All experience is preceded by mind, All that time that the Buddha taught, forty-five years, and no one was taking notes. That’s because no written language was present in the area. It wasn’t until about 450 years after the Buddha’s death that his teachings were written down. Prior to that, the discourses were memorized and passed on orally. The Pali Canon, written in the Pali language, is the most complete Early Buddhist canon still available today. The Dhammapada is part of this canon. (Other collections are available in other languages, and some are earlier, but none is thought to be as complete.) The meanings of ancient foreign languages are subject to the interpretation of the translator. I put together the version of the stanzas at the beginning based on a number of translations into English, including that of Gil Fronsdal, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Glenn Wallis, and Jay N. Forrest. I also checked the English meanings of some terms in the Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary. The problem with translations is that often they reflect the preferences, cultural beliefs, or level of understanding of the translator. My version naturally reflects my choice of “best words” based on my own understanding. Even well-known interpreters can put an odd slant on translations. Thomas Byrom, a scholarly translator of Buddhist works who died in 1991, comes under criticism for translating the first line as “We are what we think.” The Pali version says no such thing. (See author Bodhipaksa’s critique in the fall 2014 issue of Tricycle.) Looking deeper into meanings, “mind” could also be “heart” or “heart-mind,” because the seat of consciousness in Buddhism is in the chest (i.e., the heart) and not in the head. The word for “mind” might also be translated as “thought” or “intention.” If the mind/thought/intention is obscured, polluted, or wishing harm, then the result is suffering. If the mind/thought/intention is clear, pure, or bright, then the result is joyousness or happiness.
This idea doesn’t mean you change your outlook in order to change the world. The world is how it is, regardless. It also doesn’t mean that you pretend you aren’t angry when you are, or that you adopt a false generosity to make yourself feel better. The important thing from a Buddhist point of view is to shift your own perception, understanding, and intentions.
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The PartSelect site told me that 93% of the time, the problem is the switch. In the remaining 6% (rounding error) it’s the light socket and terminal. This website also has videos that demonstrate exactly how to install many of their parts—a helpful feature because I could get an idea of which tools and how much force would be needed. And, the site provided the correct part number for me to use in searches. I decided to try the switch replacement, but I didn’t buy it from PartSelect. I looked around for different pricing options. I considered not only the part price, but also the shipping price and the delivery time. I ended up ordering the part through Amazon because that gave me the best price including shipping, and as it turned out, the fastest delivery. (Click photos to enlarge and see captions.)
The replacement is pretty simple; however, I had to remove the temperature selector dial on the right because it was in the way. I made sure to take note of where it had been set before removing it. (Click photos to enlarge. Sorry for the fuzzy focus.) The old switch took some force to remove, especially on the right side. I didn’t want to force the left side, where the prongs are, because I didn’t want to damage them. I used a putty knife and screwdriver to work the part out. The right side finally gave way with a snap. Once out, the connectors pulled off easily with needle-nose pliers. Both connectors are in a single plastic unit so they come off as a block. They slip onto the new prongs easily. Before putting the switch into the housing, I put the new bulb in and then flipped the breaker. Sure enough, the bulb lit up. So, I put back the new switch and the temperature selector |
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