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This is why religion is so messed up

It's fascinating to study how different people make different interpretations of the same words in sanskrit. Specifically the first verse of the Isha ipanishad, which reads (in sanskrit):
īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam ||

Many have read and trust the interpretations of Eaknath Easwaran - an Indian-born spiritual teacher, author, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian religious texts. This is his english translation:
The Lord is enshrined in the hearts of all.
The Lord is the supreme reality.
Rejoice in him through renunciation.
Covet nothing. All belongs to the Lord.

However, some read it a little different. For example ... Prof. Ralph T.H. Griffith of Queen's College renders it as such:
Enveloped by the Lord must be This All each thing that moves on earth.
With that renounced enjoy thyself.
Covet no wealth of any man.

The mantra written of the section reads:
Whatever there is changeful in this ephemeral world, all that must be enveloped by the Lord.
By this renunciation, support yourself.
Do not covet the wealth of anyone.

These 3 renditions of the same few sentences illustrate how different translations also signal a chance for different interpretations. In some cases MUCH different. Mr. Easwaran's version seems to limit the Lord's reach. While Prof. Griffith's seems to open the Lord up to all things that move. All living things.
But the mantra refers heavily to the nature of change - making the Lord a causal agent of change. Each of these versions supports a different interpretation of the theoretical physics universe.

So different views supported purely by differing interpretations of the same words. This is why studying a different belief set is so hard. What you read genuinely puts you in potentially different paths of understanding and practice. I try to find a blended view that meets all. But that's not always possible.

namaste

JeffMesser 8 Feb 10
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3 comments

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Everything we read we fit into our previous thought system—our world view. Some ideas resonate. They are understandable and meaningful because they mesh with what we know. Some of our ideas and concepts are buried in the subconscious, but when we see them articulated we have an ah-hah moment.

If an idea clashes with what we think we know we are likely to reject it. Sometimes a radical new thought will expand our understanding if we allow it to through repeated contemplation

Usually some scripture like the Upanishads will be accompanied by commentary, and even commentary about the commentary. Sometimes I look at all that and think the the commenters are off track and are missing the essential higher meaning.

A translator can not but help but put some of her own opinions into a translation. I think that you are smart to read several interpretations. A good option might be to publish a book with each passage as translated by several noted scholars. No commentary should be needed.

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The same phenomenon occurred with the King James Bible. They included not only language experts but, Christian Church leaders when rendering their interpretation of the text. The result was an interpretation which was consistent with contemporary church dogma. Today the KJB is not considered to be very accurate, but is still the most popular. Objective interpretation from disinterested scholars (usually secular agnostics or atheists) should be the gold standard of exegesis scriptural interpretation.

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You also have to ask yourself how many translators and editors are lost in the past before the earliest version we have.

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