Dear @Giuliano,
Much enjoying reading your translation of the Nakulapitāsutta. Just a point on your note 12. (page 84).
12 Manobhāvanīyā: it is probably a wordplay wherein two possible meanings are referred to. It is usually
an appellative for prominent bhikkhus, and appears rarely in the Sutta Piṭaka, like in the
Anāthapiṇḍikovādasutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (CST4 III.387, PTS III.261), where it is translated as
“worthy of esteem” (Ñāṇamoli-Bodhi 2001: 1112). Walshe (1987: 385) translates its occurrence in the
Dīgha Nikāya (CST4 III.49, PTS III.36) with “meditating”. Woodward, translating the identical phrasing in
the Aṅguttara Nikāya (CST4 X.93, PTS V.185), relies on the commentaries and renders manobhāvanīyā
with “who makes the mind to grow” (1972: 127). Likewise, Hare renders the reiterated occurrences of
manobhāvanīya bhikkhu in A CST4 VI.27-28 (PTS III.317-322) with “a monk who is a student of mind” or
“a monk who has made a study of mind” (Hare 1973: 225-227; the footnote 1 at p. 225, reporting the
twofold commentary’s explanations, offers as an alternative translation “worshipful”). In translating the
occurrence of the compound in the Nakulapitāsutta itself, Bhikkhu Bodhi rejects these interpretations
and categorically excludes the meaning of cultivating the mind, i.e. meditating: “Manobhāvanīyā, used
in apposition to bhikkhū, has often been misinterpreted by translators to mean ‘with developed mind.’
However, the expression is a gerundive meaning literally ‘who should be brought to mind’, i.e., who are
worthy of esteem” (Bodhi 2000: 1043, n.2). On the other hand, the Saddanīti accepts both meanings,
the one of paying respect, caring, and in alternative the one of cultivating, developing the mind (Sadd
1556, pp. 555-556)
where you cited Bodhi "In translating the
> occurrence of the compound in the Nakulapitāsutta itself, Bhikkhu Bodhi rejects these interpretations
> and categorically excludes the meaning of cultivating the mind, i.e. meditating: “Manobhāvanīyā, used
> in apposition to bhikkhū, has often been misinterpreted by translators to mean ‘with developed mind.’
> However, the expression is a gerundive meaning literally ‘who should be brought to mind’, i.e., who are
> worthy of esteem (Bodhi 2000: 1043, n.2)"
You omitted the final part of that sentence where he adds
“because the mind (citta) grows in wholesome qualities whenever they are seen.”
So I think ven. Bodhi did include both of the meanings ascribed by the Commentary. He could have been clearer about the two meanings though rather than simpply rejecting some other translations which only give one side… It is much clearer now you listed all these variations.