Wednesday, October 7, 2009

SAUNDARANANDA 14.36: Physically Being There & Watching Out --> No Worries

dvaar'-aadhyakSha iva dvaari
yasya praNihitaa smRtiH
dharShayanti na taM doShaaH
puraM guptam iv' aarayaH

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14.36
When a man is like a gatekeeper at his gate,

His mindfulness directed,

The faults do not venture to attack him,

Any more than enemies do a guarded city.


COMMENT:
The primary task of a gatekeeper might be simply to be there, physically present, at his gate. His main secondary task might be to pay attention, to remain on the look out for trouble. If he gives himself properly to those two tasks, who or what is going to bother him?

On the surface there is no obvious connection to the Zen teaching of Master Dogen, who wrote of sitting with body, sitting with mind, and sitting as body and mind dropping off.

EH Johnston:
The man, whose attention is directed towards the door (of his actions) like a doorkeeper towards his door, is not molested by the vices, any more than a guarded town is attacked by its foes.

Linda Covill:
When mindfulness is in place like a gatekeeper at his gateway, then the faults cannot violate you, as enemies dare not attack a well-guarded city.


VOCABULARY:
dvaara: n. door , gate , passage , entrance ; way, means
adhyakSha: mfn. perceptible to the senses , observable ; exercising supervision; m. an eye-witness ; m. an inspector , superintendent
dvaar'-aadhyakShaH (nom. sg. m.): a gatekeeper
iva: like
dvaari = loc. sg. of dvaar: f. gate , door , entrance or issue , fig. expedient , means , opportunity

yasya (gen.): of whom, whose
praNihitaa (f.): laid on , imposed , applied ; put down ; outstretched , stretched forth ; directed towards , fixed upon (loc.); one who has his thoughts concentrated on one point , intent upon (loc.); prudent , cautious , wary ; resolved , determined
smRtiH (nom. sg.): f. remembrance, mindfulness, etc.

dharShayanti (3rd pers. pl. caus. of dhRSh): they venture on attacking ;
na: not
tam (acc.): him
doShaaH (nom. pl.): faults

puram (acc.): n. a fortress , castle , city , town
gupta: mfn. protected , guarded
iva: like
arayaH = nom. pl. of ari: m. an enemy

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