Is this the correct translation and exact meaning of these epic verses in Tripitaka?

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Accepted answer

Ven. Sujato translates into English that first sentence, as follows, here:

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sugato? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā. This is a Holy One.

And who is a Holy One? It’s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. This is a Holy One.

There's no mention of being "mighty" or "lord of cessation" (as in your translation).

The word you translate as "highly teacher" might be tathāgato and the answers to this topic -- Why does the Buddha call himself the Tathāgata? -- might help to answer your question.


Similarly I.B. Horner and Bhikkhu Brahmali translate the second sentence into English as follows, here:

Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā,
Tesaṃ hetuṃ tathāgato āha;

Those things which proceed from a cause,
of these the Truth-finder has told the cause

Tesañca yo nirodho,
Evaṃvādī mahāsamaṇo”ti.

And that which is their stopping—
the great recluse has such a doctrine.

Again, the word "tathagata" (this time translated as "truth-finder").

Perhaps it isn't that he "came" as in your translation, but that he "said" or "told" (Pali "āha") -- unless your translation was referring to Āgata.

And not that he eliminated suffering (as the Christians might say that Jesus eliminated original sin), but that he explained dependent origination and cessation (the noble truths).

Upvote:0

My translation: The Highly teacher appears on this world, the prefect holy, the one with Mighty Lord, perfect in wisdom and pure conduct,leading men to safe land, the charioteer of men and god to saddhamma from time immemorial, the Buddha, the Lord of cessation!

This translation is wrong, which is why you have some misconceptions like,

"the Divine one come to teach on earth"?

"I'm son of Lord, come for you, through his wish, to guide you to my Father"!

Correct idea of this part is,

tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathī satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā.

Humans are suffering, because of birth and only The Lord buddha saw the right path to end of suffering, and with heart-full compassion to others who suffer not only the Humans all beings in worlds, Lord Buddha teaches the way to end of suffering.

Upvote:1

"Divine" has its roots in the gods, the "devas". However, the Buddha declares this about gods:

AN8.29:1.4: Firstly, a Realized One has arisen in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He teaches the Dhamma leading to peace, extinguishment, awakening, as proclaimed by the Holy One.

Indeed, being reborn as a divine god is not so fortunate:

AN8.29:4.2: But a person has been reborn in one of the long-lived orders of gods. This is the fourth lost opportunity.

Because of this, we must be careful in choosing adjectives used for gods and for the Buddha. A human life is the best opportunity to study the Dhamma fully.

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