Akalika in the Buddhist canon

The word akålika as it occurs in the early Buddhist scriptures is translated 'immediate, present, at hand' (CPD), 'immediate, not dependent on lapse of time' (BHSD), 'not delayed, immediate, in this world' (PTSD, s.v.kålika), 'without delay, immediate' (Childers), etc.The Påli commentaries (e.g., Vism 216; Nidd II.52, 267; Pj II.456, 605; etc.) support this interpretation.The present article is meant to investigate if this interpretation fits the contexts in which the word occurs, and if a better interpretation may be possible.The contexts of akålika in the early Buddhist scriptures are few.In the Påli texts it occurs as a rule in apposition with the words dhamma, sandi † †hika, ehipassika, or just dhamma, ehipassika (PTC); also with sandi † †hika, ehipassika (SN IV. 339; AN I. 221; II.198).Minor variations occur, such as brahmacariyaµ sandi † †hikaµ akålikaµ (Sn 567 = MN II.146 = Th 837), dhammena di † †hena … akålikena (SN II.58-59; IV. 328).Similarly in the Sanskrit Mahåvastu (III.200) akålika comes in a sequence with dharmavinaya, såµd®∑ †ika, ehipaßyika.Regarding the meanings of såµd®∑ †ika / sandi † †hika and ehipaßyika / ehipassika there is little doubt.The former means 'visible, of the present (life)' and recalls the oft-recurring phrase d®∑ †e dharme / di † †he va dhamme 'in the present life'.The latter means 'that invites (every man) to come and see' (BHSD).Both these terms therefore emphasize that the aim of the teaching of the Buddha can be attained in this life.Since akålika must be more or less synonymous with these two words, 1 [188] the usual interpretation does not fit well.I propose the translation 'not connected with death'.kåla carries the meaning 'death', and is often used in this sense in the Buddhist scriptures, esp.together with the root k® and its derivatives.There is a priori much to support this interpretation of the term akålika.We know that Buddhism arose in surroundings where different ways of salvation competed with each other.The Buddhist scriptures often criticize these alternative ways, and in particular dedicate much space to the criticism of the Jainas (nigaˆ †ha).Of the Jainas we know that they expected liberation -in the case of those who were qualified for it -to take place at the moment of death (Schubring, 1935: 206-07), and there is reason to suppose that others too accepted this * I am indebted to the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.) for financial assistance. 1 SN IV. 41 and AN I. 157 seem to give the phrase sandi † †hiko dhammo akåliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaµ veditabbo viññËhi as an extended version of just sandi † †hiko dhammo, thus again suggesting that all these adjectives are more or less synonymous.AN I. 158 has the same with nibbånaµ instead of dhammo.Coomaraswamy's (1939: 117 f.) proposal to understand the doctrine (dhamma) to be both 'here and now' (di † †he dhamme) and 'not in time' (akålika) is not convincing.