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suttacentral English sutta translation errors

Reverse chronological order!

Most recently found error shown first, oldest shown last.

8/23/2023

sujato translation error AN 6.72

7/30/2023

AN 5.151 Sujato translation errors, ekagga is not 'un-scattered'

4/27/2023

SN 24 sota-patti (chapter on stream enterer), this is why ariya-savaka is just a disciple, not necessarily already a "noble disciple"


3/17/2023

Sujato needs to make up his mind. Is kāya physical or mental in four jhānas?

MN 64, MN 127: Want to see Brahm and Sujato do a magic trick? kāya-duṭṭhullānaṃ paṭip-passaddhiyā


3/12/2023

noble disciple term not in the paliAnd what is failure in livelihood?Katamā ca, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti?It’s when a noble disciple has wrong livelihood and earns a living by wrong livelihood.Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco micchāājīvo hoti, micchāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti. Variant: jīvikaṁ → jīvitaṁ (sya-all, km, mr)This is called ‘failure in livelihood’.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ājīvavipatti.

7/28/2022

7/25/2022

Sujato's mudita = 'rejoicing' is too vague, has same loophole as Vism.

Mudita (as one of 4 brahma-vihara): What is it exactly? Vism. is absolutely wrong.


7/24/2022

suttas where 'viveka' doesn't make sense as 'seclusion', 'discernment' makes more sense


7/20/2022

AN 5.162 meaning of pasāda - I don't think it means 'confident' here


7/5/2022

AN 6.34 You don't have to be Buddhist, and "You May Already Be a (stream) Winner!"


7/2/2022

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


6/26/2022



KN Iti 82 are these errors in Sujato's translation?


6/12/2022

MN 49 not exactly wrong, but elision makes highlighted part incomprehensible.

https://suttacentral.net/mn49/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&reference=main/bj/cck/csp/dr/km&notes=asterisk&highlight=true&script=latin

(brahma is talking to Buddha addressing him as 'monk')


It looks like Buddha is the one talking on both highlighted sections.

This can be fixed by changing this part to 

brahmaṃ ajjhosissasi, opasāyiko me bhavissasi vatthusāyiko, yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāhiteyyo”’ti.
[if you attach to] Brahmā, you will lie close to me, in my domain, vulnerable and expendable.’

Similarly, other parts near that section are confusing as to who is talking, Buddha or Brahma


6/10/2022

Sujato translating Rūpa as 'vision/sight' in many contexts like 8 abhi-bhayatana, 8 vimokkha, formless attainments (like DN 2), samādhi in 3 ways (AN 8.63, MN 128)  is wrong. 

DN 2 concise proof that rūpa and kāya is the meditator's physical body in four jhānas, tie in to 8 vimokkha and 8 abhibhayatana


4/7/2022

KN Ud 8.4 pali missing end line

Ud 8.4: Catutthanibbānapaṭisaṁyuttasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net)

formatting is off on last line of verse. pali is missing the 'catuttham' to end the sutta.

Just this is the end of suffering.”Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.


♦ “nissitassa calitaṃ, anissitassa calitaṃ natthi. calite asati passaddhi, passaddhiyā sati nati na hoti. natiyā asati āgatigati na hoti. āgatigatiyā asati cutūpapāto na hoti. cutūpapāte asati nevidha na huraṃ na ubhayamantarena {na ubhayamantare (sabbattha) ma. ni. 3.393; saṃ. ni. 4.87 passitabbaṃ} . esevanto dukkhassā”ti. catutthaṃ.


4/7/2022

KN Ud 7.5 missing line from verse

‘With flawless wheel and white canopy,

the one-spoke chariot rolls on.

See it come, untroubled,

{missing line: one whose stream is cut,

free from bonds.} chinnasotaṁ abandhanan”ti.


4/7/2022

KN Ud 6.7 vitakka

4/7/2022

https://suttacentral.net/ud6.7/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

Sujato needs to explain how the first vitakka is "placing the mind",

and the second vitakka is "mental vibration". 


KN Ud 6.6 missing line of translation

(thanissaro translation showing line near end where Sujato mistakenly omitted this line as part of the previous abbreviated "then the monks told the buddha what happened...")

♦ “aññatitthiyā, bhikkhave, paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā; atthaṃ na jānanti anatthaṃ na jānanti, dhammaṃ na jānanti adhammaṃ na jānanti. te atthaṃ ajānantā anatthaṃ ajānantā, dhammaṃ ajānantā adhammaṃ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṃ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti — ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
“Monks, the wanderers of other sects are blind & eyeless. They don’t know what is beneficial and what is harmful. They don’t know what is the Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful, not knowing what is Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma, they keep on arguing, quarreling, & disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, ‘The Dhamma is like this, it’s not like that. The Dhamma’s not like that, it’s like this.’”    


