Avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ

Renderings

• Avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ: beings (obstructed by) uninsightfulness into reality, and (tethered to individual existence) by craving

Introduction

Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ sandhāvataṃ saṃsarataṃ

This means:

• A first point is not to be discerned of beings with the hindrance of uninsightfulness into reality, and with the tie to individual existence of craving, roaming and wandering the round of birth and death
☸ Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ sandhāvataṃ saṃsarataṃ (S.2.181-2).

We render the terms as:

• avijjā: uninsightfulness into reality

• taṇhā: craving

• saṃyojanānaṃ: tie to individual existence

But translators commonly render nīvaraṇānaṃ and saṃyojanānaṃ as past participles: ‘hindered’ and ‘fettered’:

• ‘hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving’ (Bodhi, S.2.181).

• ‘hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving’ (Horner, M.1.294).

But the suttas show that the relevant past participles are nivutā and saṃyuttā.

Avijjanīvaraṇa Sutta: nivutā

The past participle given in the Avijjanīvaraṇa Sutta for nīvaraṇaṃ is nivutā (‘obstructed by’):

• Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single hindrance obstructed by which beings would roam and wander the round of birth and death for such a long time as the hindrance of uninsightfulness into reality. Obstructed by the hindrance of uninsightfulness into reality, beings roam and wander the round of birth and death for a long time.
☸ Nāhaṃ bhikkhave aññaṃ ekanīvaraṇampi samanupassāmi yena nīvaraṇena nivutā pajā dīgharattaṃ sandhāvanti saṃsaranti yathayidaṃ bhikkhave avijjānīvaraṇaṃ. Avijjānīvaraṇena hi bhikkhave nivutā pajā dīgharattaṃ sandhāvanti saṃsarantī ti (It.9).

The connection between avijjā and nivuto is confirmed in the Vaṅgīsa Sutta:

• The world (of beings) is obstructed by uninsightfulness into reality
☸ Avijjāya nivuto loko (Sn.v.1033).

Taṇhāsaṃyojana Suttas: saṃyuttā

The past participle given in the Taṇhāsaṃyojana Sutta for saṃyojanānaṃ is saṃyuttā (‘tethered by’).

• Bhikkhus, I do not see any other single tie to individual existence, tethered by which beings would roam and wander the round of birth and death for such a long time as the tie of craving. Tethered (to individual existence) by the tie of craving, beings roam and wander the round of birth and death for a long time.
☸ Nāhaṃ bhikkhave aññaṃ ekasaṃyojanampi samanupassāmi yena saṃyojanena saṃyuttā sattā dīgharattaṃ sandhāvanti saṃsaranti yathayidaṃ bhikkhave taṇhāsaṃyojanaṃ. Taṇhāsaṃyojanena hi bhikkhave saṃyuttā sattā dīgharattaṃ sandhāvanti saṃsarantī ti (It.9).

Nivutā: meaning

Nivuta is the past participle of nivarati (‘surrounded, hemmed in, obstructed, enveloped,’ PED). We call it ‘obstructed.’ Some call it ‘shrouded in’ or ‘enveloped in,’ but it is associated in the suttas with the instrumental case, not the locative case:

• By what is the world (of beings) obstructed?
☸ Kena ssu nivuto loko (Sn.v.1032).

Saṃyuttā: meaning

Our research shows that saṃyuttā means ‘tethered (to individual existence).’ See sv Saṃyutta. In the passage from the Taṇhāsaṃyojana Sutta quoted above, the structure of the sentence rendered the parenthesis unnecessary.

Applying the past participles

If these missing past participles are inserted, it produces the following result, full of redundancy:

• A first point is not to be discerned of beings (obstructed by) the hindrance of uninsightfulness into reality, and (tethered to individual existence) by the tie to individual existence of craving, roaming and wandering the round of birth and death.
☸ pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ sandhāvataṃ saṃsarataṃ (S.2.181-2).

Removing the redundancy

Without redundancy, the phrase becomes:

• A first point is not to be discerned of beings (obstructed by) uninsightfulness into reality, and (tethered to individual existence) by craving, roaming and wandering the round of birth and death.
☸ pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṃ sattānaṃ taṇhāsaṃyojanānaṃ sandhāvataṃ saṃsarataṃ (S.2.181-2).

Ironically, then, we have simply replaced nīvaraṇānaṃ and saṃyojanānaṃ with nivutā and saṃyuttā, and apart from adding brackets, have followed Bodhi and Horner exactly: