissaro's, and had not gone back to un-translate 'dhamma' everywhere there. 

KN Dhp 1:

♦ 1.
♦ mano-pubbaį¹…gamā dhammā,
Mind-precedes (all) dharmas.
mano-seį¹­į¹­hā mano-mayā.
Mind-(is their)-chief; (they are all) mind-made.
♦ manasā ce pa-duį¹­į¹­hena,
(the) mind, if, with-impurity,
bhāsati vā karoti vā.
speaks or acts **,
♦ tato naį¹ƒ dukkham-anveti,
then *** suffering-follows (him),
cakkaį¹ƒva vahato padaį¹ƒ.
(like the) wheel that-follows (the) foot (of the ox).

KN Dhp 2:

♦ 2.
♦ mano-pubbaį¹…gamā dhammā,
Mind-precedes (all) dharmas.
mano-seį¹­į¹­hā mano-mayā.
Mind-(is their)-chief; (they are all) mind-made.
♦ manasā ce pasannena,
(the) mind, if, with-purity,
bhāsati vā karoti vā.
speaks or acts **,
♦ tato naį¹ƒ sukham-anveti,
then *** pleasure-follows (him),
chāyāva an-apāyinī VAR.
(like his) shadow never-departing.


AN 4.34 aggap-pasāda-suttaį¹ƒ
AN 4.34 supreme-confidence-discourse
“cattāro-'me, bhikkhave,
"(there are) Four-(of)-these, *********,
aggap-pasādā.
supreme (types of) confidence.
katame cattāro?
Which four?
yāvatā, bhikkhave,
As-far-as, *********,
sattā a-padā vā dvi-padā vā
Beings without-feet or two-footed, or
catup-padā vā bahup-padā vā
four-footed or multi-footed **,
rūpino vā a-rūpino vā
(with) form or without-form **,
saƱƱino vā a-saƱƱino vā
percipient or non-percipient **,
Neva-saƱƱi-n-ā-saƱƱino vā,
Neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient **,
tathāgato tesaį¹ƒ aggam-akkhāyati
(the) Tathāgata is declared-supreme,
arahaį¹ƒ sammā-sambuddho.
(the) Arahant, perfectly-awakened.
ye, bhikkhave,
Those-who, *********,
buddhe pasannā,
(in the) Buddha, (have) confidence,
agge te pasannā.
(in the) supreme, (they have) confidence.
agge kho pana pasannānaį¹ƒ
(in the) supreme *** ****, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggo vipāko hoti.
supreme (the) fruit is.
♦ “yāvatā, bhikkhave,
As-far-as, *********,
dhammā saį¹…khatā,
things (that are) fabricated,
ariyo aį¹­į¹­h-aį¹…giko maggo
(the) Noble eight-fold path,
tesaį¹ƒ aggamakkhāyati.
that (is) declared-supreme.
ye, bhikkhave,
Those-who, *********,
ariye aį¹­į¹­h-aį¹…gike magge pasannā,
(in the) Noble eight-fold path, (have) confidence,
agge te pasannā.
(in the) supreme, (they have) confidence.
agge kho pana pasannānaį¹ƒ
(in the) supreme *** ****, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggo vipāko hoti.
supreme (the) fruit is.
♦ “yāvatā, bhikkhave,
As-far-as, *********,
dhammā saį¹…khatā vā a-saį¹…khatā vā,
things (that are) fabricated or un-fabricated **,
vi-rāgo tesaį¹ƒ aggamakkhāyati,
dis-passion (is) declared-supreme.
yadidaį¹ƒ madanimmadano
That is, pride-subduing,
pipāsa-vinayo
thirst-removal,
ālaya-samugghāto
attachment-uprooting,
vaį¹­į¹­-upacchedo
cycle-of-rebirth's -- stoppage,
taį¹‡hāk-khayo
craving's-destruction,
vi-rāgo nirodho nibbānaį¹ƒ.
dis-passion, cessation, Nirvana.
ye, bhikkhave,
Those-who, *********,
virāge dhamme pasannā,
(in) Dis-passion (and) The-dhamma, (have) confidence,
agge te pasannā.
(in the) supreme, (they have) confidence.
agge kho pana pasannānaį¹ƒ
(in the) supreme *** ****, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggo vipāko hoti.
supreme (the) fruit is.
♦ “yāvatā, bhikkhave,
As-far-as, *********,
saį¹…ghā vā gaį¹‡Ä vā,
Saį¹…ghas or groups **,
tathāgata-sāvaka-saį¹…gho
(the) Tathāgata’s-disciple-Saį¹…gha,
tesaį¹ƒ aggamakkhāyati,
that (is) declared-supreme.
yadidaį¹ƒ cattāri purisa-yugāni
That-is, four {pairs of}-men,
aį¹­į¹­ha purisa-puggalā
eight (types of) men-(and)-individuals.
esa bhagavato sāvaka-saį¹…gho
This blessed-one's disciple-Saį¹…gha
āhuneyyo
(is) worthy-of-gifts,
pāhuneyyo
worthy-of-hospitality,
dakkhiį¹‡eyyo
worthy-of-offerings,
aƱjali-karaį¹‡Ä«yo
worthy-of-respectful-greetings,
an-uttaraį¹ƒ puƱƱak-khettaį¹ƒ lokassa.
(an) un-surpassed merit-field (for the) world.
ye, bhikkhave,
Those-who, *********,
saį¹…ghe pasannā,
{confident} (in the) Saį¹…gha,
agge te pasannā.
(in the) supreme, (they have) confidence.
agge kho pana pasannānaį¹ƒ
(in the) supreme *** ****, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggo vipāko hoti.
supreme (the) fruit is.
ime kho, bhikkhave,
These indeed, monks, (are the)
cattāro aggap-pasādā”ti.
four supreme (types of) confidence.
♦ “aggato ve pasannānaį¹ƒ,
"(regarding the) supreme **, (for) those-confident (in that),
aggaį¹ƒ dhammaį¹ƒ vijānataį¹ƒ.
(the) supreme dhamma, (for) those-knowing (that) --
♦ agge buddhe pasannānaį¹ƒ,
(in the) supreme Buddha (they have) confidence,
dakkhiį¹‡eyye an-uttare.
(in one) worthy-of-offerings, (in the) un-surpassed;
♦ “agge dhamme pasannānaį¹ƒ,
"(in the) supreme dhamma, (for) those-confident,
vi-rāg-ūpasame sukhe.
(in) dis-passion's-stilling, (in) pleasure.
♦ agge saį¹…ghe pasannānaį¹ƒ,
(in the) supreme Sangha, (for) those-confident,
puƱƱak-khette an-uttare.
(in the) merit-field, (in the) un-surpassed.
♦ “aggasmiį¹ƒ dānaį¹ƒ dadataį¹ƒ,
(to the) supreme, ***** (for those who) give {gifts} (to them),
aggaį¹ƒ puƱƱaį¹ƒ pavaįøįøhati.
supreme (types of) merit increases --
♦ aggaį¹ƒ āyu ca vaį¹‡į¹‡o ca,
supreme lifespan and beauty **,
yaso kitti sukhaį¹ƒ balaį¹ƒ.
glory, fame, pleasure, strength.
♦ “aggassa dātā medhāvÄ«,
"(to the) supreme, (for their) donors (who are) wise,
aggadhammasamāhito.
supreme-dhamma-(they are)-concentrated (upon).
♦ devabhÅ«to manusso vā,
devas-(they)-become, (or) human **,
aggap-patto pa-modatÄ«”ti.
(the) supreme-attained, (they) re-joice."
catutthaį¹ƒ.
(end of sutta)

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