I have identified (and had pointed out to me) various serious problems with language that make it hard to talk about the way things really are. The heterophenomenological problem — the fact we cannot experience somebody else’s experience — already make it difficult (to put it mildly). So if GS could help us a bit with the language problems, that would be great!

Indeed, any interpretation depends significantly on the translation from Pali to English (for instance, Thanissaro Bhikkhu uses the term “property” instead of “element” – see the link to the text version).

Thus I have found it very helpful to read various suttas in different translations. After a while the whole picture – the terms, concepts, structures, relations – becomes more and more “complete”, and an understanding beyond the verbal level slowly emerges. For such a development, “General Semantics” seems to be of great benefit as well.

Using these two (Theravada & GS) in combination, I have but seen the tip of an iceberg so far, and shall continue my efforts to eventually know the whole iceberg. I am already preparing an article on that subject. :-)

Maybe that isn’t the point of the sutra — I suspect those “elements” were invented elsewhere — but that’s what I got out of it. It’s significantly affected my thinking about science and knowledge.

Thanks!