4/7/2022

KN Ud 6.5 missing line of translation, like Ud 6.6

Same problem as Ud 6.6
(thanissaro translation showing line near end where Sujato mistakenly omitted this line as part of the previous abbreviated "then the monks told the buddha what happened...")
♦ “aññatitthiyā, bhikkhave, paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā; atthaṃ na jānanti anatthaṃ na jānanti, dhammaṃ na jānanti adhammaṃ na jānanti. te atthaṃ ajānantā anatthaṃ ajānantā, dhammaṃ ajānantā adhammaṃ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṃ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti — ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
 “Monks, the wanderers of other sects are blind & eyeless. They don’t know what is beneficial and what is harmful. They don’t know what is the Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful, not knowing what is Dhamma and what is non-Dhamma, they keep on arguing, quarreling, & disputing, wounding one another with weapons of the mouth, saying, ‘The Dhamma is like this, it’s not like that. The Dhamma’s not like that, it’s like this.’”    


4/7/2022

KN Ud 5.6 most of sutta missing translation

https://suttacentral.net/ud5.6/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

including missing the entire translation of verse at the end, so it's not just an abbreviation going on here


4/5/2022

KN Ud 5.1 four line verse missing second line

Ud 5.1: Piyatarasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net)

Then, knowing the meaning of this, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Having explored every quarter with the mind,“Sabbā disā anuparigamma cetasā,Nevajjhagā piyataramattanā kvaci;Likewise for others, each holds themselves dear;Evaṁ piyo puthu attā paresaṁ,so one who loves themselves would harm no other.”Tasmā na hiṁse paramattakāmo”ti.


Thanissaro trans. for comparison:

(verse)

Searching all directions
♦ “sabbā disā anuparigamma cetasā,
 with your awareness,
you find no one dearer
♦ nevajjhagā piyataramattanā kvaci.
 than yourself.
In the same way, others
♦ evaṃ piyo puthu attā paresaṃ,
 are thickly dear to themselves.
So you shouldn’t hurt others
♦ tasmā na hiṃse paramattakāmo”ti. paṭhamaṃ.
 if you love yourself.



3/31/2022

SN 47 'What four?' ambiguously sounds like 'What for? (Why?)' on audio recordings

This is not an error, but a sonic ambiguity when listening to Sujato's sutta translations out loud.

In SN 47, the samyutta on satipatthana, this occurs 36 times, whenever the standard 4sp formula is presented. 

suggested fix: 'which four [items]?' instead of 'what four?'

The same kind of problem probably occurs in other groups of suttas, such as AN 4, or whenever a list of 4 things are presented.


2/12/2022

KN Iti 106 (sujato) anu-kampaka is 'compassion', not 'love'

That is what the Buddha said.Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.On this it is said:Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Parents are said to be ‘Brahmā’“Brahmāti mātāpitaro,and ‘first teachers’.pubbācariyāti vuccare;They’re worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods from their children,Āhuneyyā ca puttānaṁ,for they love their offspring.pajāya anu-kampakā.

compassion: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

love (verb) 1.feel deep affection for (someone).




2/8/2022

47 Jāgariya sutta
 Wake Up
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
 This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Jāgaro cassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vihareyya sato sampajāno
 “Meditate wakeful, mendicants, mindful and aware,
samāhito pamudito
 joyful and clear,
vippasanno ca tattha kālavipassī ca kusalesu dhammesu.
 and at times discern the skillful qualities in that state.
Jāgarassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno viharato
 A mendicant who meditates    


at first, I thought you were translating 'samitho' as 'clear', but vip-pasanno is the 'clear'. 

later in the verse, you translate 'samhito' as 'immersed in samadhi', so you should do the same here presumably.


2/8/2022

Vitakkūpasame rato;
 loving peace of mind;    

Maybe he's taking poetic license for the verse? It would be good for him to clarify what he means. 


2/8/2022

He  didn't translate 

Taṁ kissa hetu? 

What's the reason I say this?


2/8/2022

iti 106

this line repeated twice:

‘First teachers’ is a term for your parents. 

‘First teachers’ is a term for your parents. 

‘Pubbadevatā’ti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ. 

