On translating Pali terms into English in the Pali Canon

On translating Pali terms into English in the Pali Canon. An examination on Selected Pali terms found in the Canon and their renderings into English As we could observe, the translation of Pali texts specifically Pali Canonical texts into English is a painstaking and rigorous process in which Pali terms are dealt with meticulously in choosing English equivalents in order to bring out the authentic meaning of the textual word. In doing so, translators withdraw material from various sources mainly on the commentarial and sub commentarial sources. As bulk of early editions of translations are observed, it is obvious that the words produced for some common Pali terms such as dhamma, nibbāna etc1 remain controversial among scholastic fraternity whether the full sense of the words are brought out through the translation. Consequently, early editions are reproduced and updated with the addition of new words and in most cases in the new editions of translation, those common words leave untranslated.2 As far as, translation methodology is concerned, literal translation enables to produce something very resemble to the text though in some cases it sounds ungrammatical.3 In fact, what Norman suggests is the literal translation in order to understand its authentic content opposing free translation as it would carry interpretation rather than translation.4 So the primary objective of the translation is to produce a meaning which is as closely as possible for the authentic meaning of the text. In order to achieve this objective, the translator has to be fully at home in both languages and in fact, bilingual5 in the process of translation. Moreover, knowledge of Sanskrit and other oriental languages including Prākrit would be critical in producing a far better translation. When translations are thoroughly gone through, abundance of instances are found as to how the translators find themselves difficulty in finding more appropriate terms in carrying the original sense of the Pali term in such cases simply they leave words untranslated with foot noted details. Understandably and undoubtedly, the entire endeavour of translation is crafty and involves quite a lot of language skills. Therefore only few could do involve in the task. 1 anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito (the truth…made known to me in many a figure),T.W.Rhys Davids, Dialogues of the Buddha I, 2002, p.94 2 anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito (expounded the Dhamma in various ways…), Maurice Walshe, The Long Discourses of the Buddha, 1995, p.108; Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, 1995, i.24.107, i.4.87 3 on translating literally, K.R.Norman, Journal of Pali Text Society, vol. XXX; Von Hinumber and R.M.L.Getting, 2009, p. 82 4 -Ibid5 -Ibid- p.81 This paper attempts to discuss on few selected Pāli terms whereby it investigates the appropriateness of the rendering into English with the available sources including commentaries, dictionaries and pays more attention towards literary sense of the terms. The term daddulabhakkha6 appears in quite few places7 in the Canon where all the occurrences refer in the same context by which an ascetic feeds on this while practising severe form of austerities in the wilderness. The term has been rendered as he feeds on leather-parings8 or hide-paring.9 An identical interpretation is found in the Commentary10 as well on which assumingly, the English equivalent is produced. Basically, the English rendering is taken for granted as it appears in the Commentarial interpretation. As Rhys Davids rendering says that this term is not found in Childers Dictionary then he confines to commenatarial definition. Further, the sub-commentary is silent on this term. Etymologically, daddula derives from Sanskrit dardura which has several meanings.11 One of the meanings is given as a kind of rice.12 Further, in the assimilation of the preceding vowel of Sanskrit word into Pali dr > dd. Accordingly, dardabha> daddaba / gardabha > gaddaba / dharma > dhamma and dardura > daddula.13 Furthermore, the terms daddula, dadrula, dardura (dardara), dardula, dradula14 can be seen as etymological development. It is quite possible and plausible that as the term does not appear in the Childers Dictionary. The translators confine to the commentarial definition to produce an equivalent instead of finding more materials. Another aspect of the term is that many varieties of grains were largely consumed and termed in ancient India. Some of them are in the form of rice (husked) and paddy (unhusked) which have synonyms such as dhānya, vrīhi, shāli, shālibheda, dīrghashuka, vrīhibheda, cina, dardura, dusaka, hayanaka, jatumukha, kalama, kardama shāli, kuruvinda.15 Apparently, daddula is known to be representing one of the paddy categories and it resembles with other grain types. A hypothesis that we could develop is that ascetics in general confine to strict vegetarian dietary practices and solely rely on non-violence principles by which they prefer to be plant sākabhakkho vā hoti, sāmākabhakkho vā hoti, nīvārabhakkho vā hoti, daddulabhakkho vā hoti, haṭabhakkho vā hoti, kaṇabhakkho vā hoti, ācāmabhakkho vā hoti, piññākabhakkho vā hoti, tiṇabhakkho vā hoti, gomayabhakkho vā hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī; Dīgha Nikāya I. (DN) PTS, p.116 6 two times in DN, four times in Majjhima Nikāya, one time in Khuddaka Nikāya and one time in Puggalapaññatti Dialogues of the Buddha I, p.230 9 The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, i.24.107, i.4.87 10 daddulanti cammakārehi cammaṃ likhitvā chaḍḍitakasaṭaṃ; Sumaṅgalavilāsinī II, PTS, p. 44 11 A Sanskrit English Dictionary, M. Monier Williams, 2005, p. 470 12 -ibid13 A Pali grammar, Wilhelm Geiger, PTS, 2005, n.16.1, p. 11 14 Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar And Dictionary, Franklin