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From: simmonds@demon.siemens.com (Tom Simmonds)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: If you meet the Buddha...
Message-ID: <1991Jun6.171947.20579@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 6 Jun 91 17:19:47 GMT
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> dogen@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (John Chq)
>Subject: Re: If you meet the Buddha...

>I certainly agree with your interpretation.  Just a couple of points; the
>word tatha means thus, such, as such.  The word for thusness or suchness
>when refering to Reality is tatha plus an extra ta (long a); Tathata.
>Gata means gone, or arrived.  Hence, the literal translation of tathagata
>is 'the thus-gone', 'thus arrived', or he who has gone thus.  All this
>refers to the person who has gone from samsara to nirvana, in the Theravada
>sense, or the one who has gone from a state of attachment to concepts to
>non-attachment, as you stated above. 

Yes, you're right.  Thanks for the correction.  After I posted that, I
remembered reading about the correct translation somewhere.  I considered
writing a correction to the net, but I didn't think it had any effect on the
meaning of what I wrote, so I didn't bother to do it.  Besides, I kind of like
"Suchness Gate", even though it's not a correct translation of Tathagata.

>I was wondering who or what tradition gave that particular analysis of the
>word "tatha-gata". Many times when doctrines get transplanted terms take on
>a different shade of meaning, especially when Indian Buddhist concepts were
>introduced to China.

It was nothing more than my own mis-translation -
a very loose word-association-connection-contact-sports-football-kick-
rockettes-countdown-liftoff...oops, there I go again!

Thanks again for clearing it up.  As usual, your post was informative and
insightful.
--
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 ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
  ))))))) "True beauty consists in purity of heart." - Mahatma Gandhi ))))))))