Ajahn Brahmali in the vinaya doesn't translate kāmā ("objects" instead of "desire") according to his own rule

 

Ajahn Brahmali explaining why kāmā (plural) means "objects" instead of "desire(s) [plural]", by means of pāḷi grammar sophistry

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/if-jhana-is-total-absorption-without-physical-sensation-why-is-pain-only-abandoned-in-the-fourth-jhana/29410/134

BrahmaliAjahn

>>It’s hard to understand how the meaning of a word should be different because of the number.


>>But it is not “because of” the number that the meaning changes. It is because of the context. The number is just an extra indication we can use in this particular case of kāma.

I’d like to chime in with a couple of points that I hope haven’t been made by anyone! I have only read bits and pieces of this thread.

An important indication of the meaning of kāma is that other Pali words for desire, such as taṇhā, rāga, lobha, and chanda, are almost always found in the singular. With kāma it’s the other way around: the plural form is the predominant one. Kāma in the singular corresponds to the other words for desire, whereas kāma in the plural must refer to something else, that is, the five senses.

Moreover, there are a number of compounds that make much better sense if we understand kāma in the plural as the five senses. Here are some:Kāmacchanda: desire regarding the five senses (not desire for sensual desire)
Kāmarāga: lust in regard to the five senses (not lust for desire)
Kāmupapatti: rebirth in realm of the five senses (not rebirth in the realm of sensual desire)
Kāmupādāna: grasping in relation to the five senses (not grasping of sensual desire)

Ajahn Brahmali vinaya translation treats kāmā (plural) as "sensual pleasures", not "objects"

Nanu, āvuso, bhagavatā anekapariyāyena rāgavirāgāya dhammo desito,	Hasn’t the Buddha given many teachings for the fading away of lust,
madanimmadanāya pipāsavinayāya ālayasamugghātāya vaṭṭupacchedāya taṇhākkhayāya virāgāya nirodhāya nibbānāya dhammo desito.	for the clearing away of intoxication, for the removal of thirst, for the uprooting of attachment, for the cutting off of the round of rebirth, for the stopping of craving, for fading away, for ending, for extinguishment?
Nanu, āvuso, bhagavatā anekapariyāyena kāmānaṁ pahānaṁ akkhātaṁ,	Hasn’t the Buddha in many ways taught the abandoning of sensual pleasures,
kāmasaññānaṁ pariññā akkhātā,	the full understanding of the perception of sensual pleasures, (even though kāma is singular here!)
kāmapipāsānaṁ paṭivinayo akkhāto,	the removal of thirst for sensual pleasures,
kāmavitakkānaṁ samugghāto akkhāto,	the elimination of thoughts of sensual pleasures,
kāmapariḷāhānaṁ vūpasamo akkhāto.	the stilling of the fever of sensual pleasures?
Netaṁ, āvuso, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya, pasannānaṁ vā bhiyyobhāvāya.	This will affect people’s confidence
Atha khvetaṁ, āvuso, appasannānañceva appasādāya pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattāyā”ti.	and cause some to lose it.”

Elsewhere in the vinaya on sex offense

Tattha nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, mayā virāgāya dhamme desite sarāgāya cetessasi, visaṁyogāya dhamme desite saṁyogāya cetessasi, anupādānāya dhamme desite saupādānāya cetessasi.	When I have taught in this way, how could you choose lust, bondage, and grasping?
Nanu mayā, moghapurisa, anekapariyāyena rāgavirāgāya dhammo desito.	Haven’t I given many teachings for the fading away of lust,
Madanimmadanāya pipāsavinayāya ālayasamugghātāya vaṭṭupacchedāya taṇhākkhayāya virāgāya nirodhāya nibbānāya dhammo desito.	for the clearing away of intoxication, for the removal of thirst, for the uprooting of attachment, for the cutting off of the round of rebirth, for the stopping of craving, for fading away, for ending, for extinguishment?
Nanu mayā, moghapurisa, anekapariyāyena kāmānaṁ pahānaṁ akkhātaṁ,	Haven’t I in many ways taught the abandoning of sensual pleasures,
kāmasaññānaṁ pariññā akkhātā,	the full understanding of the perceptions of sensual pleasure,
kāmapipāsānaṁ paṭivinayo akkhāto,	the removal of thirst for sensual pleasure,
kāmavitakkānaṁ samugghāto akkhāto,	the elimination of thoughts of sensual pleasure,
kāmapariḷāhānaṁ vūpasamo akkhāto.	the stilling of the fevers of sensual pleasure?
Varaṁ te, moghapurisa, āsivisassa ghoravisassa mukhe aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ, na tveva mātugāmassa aṅgajāte aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ.	It would be better, foolish man, for your penis to enter the mouth of a highly venomous snake than to enter a woman.
Varaṁ te, moghapurisa, kaṇhasappassa mukhe aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ, na tveva mātugāmassa aṅgajāte aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ.	It would be better for your penis to enter the mouth of a black snake than to enter a woman.
Varaṁ te, moghapurisa, aṅgārakāsuyā ādittāya sampajjalitāya sajotibhūtāya aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ, na tveva mātugāmassa aṅgajāte aṅgajātaṁ pakkhittaṁ.	It would be better for your penis to enter a blazing charcoal pit than to enter a woman.
Taṁ kissa hetu?	Why is that?
Tatonidānañhi, moghapurisa, maraṇaṁ vā nigaccheyya maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ, na tveva tappaccayā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.	For although it might cause death or death-like suffering, it would not cause you to be reborn in a bad destination.
Itonidānañca kho, moghapurisa, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyya.	But this might.

So why does Brahmali correctly interpret kāmā in the vinaya, but in first jhāna, kāmā suddenly means "5 sense organs"? 

So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja vihāsiṁ.

Fully secluded from the five senses, secluded from unwholesome mental qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has movement of the mind, as well as the joy and bliss of seclusion.