ร่างคำแปล จูฬสุญญตสูตร เป็นภาษาอังกฤษ

ผมลองแปลดูเล่นๆ ใช้เวลาวันเดียว ได้ร่างหนึ่งออกมา ถ้าท่านใดมีข้อเสนอแนะให้แก้ไข ก็จะยินดีมากครับ เผื่อเป็นประโยชน์กับคนทั่วโลก เพราะรู้สึกว่า ยังไม่มีคนแปลพระสูตรนี้เป็นภาษาอังกฤษ อย่างน้อยก็ในเน็ต เคยหาไว้ไม่มี

Culla-suññatā-sutta

จูฬสุญญตสูตร

The Small Sutra on Sunyata

Keywords: sunyata, sunjata, shunyata, suññatā (Pali). Śūnyatā (Sanskrit), nothingness, voidness, emptiness, ñāṇa, wisdom, liberation, enlightenment, mind

คำหลัก (Thai keywords) : สุญญตา ศูนยตา อากาสานัญจายตนะ วิญญานัญจายตนะ อากิญจัญญายตนะ เนวสัญญานาสัญญายตนะ เจโตสมาธิ สุญญตสมาบัติ สุญญตวิหารธรรม บุพพาราม สาวัตถี พระสูตร สุตตันตปิฎก พระอานนท์ พระผู้มีพระภาค

Translated into English from Thai language Suttapiṭaka, vol. 6, by Burachai Sonthayanon, Ph.D.

document version: 1.0 August 6, 2013, B.E. 2556

จาก พระสุตตันตปิฎก ฉบับภาษาไทย เล่ม ๖ มัชฌิมนิกาย อุปริปัณณาสก์

แปลเป็นภาษาอังกฤษโดย บุรชัย สนธยานนท์ ร่างแปลที่ ๑

Notice: This is a draft translation aiming to facilitate learning and understanding of practical Buddhism among international people. If you have comment or suggestion for improvement / corrections, please write to [email protected]

This documents contains information from 2 stages of translation (i.e. from Pali to Thai, then from Thai to English), therefore, it is advisable that one should also look at original Pali texts of the Buddhist Scripture (Tipitaka) for exact wording and alternative interpretation.

Numbers inside square brackets in front of many paragraphs indicated the paragraph numbers in the a respective volume of the Thai Sutta Tipitaka.

Explanations, translation of Pali terms, alternative terms, my interpretation and comments are given in parentheses.

[333] Thus I (Ananda) have heard.

One day, the Blessed One (Buddha, Bhagavā) stayed at a 'castle' (pāsāda) built by the premier female layperson supporter, Visakha Mikara-Mata (Viśākhā Migāramāta), at Bupparam Vihara (Eastern monastery, which has a building built as a residence for the Buddha called Migāramātupāsāda), in the perimeter of Sāvatthī city (or Sravasti). That day, Ananda (his cousin and aide monk) came out from seclusion in late afternoon, then went to see the Buddha as his residence. After paying respect to the Great Teacher, he sat at suitable place on one side. Once seated, he asked the Buddha as followed.

“Respectable Lord, at one time when the Buddha stayed at a Sakya's village called Nagaraka, in the territory of Sakya (or Śākya). There, I heard your saying that 'So far, I have mostly stayed with suññatā-vihara-dhamma'.”

“My Lord, is that what I heard well, received well, attended to it well, and memorized it well?”

(suññatā-vihara-dhamma = a condition when the mind is 'resided' with suññatā; suññatā = voidness or emptiness)

[334] The Buddha said, “Well, Ananda. Certainly, you have heard it well, received accurately, well attended, well memorized. Look Ananda, both in the past and at the present, I have stayed mostly with suññatā-vihara-dhamma.”

“In analogy to this castle of Visakha Mikara-Mata, which is vacant of elephant, ox, horse, mule, free of gold and silver, void of gathering of female and male laypeople, the only thing not absent from it is the monks. Similarly, well Ananda, to a bhikkhu (monk), when he does not think of home, not think of human beings, only perceive the forest (which surrounding him), his mind would move, incline, establish (separation of a sensed-object from the observe, mind), and tend to hold forest in the memory (sañña). They thus clearly realized that, in the perception / cognition of the forest, there is neither anxiety attached like the case with the perception of home, nor the perception of human beings. He clearly knows that what is not vacant is only (a small) anxiety on the perception of forest. In this manner, he can ponder and see the voidness of things that is absent from the memory. And clearly he knows what is remained in the memory as still present. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to (a degree of) voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with (a degree of) purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[335] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of human, does not pay attention to perception of forest, only singly to the perception of earth,”

(earth = paṭhavī, i.e. particulate materials that could be physically sensed, but possibly in this context as an image object (clay slab) for a Kasiṇa meditation, widely practiced by Buddhist monks)