Edgarton, vol. II, 2004, p. 262 15 Oryza sativa Linn. / plena Chowdhury Poaceae/http://ayurveda-florida.com/Ayurvedic_Materia_Medica_Articles/Table2.htm 7 8 and grain eaters including Jain ascetics. Hence, it is to be fair to assume ascetics are concerned in choosing their dietary intakes rather to herbal and grain types. Another possibility is that types of eatable food items which are listed in this particular paragraph are homogeneous in its kind and basically they are found at the wilderness. However, daddula is the only food type in the list where it does not represent herbal category, if daddula is taken as pieces of skin or leather. Then, it would appear as peculiar food type among herbs. Accordingly, it quite possible and plausible that meat consumptions among ascetics is not common as such instead mostly they choose to consume herbal and grain types. In that regard, daddula is chosen for grain type rather than of meat type. In choosing appropriate English equivalent for the term, daddula-bakkha, B.C Law’s rendering in Puggalapaññatti,16 daddula rice is far better rendering and a kind of rice17 is another suggestion. In the sāmaññaphala Sutta, king Ajātasattu gives a list of profession18 through which ordinary people find happiness and contented in this very world and they enjoy their visible fruits of their skills, out of which muddikā is one of means of livelihoods. The term muddikā is translated as accountant.19 Broadly speaking, accountant has a wider sense and a person whose job is to keep or check financial account20, a person concerned with the maintenance and audit of business accounts and the preparation of consultant reports in tax and finance.21 However, the Commentarial definition22 on the term is quite different from what is given in the translation as it would carry the meaning one who lives by means of calculating hand signs which makes no sense as such. However, muddikā literally carries something with regard to hand signs or mudrā. The term muddika comes from muddā which is originated from Sanskrit mudrā. muddika means one who practises muddā.23 It literally carries meaning as one who makes means of living through use of hand signs. Franke renders this as finger-rechner24 which makes no sense as it refers to calculate fingers in general. A good literal definition is given by Woodward for the term as one skilled in 16 B.C.Law, Designation of Human Types, 2006, p.76 Pali English Dictionary, Rhys Davids, 2004, p. 313 18 hatthārohā assārohā rathikā dhanuggahā celakā calakā piṇḍadāyakā uggā rājaputtā pakkhandino mahānāgā sūrā cammayodhino dāsikaputtā āḷārikā kappakā nhāpakā, sūdā mālākārā rajakā pesakārā naḷakārā kumbhakārā gaṇakā muddikā; DN.I, p. 51 19 Dialogues of the Buddha, p. 230; The Long Discourses of The Buddha, i.52/93 20 http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/accountant 21 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/accountant?s=t 22 muddikāti hatthamuddāya gaṇanaṃ nissāya jīvino. Sumaṅgalavilāsinī I, p. 156 23 Pali English Dictionary, p. 538 24 -Ibid17 interpreting finger-signs, and a reader of symbolic gestures25 which is far better rendering than accountant and explicitly it encompasses the literal sense of the term. Thirdly and finally, the term piṇḍadāyakā26 is rendered as camp followers,27 army caterers,28 and soldiers of the supply corps,29 in their occurrences in the Canon. Literally, piṇḍadāyaka means giver of food or food supplier. However, the Rhys Davids’s rendering on the term, camp follower which means assumingly, (in the past) a person who was not a soldier but followed an army from place to place to sell goods.30 Another definition of the term is to identify civilians and their children who follow armies.31 If it is taken as camp follower in the text which is far from the literally sense. Strictly speaking, these professionals are to provide meals for those who engage at war. In that regard, Walshe’s rendering is perfectly expressed in terms of its literal sense. On the contrary, It is to be noteworthy here the fact of the matter is that both the commentary and sub commentary define the term in figurative32 sense in which one of the definitions is brought out as one type of giant at war who crushes the head of their opponent. Literally, it can be translated as giants who crush heads of enemies. The Commentarial definition is further elaborated in the Sub Commentary.33 Accordingly, the heads of the enemies are cut off just like a bird takes a lump of rice. The definition in both commentaries is left unstated in any of translations. The translations confine to one of the definitions of the term and ignore the figurative sense of the term. In conclusion, it is to be noted that in the effort of the translation of Pāli terms, word-forword rendering would be critical in producing meaning and every definition either within the Buddhist tradition or the sources available outside the tradition including contemporary social milieu needs to be accounted in order to generate a better translation of the terms which would be instrumental in understanding the text accurately. 25 The Book of Kindred Sayings or Grouped Suttas IV, Frank L. Woodward, 1917, p. 267 one of the professions which King Ajatasattu described to the Buddha at Sāmaññaphala Sutta, DN I, p. 51 27 The Dialogues of The Buddha I, p. 68 28 The Long Discourses of the Buddha, p. 93 29 The Gradual Sayings IV, E.M.Hare, 2006, p.70 30 http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/camp+follower 31 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_follower 32 piṇḍadāyakāti sāhasikamahāyodhā. Te kira parasenaṃ pavisitvā parasīsaṃ piṇḍamiva chetvā chetvā dayanti, uppatitvā uppatitvā niggacchantīti attho; Sumaṅgalavilāsinī I. p.156 33 sakuṇagghiādayo viya maṃsapiṇḍaṃ parasenāsamūhaṃ sāhasikamahāyodhatāya chetvā chetvā dayanti uppatitvā uppatitvā gacchantīti piṇḍadāyakā; DN-ṭīkā I, p. 282 26