‘Pubbācariyā’ti, bhikkhave, mātāpitūnaṁ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ. 

first one should be 'first gods'


2/8/2022

103 Samaṇabrāhmaṇasutta
ascetics and Brahmins
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā
“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins
‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti;
who don’t truly understand about suffering,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti;
its origin,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti;
its cessation,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti—
and the path.
na me te, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu vā samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu vā brāhmaṇasammatā,
I don’t regard them as true ascetics and brahmins.
na ca panete āyasmanto sāmaññatthaṁ vā brahmaññatthaṁ vā
Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin,
diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.
and don’t live having realized it with their own insight.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā
There are ascetics and brahmins
‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti;
who truly understand about suffering,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti;
its origin,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti;
its cessation,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti—
and the path.
te kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā,
I DO regard them as true ascetics and brahmins.
te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca
Those venerables DO realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin,
diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
and DO live having realized it with their own insight.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
That is what the Buddha said. On this it is said:
“Ye dukkhaṁ nappajānanti,
“There are those who don’t understand suffering
atho dukkhassa sambhavaṁ;
and suffering’s cause,
Yattha ca sabbaso dukkhaṁ,
and where all suffering
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
cease with nothing left over;
Tañca maggaṁ na jānanti,
And they don’t know the path
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
that leads to the stilling of suffering.
Cetovimuttihīnā te,
They lack the heart’s release,
Atho paññāvimuttiyā;
as well as the release by wisdom.
Abhabbā te antakiriyāya,
Unable to make an end,
Te ve jātijarūpagā.
they continue to be reborn and grow old.
Ye ca dukkhaṁ pajānanti,
But there are those who understand suffering
atho dukkhassa sambhavaṁ;
and suffering’s cause,
Yattha ca sabbaso dukkhaṁ,
and where all suffering
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
cease with nothing left over;
Tañca maggaṁ pajānanti,
And they understand the path
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
that leads to the stilling of suffering.
Cetovimuttisampannā,
They’re endowed with the heart’s release,
atho paññāvimuttiyā;
as well as the release by wisdom.
Bhabbā te antakiriyāya,
Able to make an end,
na te jātijarūpagā”ti.
they don’t continue to be reborn and grow old.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This too was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.


2/7/2022


68 Paṭhamarāgasutta
Greed (1st)
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, rāgo appahīno, doso appahīno, moho appahīno—
“Whoever has not given up greed, hate, and delusion
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave,
is said to be trapped.
‘baddho mārassa paṭimukkassa mārapāso
They’re caught in Māra’s snare,
yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato’.
and the Wicked One can do what he wants with them.
Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, rāgo pahīno, doso pahīno, moho pahīno—
Whoever has given up greed, hate, and delusion
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave,
is said to be free.
‘abaddho mārassa omukkassa mārapāso
They’re NOT caught in Māra’s snare,
na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato’”ti.
and the Wicked One can NOT do what he wants with them.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
That is what the Buddha said. On this it is said:
“Yassa rāgo ca doso ca,
“Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance
avijjā ca virājitā;
have faded away,
Taṁ bhāvitattaññataraṁ,
belong with those who are evolved;
brahmabhūtaṁ tathāgataṁ;
holy, realized, awakened,
Buddhaṁ verabhayātītaṁ,
beyond enmity and fear,
āhu sabbappahāyinan”ti.
they’ve given up everything, they say.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This too was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.





2/7/2022


70 Micchādiṭṭhikasutta
Having Wrong View
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Diṭṭhā mayā, bhikkhave, sattā
“Mendicants, I’ve seen beings who engaged in
kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā
misconduct by body,
vacīduccaritena samannāgatā
speech,
manoduccaritena samannāgatā
and mind,
ariyānaṁ upavādakā
who abused the noble ones,
micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā.
who had wrong views and acted accordingly.
Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā
At the breaking up of the body, after death,
apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ
they were reborn in
upapannā.
a lower realm, a bad destination, a world of misery, hell.
Taṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nāññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā sutvā vadāmi.
Now, I don’t say this because I’ve heard it from some other ascetic or brahmin.
Diṭṭhā mayā, bhikkhave, sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā. Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā.
I only say it
Api ca, bhikkhave, yadeva sāmaṁ ñātaṁ sāmaṁ diṭṭhaṁ sāmaṁ viditaṁ tadevāhaṁ vadāmi.
because I’ve known, seen, and realized it for myself.”
Diṭṭhā mayā, bhikkhave, sattā
...
kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā
vacīduccaritena samannāgatā
manoduccaritena samannāgatā
ariyānaṁ upavādakā
micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā.
Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā
apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ
upapannā”ti.
...
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
That is what the Buddha said. On this it is said:
“Micchā manaṁ paṇidhāya,
“When the mind has been misdirected,
micchā vācañca bhāsiya;
and words wrongly spoken,
Micchā kammāni katvāna,
and right (should be WRONG) bodily deeds have been done,
kāyena idha puggalo.
a person here
Appassutāpuññakaro,
uneducated, doer of bad deeds,
appasmiṁ idha jīvite;
though their life may be short,
Kāyassa bhedā duppañño,
when their body breaks up, that witless person
nirayaṁ sopapajjatī”ti.
is reborn in hell.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This too was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.



Forums to report sutta central translation errors

suttacentral:


There is also this thread to report errors as well:
https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/pl ... typos/9548



dhammawheel
https://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=665777#p665777




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