Akalika in The Buddhist Canon

AKLIKA IN THE BUDDHIST CANON
JOHANNES BRONKHORST
(published in: Studien zur Indologie und Iranistik 10 (1984 [1985]), pp. 187-190)
Aklika in the Buddhist canon*
The word aklika as it occurs in the early Buddhist scriptures is translated immediate, present, at hand (CPD), immediate, not dependent on lapse of time (BHSD), not delayed, immediate, in this world (PTSD, s.v. klika), without delay, immediate (Childers), etc. The Pli commentaries (e.g., Vism 216; Nidd II. 52, 267; Pj II. 456, 605; etc.) support this interpretation. The present article is meant to investigate if this interpretation fits the contexts in which the word occurs, and if a better interpretation may be possible. The contexts of aklika in the early Buddhist scriptures are few. In the Pli texts it occurs as a rule in apposition with the words dhamma, sandihika, ehipassika, or just
dhamma, ehipassika (PTC); also with sandihika, ehipassika (SN IV. 339; AN I. 221; II. 198). Minor variations occur, such as brahmacariya sandihika aklika (Sn 567 = MN II. 146 = Th 837), dhammena dihena aklikena (SN II. 58-59; IV. 328). Similarly in the Sanskrit Mahvastu (III. 200) aklika comes in a sequence with dharmavinaya, sdika, ehipayika. Regarding the meanings of sdika / sandihika and ehipayika / ehipassika there is little doubt. The former means visible, of the present (life) and recalls the oft-recurring phrase de dharme / dihe va dhamme in the present life. The latter means that invites (every man) to come and see (BHSD). Both these terms therefore emphasize that the aim of the teaching of the Buddha can be attained in this life. Since aklika must be more or less synonymous with these two words,1 [188] the usual interpretation does not fit well. I propose the translation not connected with death. kla carries the meaning death, and is often used in this sense in the Buddhist scriptures, esp. together with the root k and its derivatives. There is a priori much to support this interpretation of the term aklika. We know that Buddhism arose in surroundings where different ways of salvation competed with each other. The Buddhist scriptures often criticize these alternative ways, and in particular dedicate much space to the criticism of the Jainas (nigaha). Of the Jainas we know that they expected liberation in the case of those who were qualified for it to take place at the moment of death (Schubring, 1935: 206-07), and there is reason to suppose that others too accepted this
I am indebted to the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.) for financial assistance. 1 SN IV. 41 and AN I. 157 seem to give the phrase sandihiko dhammo akliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccatta veditabbo vihi as an extended version of just sandihiko dhammo, thus again suggesting that all these adjectives are more or less synonymous. AN I. 158 has the same with nibbna instead of dhammo. Coomaraswamys (1939: 117 f.) proposal to understand the doctrine (dhamma) to be both here and now (dihe dhamme) and not in time (aklika) is not convincing.
position (Bronkhorst, 1986). Buddhism differed in preaching liberation in life, not at death; the three attributes which we study, among them aklika, emphasize this. There are tow, and as far as I know only two, passages in the Buddhist canon2 where the context allows us to determine the meaning of aklika; in both these passages which are virtually identical in the parts which concern our problem this word is understood in the sense not connected with death. SN I. 8-12 (Samiddhi Sutta; no. 1.2.10) describes the discussion between a god (devat) and Samiddhi, a Buddhist monk; in SN I. 117-18 (Sambahul Sutta; no. 4.3.1) the discussion takes place between Mra in the form of a Brahman and a group of monks. The word kla is often used in the discussion, in both its senses time and death, and there is consequently much play on words. I give the important parts of the Samiddhi Sutta. The god advises Samiddhi not to turn to begging until he has enjoyed life, in order that kla here obviously time may not pass him by. Samiddhi replies: I do not know your kla; kla is hidden, is not seen. Therefore I beg without having enjoyed [life], in order that kla may not pass me by. (kla voha na jnmi / channo klo na dissati // tasm abhutv bhikkhmi / m ma klo upaccagti.) Here kla refers to death.3 The god then urges Samiddhi: Enjoy the human pleasures, do not pursue what is klika, abandoning what is sandihika. (bhuja bhikkhu mnusake kme [189] msandihika hitv klikam anudhv ti) Samiddhi replies: Not indeed do I pursue what is klika, abandoning what is sandihika. Rather, I pursue what is sandihika, abandoning what is klika. For pleasures have been said to be klika by the Exalted One, This doctrine (dhamma) [on the other hand] is sandihika, aklika, ehipassika. (na khvha vuso sandihika hitv klika anudhvmi / klika ca khvha vuso hitv sandihikam anudhvmi / klik hi vuso km vutt / sandihiko aya dhammo akliko ehipassiko /.) It seems clear that Samiddhi turns the tables on his opponent by taking kla in the sense death rather than time. Pleasures now become klika connected with death,4 and the teaching of the Buddha is aklika not connected with death.
2 3
I exclude late works like the Niddesa. This was recognized earlier, e.g. by Rhys Davids (1917: 15 n. 1), Geiger (1930: 15 n. 1), and indeed the Pli commentary (Spk I. 40). 4 Later on in the same sutta the Buddha utters some obscure stanzas, the first of which may here have to be interpreted in the light of this conversation. It reads: akkheyyasaino satt, akkheyyasmi patihit / akkheyyam apariya, yogam yanti maccuno //. I tentatively propose the following translation: Beings form conceptions of what is to be expressed (by words like kla), they base themselves on what is to be expressed (by such words). When they do not understand what is to be expressed (by kla etc.), they come under the yoke of death (maccu).
REFERENCES Bronkhorst, Johannes: 1986, The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden. (Alt- und Neu-Indische Studien, 28.) Coomaraswamy, Ananda K.: 1939, Some Pli words. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 4, 116-90. Geiger, Wilhelm (tr.): 1930, Sayutta-Nikya. Erster Band. Mnchen Neubiberg: BenaresVerlag. Rhys Davids, C. A. F. (tr.): 1917, The Book of the Kindred Sayings (Sayutta-Nikya). Part I. London New York Toronto Melbourne Bombay: Oxford University Press. (Pali Text Society Translation Series, No. 7.) Schubring, Walther: 1935, Die Lehre der Jainas, nach den alten Quellen dargestellt. Berlin Leipzig: Walter de Gruyter.
ABBREVIATIONS (Abbreviations of Pli works as in CPD) BHSD Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary, by Frankling Edgerton. New Haven: Yale University Press. 1953. Childers A Dictionary of the Pali Language, by Robert Caesar Childers. London: Trbner & Co. 1875. CPD A Critical Pli Dictionary, begun by V. Trenckner. Published by the Royal Danish Academy. Copenhagen, 1924 f, Mahvastu Mahvastu, ed. by Senart. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale. 1882-97. PTC Pli Tipiakam Concordance, listed by F. L. Woodward, E. M. Hare and others. London: Luzac. 1952 f. PTSD The Pali Text Societys Pali-English Dictionary, edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede. Chipstead, Surrey. 1925.

Akalika in The Buddhist Canon

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Akalika in The Buddhist Canon

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Akalika in The Buddhist Canon

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AKLIKA IN THE BUDDHIST CANON

Aklika in the Buddhist canon*

AKLIKA IN THE BUDDHIST CANON

AKLIKA IN THE BUDDHIST CANON

You might also like