एकांशेनोपमानानामुपमेयसधर्मता । बोद्धव्यं बोध्यबोधाय न स्थेयं बोधचञ्चुना ॥ १२ ॥
ēkāṁśēnōpamānānāmupamēyasadharmatā | bōddhavyaṁ bōdhyabōdhāya na sthēyaṁ bōdhacañcunā || 12 ||
Translation
The likeness of illustrations to the thing illustrated is in one part. That is to be understood, so that what is to be known may be known; one should not remain a beak-learned man.
Word by word
- ēkāṁśēna
- in one part
- upamānānām
- of illustrations
- upamēya
- to the thing illustrated
- sadharmatā
- the likeness
- bōddhavyaṁ
- is to be understood
- bōdhya
- what is to be known
- bōdhāya
- so that it may be known
- na
- not
- sthēyaṁ
- one should remain
- bōdha
- learned
- cañcunā
- as a beak (a beak-learned man)
Meaning
The commentary introduces verses 12 to 26 as the example of this rule. Then it explains the odd word: the bodha-cañcu, "knowledge-beak", is one who has a little knowledge in his mouth, like a bird holding something in its beak, and uses it only to cut down the other side in debate. One should not sit with knowledge in the mouth, it says, but let it enter the heart; otherwise one's own highest aim is surely lost.