−−−−¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑−−−¦⏑−⏑−
tāsām-evaṁ-vidhānāṁ vo viyuktānāṁ sva-gocare |
⏑⏑−−¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑−−−¦⏑−⏑−
iyam-evaṁ-vidhā ceṣṭā na tuṣṭo 'smy-ārjavena vaḥ || 4.13
4.13
You being as you
are, like this,
Each set apart in her
own sphere of activity,
This action of yours is
like this –
In you, I am not
satisfied with innocence.
COMMENT:
“Here I am” or “It
is so” mean different things according to whether a child of four
is reading the words aloud, having just become able to read, or
whether a person who has grown old is saying the words as profound
expressions of the truth he has struggled to live by.
Similarly, the unwise
Udāyin in today's verse is complaining about the women's
disinclination to do anything cunning and manipulative, but in so
complaining he is using the very words by which a person who has
truly grown old might praise – in four phases – the ineffable
action of ineffable individuals.
In the first two pādas,
according to Udāyin's intention, tāsām-evaṁ-vidhānāṁ vo
viyuktānāṁ sva-gocare refers to each woman having her own
particular talent, whether it be understanding male psychology, or
flirting, or having a beautiful face or figure, or being deft of
touch with lips or hands, and so on. Whereas in the hidden meaning
the talent under discussion is only the ability to be oneself, as the
individual that one is. Being oneself belongs to the first of four
phases, as something that sounds subjective and abstract. To be set
apart in one's own sphere of activity, at the second phase, is more
individual and concrete.
In the 3rd
pāda, according to Udāyin's intention, again, iyam-evaṁ-vidhā
ceṣṭā is a complaint – “Yet you conduct yourselves like
this!” (PO). Whereas in the hidden meaning the point of
iyam-evaṁ-vidhā ceṣṭā, at the fourth phase, might be to
assert, as Daikan Eno asserted, “This is something coming like
this!” or, in other words, “Here it is, coming like this!” or
“This is something ineffable in the ineffable state of action.”
(See Shobogenzo chap. 29, Inmo, It.)
In the 4th
pāda, when Udāyin says that he is not satisfied with the women's
innocence, he is complaining about what he perceives to be the women's
artlessness or lack of initiative in setting about the task of
seduction that the king has assigned to them. Whereas the hidden meaning of
the 4th pāda might relate to the fact that those who successfully transmit the Buddha's teaching are generally not so innocent but on the contrary are crafty about it, using
indirect means or skillful expedients.
When Aśvaghoṣa signs
himself off at the end of Saundara-nanda, he describes himself, at least as I hear him, with
self-deprecatory humour, as a mahā-kavi, or a “crafty crafter of
epic poetry.” The dictionary defines mahā-kavi as “a great or
classical poet,” but kavi is defined as “gifted with insight,
intelligent, knowing, enlightened, wise , sensible, prudent, skilful,
cunning.” In the context of today's verse, “skilful” and
“cunning,” as opposed to square and innocent, might be the
operative words.
If we ask ourselves why
Aśvaghoṣa's writing is so suffused with irony, the answer might be
hidden in the 4th pāda of today's verse, namely, because
of not being satisfied with innocence.
Speaking of innocence,
“Where am I?” and “How am I?” might be innocent questions. Or
they might not.
“Who am I?” is less
likely to be an innocent question.
“What have I done?”
might be the innocent question of a child.
Less likely to be so is “What the hell have I gone and done now?”
Less likely to be so is “What the hell have I gone and done now?”
At the fourth phase,
despite the best of intentions, human life is liable to be one
mistake after another.
VOCABULARY
tāsām = gen. pl. f.
tad: this, that (sometimes , for the sake of emphasis , connected
with the 1st and 2nd personal pronouns , with other demonstratives
and with relatives e.g. so 'ham , " I that very person , I
myself " ; tāv imau , " those very two " ; tad etad
ākhyānam , " that very tale ")
evaṁ-vidhānām (gen.
pl. f.): mfn. of such a kind , in such a form or manner , such
evam: ind. thus , in
this way , in such a manner , such
vidhā: f. division ,
part , portion ; form , manner , kind , sort (yayā kayā-cid
vidhayā , in whatsoever way , anyhow ; often ifc. ; cf. asmad- evaṁ-
, nānā-vidha &c ); fodder
vaḥ (gen. pl. f.):
of/in you
viyuktānām (gen. pl.
f.): mfn. disjoined , detached , separated or delivered from ,
deprived or destitute of (instr. or comp.)
niyuktānām (gen. pl.
f.): mfn. bound on , bound , chained , fettered ; tied or fastened
or attached or directed to , put or placed or fixed on (loc.) ;
appointed , directed , ordered , commissioned , charged , intrusted
(loc.) ; used or employed for (loc.)
sva-gocare (loc. sg.):
m. one's own sphere or range
go-cara: m. pasture
ground for cattle ; range , field for action; the range of the organs
of sense , object of sense , anything perceptible by the senses ,
esp. the range of the eye
iyam (nom. sg. f.):
this , this here , referring to something near the speaker
evaṁ-vidhā (nom. sg.
f.): mfn. of such a kind , in such a form or manner , such
ceṣṭā (nom. sg.):
f. moving any limb , gesture ; action , activity , effort ,
endeavour , exertion ; behaving , manner of life
na: not
tuṣṭaḥ (nom. sg.
m.): mfn. satisfied , pleased
asmi = 1st
pers. sg. as: to be
āryavena (inst. sg.):
n. honourable behaviour , honesty
ārjavena (inst. sg.):
n. straightness , straight direction ; rectitude , propriety of act
or observance; honesty , frankness , sincerity
vaḥ (gen. pl. f.): of
you
神仙爲之傾
[Relation to Sanskrit
tenuous – may refer back to ṛṣīn in 4.11]
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