Samma

[adosa]

Hello,

In regards to let's say the Noble Eight-fold Path, is it proper to interpret Samma as "Harmonious"? It seems the stock interpretation is always "Right" which is I'm sure has its merits but "Harmonious" for me brings a more subtle depth to the meaning. But is this right?

Any thoughts?

Thanks.


adosa

[Virgo]

Hello,

In regards to let's say the Noble Eight-fold Path, is it proper to interpret Samma as "Harmonious"? It seems the stock interpretation is always "Right" which is I'm sure has its merits but "Harmonious" for me brings a more subtle depth to the meaning. But is this right?

Any thoughts?

Thanks.


adosa

I like Right. There is Right Understanding and Wrong Understanding. For example, understanding that kamma has affects if part of Right Understanding. Harmonious doesn't sound right to me there. Harmony is good, but Right may go against the popular belief, so I think 'Right' works better.

Kevin

[bodom]

Harmonious isn't too far off from what samma actually implies, which is "completion", "togetherness", or "coherence" and can also mean "perfect" or "ideal". I like the translations "skillful" and "unskillful" as well.

[Goofaholix]

Hello,

In regards to let's say the Noble Eight-fold Path, is it proper to interpret Samma as "Harmonious"? It seems the stock interpretation is always "Right" which is I'm sure has its merits but "Harmonious" for me brings a more subtle depth to the meaning. But is this right?

I'd say harmonious is definately much more in the spirit of the meaning. "Right" appeals too much to a judeo-christian black and white outlook on things. Bodoms synonyms are good too.

You want your practise to be in harmony with dhamma, rather than puffed up with the feeling of being "right" while those others not practising the dhamma are "wrong".

[Kim OHara]

When I went looking for translations a couple of years ago I found right, whole/complete, perfect, ideal, appropriate and harmonious.
As far as I can see, no single translation is samma.

Kim

[yuttadhammo]

Hello,

In regards to let's say the Noble Eight-fold Path, is it proper to interpret Samma as "Harmonious"? It seems the stock interpretation is always "Right" which is I'm sure has its merits but "Harmonious" for me brings a more subtle depth to the meaning. But is this right?

I'd say harmonious is definately much more in the spirit of the meaning. "Right" appeals too much to a judeo-christian black and white outlook on things. Bodoms synonyms are good too.

You want your practise to be in harmony with dhamma, rather than puffed up with the feeling of being "right" while those others not practising the dhamma are "wrong".

Except that "right" is pretty much the meaning of the word... sammaa is in contrast with micchaa which just means "wrong". If you are into interpretive translation, power to you, but sammaa really does just mean "right". Do you think it's really the case that by calling something "right", people will necessarily become puffed up over it? I would have thought there were other reasons for that... Personally, I find "right" to be much easier to understand and appreciate than "harmonious", the latter requiring more ratiocination than I am prepared for. Like, "harmonious mindfulness"? "Harmonious concentration"? Maybe it's just me

asāre sāramatino, sāre cāsāradassino.
te sāraṃ nādhigacchanti, micchāsaṅkappagocarā.

sārañca sārato ñatvā, asārañca asārato.
te sāraṃ adhigacchanti, sammāsaṅkappagocarā.

Dhp. 12, 13

[DNS]

I always liked the translation as "Right" too. But of the other translations, "Harmonious" seems to be very good too. The only teacher-translator that I know of that uses Harmonious is my teacher, Bhante Madawela Punnaji and he is much smarter and wiser than me.