Folks, your input would be greatly appreciated

ความดับทุกข์ต้องแลกเอาด้วยการ..ไม่ต้องการความสุข

The cessation of suffering must change desire (?) through work. Don't work happiness. (???)

As you can see, I kinda get the words individually, although I may well be way off but the meaning of the phrase escapes me entirely.

What do you guys think?

Is it similar to 'work to live not live to work'?

As my ability to read Thai script slowly emerges, I find quite a lot of phrases where, at first I'm pleased with myself for just reading the letters/words and then, once I've managed to get the words, I find myself not understanding what's meant by the whole phrase at all!

Cheers,

Biff

Your not the only one who has trouble putting sentences together to make sense.

My best shot at translating would be,

Extinguish your sorrow by desiring happiness.

Your not the only one who has trouble putting sentences together to make sense.

My best shot at translating would be,

Extinguish your sorrow by desiring happiness.

I would say the same but I think it is extinguish your sorrow by NOT desiring happiness.

ความดับทุกข์ต้องแลกเอาด้วยการ..ไม่ต้องการความสุข

To eliminate your suffering, change your desires ... Do not need happiness

(the การ in this instance symbolises the saying is from Pali)

Sounds like a Buddhist saying ... Basically our equivalent in English would be "lower your expectations to never be dissapointed"

Edited October 15, 201015 yr by cobyau

ความดับทุกข์ต้องแลกเอาด้วยการ..ไม่ต้องการความสุข

To eliminate your suffering, change your desires ... Do not need happiness

(the การ in this instance symbolises the saying is from Pali)

Sounds like a Buddhist saying ... Basically our equivalent in English would be "lower your expectations to never be dissapointed"

Ahhh, wonderful! Thank you! I was wondering about the use of การ so, it only serves as an indication of the Pali root of the saying and has no actual meaning in the sentences?

ความดับทุกข์ต้องแลกเอาด้วยการ..ไม่ต้องการความสุข

To eliminate your suffering, change your desires ... Do not need happiness

(the การ in this instance symbolises the saying is from Pali)

Sounds like a Buddhist saying ... Basically our equivalent in English would be "lower your expectations to never be dissapointed"

I went to the original Facebook posting at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=480340230534&set=a.310319065534.192269.293506240534 and the ellipsis which shows in the posting does not show up in the picture of the notebook page. Is it possible that the syllable "การ" is the prefix of the noun phrase "การไม่ต้องการความสุข"? If this is true, the, the phrase would mean, "not wanting happiness". The entire sentence might then be, "Eliminating suffering must be exchanged for not wanting happiness." Or, more properly, perhaps, "To eliminate suffering, you must be willing to give up a desire for happiness", which seems fairly close to Cobyau's formulation.

What do you think?

Is it possible that the syllable "การ" is the prefix of the noun phrase "การไม่ต้องการความสุข"? If this is true, the, the phrase would mean, "not wanting happiness". The entire sentence might then be, "Eliminating suffering must be exchanged for not wanting happiness." Or, more properly, perhaps, "To eliminate suffering, you must be willing to give up a desire for happiness", which seems fairly close to Cobyau's formulation.

What do you think?

I think so too, David การ is just a prefix that changes the whole sentence ไม่ต้องการความสุข into the noun การไม่ต้องการความสุข. I also agree with your translation.

Thanks everyone,

It's clearer in my mind now, thanks to your insights.

How does this read as a possible evaluation of the meaning.... 'For the cessation of suffering (rather than it's elimination, as it cannot be eliminated) one must work on (or towards?) changing (or exchanging?) desire.... Not the desire for happiness.

Perhaps meaning, rather than concentrating on the desire for happiness, one should, instead, work on changing (or removing altogether?) desire itself'?

Edited October 15, 201015 yr by bifftastic