“his mind would move, incline, establish, and tend to think of paṭhavī in the memory. In analogy to a piece of ox's skin, stretched by 100 poles (around it), would be free of wrinkles, as such. Look Ananda, that is similar to the case of paṭhavī, although the earth has different plane levels, contains rivers, streams, full of thorny stubs, has mountains and rough terrains, all those, they just paid attention singly to the perception of paṭhavī, his mind would clearly realized that, in the perception of paṭhavī, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of human beings, nor the perception of the forest. He clearly knows that what is not vacant is only anxiety on the paṭhavī. In this manner, he can ponder and see the voidness for the lack of perceptions of human beings, lack of perception of forest in the memory. And he clearly knows what remained in the memory is the perception of paṭhavī as still present. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to (a degree of) voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[336] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of paṭhavī, only singly to the perception of open-air (ākāsānañcāyatana, the sphere of unbound space), his mind would move, incline, establish, and tend to think of ākāsānañcāyatana in the memory. They just paid attention singly to the perception of ākāsānañcāyatana, his mind would clearly realized that, in the perception of ākāsānañcāyatana, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of forest, nor the perception of paṭhavī. Clearly know that what is not vacant is only anxiety on the ākāsānañcāyatana. In this manner, he can ponder and see the voidness for the lack of perceptions of forest, lack of perception of paṭhavī in the memory. And clearly knows what remained in the memory is the perception of ākāsānañcāyatana as still present. In this manner, he considers the voidness of what is not in the memory. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[337] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of paṭhavī, not paying attention to the open-air (ākāsānañcāyatana), his mind pay attention onto to viññāṇañcāyatana (the Realm of Infinity of Consciousness). His mind would move, inclined, established, and tend to think of viññāṇañcāyatana in the memory. His mind would clearly realized that, in the perception of viññāṇañcāyatana, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of paṭhavī, nor the perception of ākāsānañcāyatana. Clearly know that what is not vacant is only anxiety on the viññāṇañcāyatana. In this manner, he can ponder and see the voidness for the lack of perceptions of paṭhavī, lack of perception of ākāsānañcāyatana in the memory. And clearly knows what remained in the memory is the perception of viññāṇañcāyatana as still present. In this manner, he considers the voidness of what that is not in the memory. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[338] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of the open-air (ākāsānañcāyatana), not paying attention to the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) , his mind pays attention onto to ākiñcaññāyatana (the Realm of Nothingness). His mind would move, inclined, established, and tend to think of ākiñcaññāyatana in the memory. His mind would clearly realized that, in the perception of ākiñcaññāyatana, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of ākāsānañcāyatana, nor the perception of viññāṇañcāyatana. Clearly know that what is not vacant is only anxiety on the ākiñcaññāyatana. In this manner, he can ponder and see the voidness for the lack of perceptions of ākāsānañcāyatana, lack of perception of viññāṇañcāyatana in the memory. And clearly knows what remained in the memory is the perception of ākiñcaññāyatana as still present. In this manner, he considers the voidness of what that is not in the memory. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[339] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana), not attention to the ākiñcaññāyatana, his mind pays attention onto to nevasaññānāsaññāyatana (the Realm of Perception nor Non-perception). His mind would move, inclined, established, and tend to think of nevasaññānāsaññāyatana in the memory. His mind would clearly realized that, in the perception of nevasaññānāsaññāyatana, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of viññāṇañcāyatana, nor the perception of ākiñcaññāyatana. Clearly know that what is not vacant is only anxiety on the ākiñcaññāyatana. In this manner, they can ponder and see the voidness for the lack of perceptions of viññāṇañcāyatana, lack of perception of ākiñcaññāyatana in the memory. And clearly know what remained in the memory is the perception of nevasaññānāsaññāyatana as still present. In this manner, they consider the voidness of what that is not in the memory. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu”

