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KN Snp 5.8 pun on santi? Having both meanings of "there exists" and "peaceful"?

 

(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

(2022 SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍)
“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.
(Buddha says:)
“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..
(questioner:)
“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?
(Buddha says:)
“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.
(questioner:)
“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)
(Buddha says:)
“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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