I read the following on the internet:
> Perhaps, we can infer from the above that the Dha**m**ma is easy to follow
> for those who had little dust in their eyes, keen faculties (i.e.
> intelligent), with good attributes (i.e. good habits), easy to teach
> (i.e. respectful, eager to learn and diligent) and **seeing disgrace
> (i.e. a strong sense of shame) & danger in the other world (i.e. fear
> of ending up in a bad destination after death)**. This is one angle.
In comparison to the above Thanissaro translation and in comparison to the idiosyncratic embellishments bracketed by the poster, the translation of Sujato is slightly different, saying:
> And some of them lived **seeing the danger in the fault to do with the next world** (paralokavajjabhayadassāvine), while others did not.
>
> [Sujato's SN 6.1](https://suttacentral.net/sn6.1/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=linebyline&reference=none¬es=none&highlight=false&script=latin)
The relevant Pali above is 'paralokavajjabhayadassāvine', which is in locative case. The locative case can mean 'in" but also can more broadly mean 'in relation/respect to'. Therefore, Thanissaro used the translation of "in" whereas Sujato used the translation of "to do with".
> The locative denotes the circumstance or site in space (where) or time (when), a person is, or an action takes place; and can generally be rendered by ‘in, at, on, near, among, **in respect to**’.
>
> [Learn Pali Blog Spot](https://palistudies.blogspot.com/2018/06/palis-system-of-noun-cases.html)
> The seventh case (sattamī = Skr. saptamī) or the loc. serves to denote the where, i.e., the scene of an action. But it is capable of expressing such nuances as are denoted by the English prepositions in, on, at, among, with, by, near, over or **about**. Moreover its employment is not restricted to actual space as normally understood by ‘where’, but extends into other spheres of thought (cp. SS §38.6) Consequently there are various uses of the loc. which can be classified as those denoting, for instance, the varying conceptions of time, of circumstance, of motive, (the nimitta-sattamī of local grammarians), of **relation**, the loc. absolute with its various subdivisions and so on.
>
> Here as well as in the above type (c.) the loc. is expressive of **relation**, i.e. the thing regarding which...
>
> [The Locative Case](https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Textual-Studies/Syntax-of-the-Cases/07-Locative.htm)
Are there any Pali Suttas which explain the meaning of the term "the other world" ("paraloka") to help us clarify the text in SN 6.1 (which the poster on the internet took omniscient privilege to impute their own personal interpretation of)?
Asked by Paraloka Dhamma Dhatu
(45890 rep)
Jul 6, 2025, 08:47 AM
Last activity: Jul 9, 2025, 12:54 PM
Last activity: Jul 9, 2025, 12:54 PM