[340] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of the the realm of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana), not attention to the Realm of Perception nor Non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana), his mind pays attention onto to cetosamādhi (mental concentration) without any signifier (nimitta). His mind would move, inclined, established, and tend to think of cetosamādhi without any signifier in the memory. His mind would clearly realized that, in this cetosamādhi, there is no anxiety attached like the case with the perception of ākiñcaññāyatana, nor the perception of nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. There was only anxiety on the arisen of the 6 āyatana (6 āyatana = saḷāyatana = perception channels, i.e. eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) which reside on this body, because of birth. He clearly knows that the perception is free from ākiñcaññāyatana and of nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. And clearly knows what is not void is the arisen of the 6 āyatana (saḷāyatana) because of life. In this manner, he considers the voidness with what is absent in the cetosamādhi. and clearly knows what remained in the cetosamādhi as still present. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[341] “Behold Ananda, there is more. When bhikkhu does not pay attention to perception of the the realm of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana), not attention to the Realm of Perception nor Non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana), his mind pays attention onto to cetosamādhi (mental concentration) without any signifier (nimitta). His mind would move, inclined, established, and tend to think of cetosamādhi without any signifier. He clearly knows that even this cetosamādhi without signifier can still be adjusted by factors, can be influenced. That anything that can be adjusted, attracted, is impermanent, must end as norm, When he knows this, (his) mind would be free of kāmāsāva, bhavasāva, even avijjāsāva. When the mind is liberated, there existed a wisdom (ñāṇa) that it has been freed, realizing that (future) birth is no more, life of study as monk (in Buddhist sense) is fulfilled, the act (study) that should be done is finished, other acts for this purpose are no more. He thus clearly knows that in this wisdom (ñāṇa) there is no anxiety that depends on kāmāsāva, bhavasāva, avijjāsāva. There is only anxiety that relies on arisen of the 6 ayayata, which relies on this body, based on life as cause. He clearly knows that this sanna (perception) is free from bhavasāva, and avijjāsāva. Clearly what is not void is the birth of 6 ayayatna, that depends on this body, based on life as cause. In this manner, he thus consider and see voidness with what is absent in the cetosamādhi and clearly knows that things left in the cetosamādhi is present. Look Ananda, even that is the case, it is an access to voidness, as a matter of fact, not mistaken, with purity, of that bhikkhu.”

[342] “Look Ananda, any samaṇa (shramana) or brahmin of any groups in the past, who had accessed the pure and best voidness meditative attainment (suññatā samāpatti), which is incomparable of all, had accessed to this pure and best voidness attainment. Any samaṇa or brahmin of any groups in the future, who will access the pure and best voidness attainment of all, will have accessed this pure and best voidness attainment. Any samaṇa or brahmin of any groups at the present time, who access the pure and best voidness attainment of all, thus accessed this pure and best voidness attainment. Look Ananda, as such, your group do study (and keep in mind) that we will access the pure and best voidness meditative attainment.”

After the Buddha has stated these wise words, Ananda was pleased with the Buddha's teaching. (Ananda has memorized them along the way.)

End of Culla-suññatā-sutta.

[บุรชัย]

ขอบคุณท่านที่ให้ดอกไม้เป็นกำลังใจครับ

ดีใจว่า มีหลายท่านคงเห็นว่างานนี้น่าจะเป็นประโยชน์บ้าง ผมว่า แปลจากภาษาไทยไปนี่ เป็นการแปลจากความเข้าใจของเราคนไทย ก็น่าจะให้ความเข้าใจอีกแบบ สำนวนคงต่างไปจากแปลภาษาบาลีแบบวิชาการ หรือสำนวนอังกฤษโบราณ ไม่เสียหายอะไร เพราะที คัมภีร์วิมุติมรรค เราก็ยังแปลมาจากภาษาอังกฤษ และแปลต่อมาจากภาษาจีนอีกที เพราะต้นฉบับเดิมภาษาสันสกฤตไม่หลงเหลืออยู่แล้ว คงโดนกองทัพมุสลิมเตอร์กเผาหมดไปตั้งแต่สมัยมหาวิทยาลัยนาลันทาโดนเผาทำลาย

อันที่จริง บางคนก็อาจจะไม่เข้าใจ ว่าทำไม ฝรั่งยังไม่มีใครแปลไว้หรือ ? 

จริงๆ แล้วงานแปลของ สมาคมบาลีปกรณ์ (The Pali Text Society) ก็น่าจะมี แปลจากบาลีเป็นอังกฤษโดยตรง แต่เป็นสำนวนแปลเมื่อร้อยปีมาแล้ว และเข้าไม่ถึงได้ด้วย online 

งานของท่าน Nyanamoli ที่แปล และต่อมา ดัดแปลงแก้ไข เรียบเรียงใหม่โดยท่าน Khantipalo ก็มีบางส่วน แต่ไม่รู้ว่าแปลพระสูตรนี้ไว้บ้างหรือเปล่า มีเป็นหนังสือ คนไม่ค่อยอ่าน หรือหาอ่านยาก ผมเองก็มีที่บ้าน (แต่ก็ยังไม่ได้ฤกษ์เริ่มอ่าน)

เมื่อเร็วๆ นี้เห็นหนังสือของท่าน Bhikkhu Bodhi พระนักปรัชญาชาวอเมริกัน ท่านเขียนแปลพระสูตรออกมาด้วย เป็นหนังสือ เพิ่งออกมา ยังไม่ได้ซื้อมาดู ว่างๆ จะไปซื้อมาจากคิโนะคุนิยะ