Monday, May 27, 2013

BUDDHACARITA 5.73 More Equine Reflections

pratata-trika-puccha-mūla-pārṣṇiṁ nibhtaṁ hrasva-tanūja-prṣṭha-karṇam |
vinat'-onnata-pṣṭha-kukṣi-pārśvaṁ vipula-protha-lalāṭa-kaṭy-uraskam || 5.73

His tail, supports, and heels formed spreading triangles;

The mane around his crown and ears was closely cropped,
in an unassuming manner;

The curves of his back, belly and sides
wound downward and wound upward;

His horse's nostrils expanded, 
as did his forehead, hips and chest.

On the basis of my own base of spreading triangles formed by sacrum and tail-bone, by ischial tuberosities, by knees, and by heels, I think I know what kind of horse the ancient Indian horse-whisperer Aśva-ghoṣa had in mind in his description of this particular aśva.

Who is master and who is servant?
Who is teacher and who is student?
No. Fuck master, teacher, student, servant.
Who is helping who? 
Who is deeply knowing who? 

Iron men of Zen just sit; 
they do not meditate on mandalas.
When they die they leave nothing behind. 

What a master deeply knows. 
What a horse commands. 

pratata-trika-puccha-mūla-pārṣṇim (acc. sg. m.): with tail, feet and heels forming spreading triads
pratata: mfn. (pra- √tan, to spread) spread over , diffused , covered , filled
trika: mfn. triple , threefold , forming a triad; n. the loins , regio sacra , hips ; (also " the part between the shoulder-blades ") [EHJ: chine]
puccha: mn. a tail , the hinder part ; [EHJ: rump]
mūla: n. " firmly fixed " , a root (of any plant or tree ; but also fig. the foot or lowest part or bottom of anything) [EHJ: fetlocks (?) ]
pārṣṇi: f. the heel ; the extremity of the fore-axle to which the outside horses of a four-horse chariot are attached (the two inner horses being harnessed to the dhur , or chariot-pole) ; the rear of an army (°ṇim √ grah with gen. , to attack in the rear) ; the back ; a kick

nibhṛtam (acc. sg. m.): mfn. borne or placed down , hidden , secret; nearly set (as the moon) ; fixed , settled , decided ; attached , faithful ; still , silent ; quiet , humble , modest , mild , gentle ; free from passions , undisturbed ; n. humility , modesty
hrasva-tanūja-pṛṣṭha-karṇam (acc. sg. m.): the upper side and ears with short plumage
nibhṛta-hrasva-tanūja-pṛṣṭha-karṇam [EHJ] (acc. sg. m.): with crown and ears whose mane was modestly short
nibhṛta: modest
hrasva: short , small , dwarfish , little
tanū-ja: mfn. produced or born on or from the body ; belonging to the person ; n. the plumage , wing ; m. a son
pṛṣṭha: n. n. (prob. fr. pra-stha , " standing forth prominently ") the back (as the prominent part of an animal) , the hinder part or rear of anything ; the upper side , surface , top , height
puccha [EHJ]: mn. a tail , the hinder part
karṇa: m. the ear

vinat'-onnata-pṛṣṭha-kukṣi-pārśvam (acc. sg. m.): with back, belly, and sides curving down and up
vinata: mfn. bent , curved , bent down , bowed , stooping , inclined , sunk down , depressed , deepened; humble, modest
unnata: mfn. bent or turned upwards , elevated , lifted up , raised , high , tall , prominent , projecting , lofty ; (figuratively) high , eminent , sublime , great , noble ; having a large hump , humpbacked (as a bull)
pṛṣṭha: n. the back (as the prominent part of an animal) , the hinder part or rear of anything
kukṣi: m. the belly , cavity of the abdomen
pārśva: side

vipula-protha-lalāṭa-kaṭy-uraskam (acc. sg. m.): with large nostrils, brow, buttocks and breast
protha: mn. the nostrils of a horse
lalāṭa: n. the forehead , brow
kaṭi: f. the hip , buttocks
uraska: ifc. = úras n. the chest , breast , bosom

高翠長髦尾 局背短毛耳
鹿腹鵝王頸 額廣圓瓠鼻
龍咽臗臆方 具足驎驥相 

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