Buddhaghosa discusses the meaning of tathaagata, and shows that this compositum can be resolved in different ways.pererin wrote:In his translation and commentary on the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .harv.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), Dr Peter Harvey discusses Tathāgata as follows:
Any thoughts on this?One Who Moves in Reality: Tathāgata is a term for a Buddha. It literally means "Thus-gone" or "Thus-come." What is "thus" is what is real. Translating the term as "One Who Moves in Reality" brings the term alive as referring to person who has awakened to the real nature of things, and experiences things as they really are, most significantly in terms of dukkha, its origination, its cessation, and the way to this.
Metta
Here are some of the options:
1) tathaa (thus) + gata (gone) > thus-gone
2) tathaa (thus) + aagata (come, arrived) > thus-come
These are the usual interpretations. The problem is that they both need some rather fanciful explanations.
3) tatha (reality, truth) + aagata (come, arrived) > the one who has arrived to reality/truth
This alternative, reading tatha (reality, truth), and not tathaa (thus), gives a precise and straightforward description of the Buddha, the Awakened one, the one who has reached or arrived to reality/truth.
Why is this interpretation of Tathaagata never discussed?
Mettaya,
Kåre A. Lie