Source of quotation from Buddhaghosa about Buddha being trackless
Upvote:3
Radhakrishnan is not a wholly reliable guide to the Dhammapada. One must read him with care. The Pāḷi is
Kena padenāti yassa hi rāgapadādīsu ekapadampi atthi, taṃ tumhe tena padena nessatha. Buddhassa pana ekapadampi natthi, taṃ apadaṃ buddhaṃ tumhe kena padena nessatha. Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā, 3.196.
It's from Buddhaghosa's commentary on the Dhammapada (Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā). This section comments on the words "by what pada" (kena padena). My rough translation is:
If he has even one from amongst the padas such as desire (rāga), then he can be led by that pada. But the Buddha has not even one of them, the Buddha is without a pada, there is no pada by which you can lead him.
The question then is what pada means here. If we read this along with Dhp 180 then it becomes clear that pada means desire etc (rāgapadādi). And it seems to me that "track" is a poor translation of pada here. It does not convey that in this context pada is referring to desire etc. I suggest that "sign" is somewhat better, but that even this is less than entirely satisfactory. Only the context can help us in this case.
In what sense craving is a "path" or a "track" or even a "sign" is moot. But then these verses are rather esoteric and a simple answer might be misleading anyway.
More post
- 📝 Is Intention a sankhara?
- 📝 Mental Release from Breath Versus Metta
- 📝 What is the goal of Meditation- is it increasing the gap?
- 📝 Scientific approach of Kamma
- 📝 Looking for a book that covers the biography of the Buddha's life
- 📝 Does the "nature" of a person move with her to the next life?
- 📝 Qualitative Benefit of Longer Sits
- 📝 Pushing onself too much?
- 📝 Is there any such thing as a bad meditation?
- 📝 If that which is aware of fear is not fearful then isn't that which is aware of happiness not happy?
- 📝 Does anyone recognise this haiku?
- 📝 Found items and the Second Precept
- 📝 Other than physical form which characteristics define a woman?
- 📝 How to learn to trust one's fundamental goodness?
- 📝 What is the correct definition for Mindfulness?
- 📝 Buddhist perspective on uncertainty
- 📝 What do different schools of Buddhism say about Mara
- 📝 Why choose to attain Nirvana when we can become Brahmas (or Bodhisattvas)?
- 📝 Questions about strong acceptance of rebirth?
- 📝 What is the deal with "instant" Karma?
- 📝 Looking for a quote by the Buddha
- 📝 Sutra Opening Verse
- 📝 I love life and I don't want to die. How to let go?
- 📝 Ledi Sayadaw Raised a Few Points in Contrary to the Commentaries. What are They?
- 📝 How does Buddhism explains rebirth and law of Karma?
- 📝 Kesi Sutta, what is an untamable person?
- 📝 All about seats
- 📝 How to live life after acknowledging anatta?
- 📝 Is ignorance a kammically active volitional formation, or a kammically passive fruit of past kamma?
- 📝 As per buddism, how is it possible to leave behind my obsession with drugs?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Source of quotation from Buddhaghosa about Buddha being trackless
- 📝 Anesthesia, being knocked out, unconsciousness...what does the Buddha have to say about it?
- 📝 Quotes from the Buddha about sexual desire
- 📝 Would the Buddha Shelter us from being offended?
- 📝 Is there a source for the story about the sun being covered by the cloud?
- 📝 Looking for a reference about the significance of The Buddha being a teacher
- 📝 Looking for the source of a story about the Buddha and a lady who looked the other way
- 📝 How did Buddha's teachings about samsara differ from earlier Indian tradition?
- 📝 What is taught about Buddha nature in Theravada Buddhism?
- 📝 Did the Buddha say anything about attachment to meditation?
- 📝 Did the Buddha ever talk about his family?
- 📝 Where is the story that Buddha was worried about a monk who meditated with a straight back?
- 📝 What did the Buddha say about music?
- 📝 Is Dana (donation) more about detachment from one's possessions & to break one's ego or is it more about helping others?
- 📝 What Gautam Buddha said about "self", in Chapter Three of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra?
- 📝 Did the Buddha have advice about dealing with social anxiety?
- 📝 What does Buddha and Buddhism say about fighting against enemy of dharma?
- 📝 What is the sutra where the Buddha emits fire and water from his body?
- 📝 What are some entertaining/fictional movies, books, etc. about Buddhadharma or Buddha himself?
- 📝 What did the Buddha mean when he spoke about samma samadhi?
- 📝 Iconography in Buddhism - from the Greeks? And why isn't the Buddha bald?
- 📝 What exactly did Lord Buddha say about Size of Atom?
- 📝 Why would the Buddha refrain from instructing?
- 📝 What did the Buddha teach about aliens?
- 📝 If a Buddha exists then can a private buddha arise or exist somewhere in the same world system without having learned from the current Buddha?
- 📝 What did Buddha say about dysfunctional families for novice practitioners?
- 📝 Someone told me Buddha copied almost everything from Brahmanism, how accurate is that?
- 📝 Why did the Buddha contradict about His teachings in these two different suttas?
- 📝 💚What did the Buddha say about courage?
- 📝 Did Shakayamuni Buddha talk about the Trikaya?