restraint

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altar
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restraint

Post by altar »

what is the pali for restraint?

in english i've come up with one alternative: moderation
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Sam Vara
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Re: restraint

Post by Sam Vara »

Saṃvara
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Dhammarakkhito
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Re: restraint

Post by Dhammarakkhito »

oh ... sam vara, saṁvara -- i see
"Just as the ocean has a single taste — that of salt — in the same way, this Dhamma-Vinaya has a single taste: that of release."
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Sam Vara
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Re: restraint

Post by Sam Vara »

Dhammarakkhito wrote: Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:30 am oh ... sam vara, saṁvara -- i see
:thumbsup:
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TamHanhHi
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Re: restraint

Post by TamHanhHi »

altar wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:48 pmin english i've come up with one alternative: moderation
I don't think moderation is the best alternative. That implies a little of something is okay. But in the case of restraint, you're totally keeping something out, protecting. For example, restraint of the senses refers to guarding your sense doors so that unskillful qualities don't invade your mind.

Maybe caution or (self)control is better?
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
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Sam Vara
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Re: restraint

Post by Sam Vara »

TamHanhHi wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:24 pm
altar wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:48 pmin english i've come up with one alternative: moderation
I don't think moderation is the best alternative. That implies a little of something is okay. But in the case of restraint, you're totally keeping something out, protecting. For example, restraint of the senses refers to guarding your sense doors so that unskillful qualities don't invade your mind.

Maybe caution or (self)control is better?
:thumbsup:

I think "prudence", "circumspection" and "continence" are, although not exact synonyms, worth thinking about.
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pitakele
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Re: restraint

Post by pitakele »

altar wrote: Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:48 pm what is the pali for restraint?

in english i've come up with one alternative: moderation
As others have posted, 'samvara' is the correct translation for restraint in Pali. In English, we could use 'moderate use' in the same sense as 'restrained use'. However, moderation in Pali is generally a separate term, 'mattaññū' - knower (ñū) of the (right) measure (matta). An oft used phrase is 'bhojane mattaññū', knower of the (right) measure in taking food. 'Mattaññū' is used in conjunction with other activities such as talking, exertion etc.
aniccā vata saṇkhārā - tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho
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altar
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Re: restraint

Post by altar »

thx
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Re: restraint

Post by paul »

Due to the large quantities of rice offered, one of the Sinhala words I quickly learned when staying at a large monastery in Sri Lanka was "atthi" (enough), being an evolution of the Pali matta.
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