SN 4.23 translation error by Sujato, on the arahant said to always (all the time) be enjoying jhāna

 

SN 4.23 is about Godhika the arahant who dies, and then Māra the wicked deity looks to see where he is reborn, and can not find him.

The Buddha later says a verse in praise of Godhika and his practice,  (my translation with correction, based on Sujato's)

Atha kho māro pāpimā beluvapaṇḍuvīṇaṃ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra, carrying his harp of yellow wood apple, went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

(verse)

“Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyaṃ,	“Above, below, and all around,
disā anudisā svahaṃ;	in the four quarters and in-between,
Anvesaṃ nādhigacchāmi,	I’ve been searching without success:
godhiko so kuhiṃ gato”ti.	where has that Godhika got to?”

(Buddha responds)

“Yo dhīro dhitisampanno,	“He was a wise and steadfast sage,
jhāyī jhāna-rato sadā;	a jhāna meditator who enjoyed jhāna all the time.
Ahorattaṃ anuyuñjaṃ,	By day and by night he applied himself,
jīvitaṃ anikāmayaṃ.	without concern for his life.
Jetvāna maccuno senaṃ,	He defeated the army of death,
anāgantvā punabbhavaṃ;	and won’t return for any future life.

and about jhāna, Sujato wrongly translates

SN 4.23: Godhikasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net)

“He was an attentive and steadfast sage,“Yo dhīro dhitisampanno,
a meditator who loved absorption.jhāyī jhānarato sadā;By day and by night he applied himself,Ahorattaṁ anuyuñjaṁ,without concern for his life.jīvitaṁ anikāmayaṁ.

He defeated the army of death,Jetvāna maccuno senaṁ,

DPD dictionary has for sadā:

ind. always; ever; all the time [saṃ + dā] ✓



Sujato either forgot, or intentionally did not translate 'sadā' in the verse above

because it conflicts with his interpretation of jhāna 

(being a frozen disembodied stupor where it would not be feasible to be absorbed in all day, all the time). 

My correct translation:

jhāyī jhāna-rato sadā;

a jhāna meditator who enjoyed jhāna all the time.

B. Bodhi has:

[The Blessed One: ] “That steadfast man was resolute,
A meditator always rejoicing in meditation,
Applying himself day and night
Without attachment even to life.

Conclusion

Sujato needs to fix his translation,

and also fix his understanding of the 4 jhānas.

Now he might try to brahm'splain and claim this sutta is an error, or an unusual exception,

but there are scores of passages in the sutta collection where

disciples are doing sati, samādhi, jhāna all the time, all postures, all activities.

See: ♾️ 24/7 samādhi 

You can't brahmsplain or use sophistry to wiggle your way out of all of those passages!